Roxie grins over the rim of her mug. “He’s always up to something.”
“False.” I straighten and go over, dropping down on the couch beside her. “Sometimes I’m just sleeping. Or eating.”
She leans into my side when I sling an arm around her shoulders, those eyes coming up to meet mine. “Should I be concerned?”
“Always,” Boone says at the same time Chance mutters, “God, yes.”
I sigh. “You just don’t appreciate genius.”
But that’s okay. Because tonight, you will.
Skepticism creeps across Boone’s features, one eyebrow arching before he shakes his head. He doesn’t ask, though. They agreed to trust me with this, and I have a feeling I’ll knock it out of the park.
“Okay, well, lunch is ready,” he says after clearing his throat. “Gifts, then we eat?”
“Yeah.” Chance gets up immediately, abandoning the pile of toys that will be collected later for kids in town and going over to the tree. “Do mine first.”
I groan. “We always do yours first, but fine. Which game did you get me this year?”
He bends and picks up a bigger box than usual. I frown. “It’s not a game, is it?”
“Nope,” he says, surprisingly cheerful as he hands a similarly shaped package to Boone and Roxie, although she gets two more packages from him, too.
I withdraw my arm from around her to tear off the paper, then I freeze when I see the baby memory book inside. My heart skips as I flip through it, seeing spots to press footprints and jot down notes of each milestone.
My eyes squeeze shut, the reality sinking in so much deeper than it has before.Holy fuck, we’re having babies.
I breathe through the momentary wave of panic, and when I finally open my eyes again, I see Boone and Roxie blinking down at their own books, Boone suddenly grinning like a fool and Roxie’s eyes shimmering with tears.
She blows out a breath, then gets up to wrap her arms around Chance. “Thank you. That was amazingly thoughtful. It’s even got a section for notes about the pregnancy. They’re going to love being able to read all this stuff one day.”
He nods, holding her close for a moment before Boone hands out his gifts. Baby carriers for Chance and me, and a necklace for Roxie with a diamond-encrusted infinity symbol. She got us each a leather cuff with our initials stamped inside.
“I’ll do mine later,” I say finally, once the rest of the gifts are opened.
Boone gives me another skeptical look, but herds us to the dining room for lunch without arguing. We eat more than humanly possible, and afterward, once we sit back down in the living room, that perfect Christmas glow settles over us.
I glance at the tree again and decide it’s time.
“Rox?” I say casually, swallowing my nerves and trying to keep my voice steady. “Can you come stand here with me for a sec?”
Instantly, she looks suspicious, narrowing her eyes at me from her perch in front of the fire. “Why?”
Chance groans under his breath. “Oh no.”
Boone mutters, “Here it comes.”
“Jeez, relax.” I take her hand, tugging her gently to her feet and guiding her over to the tree with me. “I just want to show you something.”
Chance stands too, and Boone follows. I position her in front of the tree, the lights forming a halo around her hair, making her look like every Christmas miracle ever performed.
For a moment, I almost forget what I’m doing, but then I turn to the tree and reach up among the branches, pulling off a clear glass sphere I hung while no one was looking. Inside are three rings, designed to fit together as well as we do.
She gasps softly, her gaze lingering on the sphere for a beat before it flies back up to mine. “Dillon…”
“Yeah,” I say, suddenly feeling way too many feelings for a guy who never used to feel much other than hungry and horny. “You see where this is going.”
Boone steps up beside her, not missing a beat now that he’s seen the rings. His features are open and his eyes clear when they meet mine. He even gives me an approving little chin tilt, but my heart is racing too much to acknowledge it as he turns to her.
