#Bae (The Hashtag Series Book 8)

by Cambria Hebert

  “You’re right,” she mused. “This baby does, and I already love him or her as much as Evie.”

  I nodded once. “This is a lucky baby because he has a big sister watching out for him.”

  “Yeah.” Her eyes softened. Then the rest of my words registered. “Him?”

  I shrugged. “Or her. I’m thrilled either way.”

  “You gave me another baby,” she whispered, lower lip wobbling. “Thank you.”

  My chest felt tight, and I hugged her close. “I love you, Rimmel.” So much.

  Her voice was muffled against my shirt. “I love you, too.”

  “C’mon. We gotta go,” I said, sitting her down on the bed so I could crouch in front of her and offer my back. “Someone didn’t feed herself today, so now I’m gonna have to stand over her to make sure she eats. Especially since she’s eating for two now.

  She laughed and climbed on, and I stood up. “I left my vitamins at home.” She worried. “I didn’t think… I should have brought them.”

  We were going home later tonight. It wasn’t like it was a big deal.

  But my girl wanted vitamins, and she would probably worry until she got them.

  She was damn well going to get them.

  “Vitamins and food,” I said and started forward.

  “Romeo?” She patted me on the upper chest, her voice right beside my ear.

  “Anything,” I told her and stopped walking.

  “I don’t want to tell anyone about the baby until I’m further along.”

  “No one?” I confirmed.

  “Obviously we’ll tell Ivy and Braeden. Trent and Drew,” she said, like they didn’t count.

  They didn’t. They were family.

  “But no one else… I just want it to be ours for a little while.”

  “Whatever you want, baby.” I agreed and started forward again.

  We waited until we got back to the hotel to let the fam in on the good news. Rimmel cried again. Ivy cried. Nova clapped. All four of us guys stood over Rim while she ate an entire plate of food.

  She complained.

  I told her to get used to it.

  I knew she was nervous. Hell, I was, too. It was probably going to be a long pregnancy; there would be a lot of emotions surrounding it. Good days and bad days.

  But…

  We were happy.

  Rimmel

  At four weeks, we found out I was pregnant.

  At five weeks, we decided not to find out the sex until he or she was born.

  At six weeks, I developed a very strong aversion to Romeo’s shampoo. (He got a new, less-smelly one).

  At eight weeks, we first saw our little bundle growing inside me.

  At twelve weeks, we made an announcement to all our family. (Valerie cried.)

  At sixteen weeks, the press got undeniable photo proof of my bump, and the story went viral.

  At twenty weeks, we felt the baby move inside me.

  At twenty-five weeks, I actually started to let myself believe this time was going to be different.

  Every single day of every single week, I thought of Evie. My love for her would never change.

  Just like my love for this baby would remain.

  Romeo

  She glowed.

  And I’m not just talking her typical, everyday kind of glow.

  She held the kind of radiance that attracted attention, the kind that made it impossible to look away too long.

  Rimmel cast a spell on me, the type that wiped my memory of what life was like before she literally stumbled into it. It wasn’t a spell I wanted to break free from. I was blissfully bound, a willing hostage to everything our life together entailed.

  The bad. The good.

  The never-ending.

  The knowledge her body literally cradled something we created, that she nurtured and grew with so much grace and courage… I didn’t think it was ever possible. But it made me love her more.

  Rimmel

  I looked like a tennis ball with legs.

  No really. My stomach was so big and round it was borderline alarming.

  Ivy looked cute pregnant. Me? I looked like a beached whale.

  Not that I was complaining. I wasn’t. All I cared about was this baby was healthy and had everything he or she needed.

  I had to admit, though, I was at times uncomfortable (at times = all the time), hormonal, and cried over silly things. Like when we ran out of pickles.

  That only happened once.

  Ever since then, Romeo and all four of my brothers brought home jars and giant individually wrapped pickles whenever they came home.

  Literally.

  Our fridge looked like a pickle market.

  Naturally, it was a dream come true.

  This time it was really happening. Sometimes I still struggled to believe it. At thirty-seven weeks, it was almost impossible not to believe someday soon I would be holding a baby in my arms.

  And frankly, if you saw my gigantic stomach, you’d probably think it was impossible I was still pregnant and able to walk.

  I was far enough along now that everything I put off (for fear of jinxing anything) was beginning to happen. Like a baby shower. My baby shower.

  It was beyond over the top, but I figured Valerie earned the right for several reasons:

  1.) I put it off for so long. After all, she had almost the full nine months to plan, which she took full advantage of.

  2.) This was her first grandchild, something she thought she’d never have.

  and

  3.) We deserved this.

  So here I was. Standing in the backyard of our compound, which had been completely transformed into some kind of opulent baby event.

  Honestly? I thought this might put our wedding to shame. I took this as a total indication this baby was going to be spoiled beyond control by his or her grandma.

  Yep, she was even going with the title grandma. She didn’t want a fancy title or something that made her sound “less old.”

  Valerie didn’t care. She just wanted a grandchild to love.

  Despite the rocky way our relationship began, that was all in the past now. She’d been incredibly supportive of me during this pregnancy (almost to the point of hovering), and I knew without a doubt this baby would be loved.

