Page 83 of Waiting on You

PAIGE

Shopping turnsinto buying ourselves new outfits, getting manis and pedis, and getting our hair done. When I text Nate to see if he wants to go to dinner tonight since I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go, he doesn’t respond, but I chalk it up to him being busy with work.

I tell myself I’ll give him until I get home to answer me, and then I’ll try to call him, but instead of going to my house, Ana insists that we go to hers to continue our girls’ day. When we pull into her driveway, there’s a bunch of cars there, but she tells me it’s because Julian has friends over to watch a basketball game.

“Isn’t it the offseason?” I ask, remembering Nate telling me that basketball doesn’t start until the end of October. He and his brothers always go to at least one Dallas home game together.

“Umm, I don’t know,” Ana says, waving me off. “Maybe it was football or golf. I can’t even keep up.”

Kira snorts out a laugh, and Ana playfully smacksher ass.

I’m so busy laughing at the two of them that I’m not paying attention when Ana opens the front door, and everyone shouts, “Surprise!”

“What the heck?” I gasp, my hands going to my chest.

“It’s your baby shower,” Ana says with a big grin.

“What?” I look around, shocked by everyone I see.

Nate’s entire family is here, including his niece and nephew. I give his mom a smile, now understanding why she told me she was out of town.

Ana’s family is here, including her dad and stepmom.

Kira’s husband, Ryder, is also here with their two little girls.

A few other colleagues from work who I’m friends with are standing there with smiles on their faces.

And then I look to the left of Nate and see…

“Dad!” I breathe, tears filling my eyes.

I’ve seen pictures of him on social media, but it’s been years since I’ve seen him in person.

“Paige,” he says, walking over to me and enveloping me in a hug that has me breaking down in sobs.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“You look so beautiful,” Dad says as he hugs me. “You remind me so much of your mother when she was pregnant with you.”

“I miss her so much,” I whisper. “Thank you for being here.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he says,kissing my temple and then stepping back.

I glance over and see his wife, Debbie, and their daughters.

“Thank you for coming,” I tell them, giving each of them a hug before I look around at the blue, white, tan, and green decorations filling the living room.

There’s a beautiful cake with jungle animals all over it—the same theme I showed Nate I was considering for the baby’s nursery—and tons of other goodies spread out along the tables.

“This is amazing,” I say to Ana.

“Don’t look at me,” she says. “This was all Nate’s doing. I just offered my home and to take you to breakfast so you wouldn’t be suspicious.”

I look at Nate, who’s grinning softly. “You said you were working.”

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Putting together a baby shower is hard work.”

“Thank you. This is perfect.” I lean on my tiptoes to give him a kiss and then address the room. “Thank you, everyone, for coming. This means so much to have all of you here to celebrate with us.”

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