Page 74 of Chase Our Forever

My lips twitch with the hint of a smile despite not knowing how to answer her. I thought I’d have another year or two before she’d ever question where babies came from.

“I’ve heard some stories on how,” Max says to his brother.

Reed snorts from Liv’s side.

Ashton’s eyes go wide as she looks from Finn to her son. “And what have you heard exactly?” she asks, her voice a little tight and unsure.

Miles leans in and asks Hattie something. So many side conversations begin and smiles get wider just because of one simple question asked by my daughter.

“Daddy…” Clara pushes, her tone very dramatic. “Do they just pop up in bellies?”

Reed lets out another snort and shakes his head. “Not quite, Clare Bear,” he mutters.

I kick him underneath the table, making him yelp like a child.

I ignore my youngest brother’s complaints of pain and focus back on Clara. “You’re exactly right, sweetie. They just pop up into bellies.”

Clara narrows her eyes on me. “Livvy tells me lying is bad, Daddy.”

My eyes shoot to Liv. She throws her hands up defensively, that smile I’ve completely fallen for on her lips. “Lying is bad, Clare Bear. But your dad isn’t lying.”

Clara folds her arms over her chest and lets her eyes roam over the entire table. Everyone continues to laugh at my expense as she tries to figure out if we’re lying to her or not.

“Look what you started.” I jokingly roll my eyes at Finn.

He shrugs, looking over at Ashton and putting his hand over her stomach. “Sorry, Dean, that our excitement about our baby girl has caused you so much duress.”

I laugh. “You know I’m very excited about the baby you put in Ashton’s belly.”

Clara gasps. “So Uncle Finn put the baby in Aunt Ashton’s belly? How?”

“Oh my god,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose and settling back in my chair. I already know Clara’s not going to let this go.

“Oh mygoodness,” my mom corrects, pointing her fork at me.

“Sorry, Mom,” I mutter. I look over at Clara and find her still staring at me. Just by the look in her eyes, I can tell her little brain is working overtime trying to figure out the answer.

“Anyway!” Reed says, popping a piece of garlic bread in his mouth and looking over at Liv. “What are your plans tomorrow after we eat? I think it’s time we decide if you’re going to board or ski and get you fitted for your preference.”

I sit forward in my chair as a low growl comes from my chest. Liv and I haven’t fully talked about what happened between us this morning or defined anything yet. I want to, but we spent the morning and afternoon just enjoying being with one another. Defining the relationship and talking about how we explain things to Clara will happen; it just hasn’t yet. She told me all I needed to know the moment she reassured me she had no intentions of leaving Sutten.

I’m about to open my mouth to tell Reed to back off when Liv speaks before I can. “Actually, I have plans tomorrow evening.”

My eyes swing to hers. “You do?” I ask, my voice coming out a little gruff.

She bites her lip in an attempt to hide her smile. “I do.”

“And what are those exactly?” I press, fully aware everyone around the table is probably staring at us.

Liv doesn’t back down from my intense line of questioning. She pushes her shoulders back and stares right back at me with a slight smile on her face. “Well, that’s a surprise. For you. For your birthday, which you just so happened to forget to tell me about.”

Clara excitedly claps her hands next to me. “Yes! Daddy told me he’s going to be thirty,” she explains to Miles, who sits on her other side.

I laugh, remembering how I may have told a little white lie about how old I’ll be turning. She doesn’t need to know my thirtieth birthday was years ago. “I don’t need you to go get me a gift,” I tell Liv, trying not to notice the way Reed stares at me with raised eyebrows.

I don’t know if he’s pestering Liv about spending alone time together because he’s trying to get me to admit that I have feelings for her or because he’s actually interested in her. Either way, I’m going to have to find a way to tell him to back off.

She’s mine.

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