  I wished my own mother could be here. There was so much I wanted to share with her. I took daily comfort in the fact that she was with Evie, and it seemed oddly right that both my children have a grandmother where they were, since they both couldn’t be with me.

  I was standing in the shade, looking out over the massive event from underneath a giant white umbrella jeweled with what I sincerely hoped were not real crystals. I was afraid to ask Valerie. There were a ton of them; somehow Valerie had them suspended from all the trees and from some kind of frame she’d erected.

  It gave the appearance they were floating in the sunshine, and the crystals sparkled brilliantly. With the umbrellas were also long strands of giant, clear glass beads, which hung at varying heights. Tables were scattered about, all round, all draped in white, with natural-colored wicker chairs around them.

  Giant vases of white flowers were everywhere, along with an actual fountain for people to throw in pennies and make a wish for the baby.

  The catering was so pretty it was almost inedible. White cupcakes were everywhere, and yellow-iced sugar cookies in traditional baby shower shapes made it into every guest’s mouth.

  Romeo and Braeden were standing with the Knights (the entire team was here with their significant others), and Ivy was chasing after Nova, who was chasing after a rogue clear balloon filled with sparkling glitter.

  The second she learned to walk, she started to run, and her parents had been chasing after her ever since. Her laughter floated around as she scampered, dark curls bouncing around her head, and I knew her deep-blue eyes were sparkling with mischief.

  Someone stepped up beside me, and my lips pulled into a wide smile when I saw who it was.

>   “Brought you a pickle.” Trent extended the giant dill pickle Valerie had somehow managed to have specially wrapped.

  I made a sound of deep appreciation and grabbed it to take a bite. “Mmm, so good.” I groaned.

  He laughed.

  Trent and I had grown close over the past year. His quiet, understanding nature was a relief in the somewhat chaotic world we lived in. I never had to explain myself to him; it was as if he had this intuitive sense within him that tapped into whatever a person was feeling and he just knew. When Romeo was traveling, it was usually Trent I saw the most.

  He was always my brother, but now he was more. Next to Ivy, Trent was my best friend. He’d become my confidant and someone I always looked forward to seeing.

  “Whatcha got?” I asked him as I crunched. I leaned over and peered into the giant waffle cone bowl in his hand.

  It was filled with some kind of cheesecake-flavored mousse with fresh berries and a honey sauce drizzle.

  “This stuff is the shit,” he said, shoveling it into his mouth. I swore nothing else would fit in there, but then he took a bite of the bowl.

  “Valerie outdid herself.” I agreed, focused on the pickle. It was really delicious.

  He snorted, and it made me smile. “You think?”

  “You know what’s behind that giant white curtain over there?” I asked, motioning toward the huge display.

  “Maybe.” He shoved more food in his mouth, then paused in chewing. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  “Some brother you are,” I muttered fondly.

  He was laughing when Drew walked up and casually leaned down to take a huge bite out of the side of the bowl.

  “Good thing I love ya, Forrester,” Trent told him. “‘Cause if I didn’t, I’d kick your ass.”

  “Bring it, frat boy.” Drew challenged and stole a berry to pop into his mouth.

  “Quit hogging my sister!” Braeden hollered and injected himself under the umbrella. His arms wrapped around me from behind, and he kissed my cheek.

  “It’s a wonder you can even still do that!” I cracked, gesturing to his arms.

  “You are looking mighty large today, tutor girl.”

  I slapped him in the head with my pickle.

  “Ew! Pickle juice!” He jumped back and wiped at his face.

  “What the hell are you doing to my wife?” Romeo demanded, his well-muscled arms wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me against him.

  “He called me fat.” I sniffed.

  “I did not! I said you’re large. There’s a difference!” Braeden defended.

  Trent and Drew snickered and continued to fight over the bowl of food. Why Drew didn’t just go get his own I would never understand.

  “You’re not fat, baby,” Romeo told me. “There’s just more of you to love right now.”

  “I’m gigantic, and we all know it,” I declared.

  Romeo patted my belly, and right on cue, the baby kicked his hand.

  “That’s my baby,” Romeo announced like that was all the explanation needed for the sheer size of me. He was very full of himself. Frankly, I think he enjoyed the fact I was blown up like a house. The bigger I got, the more pride he swelled with. Add in the fact that every time he touched my belly or spoke to our child, he was greeted with some kind of movement. It was a wonder his head wasn’t as big as me.

  “Daddy!” Nova yelled and came running up behind B.

  He turned and caught her as she vaulted herself at him, and he held her over his head to make her laugh. “What are you doing, angel?” he asked.

  Ivy panted as she joined the rest of us. Between her fingers was the balloon. “Your turn. I’m exhausted. I need shade.”

  Both Drew and Trent moved to the side, making room right beside me beneath the umbrella so she could cool off.

  “Wanna see what’s behind that curtain over there?” Romeo asked, his voice right next to my ear.

  “You know I do!”

  “You guys wanna give me a hand?” He directed the question to my three brothers, and they moved off toward the display.

  I glanced at Ivy, and she smiled. “You’re going to love it.” She watched the three walk away. “I better supervise, because we both know how they can be.”

