Page 86 of Sweet Twins For My Brother's Best Friend

What I think I need right now is for Chris to tell me he wants me to live here. I wonder if that will happen?

I look up at the window to see that his figure has gone.

Chapter Thirty Eight

Christopher

I watch from the window as Mrs. Jackson drives away and I walk away from the window to get the present that I stashed away for Hannah earlier.

I wait eagerly on the couch for her to walk back up the stairs.

She opens the door and sits next to me with a deep sigh. “Chris.”

“Yes.”

“I’m exhausted, and it’s only 4:30.”

“It’s been an emotional couple of days. The body does strange things with that. Do you want to go on a run with me?”

Hannah laughs, swiveling on the couch and lying down so that she can rest her feet in my lap.

“Oh, you’re not joking. Wow, that’s scary.” She rests her hands on her stomach and looks down at it as though horrified for the future of our children.

“Well, I guess I could take them through the week and you could take them on the weekends…”

“Ha ha.” I pull her shoes off and let them fall to the ground. I peel her socks off and dig my knuckles into her arches. “I have a present for you.”

“Oh yeah?” Hannah situates her hands behind her head, her elbows bent, and looks at me from her side of the couch. “What is it?”

“Do you want me to tell you or do you want to open it?” I hand her the box from beside me.

My heart does a couple of flips when I see her eyes light up with joy.

The green of her eyes genuinely sparkles as she sits up all the way and takes the box from my hands.

I lean over and kiss her all over the face, and she nuzzles into my neck.

“Stop, stop, let me open my present, seriously. Or I’m going to burst.”

“Okay, okay, sorry.” I make a show of sitting on my hands and leaning back against the back of the couch.

She pulls the ribbon off the box and opens the lid. Her shoulders droop as she makes eye contact with me.

“You are an angel,” she tells me as she pulls out two pairs of tiny shoes that she saw in the store.

“Nah,” I say nonchalantly as I look away. “Well, maybe…”

Hannah suppresses a smile, sucking her peach-colored lips into her mouth. “This is really sweet. I can’t believe you went back and got me these.”

“I could tell it bothered you,” I tell her, leaning over to kiss her on the lips.

I feel her smile against my mouth. “And you have a right to be bothered, you know? These are your babies, and if you want to buy them a silly pair of shoes they can only wear for one week, you do that. I want you to have so much fun in motherhood. You are safe to buy whatever silly thing makes this fun for you. I’m here to catch us.”

“Thanks, Chris. I appreciate that.” She pulls her knees into her chest and balances the box on her thighs.

“I know the reason it bothered you is more than just some sort of claim to motherhood. I know that it was hard for you growing up and it’s probably really difficult to have anyone, but especially one of your parents, tell you how to handle your finances.”

Her eyes snap up toward me.

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