“Well, we’re still going to have the usual party. I was planning on asking you boysto decorate the place tomorrow. Just a bit, nothing extreme. Noah, you’re off the hook.” She giggles when the rest of the guys whine.
“Fuck, yeah. Never been happier to be injured,” I joke with a laugh.
Veronica smiles as she leans in, sliding her fingers along my jaw and pressing her soft lips against mine. “I love you.” She’s been saying it a lot since I woke up from surgery, at least ten times a day. And I am not complaining.
“I love you, too, Veronica.” She pulls away with a beaming grin, then heads over to Gabe, who sits in the other armchair next to mine.
She climbs onto his lap and wraps her arms around his neck. “Hi, baby. I’ve missed you.” Since she’s been with me all night and morning, this is the first time she’s seen him in person since he left.
Gabe fists her hair and devours her mouth. “Fuck, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you. I can’t wait to show you just how much later.” He bites her bottom lip, giving it a tug as they pull away.
“Umm…” She chews on her lip.
“What?” He frowns, confused.
“Six-week sex restriction.” I snicker when his eyes bug out of his head and his jaw drops.
“No…” He gapes, then looks back at Veronica with a nervous look. “Oh, no… please tell me I’m not included in that restriction. Please say I’m not, Vixen. Don’t make me suffer like that! I’ll do anything!” he pleads with her as everyone around us laughs.
“We’ll see.” She smiles and pats his chest.
“So, since everyone is here. We have an announcement to make,” Emma says, sitting beside Greyson with her hand on his thigh. “We had a doctor’s appointment early this morning and found out what we’re having.”
We all wait in anticipation for them to tell us what’s about to be added to our rapidly growing family.
Greyson beams down at his fiancée with such pride. “We’re having two boys.”
A chorus of cheers erupts around the room as Aubrey gets up and hugs them both. “Congrats, you two. I can’t wait to meet my nephews.”
“Have you picked out names already?” Morgan asks with an excited grin but then drops it and points a finger at them. “No Theo, though, that name’s taken already.”
“You guys decided on Theo for your boy?” I ask Morgan, unaware that they had finally made a decision between the three names they had.
“Yes, just yesterday. It’s weird, but I was napping and had a dream that I was chasing my kids in the backyard, and I called him Theo. I think it was a sign.” Shetakes her husband’s hand as they grin at each other, then turns back to Emma. “So? Names?”
“We’re naming them Maddox and Parker,” Greyson tells us.
“For Maddison Parker Ellery,” Emma finishes as tears rise in her eyes.
“Aww…” Cecilia gets up and quickly hugs her friend. “Have you told Bryan?”
Em nods, wiping at her tears. “We called him right after finding out. He was happy and couldn’t stop crying and thanking us. It was a lot of emotions in one morning.” She lets out a sad laugh.
“How is he doing?” I ask them.
“As best as a parent can do after losing a child.” Em sighs. “He started going to therapy to help cope with it all, and he’s taking the rest of the year off from work to deal with everything and get back on his feet.”
“We try to help him out wherever we can and see him regularly, but it’s not easy with hockey, and it’s a lot of emotions for Emma every time. I don’t want her stressing too much with the babies,” Greyson adds with a defeated look.
“That makes perfect sense, and I’m sure Bryan understands,” Gabe tries to reassure them.
“Yeah, he does. He’s always telling me to stop worrying, but it’s in my nature to worry about others. I can’t help it, and it’s even worse since I became pregnant.” Emma chuckles.
The doorbell rings and we all look at each other with a curious gaze. “Are we expecting more people?” I laugh when no one gets up right away.
“Not that I’m aware of.” Clay finally stands and heads over to the front door as we wait for him to come back with whoever is there.
Suddenly a tiny little guy I’ve actually missed enormously jumps onto my legs and rubs his head against my hand when I start to pet him. “Hey, little Blubs. Missed you, boy.” He purrs louder, a little meow at hearing his name, then finally lies down and rolls into a ball on my lap.
