by BJ Harvey
“I’ll do anything to look after you, Gilly. I’m not just with you because we made a baby. I’m here for you.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue.
I’m falling for you.
You’re an awesome human being.
You’re the man I would always choose.
“Let’s get you dressed, and we’ll hit the road. The sooner we can get you, and the baby checked out, the better we’ll both feel. Sound good?”
“Yeah,” I say, wrapping a hand around the back of his head and pulling his mouth to mine for a soft, meaningful kiss.
“I’ll be okay. I truly believe that, and if you’re not quite there yet, I’ll believe it enough for both of us.”
An hour later, Cade escorts us through the ER waiting room and into a consulting room with a bed and a portable ultrasound machine.
My heart races when I see it, knowing this could be one of the worst moments in my life. My fears are overwhelming; my mind jumping to horrible conclusions as a mode of protecting myself. Thinking the worst means things can only go up from here.
Cade gives me a comforting smile. He hands me a urine cup and points me to a bathroom. I do my business then come back out, handing the sample over to Cade who’s filling out paperwork on the desk. “Okay, Gilly. Ez tells me you’re under the same OB as Ronnie,” he says with a smile, “and it’s the same one Abi and I had for the twins and Harry, so I know you’re in good hands. I’ll do a quick work-up, and then we’ll have a look at the newest Baker project on ultrasound. Sound good?”
“What do you think it might be?” Ez asks Cade.
The doctor looks straight at me. “It’s been a while since I’ve done obstetrics, but I’m leaning towards your body—and baby—telling you to take it easy. You had a big afternoon by all accounts. It could be your body adjusting as the baby grows or early Braxton Hicks contractions. Another possibility is that you’ve got an irritable uterus.”
I frown. “What’s that?”
“Some pregnant women have regular mild contractions that don’t produce any change in the cervix.”
“So, they’re okay to have?”
Cade’s eyes gentle. “With an irritable uterus, the contractions can be stronger and don’t always respond to rest and hydration. Your OB will just monitor you a little more closely, but while you might sometimes be uncomfortable and worry, the baby isn’t affected.”
I breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in what seems like forever.
Cade is all business as he takes my temperature, blood pressure, and pulse. He asks about the cramps and weird tightness I’ve been feeling and asks if I’m experiencing any other symptoms.
“Let’s get you up on the bed, and we can check how comfy your baby is in there. Okay?”
“Thank you,” I say quietly. Ezra helps me up, then holds my hand as we cross the room, and I lie down on the mattress.
I shimmy my yoga pants low on my hips and lift my hoodie and tank to just below my bra. Ezra takes a seat next to the bed and presses his lips to my knuckles. He’s so strong and calm; he’s exactly the rock I need when inside, I’m a neurotic mess.
“Breathe, baby,” he says quietly.
I turn my head on the pillow. “I’m trying.” My voice trembles. I close my eyes and try to settle my nerves. Inhale and exhale. Focusing on relaxing, knowing being this uptight isn’t doing anyone any favors—me or our baby.
“Gilly?” Cade asks. “It’s going to be okay. Just take a deep breath, and let’s see your baby, yeah?”
I nod and flip my hand over, lacing my fingers with Ezra’s.
Gel is drizzled onto my stomach. Ezra gives my hand a gentle squeeze. My eyes meet his, and he nods toward the monitor.
“Look, sweetheart,” he says as the air fills with the glorious sound of a strong, healthy heartbeat.
I shift my gaze to the screen and see our beautiful peanut—actually looking like a real baby now rather than the bean-shaped blob it was at our last scan.
I whisper a quiet thank you to the universe and watch the miracle in front of us.
Ez stands and leans over me, pressing his lips to my temples. He rests his head against mine, and we watch Cade take some measurements and glide the ultrasound wand over my tummy.
Ezra’s breath catches “Wait… is that…?”
“Ez…” Cade warns, his eyes dancing with amusement.
My head switches between the two of them. “What?”
Cade faces me. “Your boyfriend here almost let the cat out of the bag.”
