Page 50 of Healing Bonds

“Mads! Mads! You won’t believe what my mom bought me!” Her blonde hair swished back and forth from her high ponytail as she ran for Maddi, who was also running up the steps to greet her cousin.

“Tell me! Tell me!” Maddi giggled as the two embraced, almost colliding into each other and falling on their asses.

Celine was standing at the door, her hand on her hip as she smiled at our girls. “Long time, no see.” She grinned, wrapping me up in a tight hug as I got to the threshold. As always, the woman was dressed to impress in a floor-length, silk, turquoise dress, her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail much like herdaughter, and her makeup was styled with neutral colors that enhanced her striking, blue eyes.

“I’ve missed you, girl!” When we pulled apart, she glanced at my stomach, and I froze. There was no way she could tell. I even chose a loose dress so that no one could see the slight bump.

“This dress is totally your color.” She must have seen the look in my eyes because she smiled, her eyes twinkling with excitement. She knew. Somehow, my best friendalwaysknew.

“Hello to you, too, sis.” Ryan laughed, bending slightly to wrap an arm around her.

“Hey, Ryan. Oh, look at you, little man! Come to Auntie Cece!” she cooed at Nicky, pulling him into her arms. “He’s gotten so big, Ames!”

I laughed. This girl was the definition of an exaggeration. She had seen us a week ago, and Nicky had certainly not grown in a week.

“Come on. Let’s get in the pool already. It’s so damn hot.” Ryan sighed, shooting me a wink at the excited squeals from the children.

“Ace is out back with Mom and Dad. I’ll help Ames with the kids. Charlie Danvers, where are you?” She called for her son. Something crashed to the floor upstairs before his little footsteps were heard pounding down the stairs.

The littlest Danvers stood before us, his cheeks flushed, his blue eyes wide with excitement as he bounced on his little feet. “Sorry, Ma.” He hugged Celine around the leg before rushing over to Mason, and the two quickly started to show each other their new fidget spinners.

“Time for the pool, little ones.” I handed the beach bag to Maddi, who took out her swimsuit and then passed Mason his before racing each other to the cabana bathroom, dropping the bag in their haste. Summer and Charlie raced up the stairs, their little feet pounding against the wood floor in excitement.

Celine bent down to pick the bag up before glancing at me with a wide, shit-eating grin. “So, how far along are you?” The glimmer of excitement in her eyes made me smile.

“How’d you know? You ruined my surprise, bitch!” We both looked at Nicky, who was trying to pull the bag from my hands so he could get his trunks, too.

“Language!” she hissed with a laugh.

“Let me change him, and then, we can talk.” She nodded, looking at my hidden belly with a soft smile.

I took Nicky into the guest room and changed him into his little, blue trunks with sharks swimming around and a matching, long-sleeve swim shirt before letting him waddle out the room to find his daddy.

Celine was waiting for me in the kitchen with a glass of pink prosecco in her hand. “About two months,” I answered her previous question, and she squealed.

“Oh, now, I want another one. I think we have room for one more. What happened to no more after Nicky?” She laughed, a familiar twinkle in her eyes as she took a sip of the bubbly.

“Ask Ryan what happened on Valentine’s Day,” I told her, and she giggled. “The man forgot to wrap it up!” We both laughed as I slid onto a barstool.

“Just one?” I shook my head, and her jaw dropped. “Twins again?!” she screamed, and I was afraid she’d completely dropped the bomb to everyone.

“Hush!” I snapped at her, frantically looking around. “He wanted to surprise you guys!”

“Oh, fuck. Now, I really want another baby. You’re going to have five kids, Ames!Five!”

“Don’t remind me,” I groaned. “You can take one of them if you want.” She laughed. “They all love you.” She shook her head.

“You really think I want one of your brats when I can still have another one or two, who will look just like my sexy husband?” She giggled.

She did have a point. I only wanted to have kids with Ryan. When I look at our boys and little girl and saw us perfectly reflected back, it warmed my heart.

“We’ll start trying tonight. Let’s see if we can be pregnant together. Wouldn’t that be the best?” she gushed.

I fought laughter. This woman would never grow up. “I thought Ace didn’t want more kids.”

She scoffed. “As if he ever had a choice about how many we have.” I laughed. “Plus, once we’re in the bedroom, I’m in charge, and Ialwaysget what I want when it comes to him.” She sighed, looking past me through the glass door at her husband, who was in the pool with their kids.

My eyes instantly landed on Ryan holding Nicky, trying to teach him to swim. Maddi was clinging to his shoulders, and her loud squeals could be heard through the door.

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