by Mazzy King
“And we have cake!” Stephanie adds.
“And music, and photography,” Leila says, smiling up at Forrest. “I guess we can have a party after all, huh?”
Savannah sits on a chair and strums her guitar. “Do you think I’ll disturb the other patients?”
We all exchange a glance, shrugging.
“Better to ask forgiveness than permission,” Loch says. “Go for it.”
She sings a couple songs, and by the third one, a few patients wheeling past our room with their nurses stop to listen. We don’t seem to be disturbing anyone—the opposite, in fact.
“I think we should have cake,” Leila says. “I baked it, so I know it’s delicious.”
Evelyn clears some space on another chair and takes the box Stephanie hands her. Ev and I also brought plastic forks and knives and disposable plates, so she uses a knife to cut a few messy squares and passes them around.
We stand in a semi-circle around Leila’s bed, eating cake and chatting.
This is better than any party I could have thrown, and a glance at Evelyn confirms it.
“So,” Leila says. “I took my turn at this baby thing. Who’s next?”
“Well, I guess this is the best time to tell you—” says Stephanie.
“So, Clay and I have some really fantastic news,” Savannah starts at the exact same time.
“I guess that’d be,” Ava says in unison.
A silence falls over the room, then the women start jumping up and down, laughing and crying a little.
“Wait,” I say, eyes bulging, “all of you?”
“All of us?” Asher demands at the same time.
“What the hell?” Forrest says with a laugh.
“No way,” Loch and Clay say at the same time.
The guys do an awkward group hug.
“What’s in the water in these damn mountains?” Leila demands.
“Time to get the camera out!” Ava announces, reaching back for her fancy Nikon. She starts snapping action shots.
A few clarifying questions determines that their due dates are all in the same year. It looks like Hannah’s going to have plenty of playmates growing up.
Leila turns huge eyes toward Evelyn and me. “I guess you’re the odd ones out.”
“Yeah, thanks in advance for all the babysitting you’ll be doing for us all,” Clay says, saluting.
Asher chuckles. “Well, I guess it’ll be good practice for when you guys have a baby.”
I slide an arm around Evelyn and grin. “Yeah, we can test drive a few models before we commit to one of our own.”
She smiles up at me. “Sounds like a good idea.”
I lift my brows at the fellas. “See?”
“If we weren’t already committed to our own.”
Another hush falls over the room. I turn slowly to look at her.
“Wait,” Stephanie says quietly.
“What, now?” Loch says.
Ava keeps snapping. A distant part of my mind notes that the camera is focused on the two of us.
“What are you saying?” I murmur to Evelyn.
She bites her lip. “I was going to wait until tonight to tell you. But…my period was late. I took a couple of tests. And…”
I know what she’s going to say. But I hold my breath anyway as my heart threatens to burst inside my chest.
“We’re going to be parents,” she finishes softly, wrapping her arms around my neck.
All the breath I was holding rushes out as I sweep her into my arms. “My god.”
Our friends cheer and pile in around us. Leila waves her arms from her bed, tears flowing down her face.
“How is this even possible?” I say, laughing. “How are we all having kids at the same time?”
“It’s a Christmas miracle!” Clay exclaims, batting his lashes.
“I think you’re all just horny bastards,” Savannah says, elbowing her husband and shrugging.
We all burst into laughter.
“I like a Christmas miracle,” I murmur to Ev, kissing her cheek. “Even though I am a horny bastard.”
She kisses me back. “I would never have you any other way, baby.”
There’s a popular saying—“it takes a village.” To do what, exactly? I used to wonder that any time I heard it. But now I know—to do anything. To live a full life. To form bonds that last a lifetime, and beyond.
Maybe we don’t have a village yet, but we definitely have a tribe.
And I’ll always be grateful to the mountains for giving us that.
The End
About the Author
Mazzy King is the author of short, sexy, romantic suspense. She loves writing about the good bad boys and the women who can’t help but fall in love with them. If you love a sexy, tattooed bad boy with a heart of gold, badass and brilliant ladies, no cheating, and happily-ever-afters with a dose of thrill, you’ve come to the right place. Enjoy reading Mazzy’s stories with your latte or, better yet, a couple glasses of your favorite vino in the bathtub!
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Other Series By Mazzy King
Badge Bunnies
Blue-Collar Bad Boys Next Door
Hardchargers