  “How’s that?” Romeo asked, clueless.

  Ivy and I laughed.

  She bounded after them, and Romeo moved around so he was standing in front of me. “How’s my baby momma doing?”

  “My back hurts, my feet hurt, and my hands are so swollen I haven’t been able to wear my wedding ring in weeks,” I told him and smiled. “I’m so happy.”

  “That’s all I’ve ever wanted, Rim. For you to be happy.”

  “I could never be anything but with you, Romeo.” Even when I was at my darkest moment, when Evie slipped away from us, he was still the brightest spot I knew.

  Romeo took my face and pressed our foreheads together. We looked at each other like we weren’t in a place filled with people and noise. My stomach pressed against his, our child cradled right there between us.

  “Before anyone else,” he whispered so only I could hear.

  “Always,” I whispered back.

  His smile was brilliant and charming when he pulled back. “Now don’t be mad,” he said, gently picking me up and cradling me against him.

  “You’re gonna hurt yourself!” I insisted.

  He rolled his eyes. “Please, woman, have you seen my guns? Huge.” As he walked and carried me, he flexed his biceps.

  I laughed. As we neared the display, everyone stopped and watched us. The sounds of cameras going off filled the air, and people murmured about what a beautiful couple we made.

  “What was it you were saying about not being mad?” I asked.

  He glanced down. “I had to make a call, Smalls. That call involved some spending.”

  I groaned. “Romeo, what did you buy?”

  “Nothing you don’t need.”

  I groaned again.

  “That’s my baby in there, baby,” he said. “You can’t really think I wouldn’t spoil you both.”

  He stopped in front of the white curtain. People gathered around. Valerie and Tony appeared beside us, and Romeo finally stood me on my feet.

  The rest of our family joined us, and then Braeden hit a button on a remote in his hand.

  The curtain dropped.

  I gasped.

  It was everything I’d ever even thought about buying for this baby. Some of the stuff I saw had been purely daydreaming.

  All of it. Right in front of me.

  Awws and ooohs went around the crowd, but I barely heard. It took a while for me to actually find my voice. “How did you know?” I marveled.

  “Drew hacked your secret Pinterest board,” Ivy declared.

  I laughed.

  Drew was entirely too handy with a laptop. Not only had he managed to keep the #BuzzBoss website down for several weeks after Missy’s stunt in California, but he also erased a lot of the content from there permanently.

  Afterward, Romeo leaked her identity to the press with an exclusive “tell-all” about what the press had now dramatically dubbed the two million-dollar bounty. Up until this point, Missy had been able to hide who she really was, but not anymore.

  Her days of hurting people with personal details and secrets were over. No one in the business would trust her ever again.

  And the public?

  They tried and sentenced her a horrible person. I was hoping she’d move to another country. I knew I’d never see her again. And if I did?

  I’d break her nose again.

  I was no longer harassed by the press to the point of being in danger. We were back on the list of most well-loved and once again were known as football royalty.

  I didn’t care, honestly. I just wanted my baby to be safe.

  But enough of that. Let’s get back to the presents.

  “I cannot believe you bought all this,” I said, looking out over the huge display of st
uff, which included a crib, a rocking chair, toys, teddy bears, blankets, and rugs. There was everything one could possibly need to fill a nursery and a closet.

  “Well, we were starting to think this baby was going to be naked when he came home,” Braeden joked. “We had to take a stand, sis. No nephew of mine will be seen with his boys dangling.”

  “Little boy babies don’t dangle.” Ivy admonished.

  “Mine does,” Romeo said.

  “Damn right.” B nodded, and then all four guys gave each other high-fives like the state of my potential son’s dangly parts was something to be proud of.

  I thought I might be traumatized.

  “Roman Anderson,” Valerie told him. “We have guests.”

  “Sorry, Mom,” Both Romeo and Braeden mumbled.

  Valerie looked at Trent and Drew expectantly. They apologized immediately.

  Ivy and I laughed.

  “It could be a girl,” I said and caressed my belly.

  “We all know it’s a boy.” Braeden argued.

  Actually. We didn’t. I refused to know the sex of this baby, something the techs at the hospital got pretty creative in hiding from us during our many ultrasounds.

  I hadn’t bought much either. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. No matter how excited I got or how happy I was, I still didn’t want to do anything that might jinx it. I mean, it was a little far-fetched and altogether dramatic to say this baby would be going home naked. I did have a few moments when I couldn’t resist a stroll into a baby boutique, which always resulted in a few outfits here and there.

  So yeah, here I was thirty-seven weeks pregnant, and we didn’t even have a nursery.

  Correction: we did now.

  “It’s not all from me,” Romeo told me, taking my hand. “It’s from all of us.”

  “You just leave it all to me,” Valerie interjected. “I’ll have all this moved into the house and the nursery all decorated and organized in no time. You just rest.”

  “Thank you,” I told her sincerely.

  “No, thank you,” Tony said, coming forward to hug me. In my ear, he whispered, “This is the happiest I’ve seen her in a long, long time.”

  Babies had a way of doing that. “I’m glad,” I whispered back.