“Gender . . . as in . . . as in you’re having a baby?” I ask, shocked.
“We are,” Lottie says as she presses her hand to her stomach. “And Kelsey is mad because I didn’t tell her until now.”
“That’s not why I’m mad,” Kelsey says while wiping her eyes. “I’m not mad at all.”
JP kisses Kelsey’s hand and then says, “She’s happy because we’re pregnant too.”
Uh, say what?
Lottie lets out a deathly scream before they both run into each other’s arms and cry together, their husbands just staring at them.
I walk up to each of my brothers and offer them a hug. “Well, that would explain the blue-and-pink décor,” I say when I release Huxley.
“It was Lottie’s idea,” he says and then pulls JP into a hug. “Fuck, congrats, man.”
“Congrats to you,” he says while they pull away.
“Jesus, I can’t believe you two are going to be dads. I don’t know if I should be happy or worried.”
“Maybe a bit of both,” JP says. “Because I’m scared shitless.”
Huxley scratches the side of his face and whispers, “So am I.”
I laugh out loud and clap them both on the back. “Listen, if I know one thing for sure, it’s that you two were amazing big brothers, so I know you’re going to be amazing dads too.”
“Shit, that’s touching,” Ryot says and then pushes Banner. “How come you never say that kind of crap to me?”
Banner, who’s holding a Bloody Mary, says, “If you were a good big brother, then I would . . .”
“Ouch.” Penn chuckles. “That’s got to hurt.”
“Not a good big brother?” Ryot asks. “Who helped you get out of your . . . predicament—”
“Secret predicament,” Banner says through clenched teeth.
“Well . . .” Ryot asks.
Banner rolls his eyes. “Fine, you’re a good big brother. Best in all the land.”
Ryot brings his hand to his chest. “That’s so touching, thank you.”
“Wow, you can really feel the love,” Penn says, causing us all to chuckle.
After another round of congratulations and tons of hugs, Huxley and Lottie stand by the pool, ready to tell us the sex of the baby. It took Kelsey a second not to be mad at her sister for not telling her sooner, but I think the whole thing was diabolical, and I liked it. Baby reveal AND gender reveal. Now that’s the way to do it.
“Are you ready for the grand reveal?” Lottie asks.
Arm around Lia, I hold her close as we all say yes.
“Huxley, you do the honors.” Lottie holds her phone out, and I have no idea what’s happening, but Huxley presses a button on the phone, and the pool lights up in all different colors. Instrumental music plays in the background, making a grand show of it, and then the lights start blinking. Lottie clutches Huxley tightly.
They flash blue.
Then pink.
Then blue.
Then pink and pink . . . and pink again just as the music crescendos and everything stops.
