Page 88 of Vegas with my Brother’s Best Friends

“He’ll carry you everywhere if you let him,” Tyler adds, a dash of humor slipping into his voice.

Cassidy smiles a little. “Well, I’m not going to.”

“He’ll probably still try to,” Marcus replies.

I roll my eyes.

For a moment, things feel somewhat normal. As normal as they possibly could. There’s nothing but us, our baby, and our stupid jokes.

I miss that moment as soon as it passes and reality sets back in.

When we get in a taxi to head back to the resort, I check the time on my watch. “When we get back, you should eat something and then rest.”

“It’s noon. I don’t need to rest yet,” Cassidy replies.

“You need rest,” I assure her. “You’re going through a lot physically and emotionally right now, and it would be good for you to rest.”

“You don’t have to sleep. You can just relax and watch a movie,” Marcus says from the other side of Cassidy. He gives me a pointed look. “Whatever makes you most comfortable.”

“I’m also not that hungry.”

I sigh heavily. “No, I’m drawing the line there. You have to eat something, Cass. At least do some sort of salad and maybe some grilled chicken. I read that stuff like that is good for pregnant women to eat.”

Cassidy drops her head back against the car seat. “Jax…”

“Take it down a notch, dude,” Tyler mutters to me. “You’re stressing her out more barking orders.”

“I’m not barking orders,” I say pointedly. “She needs to eat more to sustain her and the baby. I don’t care if I’m the father or not. I want the best for the baby.”

Tyler and Marcus eventually nod in agreement. I get why they want to stand up for her, but my intentions are good. And they want the same thing as me.

A healthy mother and child.

“Fine,” Cassidy sighs. “But don’t get mad if I don’t eat every bite. If everything made you sick, you wouldn’t feel like eating much either.”

“Just eat at least half. Please.”

Cassidy nods and picks at the stretchy material of her black leggings. “Thank you for coming with me today.”

“You don’t have to thank us,” Marcus replies. “And we didn’t come because we felt obligated.”

“Or because we pity you,” Tyler adds.

“We’re not going to let you go through this alone,” Marcus tells her as he places his hand over hers. “I don’t care what comes our way next.”

Her face softens before a sniffle breaks from her. She groans and covers her face with her hands. “I’m so tired of crying. Just when I think I have no more tears left, I cry again.”

I gently rub her shoulder, wishing just my touch could siphon away all her pain. I’d take it all so that she could finally be at peace.

But that’s not how reality works and this path is going to be long and hard for all of us.

I can only hope that there’s peace and happiness waiting for us at the end.

When we make it back to the resort, we take her back to her room. Tyler and Marcus get her settled in bed, and I call room service to have lunch brought to her.

“You’re not going to stay?” Cassidy asks.

“You need to rest,” I tell her as we stand next to her bed. “Try to sleep if you can. You’re expending more energy than usual.”