My brows bunch together. “God, don’t tell me there are two in there. There are far too many twins in this family already.”
Cade is a twin. He also has twin girls with his wife Abi, and then there are Jax and Bry too.
Cade chuckles. “No, there’s definitely only one cooking in there. But do you want to know the sex?”
I gasp and turn to look at Ezra.
He shrugs and grins down at me. “It’s up to you.”
“We never talked about it. I kind of want to know, but if you don’t, we can just wait. They do say it’s one of the biggest surprises you can have in life.”
“I think we should find out.”
“So, is that a yes?” Cade muses.
I nod up at Ez, who beams at me, kissing me with a huge grin. “Let’s see if we’re having a mini Gilly or a mini Ez,” he says against my lips before straightening. “Tell us, Doctor.”
“Gilly, why don’t you tell me what you can see?” Cade says, sliding the wand to one side.
Ez doesn’t need to say a word because our baby boy is in no way shy.
“He’s certainly not hiding anything, is he?” Ez says with a laugh.
I snicker and arch a brow. “Takes after his father then?”
“Maybe,” Ez muses, kissing my forehead again.
“Okay, Gilly. Doctor speak now.” Cade’s expression turns professional. “Pelvic rest, real rest, and stay hydrated for a couple of days at least. If you can call off work, do it. Then just book in with your OB for a checkup, and he’ll come up with a management plan. Okay?”
Tears—happy ones this time—fall down my cheeks, and I nod vigorously. I can work from home if need be—or maybe not at all. “I’ll tell Dad I’m sick with food poisoning or something.”
Cade’s eyes widen. “You haven’t told them yet?”
I scoff. “Have you heard about my parents?”
He arches a brow. “Do you know who mine are?”
I look at his badge, making the connection for the first time. The Carsens live just down the street from my parents’ overly ostentatious house. Cade’s father ran for mayor years ago, then left office after a big scandal. “So, yours aren’t a lot better then?”
“Nope,” Cade replies, and we share a look of understanding. High-browed, too-rich-to-know-better parents suck.
Cade grabs some paper towels and wipes the gel off my stomach, stepping back and rolling the ultrasound machine to the side of the room.
Ezra moves my top back down, and I fix my pants when I stand up.
“I’ll put the urine sample in to the lab, and then I’ll send my notes and the results through to the OB.”
Ezra walks over to Cade and shakes his hand. “Thank you. We really appreciate you seeing us.”
“Not a problem. I was here anyway, and I’m always happy to help.” Cade looks over at me. “Just take it easy and try and relax.”
“Easy for you to say; you’re not growing a human being.”
Cade’s lips quirk. “Believe me, I know. You’ve met Abi, right?”
“She’s amazing.” I reply.
He nods, and his moony expression is that of a man who loves his wife. “That she is. I’ll see you both soon. Have a good night.” He jerks his chin up to Ezra before opening the door and disappearing down the corridor.
Ezra moves in front of me, his hands resting on my hips as he grins and rests his forehead on mine.
“We’re having a baby bo
y,” I whisper, my lips curving into a big real smile.
“Yeah, sweetheart. Let’s get you and our son home.”
“Okay,” I say, lifting up on my toes and kissing him soft and slow.
I think you’re goddamn perfect, Ezra Baker.
I don’t say it.
But something tells me that sometime soon, I will.
11
Ezra
“Hey,” I say, walking into the top-floor apartment of the Cook brothers’ current house-flip project.
Jamie, Jax, Bry, and Cohen are all standing around a newly installed kitchen counter, each with takeaway coffee cups in their hands.
“Look who it is. Ezra ‘never on time’ Baker,” Jax says, nudging me with his elbow when I get close. I grab the spare coffee left on the bench and take a much-needed swig. “It’s eight a.m. This is early.”
“For architects maybe,” Jamie muses. “So, what’s new? Did you have a good weekend?”
“Yeah. We went looking at baby furniture yesterday.”
“God. Do you know how long we spent walking around, trying to choose between different wood, colors, gender-neutral designs…?” Jax rolls his eyes. “I swear we made things harder for ourselves by not finding out the sex.”
