Page 21 of Can We Try?

Five

Maggie

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Lachlan pushes open the front door of Roman and Emerson’s house. “Uncle Lachlan’s here!” he calls out.

A loud squeal and then little feet come racing toward us. Lilly launches herself at Lachlan, and he catches her easily. “I missed you,” he tells the little girl, hugging her tightly.

“Missed you,” Lilly replies back. She eyes me behind Lachlan and reaches for me.

“Hey, sweetie.” I settle her on my hip and kiss her cheek.

“Hey, you.” Emerson comes into the living room, and gives me a one-armed hug, before pulling Lachlan into a hug as well. “Did you get here at the same time?” she asks.

My friend is very intuitive, and she knows something has been up with me lately, but she’s given me the space I’ve needed. They all have, while letting me know they were here for anything and everything that I might need.

“We rode together,” Lachlan explains.

“Really?” Emerson wags her eyebrows, and I chuckle because she has no idea. “Come on in. Forrest, Briar, and the girls are heading over soon. Monroe and Legend had to give Kane a bath. He had a diaper blowout, and Maddox and Brogan are probably working in a quickie before they get here.” She giggles. “Maddox is determined where this baby-making business is concerned. He’s trying to get pregnant before anyone else does. He’s trying to beat us, and Monroe and Legend.”

“You’re all trying?” I ask before I can stop myself. “I knew Maddox and Brogan were trying.”

Emerson smiles. “Yeah, Lilly is over two, so it’s time, and Kane is almost one. I don’t actually think they’re trying as much as practicing.” Emerson laughs. “However, Maddox is still on a mission to have the next baby in the family.”

Lachlan’s eyes widen. I can tell he’s trying really damn hard not to let his smile show. “Are you coming inside?” Emerson asks, backing up. “Rome’s in the kitchen, calling in the pizza and wings.”

We follow her into the kitchen and as soon as Lilly sees her daddy, she’s reaching for him. Roman takes her out of my arms while continuing with his call to order dinner. Lilly lays her head on his shoulder and tucks into his chest.

“She didn’t nap today,” Emerson tells us. “She’s getting at the age where she’s trying to fight naptime.”

“No nap,” Lilly says, and we laugh.

Roman ends the call, tosses his phone on the counter, and rubs Lilly’s back. “Lil, naps are good for you. You know Daddy likes to take naps.”

“Wif Mommy. Mommy take a nap wif me?”

Roman’s eyes heat as he winks at Emerson. “With Mommy,” he agrees.

I can only imagine the naptime schemes you have to do when you have a toddler in the house. Not that I’ll have to worry about sneaking around to hook up being a single mom and all that. I’ll be too busy working and raising a baby. Sure, Lachlan is going to be there too, but we won’t be sneaking around trying to find times to be intimate.

I’ll have the memories of our night together to keep me warm, I suppose.

The door opens again, and this time it’s Forrest, Briar, and the twins. I can tell by the patter of pounding feet and the “don’t run in the house” hollered out by their parents.

“I didn’t think we’d ever get here.” Rayne sighs dramatically.

“Daddy’s a slowpoke.” River giggles.

“Take it easy on your old man,” Forrest says, walking into the room with his hand laced with Briar’s. “It’s not my fault, I had to wash off my makeup.” He smiles down at them and you can see it as clearly as a bright blue sky that these three ladies are his world. The new baby, too, obviously, when he or she gets here.

“Daddy, you looked pretty,” Rayne tells him.

“I know, Dazzle, but Daddy told you he can’t wear makeup outside. That’s just for in the house when we’re playing dress up.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Rome chimes in. “I’d like to see it.”

“Uncle Rome! We can do your makeup too!”River exclaims.

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