“We're so sorry,” Giselle said for the billionth time.“Seriously, so, so, so sorry.Carlo thought he'd hung up with you guys.And I didn't know his phone was still on.”Her beautiful eyes got all watery.For the billionth time.“Even though he shouldn't have been on the phone at all.”She glared at Carlo with such rage, I was surprised when he didn't suddenly burst into flames before our eyes.
Carlo took a deep breath.“You were asking me to call them every five minutes.I was just doing what you asked.”
Giselle looked back at the phone.“You'll have to excuse the father of my children.He knows I needed help.Yet he conveniently decided to be all the way across the house.”
Carlo frowned so deeply, even I flinched.“Don't call me that.”A look of pure disgust covered his face.
“What?”Giselle asked, appearing to be oblivious to why he was upset.
“You heard me.That’s like calling me your baby daddy.”He swallowed and looked like he'd bitten into a lemon or two, “Baby daddy.That's completely tasteless.”
Now Giselle was frowning.“I didn't say baby daddy.But why can't I call you that?It's what you are.”
Carlo's face turned stone cold.“I'm a fuck of a lot more than just your baby daddy, Giselle.Christ, woman.I can't believe you'd say that.I asked you to be my wife.Did I not?”
She—laughed—at him.
Holy.
Cow.
Giselle apparently had no fear.“Your—wife?And when's that going to happen, Carlo?Hmm?You keep getting me pregnant, so we can't get married.Do you think I'm not catching on to your scheme?”
Stefan tapped the screen and ended our video chat.
“Giselle is very, very pregnant,” he explained.“Eve gets like this, too, near the end.”
I rolled to my side.The chaise lounge was huge.Big enough for us.And probably a few more people.“So, Carlo wants to marry her?”
Stefan chuckled.“Absolutely.There's nothing else he wants more in life.”
I peered off into the blue, blue sky.“But then why haven't they gotten married yet?”
He cleared his throat.“Well, it's a long, long story.But they had a bit of a rocky road.And then rockier things happened—” His hand landed on my hip and held onto me.“And then rockier shit.”
I bit my lip and laid my hand over his chest—where I knew the scar sat underneath his shirt.“Does it have anything to do with this?”
His hand slid over mine, and he sighed.“Yes.And no.”
I laughed and rolled onto my back.“Wow, that explains it all.Thanks.”
Stefan sighed and grabbed my hand.“It's not something I really want to bring up.It's over and done with.But I will tell you that Carlo will marry her in a second if she'd allow it.”
I frowned up at the sky.“That makes no sense.”
He rolled over, trapping my leg between his.“Giselle wants a big wedding.Carlo doesn't give a fuck if they get married in their hot tub.But he wants to give her whatever the hell she wants.”
I smiled at him and touched his arm.“That's actually really sweet.That he'd marry her anywhere.But why didn't they wait a bit longer between babies?Until after they're married?”
Stefan let out a long, low laugh.“Because Carlo enjoys getting Giselle pregnant.And Giselle enjoys letting him.”
I raised my eyebrows.“Well, I can see why.Carlo's a good-looking guy.But they could come to some other kind of agreement for now.It sounds like they both want the same thing after all.”
Stefan looked at me with curiosity in his gaze.“Like what?”
I shrugged and shook my head.“I don't know.They could always get married now.Like have a small ceremony.And then have a bigger wedding later.After she's had the baby and feels up to it.”
He looked at me for a moment.“That's not a bad idea.”
