Page 102 of Pieces

“Understatement of the year,” I mutter, shaking my head. “Seriously, though. How was Australia? You’ve been crushing it, right? I love all the pictures you send me.”

He leans against the doorframe, looking every bit the relaxed surfer he is. “It’s been amazing. But I wanted to see you and Mom and Dad, obviously. Figured it’d be nice to spend some time together before I head back for the next round.”

I roll my eyes, still grinning. “Well, you’ve been missed. And Mom must’ve been thrilled when you showed up.”

“She cried,” he says, smirking. “Not that I’m bragging or anything.”

“Of course not,” I reply dryly. “You’d never do that.”

His gaze drops to my belly then, and his grin softens into something more thoughtful. “Speaking of missed… I think I missed a lot, huh?”

My smile falters slightly, and I glance down, resting a hand on the small curve of my stomach. “Yeah, I guess you did.”

Finn steps closer, his hand hesitating for a second before he gestures toward my belly. “Can I…?”

Nodding, a lump forms in my throat as I guide his hand to rest lightly over the bump. His palm is warm, and for a moment, we just stand there in silence.

“Daph,” he says finally, his voice lower, almost reverent. “You’re gonna be a mom.”

The tears I’ve been holding back threaten to spill over, but I blink them away quickly. “I am.”

“The kid’s already luckier than most. They’ve got you for a mom, and me for the cool uncle.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Don’t forget Hudson.”

Finn’s grin widens. “Yeah, I’ve gotta meet this guy who thinks he’s worthy of you.”

“He’s more than worthy,” I say, my chest swelling. “You’ll love him.”

“You’d better be right.” His tone is teasing, but his eyes are serious. “Because if he’s not everything you say he is…”

“He is,” I interrupt, smiling. “Trust me.”

“Good,” Finn says, stepping back and letting his hand fall to his side. “Then I’ll focus on being the fun uncle. We’re talking surf lessons by the time they can walk.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” I say, laughing.

Before he can respond, Mom appears in the hallway, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Daphne, sweetheart!” She pulls me right into a warm hug. “It’s so good to have you home.”

“It’s good to be home, Mom,” I say, leaning into her embrace. That cinnamon smell envelops me from her hug, and I realize she’s probably baking.

As she pulls back, her gaze drops to my belly. “You look wonderful. How are you feeling? And Hudson? Is everything okay?”

“We’re good,” I say quickly, brushing my hair behind my ear. “Everything’s good.”

We walk into the kitchen, where she busies herself again, and I spot the baby scan photo printed and stuck on the fridge. A ball of emotion wedges itself in between my ribs at the sight. “Your dad’s in his office. He’ll want to see you.”

I glance at Finn, who gives me an encouraging smile. “You’ve got this,” he says. “And if he says something dumb, just yell for backup.”

Chuckling, my nerves settle just a little. “Thanks, Finn.”

“Anytime, Daph,” he says with a loving grin. “Go knock some sense into him.”

***

Spoiler alert: I chickened out and waited to talk to dad for another hour. In my defense, I was enjoying watching Mom bake cookies, and then sampling them, of course. But now, there’re no other distractions.

The door to Dad’s office is closed, and I pause for a second, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, I knock lightly.

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