Page 60 of While We Waited

“She’s the brewer ofFive Fathoms Brewing.We own the brewery together with three other friends.”

“You ownFive Fathoms Brewing?” Brooks asks.

I wag my finger at him. “I am not allowing you to drink underage.”

“Damn.”

“No cussing,” Emma admonishes. “I swear I did my best to raise them. I promise I’ll be a good grandmother to your little one. You have no need to worry.”

My mouth drops open. “Are you seriously concerned I won’t want you to be around your grandchild?”

Her cheeks darken and she shrugs.

I rush forward to grasp her hands. “I want you around our little Sprog. I want him or her to have a grandmother. I’m relying on you to be their family since I don’t have any.”

Her eyes well with tears but she sniffs to stop them from falling. “Thank you, Nova. I’ll be the best grandmother you could ever imagine.”

“I’m certain you will. But just in case, I hope Sprog’s a girl.” I wink to let her know I’m joking.

“I like her,” she declares. “You chose well, Hudson, my boy.”

I step back. “Oh, we’re not… um… together.” The words burn as I say them. I want to be with Hudson. I want to be part of his crazy, rambunctious family. Now I’m the one fighting tears. “I’ll never deny him access to his child, but we’re not a family.”

Hudson wraps his arm around my waist. “We are a family. We’re not a traditional family. But we’re a family.”

My heart spasms in my chest as I force myself to smile at him. I wish his words were true. But they’re not.

Chapter 21

Offside – when a baby is not positioned where it’s supposed to be

Hudson

“Nova! Come on. We’re going to be late.”

I prowl the living room as I wait for her to come out of her bedroom. I hate her having a separate bedroom. I want her inmybedroom. Inmybed. With me. I want to hold her in my arms all night long every night.

And she will be in my bedroom. I won’t allow for anything else.

“What’s the hurry?” Nova asks as she rushes into the living room.

“It’s my first doctor appointment. I don’t want to be late.”

Her smile lights up the room. “You’re excited about the doctor’s appointment?”

“Hell, yeah, I am. Today is the mid-pregnancy ultrasound. We can hear Sprog’s heartbeat and find out their gender.”

She freezes. “Find out the gender?”

“Do you not want to know if Sprog is a girl or a boy?”

Her nose wrinkles in that adorable way it does when she’s unsure. “I don’t know.”

“Let’s discuss this on the way. I don’t want to be late.”

She giggles. “I never thought Mr. Crabby Crabapple would be worried about being late.”

I never used to be. Until I arrived late at football practice once when I was a senior because I couldn’t get Brooks ready for school on time. After spending an hour running laps around the field, I decided to never be late again.

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