Page 73 of Twins for the Silver Foxes

“I’m thinking I finally found my true family. You are the people who make me happy, make me feel loved, and who I want to spend the rest of my life with.” I wiped the tears from my eyes and cleared my clogged throat.

These three men had sworn to do anything for me and Liddy. They’d given us hope when I’d reached the end of my tether. I’d barely been hanging on when I accepted Scott’s job offer and walked through their front door. Now, I stood beside Arthur and counted my blessings.

Arthur pulled me in close to his side. I put my arm around his back and held on through the storm of emotions. Soon we’d add two more to our family. I rubbed my growing stomach and smiled. The twins continued to flip and flop. A foot pressed against my belly button, making it pooch out at an odd angle. I rubbed the lump and poked Arthur. “Your children are acting up.”

He brought his other hand around and set it on top of mine. “You two settle down in there. You’ll have plenty of room to run around once you’re born.”

Another gouging twist and both babies quieted. “You have the magic touch.” I kissed his jaw. “Guess that means you’re on bedtime duty. They already listen to you.”

“It’s the accent. The strict tone.” Megan puffed out her chest and puckered her lips, faking a British accent. “Knock it off in there. Too much racket.” She waddle-walked toward Arthur and hugged him. “Too bad I missed out on inheriting the accent.Would’ve been cool to be the only British-sounding Irish girl in prep school.”

“They would not have known what to do with you.” Arthur returned the hug.

Megan guffawed. “I didn’t need an accent to keep them on their toes. Half my teachers passed me just to get rid of me. I was smart enough to do the work and mean enough to refuse.” She shot me a wide smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t let that rub off on my siblings.” Turning away from Arthur, she held out her hands to Liddy. “Come on, Liddy. Let’s show him a real dance.” Liddy’s laughter mingled with Scott’s huff.

This was the kind of Christmas I’d always dreamed of for her. A house full of love and laughter. A father—fathers, in this case—who would do anything for her and the babies on the way.

“Marshmallow time.” Ryland stepped over a stack of boxes and moved to the couch. “Come on. New tradition.”

I eyed the snow globes. “One more thing first.” I handed each of them a globe, then reached into the box I’d hidden behind the couch and passed a new globe to Megan and another to Liddy. “Everyone has their own, but I want us to hang them up together.”

The six of us made a circle around the tree. I hummed Dad’s favorite Christmas carol. Megan sang the words, cautiously at first and then with gusto. Arthur joined in, his deep voice lending depth. Scott hummed beside me. Ryland and Liddy added their voices last, singing the chorus as we all reached out and placed our snow globes on the tree. They swung back and forth for several seconds as we finished the song and came together in a giant group hug.

By the time Liddy and I made it to the couch, Ryland had already passed out marshmallows and Arthur was busy pouring hot chocolate. I stuck my marshmallow on a roasting stick and held it out to the fire.

Arthur settled next to me and handed me a warm mug. “We have all night. Including opening presents.”

We gathered around the fireplace, laughing and talking late into the night as the fire crackled. Liddy bounced back and forth from the marshmallows to the tree. Even the hope of opening presents and the joy that came from new toys faded beneath the true spirit of Christmas and the promise of our very own unique happily ever after.

39

ARTHUR

The twins were perfect. I leaned over baby Lucas’s bed and traced the curve of his eyebrow. His hair was dark like Hannah’s, his eyes a soft gray that could end up any color. His brother, Marcus, had lighter hair and blue eyes. We’d never bothered with paternity testing. It didn’t matter. We were all their fathers. I hummed a lullaby and tucked the cap back down over Lucas’s head so he didn’t chill. The labor and delivery room remained cold and sterile despite the bright flowers we’d brought with us.

Hannah lay on her side in the bed, her hands cupped beneath her cheek. She watched me watching Lucas and smiled. “He won’t break, you know.”

“You were amazing.” I ignored her comment. The stress of a long labor and intense birth rattled all of us. Hannah had been a champion through all of it. Every contraction turned her face into a portrait of pain, but she held on. She held our hands, breathed her way through, and brought two beautiful babies into the world. We’d stayed by her side for every moment, offering physical and emotional support. “I can’t believe they’re finally here.” I gripped the edge of the bassinet.

Scott strode past me with Marcus in his arms. He walked with a bounce in his step, one hand on Marcus’s back, his fingers supporting his head, and the other cupping the diaper-clad bottom. “Pick him up, Arthur. We all know you’re dying to hold him.” He tapped his elbow into my back. “Hannah’s right, he won’t break. And you’ve done this before.”

“Not in nineteen years.” The ache to hold Lucas was overcome with a rush of love so pure and powerful that it moved my hands to slide beneath his tiny body.

Hannah groaned and rolled onto her back. “Nothing about holding a baby has changed. Not even in nineteen years.” She sat up and swung her feet around, placing them on the floor. “I need to walk around.” The doctor had encouraged her to move when she felt the need, and so far she’d had minimal residual pain.

I tucked Lucas into the crook of my arm. He grunted and his eyes crunched together, sending a fan of wrinkles across his forehead. “Look, Ryland.” I turned so he could see Lucas’s face. “He frowns like Scott.”

“Ha, ha.” Scott scoffed but peered over my shoulder to check. “Pretty sure that’s the face you make when you’re asked about attending a charity ball.”

“We are not discussing something so heinous on the day our children are born.” I tucked the blanket around Lucas’s chin and fixed his cap. He made another grunting sound and puckered his lips.

“They’re so little.” Liddy perched in Ryland’s arms. She’d been mesmerized with the babies since Ryland carried her in half an hour ago. “Can I pet him?” She reached out toward Lucas. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing at her phrasing and eased closer. “He’s soft.” She rested one finger on his forehead and ran it back and forth in a tiny stroke. “Ooh. He’s so nice.” Liddy cooed at her baby brother. “When can they play with me?”I rocked side to side in an easy sway. Funny how some things were as natural as breathing.

“It’ll be a while yet.” Hannah shuffled her way back and forth across the room. She’d already managed to talk the nurse into letting her change out of a hospital gown and into her own pajamas. We’d offered to bring in a labor and delivery team at home and skip the hospital altogether, but being here made her more comfortable.

Liddy started to pout, then straightened her expression and hooked her arm around Ryland’s neck. “I’m a big sister.” She wore a black t-shirt that said, “Best Little Big Sister” in pink glitter.

“Yes, you are. You’re a wonderful big sister. Marcus and Lucas are lucky to have you looking out for them.” Ryland bounced Liddy in his arms. “Do you know how special you are?”

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