Page 107 of Exposed Ink

“This is for real?” I ask, scooping her up into my arms and making her squeal.

She wraps her legs around me and nods. “This is for real.”

“No take-backs?” I joke.

“No take-backs,” she says through her laughter as I carry her over to the dresser and set her on it.

“Fuck, do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me?”

“Hopefully as happy as you’ve made me,” she says. “And I’m hoping as happy as Taylor will be when we tell her that she’s going to be a big sister.”

Oh shit.That’s right. Taylor’s waiting for us out in the living room.

“She’s going to be thrilled,” I tell her, giving her a quick kiss. “Let’s go share the good news.” I lift her off the dresser and set her on the floor. “And then, tonight, after she’s asleep, we’ll be celebrating,” I say as we walk out of our room in search of Taylor. “Not only is my woman pregnant with my baby, but she’s living here for good. Can life get any better than that?”

“Can life get any better than what?” Taylor asks, having caught the tail end of what I was saying.

“There’s something we need to tell you,” Kinsley says.

“Kinsley’s pregnant,” I finish.

Taylor grins and then laughs. “I knew it!” she exclaims, hugging Kinsley and then me. “When we were moving your stuff, I found the prenatal vitamins, but I didn’t want to assume. This is so awesome! When are you due?”

“December 16,” Kinsley tells her.

“Wow,” Taylor breathes. “I’ll be graduating, and you’ll have a new baby in the house.”

“Speaking of which, we never got to go on that tour,” Kinsley points out. “You should check when the next one is so we can go.”

Taylor nods, but doesn’t look very excited.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I ask her.

Taylor shakes her head, but her glassy eyes tell a different story.

“Tay, talk to me,” I insist.

“It’s nothing,” she says as tears fill her lids and fall. “I guess it’s just hitting me that this time next year, I’ll be graduating.” She sniffles. “It’s going to be hard to leave you, and now, with Kinsley living here and a baby on the way, it’s going to be even harder.”

“Yeah,” Kinsley agrees, “it will be hard, but you won’t be far at NYU, and we’ll come visit.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Taylor says, enveloping Kinsley in a hug.

“Trust me, we’ll be there so often that you’ll get sick of us,” Kinsley tells her. “Want to see a picture of your baby brother or sister?”

“Yes!” Taylor pulls back, and Kinsley pulls out the sonogram image.

“Check it out,” I say, pointing at the speckle on the paper. “That’s our Sour Patch Baby.”

Taylor laughs. “You guys are so adorable. Meet-cute, single dad, small town. I seriously hope, one day, I find love that’s fit for a romance novel.”

“You will,” Kinsley tells her. “Because you’ve seen firsthand what a good man looks like.” She glances at me. “And you won’t settle for anything less.”

“Damn right I won’t,” Taylor says. “Now, I just have one question. Because everyone knows that a good romance book has to have a happily ever after … when are you guys getting married?”

THIRTY-FIVE

Kinsley

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