Harvey steps up behind his mate, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.“Your moment to shine, darling.”
A bright smile takes over Grace’s face, her eyes filling with tears.
“I’m pregnant!”
Cheers and gasps erupt as everyone crowds Grace and Harvey, pulling them into hugs and congratulations.
August climbs onto the sofa to snuggle against Grace, but Harvey scoops him up and tosses him into the air, his carefree laughter filling every corner of the house with so much joy.
Dean looks stunned as he pulls Grace into a gentle hug, whispering something that makes her laugh even louder.
The crowd around Grace thins when Harvey starts growling at anyone who holds her too long or squeezes too tight.Overbearing asshole.
Everyone is buzzing with so much excitement, already talking about the future that includes ababynow,while I stand off to the side, watching it unfold without me.
The distance hits me hard, knocking the air out of my lungs until I’m choking on emotions I don’t know what to do with.
Why isn’t that my instinct? Why can’t I walk up to Grace, hug her, and ask her how she’s feeling? What am I so afraid of that I can’t even congratulate Harvey on finally getting his wish to become a father?
These people are everything I have, everything I callminein this world, and I’m still standing far away from the celebration like an idiot, biting the inside of my cheek until I taste blood, blinking hard when my vision turns glassy.
I’m so fucking broken it’s embarrassing.
Someone bumps my shoulder. I don’t need to look to know it’s Nevaeh. She’s the only one who isn’t afraid to push my limits because she knows how flimsy they really are.
When I turn, there’s a glint in her eyes, and I know whatever comes out of her mouth next is going to piss me off.
“Congratulations, Sharky. You’re going to be a grandma.”
Any other time, I would’ve smacked her head hard enough to hear the broken parts inside her skull rattle, but I freeze on the word ‘Grandma’.
Grace pushes off the couch, and Dean is immediately at her side. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Why are you standing? Harvey, why is my daughter standing? I thought you vowed to love and support her?”
“I did, but you’re filling the ‘over the top crazy’ quota all on your own.”
August leans forward from where Harvey is still holding him and pats Dean’s back. The tiny gesture breaks the tension, and everyone coos at how adorable August is for trying to calm Dean.
“Dad,breathe. Everything is fine. I’m fine,” Grace laughs.
Then she turns to me with a smile, and I forget how to breathe. I wouldn’t be this afraid of saying the wrong thing if her eyes weren’t shining with so much joy it hurts to look at her.
If I get this wrong, I could lose everything.
“Are you happy?”
Does she even have to ask? This is the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m barely holding back tears. But I’m told my face doesn’t say what I feel, which means I’ll have tosaysomething.
Save me, Lord Lucifer.
Grace laughs, used to my constipated range of emotions. “Hazel, you’re supposed to congratulate me.”
I know.
I want to.
It feels silly to be this anxious over a simple gesture. It’s just a fucking hug. People do it all the time.
So what’s holding me back? Why is it so hard toreach for the happiness right in front of me? I can’t let Tiberius steal this, too. I’ve already lost enough. I can’t lose my place here. I can’t lose these people.
