Page 68 of Capitally Unexpected

Duncan takes his jacket off and sets it on the back of one of my dining chairs before sitting in it. It’s probably the most causal I’ve ever seen him, including Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. “It was only an arm. You need to watch such overexaggeration in the House, Prez.”

Hunter looks at me and I shrug. He smiles and moves to the kitchen to start getting plates and silverware for the cake. Margaret takes over getting chairs in from the table, and Caitlin organizes the presents again, this time on the floor in front of me. Jax and Charlotte sit on the floor on the other side of the table, continuing a discussion started on the way over. Stephen and Hayden laugh over something Preston said. My heart grows three sizes like the Grinch’s. Though in my case, I think I had a lot of heart to begin with. But now, it pushes against the edges of my ribcage, threatening to overflow and fill the rest of my body.

Hunter sits down next to me and watches me taking in everyone around us. “Like I said, you’re one of us now.”

I bury my face in his shoulder, overcome for a moment, before I take a deep breath and reengage with the rest of the room.

“Someone said something about cake?”

Laurel squeezes in on my other side and hands me the piece Jax cut for me. The cake may be the best thing I’ve ever tasted, surrounded by the large family I’ve always wanted.

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Hunter

Thirty-eight weeks pregnant

“Hunter, I think my water broke.”

Of course, tonight has to be the first December snowstorm DC has seen in over a decade. I peek out the window at the white covered streets from our bedroom while Michelle changes her pants. Best I can tell, they haven’t seen a plow in a few hours.

“How are we ever going to get a car to come pick us up in this?” She paces around the room grabbing things I’m positive are duplicated in our go bag.

“Okay, so you know how you complain every time the commercial comes on where the husband buys the wife a car for Christmas because it’s financially irresponsible to make a major purchase of that size without consulting your partner?”

She turns around slowly. “There’s also the one where the wife buys the matching trucks, one each, but I notice that’s not the example you used.”

I grimace. “Okay, so I signed the paperwork to have it deliveredbefore those commercials started airing a month ago. It’s a push present, and it’s the blue Subaru Outback parked right outside the apartment front door.”

“Hunter,” she groans. I check my watch to see how long it’s been since the last contraction. “No, that wasn’t a contraction. That pain was solely caused by you.”

I laugh, lowering my wrist. “Okay, I know, but here’s the other surprise. We got the Safeway contract.”

She drops everything she’s holding to run, well waddle, forward as quick as she can to throw her arms around my neck. “You did?! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You know, push present, big romantic gesture, misguided man peabrain. The usual reasons.”

She leans up and kisses me once before pulling away. “Okay, new house rule. Purchases four figures or larger have to be approved by the other party.”

I bring my lips to hers again for another peck. “Engagement rings are the exception to that rule.”

Michelle leans back, shock on her face.

“No, no. I don’t have one of those hiding somewhere too. But wanted to write the exception into the house rule while we’re in the negotiation stages.”

Michelle’s face contorts in pain as she grabs her side. “Okay, now that’s a contraction.”

I check my watch again. “Still six minutes apart. Let’s say we get you to the hospital in a snowstorm, have a baby, and then we can finalize any new house rules.”

“Deal,” she says, heading for the door, everything she gathered in the last few minutes forgotten on the floor. I grab the go bag from the closet and follow her. My smile is indulgent. I’ll worry about the mess my adorable girlfriend made later.

With the door behind us, I head to the stairs when I realize Michelle’s not with me. I backtrack to find her standing just outside our door.

“You okay? Do we need an ambulance?”

She shakes her head. “No, no. I’m okay. The next time we walk through this door, we’re going to be a family of three. I wanted to mark the occasion.”

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