“Speaking of that,” I say, unable to hold back a smile. “Gilly and I ended up going to the hospital last night to get her checked out and discovered we’re having a boy.”
“Look at you go,” Jamie says with a knowing grin. He walks around and wraps his arms around me, giving me a hearty clap on the back. “Congrats.”
“Hang on, is Gilly okay?” Bry asks, his brows wrinkled.
“Yeah. Cade was working, and he looked her over. She’s going to rest for a couple of days and then go see the OB.” I sigh, shaking my head. “Got to admit though, I was worried as hell.”
Jax nods. “Something changes when they get pregnant. It’s like a switch is turned on, and suddenly, overnight, you turn into an overprotective worrywart.”
“I’ve told Faith I don’t want her driving anymore. Can you imagine how that conversation went?” Bry says.
His twin laughs, shaking his head. “Probably as well as it did when I told Ronnie the same thing a month ago.”
“How’s she doing? It’s getting close now,” I ask him.
Jax’s grin is unmistakable. “Forty weeks tomorrow, so basically, it’ll be any day now.”
“You know what would be hilarious?” Cohen says. “If Faith and Ronnie went into labor at the same time. Can’t you imagine? Twins having babies with the same birthday.”
“Oh God,” Bry says, looking at Jax. “Please give me a heads up so I can tell my wife to cross her legs.”
Jax just shakes his head. “Deal. It’s been bad enough having to share my birthday with you for thirty-five years.”
“There was that time when you guys were ten, and Bry demanded he have a different birthday,” Jamie says.
“Yeah. We ended up having two parties, one day apart, and all the same kids turned up for both,” Jax elaborates.
Cohen chuckles. “Wow. Things really have changed now, haven’t they? Soon you guys won’t be talking about sports and construction; it’ll be all about nappies and sleep schedules or the lack thereof.”
“He’s not wrong,” Jamie adds. “But it’s good.” He looks across and meets my eyes. “Really good.” Fuck yeah, it is.
“I do have some other news for a Tuesday morning,” I say, taking another sip of my coffee.
“Do tell…” Bry says, leaning forward.
“My lawyer emailed me this morning. As of yesterday, I’m no longer a member of the ‘paying alimony to anybody’ club.”
“Now that might be right up there with the news you’re having a son,” Jax says. “Did ex number one finally find another sucker to hook up with?”
I snort at his apt description of the situation. “Apparently.”
“And ex number two?” he asks.
“Married that baseballer from the White Sox.”
“And that’s why we’re a Cubs family,” Cohen muses.
I bark out a laugh. “Well, that’s a fantastic coincidence, yes.”
“Okay. So as much as I’d like to keep talking shit, we do have something to discuss,” Jamie announces, all business now. Everyone’s attention turns his way. “We’ve been asked to work on a special interest project,” he says curiously before nodding my way. “Even baby daddy over here doesn’t know about it yet.”
I freeze with my cup halfway to my mouth. “What?”
“Gilly wants to renovate the second story of her brownstone. Maybe that’s why baby furniture shopping was on the agenda?” He quirks a brow at me.
I hold my hand up. “This is all news to me.”
The guys frown at each other.
“Wait. I thought you guys were dating?” Cohen asks.
“We are, and it’s going well before you ask.”
“I bet it is after you dragged her out of the house after golf,” Jax mutters.
Cohen sighs. “You’re having a son together, and you haven’t discussed life after the baby comes?”
“It hasn’t come up in conversation,” I reply. But it’s definitely a conversation we’re going to be having rather damn quickly—like as soon as I leave here.
Jax’s head snaps to me. “Wait. What? You haven’t decided or even discussed where you’re going to be living after the baby comes? Gilly’s four months now. Believe me, that second trimester goes lightning fast, and then you’re experiencing the terrifying beauty that is the last twelve weeks where everything hurts and is harder, and the hormones make a triumphant return.”
“More like they sneak up on you and almost rip your head off,” Bry murmurs.
I narrow my eyes at him. ”You’re talking about my baby sister there, Bry.”
