Page 73 of Staying Selfless

“Good. I like her. She seems sweet. And Ian was freaking out with excitement that she invited him to come skate with you for your birthday.”

“Yeah, she’s the best. I’m glad she called you guys.”

“Probably not how you planned on spending your twenty-third birthday.” Stacey laughs. “With an old married couple, a hyperactive five-year-old, and a newborn.”

“No. But twenty-three-year-old me is a lot different than twenty-one or even twenty-two-year-old me.”

“I know.” Stacey sifts through the snacks in front of us. “I like the new Eli. Well, you’re the same Eli, but I’m glad that you’re letting people see the guy we’ve known all along.”

I offer her an appreciative smile, knowing she’s right. Outside of my family, Trev and Stacey were the first people I ever opened up to. It wasn’t until years later that I met Logan and started showing more people my authentic self.

“Did you know that The Very Hungry Caterpillar is Ian’s favorite book?” Logan asks with wide eyes as she makes her way into the kitchen.

“Yes,” Stacey and I confidently state at the same time.

Logan drapes her arm over my shoulder as I snake mine around her waist, holding her to me.

“I probably should’ve warned you.” Stacey laughs. “How many times did he make you read it to him?”

“Three. Then he heard Seth fussing next door, and suddenly I wasn’t all that popular anymore.”

“Oh, you’re lucky then,” I tell my girl. “I think my record is six.”

“Eight for me.” Stacey’s tone is smug, as if this is a contest any of us actually want to win.

“This my baby brother!” Ian hollers as he comes running into the kitchen. Trev follows closely behind with Seth in his arms.

“This is Seth.” Trev gently hands his three-week-old baby off to me, being sure to cradle his head. “And he just peed on me, so you should be in the clear. Seth, this is your Uncle Eli.”

Seth is the size of one of my forearms, and I’m somewhat nervous I’ll break him. He’s so tiny and squishy. I can’t see his fingers or toes because he’s all wrapped up, but his little lips keep smacking and puckering in his sleep, and it’s one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.

I’ve never held a baby before. In fact, the youngest kid I’d ever met was Ian when he was almost two years old. But I like holding Seth, even though I’m afraid to move my arms in the slightest. His tiny little head is resting in the crook of my elbow, the rest of his body engulfed by my arm and hand. He’s sound asleep at the moment, and he looks so peaceful and perfect.

Logan wraps her arms around my neck from behind as she places her chin on my shoulder, looking down at the sweet, sleeping baby in my arms.

“He’s perfect,” she says, mesmerized by a sleeping Seth.

“Thank you,” Trev chimes in. “I really did a lot of the leg work here.”

“Screw you.” Stacey laughs. “I carried both these boys for nine months, then pushed them out of my—,” she doesn’t finish with words because Ian is in the kitchen, so instead, she just suggestively looks down. “And they both come out looking exactly like their father. Forking triplets, these three.”

“Good strong Davis family genes.” Trev picks up Ian, holding him on his hip as Ian flexes his tiny little bicep, showing off.

I finally gain the courage to move one of my hands, hoping not to disturb a sleeping Seth. I gently rub my thumb over his smooth, almost hairless head as he peacefully dreams, his eyelashes just ever so slightly fluttering.

Logan softly kisses my cheek before resting her head back on my shoulder, her arms still draped around me as we continue to stare at the perfect boy in my arms.

As Trev and Stacey fill the dining room table with dinner, Ian instructs us all where to sit, of course placing himself between my girl and me. I cautiously stand with Seth in my arms as I make my way to my assigned seat.

“Ian, don’t you think that Eli would like to sit next to Logan? It is his birthday, after all.”

“No,” he quickly answers his mom as he takes the seat at the head of the table, instructing Logan and me to sit on either side of him, across from each other.

At least if I can’t be right next to my girl, I’ll get the best view of her.

“I’ll hold the baby so you can enjoy your dinner, Eli.”

“Actually,” Logan interrupts Stacey. “Can I?”

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