Nodding, I can’t help but swoon over how handsome he looks holding Gio right now. It’s giving me total daddy vibes, and I’m here for it.
As they rush her toward the door, Drac pauses long enough to glance back at the room.
“Prospects, Annies, I need you to put away the dinner.”
A chorus of groans follows him as he leads Amber to a car, just as Gremlin jumps out with the keys.
“Here, Prez, I got you a cage.”
“Thanks, Gremlin.” He helps his wife in to the car, treating her like precious cargo.
“Go help the others clean up, Gremlin.”
“Aww, do I have to? I wanted to meet the rugrat.”
Gremlin kicks his foot and sulks into the clubhouse, just as a door slams shut and a flurry of engines roar to life. Rich ushers me and Giovanni to another vehicle, holding open the door for me so I can slide in.
Krampus carefully places Giovanni into his car seat and buckles him in. “Looks like our family’s getting a little bigger tonight,” he murmurs, staring at Giovanni with nothing but love in his eyes.
“Do you think Mommy and Daddy will name the baby ham or turkey?”
Krampus nose crinkles just a tad. “No, buddy, why would you ask that?”
He shrugs. “Well, she’s being born on Thanksgiving. Ham and Turkey are better names for a baby than Stuffing or Green Bean Casserole.”
Our laughter echoes through the car just as Rich slides into the driver’s seat, and Voorhees hops into the back next to Gio.
He starts up the car with a spark gleaming in his eye that wasn’t there before. He’s excited about the baby. More excited than I’ve seen him since we met. He’s actually smiling for once,so much so that he quickly kisses the back of my hand after finding mine over the center console, our fingers tangling as one.
“This was the best Thanksgiving ever,” I say softly. “Thank you for inviting me.”
He steals a quick glance my way, making sure to obey traffic lights even though everyone’s on edge, racing to get to the hospital.
“Don’t worry, beautiful. This won’t be the last Thanksgiving you have with us. If I have my way, this is just the first of many.”
And somehow, even with adrenaline pumping through our veins, and the leftover pie crumbs waiting for us back the clubhouse, I realize that this connection I have with Rich is something more than a girlish fantasy.
It’s bigger than that.
It’s the beginning of something greater than both of us.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Krampus
Drac comes out into the lobby with tears in his eyes, wiping them away with the back of his hand like any proud papa should.
“It’s another boy,” he exclaims, his smile reaching his ears.
“Congratulations, brother!” I shout, slapping him on the back just as Autumn rushes in to give him a hug.
“Your dad was with you guys the whole time, I hope you know that.”
Drac’s bottom lip quivers. “I know, I felt him.”
Both of Amber’s and Drac’s moms were already allowed back to the delivery room, along with a very excited Giovanni, who couldn’t stop bouncing in the car.
His mouth moved a mile minute, asking different questions here and there about what having a baby brother would be like.
