Page 89 of Kings of the Campus

The room goes completely still.

Jace straightens beside me, and I feel Alec’s hand on my arm tighten just slightly. Devin shifts in his bed next to mine, his eyes sharp and focused, like he’s bracing himself.

I swallow hard. “What kind of news?”

51

JACE

Dr. Shepard glances up from the clipboard, his expression unreadable for a second too long. My heart feels like it’s lodged in my throat, and I swear I hear Alec stop breathing next to me.

Dr. Shepard flips through the chart silently for a moment, as though double-checking something. We’re all on edge, waiting for the verdict. He glances up and gives a reassuring smile. “The babies are doing well, no signs of any distress from the fire or smoke. All their vitals look normal, and everything’s progressing perfectly.”

Tessa squeezes my hand, and I can feel the relief radiating from her. Devin leans over from the other bed, the tension in his body starting to ease up. Alec, standing behind us, lets out a breath he probably didn’t even realize he was holding.

“Thank God,” I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face.

Dr. Shepard nods, scanning the chart again. “Yep, your girls are strong, and your boy’s heartbeat is steady as ever.”

It takes a second for the words to sink in. I glance at Tessa, who’s staring wide-eyed at the doctor.

“Our…girls? And boy?” she asks, her voice shaky.

Dr. Shepard gives her a soft smile. “That’s right. Two girls and a boy. Congratulations.”

Tessa’s jaw drops. I look over at Devin, who’s sitting there in shock before he breaks into a grin. “You hear that?” he says, laughing softly. “We’re having two girls and a boy.”

A wave of disbelief and excitement floods the room as we all process the news.

“Oh my God. We’re having three babies,” Alec groans out. “I mean, I knew we were but it’s starting to finally sink in now.”

“Two girls,” Tessa murmurs.

“And a boy,” I add, the grin growing on my face.

“Two girls and a boy,” Tessa repeats, still in disbelief, like saying it out loud will make it feel more real.

I squeeze her hand. “We’re gonna have our hands full.”

“In the best way.” Devin leans over, giving Tessa a look so full of love and pride it almost knocks the air out of me. “And we’re gonna be okay.”

The following days pass in a blur. Devin heals quickly, and despite the doctors’ orders to rest, he’s itching to get out of the hospital. They finally discharge him, and Tessa watches him go with a mix of relief and longing. She’s still got a bit more healing to do, so she stays behind, her body still recovering from the trauma and the smoke.

But eventually, her time comes too. The day they release her, we’re all there to take her home. Alec insists on driving, though Devin keeps trying to grab the keys, and I sit in the back with Tessa, holding her hand the whole way.

When we pull up to the house, everything feels right again. The nightmare of the fire and Max’s attack has faded, and all that’s left is the joy of sharing our lives together.

Later that evening, after settling her in and making sure she’s comfortable, we lead her into the bedroom. The lights are dimmed, soft music plays in the background, and theatmosphere feels…different. It’s not rushed or urgent. It’s slow, thoughtful.

Tessa looks at us with wide eyes, her lips parted slightly as if she’s surprised by the mood we’ve set. Alec steps behind her, his hands gentle as they land on her shoulders, massaging softly. Devin is at her side, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“We’ve missed you,” Devin whispers, his voice thick with emotion.

“You’ve been through so much,” Alec adds, pressing a kiss to her temple.

I stand in front of her, watching the way her eyes move between us, her breathing hitching slightly. Devin’s hand slips into hers, and he pulls her gently toward the bed. “If you’re ready…we want to be close to you again.”

Tessa nods, her voice soft but steady. “I’m ready.”

---