Page 79 of Twins for the Mountain Daddies

“I think,” Holt says, leaning in, “that she’s the best damn thing that’s ever happened to us. I’m not letting her go without a fight.”

I nod, feeling the weight of his words hit me. “I hear you.”

Holt takes a swig of his beer, eyes never leaving mine. “I know who she is, Wy. Hank’s wrong. That’s not her. This is her. And I…I love her. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win her, keep her. Her and those babies.”

His words settle deep, sinking into the cracks she left behind. “You really think we can do this?” I ask. “Long-term?”

“I think we don’t have a choice.” Holt leans back against the bar, rolling the bottle between his fingers. “It’s not even about the babies. I don’t think I can live without her anymore, Wyatt.It’s her, or it’s nothing. And yeah, I’ve never done this serious relationship shit before, but I know what I want. And I want her.”

I exhale, dragging a hand through my hair. “Me too.”

Holt nods, like he knew that already. “Then we figure it out.”

There’s a beat of silence before I throw the elephant in the room out there. “And the sharing? Because we can’t say yes going in with the expectation she’ll pick one of us eventually. You’re good with it? Like, actually good with it?”

Holt doesn’t hesitate. “You and me? We’ve always been a team. This doesn’t change that. If anything, it makes us stronger.”

I huff out a laugh. “You make it sound so simple.”

“It is. Or it will be once we get her back.”

His confidence is almost enough to make me believe it’s that easy.

Almost.

“There’s still one little detail,” I say, knocking back the rest of my drink. “The babies. Either of us could be the father.”

Holt’s quiet for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he says, “They’re ours. I don’t care what the DNA says.”

The simplicity of it nearly knocks me on my ass.

I stare at him, waiting for him to elaborate. He doesn’t. Just shrugs and takes another sip.

“That’s it?” I ask. “That’s your big, life-changing conclusion?”

“Yep.”

I let that sit for a second, rolling it around in my head.They’re ours.

The tension in my chest eases, loosening just enough for me to breathe. He’s right. Blood doesn’t matter. We’re in this together.

“You in or you out?” Holt asks. “I hope you’re in, but I’m going after her with or without you.”

I want to be with her. There is no way in hell I’m walking away from this. Or them. I lean back, grinning like an idiot. “I’m in,” I say, and it feels like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders. “Hell yeah, I’m in.”

Holt looks relieved, and he takes another long drink. “Good. Then let’s go get our girl.”

It feels good to have a plan. Better than good. I feel fucking alive. Holt’s got that same fire in his eyes, and I know we’re on the same page. It’s a risk, but it’s worth it. She’s worth it.

I’m ready to find her, tell her everything, do whatever it takes to make her see. I want my girl. Our girl. And I’m not going to stop until she knows it.

We head straight to Mason’s. The garage will be closed by now, so we bypass the building and head back toward the house. He was the last one to see Ivy, and if anyone knows where she went, it’s him.

I’m nervous as hell, but I’m ready. Ready to fight for her, even if it means making a fool of myself. Holt looks confident, but I know him too well. He’s just as nervous. We’re both staking everything on this.

“We got this,” he says, but there’s a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I’m too busy trying to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest.

The closer we get to Mason’s house, the heavier my steps feel. What if she’s already gone? What if we missed her by minutes—seconds? What if we lost our chance? The thought alone makes my stomach churn.

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