He smirks at me. “And I love her more than life itself, but every day I come home from work, I cover my balls as I walk through the door because with everything big and stretched and the waddle now in full effect, her mood is a crapshoot.”
“Amen to that, GI Joe,” Jax says, high-fiving Bryant.
“Aww, you poor baby. Try an overdue wife who’s determined to try every single old wives’ tale in the book to bring on labor. She absolutely does not want to be induced.”
“Oh, boohoo. My pregnant wife this, my pregnant wife that. Guys, reclaim your balls before you lose them for good. Jeez,” Cohen says with a resigned sigh.
“Says the man who would bow down and kiss his girlfriend’s feet the second she asked,” Jamie muses.
Cohen snickers. “Well, she’d only ask me to do that so I could work my way up, and there’s no way I’d ever say no to that.”
“Sometimes I wish He-Man could come and knock Ken and GI Joe’s heads off,” Jamie mutters, rolling his eyes at them.
“And on that note, can we get back to business?” I say, trying to get this crazy conversation on track again. Unfortunately, my mind is whirling about our post-baby living situation. Why haven’t we talked about this? Why wouldn’t Gilly talk to me about wanting to renovate? Does she think I don’t want to live with her and our son when he arrives? I did tell her I wanted to be involved in the day to day life of our baby, did she not realize that meant living with her as well?
“Right. So, Ez, since I’ve kind of blindsided you with this one, how long do you think you’ll need to draw up some plans?”
“I’m going there after here, so I’d say forty-eight hours, give or take, depending on whether Gilly knows exactly what she wants and where.”
Jamie nods. “Okay. Well, I wouldn’t mind coming and having a look too. I can arrange that with Gilly or—”
“I’ll let you know,” I say, interrupting him. His responding shit-eating smirk says I’ve totally given myself up.
“And the bill?” His brow quirks up, just like his mouth.
“You know the answer to that one,” I almost growl.
Jax shoulder bumps me. “Bet y
ou’re glad you’ve got no alimony to pay now, buddy.”
“Shut up, Ken,” I say with a chuckle. “Or else I’ll get He-Man”—I nod to Jamie first, then Cohen—“and Thor here to do it for me.”
Jax snorts. “I’d like to see them try.”
Jamie and Cohen pounce, both moving quickly around the island to get to Jax before roughing him up.
“Yield! I give up, dammit,” Jax cries out just as Cohen enacts his trademark nipple cripple move.
Jax glares at the baby Cook brother. “Leave my nips alone, asshole.”
Cohen’s satisfied grin is hilarious. I look over to Bry and waggle my brows at him. Looks like GI Joe is better than Ken. We’ve finally proven it.
Everyone but Jax laughs, which just makes me laugh harder.
Ezra—Are you resting?
Gilly—Are you working?
Ezra—You didn’t answer my question.
Gilly—Neither did you.
Ezra—Knock, knock
Gilly—Who’s there?
Ezra—Answer the damn door and find out.
Thirty seconds later, Gilly’s door is opening, and her bright eyes and curved lips greet me.
I can’t give her an orgasm due to Cade’s directed “pelvic rest,” but I can kiss the shit out of her, which is exactly what I do.
When we finally break apart for some much-needed air, she slowly unsticks herself from my front and moves across the living room and through to the kitchen and dining area.
After closing the front door, I follow her, my eyes glued to the sway of her pajama-covered ass as she walks.
“Resting means on the couch or in bed, not the kitchen, baby mama.”
“And I thought you’d come over for lunch,” she says, turning around, not missing a step.
I shake my head. “I thought we’d order in. I didn’t expect you to fix us a meal. I’m the one supposed to be waiting on you hand and foot, aren’t I? Isn’t that in the handbook?” I ask.
She narrows her eyes. “You’ve been reading a book about it?”
“Maybe…” I say, closing the distance between us. I rest my hands on hers and pull her close, letting one of my palms smooth down over her ass. “It’s not just for baby daddies though.” I grimace, knowing I should hand over my heart and balls to this woman now and be done with it.