Page 89 of Can We Try?

“Did you see how awesome that swing was? He had to have it.”

“You know our friends are throwing us a shower.”

“I know, but I couldn’t help myself. How about we don’t buy anything else until after the shower? We’ll see what we still need, and then we can both go crazy.”

“I don’t know about going crazy. We might need a bigger house,” she teases.

There’s still sadness in her eyes, but her light is coming back, and I have my mother to thank for that. “Are you hungry?”

“Not yet. We ate so much at lunch. I’m stuffed.”

“Well, let’s get out of here. We can unpack this stuff in Sean’s room, then a movie and ice cream are calling our names.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s what we do.” I shrug, kiss her softly, then lift her from the table, placing her feet on the floor. I shove everything back in the bags, grab my phone and keys from my desk, and we head home.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I ask Maggie. “There’s no rush.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever be ready, but I know that I can do it with you by my side. Keeping the house is just costing money, and it’s time to go through her things and put it on the market. It’s time for another family to make memories there.”

“Okay. We’ll head over there after we leave the hospital.”

“I can’t believe she’s here.” She smiles. “I feel like both Briar and I have been pregnant for five thousand years.” She laughs.

“Maybe four thousand,” I tease.

“Brogan texted me and said River and Rayne are already in love with their baby sister.”

“I bet. They have a real-life Barbie doll.”

“Forrest and Briar are definitely going to have their hands full.”

“They wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Yeah,” she agrees. “How soon until you think we’ll have another one?” she asks, turning to face me in the passenger seat.

“You tell me when. It’s your body that does all the work.”

“What if I said I want them to be Irish twins?”

“What’s an Irish twin?” I ask.

“Two kids born within a year of each other. Twelve months,” she adds.

“That seems like that would be hard on you. Not that I don’t love you pregnant.” To prove my point, I reach over and rest my hand on her belly. “But don’t you need time to heal?”

“I do, and I don’t want them that close.”

“Then why did you ask?”

I glance over before turning my eyes back to the road to see her shrug. “I still struggle sometimes that I have choices. That you’re not dictating my every move. I know you’re not my ex, but after years of living that way, sometimes, well, I like to hear you tell me that you’re going to love me no matter what.”

“I’m going to love you no matter what. Irish twins, twenty babies, or just Sean… I’ll love you no matter what.”

I pull into the parking lot of the hospital, and she’s so excited to meet baby Willow that she’s pushing open her door and trying to climb out of my truck on her own. “Hold up, Momma,” I tease. “Let me help you.” I rush to her side and help her down, making sure she’s steady on her feet.

“Thanks!” She smiles up at me, takes my hand and pulls me toward the hospital doors.

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