Page 58 of Luna

I shook my head. “I do want to go shopping with my family, but I would love to plan out the nursery theme now.”

All three of them perked up, and I laughed. “I didn’t realize you guys were so into decorating.”

Halos grinned. “Of course we are. We can’t help you grow the baby, so this is the least we can do. I already have a bunch of gardening stuff for the peanut, so now it’s a matter of décor.”

I’d thought about nursery themes off and on but it felt like asking for too much so early into the pregnancy. Like I would count my blessings before they hatched and then something terrible would happen.

“Your favorite flower is a poppy,” Halos said tentatively. “You might like a garden theme?”

I stared at the massive chocolate cake pictured under the dessert section and wondered if it was too early for dessert. “That’s not…silly?”

I loved the idea of a garden theme, but I was so used to people telling me to get serious interests, the thought of using it for the nursery made me feel too vulnerable.

“Of course not.” Quinn perked up, and when the waiter returned, we placed our orders. “You know, Poppy would be a really pretty name for a girl.”

I bit my lip. “Just because I love to garden…doesn’t mean I have to go too crazy with the garden stuff.”

Halos took my hand and squeezed. “Honey. Darling. Gardening is your passion. You light up when you’re planting.”

“I don’t see why dirt and plants are awesome,” Colton said, and held up his hands. “But I love watching you garden because you’re so obviously in your element. Poppy would be a beautiful name.”

“Poppy.” I said out loud. It sounded right. I put my hand on my stomach. “You’re sure? No one has baby name traditions they need to uphold?”

Colton shook his head. “Hell no.”

I’d spent hours on the Internet looking up names. Nothing had seemed right.

“Yes.” Halos took my hand and kissed my cheek. “Your face lights up when you say that name.”

“Okay. Her name is Poppy.” I looked at Colton. “But Peanut is still a cute nickname.”

I wished again that Dante was there. It felt wrong without him, like I’d spent more time with him than just one weekend.

I pushed him out of my mind. Colton, Quinn, and Halos were here, with me. Supporting me.

I was lucky to have them in my life. I looked down at my photo of the ultrasound. It was enough. It had to be.

Chapter22

Colton

Iwatched Luna’s face over dinner, putting my copy of the ultrasound picture in my wallet.

We were having a baby. A beautiful little girl. Quinn and I wanted Luna in our pack, and Halos didn’t look like he was going to be an issue. We made sure we understood each other, and he didn’t posture like most alphas.

The only fly in this ointment was Dante. That fathead.

Luna never mentioned his name, but she didn’t unpack her bag from Vegas either. She moved it out of the nest, into her bedroom closet, but I knew.

She had looked at him like he hung the moon when we were in Vegas. She had to miss him, especially since he was there when she got pregnant.

If he was truly an asshole who didn’t want anything to do with his child, that was one thing. I would drop him off the face of the earth and let him deal with his choices.

But if there was something else holding him back, like how I had worried about Quinn’s feelings, that would change everything. I hadn’t asked for Luna’s number in Vegas, because I hadn’t had time to talk to Quinn, see how he felt, make sure he didn’t feel like I was going back on my word.

I was a prideful idiot, and Quinn helped me pull my head out of my own butt more times than I cared to admit.

Dante was alone, and being a minor celebrity would be more isolating. I ran in some of those circles, and having money made a lot of things in my life easier.

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