Page 150 of Finding Our Reality

“I had a dream last night. A really good dream. I saw a little girl angel with blonde hair. She told me that I’m gonna live a really long time. She told me I’ll be pretty and happy, and I’ll marry a really handsome boy.” She leaned over, so close, her nose nearly touched Lulu’s, and she whispered, “I think she might’ve been talking about Nate.”

We both laughed, and I winked at my wife over Little Girl’s head. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yes, and she told me her name was Evie and she was my cousin. She told me that she plays with Reality.” She propped up on her elbows and pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Do I have a cousin named Evie?”

Lulu grew too emotional to talk.

I kissed Laura’s head and said, “You do now.”

ELLA

He’s smiling when he walks into the bar. Sexy, masculine, dangerous, and… smiling. It’s no wonder the two ladies in the corner immediately start eye-humping him. Trying to tamp down my jealousy, I do my best not to roll my eyes.

But based on Ry’s laugh, I don’t think I’m successful.

He kisses my cheek. “Someone in a mood today?”

“I’m not in a mood.”

Cullen leans across the bar. “She’s most definitely in a mood.”

“There is no mood!” I protest.

Cullen’s eyes dart to the man playing pool. “That guy hit on her. He didn’t see her ring.” He clucks his tongue against his teeth. “She chewed his ass up and down.”

“Come on, guys. He hit on me,” I pout. “What a sicko.”

Laughing, Ry turns sideways on his barstool. Using his foot, he kicks my chair, turning me to face him. “And why is he a sicko?” He glances around the bar. “You’re the most beautiful woman here.”

I scowl. “Why’d you glance around?”

“Uh-oh.” Cullen walks away to quickly grab a drink for another customer, smartly avoiding this conversation.

He laughs even harder. “Because if I didn’t glance around, you’d accuse me of not being truthful when I say you’re the most beautiful woman in the bar.”

He’s probably right. I pick up my blue drink and take a sip, finishing it off. “Well, heisa sicko. Who hits on a pregnant woman?”

Ry grabs the edge of my seat and pulls me close. The wooden barstool legs scrape across the floor. His calloused hands cup my large, round stomach. “You had this hidden underneath the bar. How was he supposed to know you were pregnant?” He brushes his lips against my ear. “And this pregnancy has done nothing but make you more beautiful. Why do you think I had to wake up in the middle of the night last night just to get a taste of you? I can’t get enough of you. Being inside of you? It’s all I can think about.” He sits back, rubbing his jaw and studying me. “And every guy who lays his eyes on you is thinking the exact same thing.”

Cullen takes my empty glass. “What’s every guy thinking?”

Ry narrows his eyes, studying our friend. “Well, maybe noteveryguy,” he says a little too seriously.

Cullen’s brow furrows in confusion, making me giggle. I check the time on my phone and slide it into my purse. “We better get going. We don’t wanna be late. Holt seems pretty serious about this girl.”

Cullen nods. “Yeah, he does. And she’s really nice. Sweet. Charming. Totally hot.”

“You met her already?” Ry asks.

“He brought her in the bar. She’s actually pretty funny. She reminds me a lot of you,” he says, nodding at me. “I think she acts one way in front of people—serious and everything—but once you get to know her, she’s completely different.”

I cock my head to the side. “What do you mean, she’s different?”

He chews on his lip, thinking. “Lucille Ball-like.”

“She has bright red hair?”

“No, it seems like clumsy trouble follows her.”

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