“This is amazing,” Ottis whispered. He took a flying leap and landed in the middle of the pillows. “Oof! It’s like a sea of clouds!”
“You like it?”
“I love it!” Ottis flopped around like a fish, flinging his limbs everywhere. All he felt was fluffy softness. “It’s like I’m in heaven. We should get you and Marcie in here. Then we’ll have a cuddle pile and everything will be great.”
Doc beamed. “Let me get Marcie.”
Before he could take more than a few steps, Hijinks showed up at the door with Marcie and Hotcart, beaming excitedly. “Aww, am I not allowed in the nest?”
Doc scrunched up his face. “That would be so awkward. Especially if you start reading pickup lines.”
The butler quickly tucked a pink book behind his back.
Ottis snickered.
Hijinks sniffed disdainfully. “It’s just as well that you gave me enough time to duck in here and get it ready.” He waved at the fairy lights and the baby’s breath bouquets.
Doc scrutinized him. “You hid pickup lines in here, didn’t you?”
“I did nothing!” Hijinks cackled and flounced away, leaving Marcie in Hotcart’s cargo basket.
Doc sighed, heading over to scoop Marcie out of the shopping cart. “Hey, Hotcart. You may hang around, but please don’t crash into any walls.”
The cart flipped its wheels and wriggled. Marcie babbled at Doc, grasping his shirt. When Doc brought her close to his face, Marcie tried to stuff a macaroni up his nose.
“Ugh,” Doc said, but he laughed and brought Marcie over to Ottis. “Do I want to know where that macaroni has been?”
“Probably not,” Ottis said ominously.
Doc waded through the pillows back to Ottis’ side, handing Marcie over. “There, back with your dad.”
“Actually,” Ottis said, his heart skipping. Doc looked at him curiously. “I was wondering if you wanted to be Marcie’s dad, too.”
Doc’s entire face lit up. “You’d want me to be?”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
Doc grinned and his gaze turned soft. “Thank you, sweetheart. That means so much to me.”
He gathered them both in his arms and kissed Ottis softly on the lips. Then he turned to Marcie, his breath stuttering.
“Hey, Marcie,” Doc began.
Marcie turned to him and shoved another macaroni into his mouth. Ottis laughed.
“Well, I guess that’s a happy Father’s Day gift?” Doc began to chew on the pasta, except Marcie plucked it back out of his mouth and began to wave it around.
Ottis curled into Doc’s side, clutching his stomach as he laughed harder. “This is going to be great.”
“Says you,” Doc said, but he leaned back against Ottis, cuddling Marcie closer. “Now, all we need is a kick from the other little one, and everything will be great.”
He slipped his hand into Ottis’ silk robe to touch his belly, his smile so warm that Ottis’ heart fluttered.
“Soon,” Ottis said breathlessly. “I think we’ll feel a kick soon.”
29
JINXED, AGAIN
