And handle it, I will.
Wearingmy best pantsuit for a job interview, I take a look at myself in the reflective window of the up-and-coming Black Swan restaurant before I walk in. The weather is nice, the sun is out, and peachy-pink looks great on my full figure.This is probably the last time I’ll be wearing heels for a while, but it’s worth it.
I smile as I walk in. A hostess emerges from behind a black podium adorned with gilded feathers that tremble in the rush of air as the main glass doors close behind me.
“Welcome to The Black Swan,” she says, looking elegant and businesslike in her black pencil skirt and crisp, white shirt. “We’re not open to the public yet, I’m afraid.”
“I’m not here to eat. I’m here to cook,” I reply with a warm smile.
The hostess pauses for a moment, then checks a list on her phone with a slightly furrowed brow. “My apologies. May I please have your name?”
“Of course. It’s Raina Redford.”
I see them before they can see me. Alex, Max, and Vincent are seated around a table, perfectly fitting with The Black Swan’s swanky and ridiculously elegant décor. They wear dark grey suits, white shirts, and different color ties for their interviews. Alex’s is navy blue, Max went for crimson red, and Vincent, always the rebel, chose a deep emerald green. Unsurprisingly, it all works together, because they are quite the sight to behold.
With another deep breath, I walk towards them.
“Raina,” Alex says, his gaze softening as all three stand to greet me. “You made it.”
“I almost didn’t,” I reply with a blush and a giggle. “Morning sickness. My bad.”
Vincent steps closer, his eyes searching my face. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. It’s just the downside of growing a baby. It comes with sometimes unexpected side effects.” I laugh lightly, my cheeks burning pink. “So… is the job opening still available?”
Alex takes my hand in his, a soft smile stretching across his face. “It was always yours, Raina. It was always going to be yours.”
“None of us can imagine The Black Swan taking off without you,” Max adds.
“And none of us can imagine the rest of our lives without you,” Vincent says.
Tears fill my eyes. Tears of relief, of joy, of the purest kind of love I’ve ever had the fortune of experiencing. It’s intense, it’s powerful, and all-consuming. It fills my soul much like water fills an empty cup while my body responds the way it always has to their touch—with heat and unbridled desire.
“I don’t know how it’s going to work,” I tell them, trembling slightly. “But I know that I want it to.”
Alex sighs deeply. “Raina…”
He drops to his knees and puts his hand on my belly. “Our baby’s in here. And we’ll burn the world down before I let anyone touch you again.”
With his words, a much-needed sense of peace comes over me. I feel my lips reaching for a smile just before they meet Vincent’s in a reassuring kiss. I feel my heart expand as Alex’s arms snake around my waist, and he presses his ear against my womb, holding me close. My soul is lighter than a feather as Max tucks a lock of hair behind my ear and plants a kiss of his own on my temple.
I’m the luckiest girl alive.
31
RAINA
“Twins,” Alex says, befuddled. “We’re having twins.”
“That’s what the doctor said,” Max replies.
We’re outside the clinic, staring at the ultrasound print in my trembling hands. The four of us are stunned.
“I don’t know how they missed it at the hospital,” Vincent says.
“Doc said it’s not uncommon to miss one this early,” Max reminds him.
“I’m going to get so big,” I say after a long and heavy silence. “I mean, I knew I’d get big. Bigger. But twins? I’m going to be huge.”
