Page 104 of Stone Rules

Everyone in the room cheers again. Everyone but Baylor. She looks at her younger sister in utter disbelief. “You have got to be kidding me,” she says.

“What?” Skylar asks.

“I’m not drinking champagne either,” Baylor says.

“Oh my God!” Skylar squeals as they run to embrace each other.

“So, last month at the club, you knew?” Baylor asks Skylar.

“Yup. You?”

“Yup. When are you due?” Baylor asks.

“May 22nd. You?”

“June 3rd.”

They both turn to look at Piper and then the rest of our gazes follow. Piper holds up her hands. “Don’t look at me,” she says. “I’ll drink the whole damn bottle.”

Mason comes up behind her and wraps her in his arms. “Now will you consider it?” he asks.

Piper cranes her head back at him and then looks at all the faces in the room. “Are you all seriously peer-pressuring me into getting knocked up?”

Everyone laughs, including Piper. “Okay,” she says. “I might be willing to consider it.”

Mason lifts her into the air and spins her around. Then he says, “Let’s go home and consider it right now.”

She swats him. “I think I’d like to hang around until my niece or nephew makes an appearance.”

Mason looks at Charlie. “Do you think we could hurry this along?”

Dr. Chavis comes into the room, smiling at the festive atmosphere. “I hate to break this up, but somebody is about to become a party crasher,” she says, walking over to place a hand on Charlie’s belly.

Everyone comes over to kiss Charlie and wish us well. Bruce Mitchell shakes my hand, pulling me into a hug. “Welcome to the family, son.”

I can barely control my emotions when I see my mother crying happy tears over the video stream. I know she never thought this day would come. The day when she would see her son experience pure joy again. I tell her we’ll call her back after the baby arrives. Then I shut the lid to the laptop and turn around to face my bride.

She too is crying, because she has removed the ring and is reading the inscription. “Rule number eighteen—forever isn’t long enough.” She looks up at me, eyes glistening. “I love you so much.”

I take her in my arms. “Right backatcha, Mrs. Stone.”

“Charlie Stone,” she says, pondering over the name. “I think that has a nice ring to it.” She frowns and I wonder if another contraction is starting. “I just wish we could have said vows and stuff. There is so much I want to say to you.”

“We will have sixty or seventy years to say all the things we want to say to each other,” I tell her. “And believe me, the vows I want to say to you, are for your ears only, Tate.”

Her eyes snap to mine and she smiles. She smiles big.

“That’s the one?” I ask.

She nods. “That’s the one,” she says. “That’salwaysbeen the one.”

Dr. Chavis clears her throat. “Is there anyone we need to be calling?”

I know what she’s asking, but I don’t let the thought put a damper on this incredible moment. I shake my head. “No. Everyone who is supposed to be here is here.”

Dr. Chavis smiles. “That’s what I thought. Now let’s have this baby, shall we?”

Chapter Forty-six

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