Page 79 of Campus Daddies

I blink at her for a few seconds before they register.

“I’m pregnant.”

34

BRAXTON

Iswear my heart doubles in size.Pregnant?Birdie has been the best thing in my life. Bringing another child into the world with Sofia would be twice as good. I didn’t realize just how badly I wanted it until she told us.

She wobbles there, fingers twisting together as we stare at her. Her face is paler than usual, blotchy, like she’s resigned to stand her ground about the baby.

I’m on my feet without thinking, wrapping her up in my arms. “That’s fantastic news!”

Sofia sags against me with a half laugh, half sob, like she didn’t believe this would be a happy moment. Like we might reject her for it.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her how much I daydreamed about this very moment. A reason that she might stay with us after all of this.

The last few days without her have been tormenting, worse than having her around and not being able to touch her.

Now, though… Now, we can tell Birdie. We can make bigger plans. Bigger moves.

But fuck, I don’t want to overwhelm her even more with everything I’ve been hoping to have with her.

My hand smooths down her back, my other arm tightening around her shoulders to cradle and support her.

I drop kisses onto the top of her head as I commit every detail of this to memory. Sofia is having our baby.

She takes in a shaky breath, nails digging into my back. I want to give her all of my strength.

Orion appears behind her shoulder, and I hate to relinquish her at all, but I do.

She turns slowly in place, and I keep my hands on her hips as he embraces her. His face drops to her neck, breathing her in. He kisses her cheek and under her ear, and she lets out another strangled noise halfway between happiness and sorrow.

I peer over at Cedric, who seems stunned. It’s the first time I’ve seen him visibly shocked. He’s blinking before he pushes to his feet. I pivot to give him access, catching tendrils of her hair as she leans into him next.

Tears track down her cheeks as he takes her face in his hands. “What are all of these tears about, Sofia?”

His thumbs brush the tears away as he examines her, back in control once more.

“Part relief, part hormones?” A bit more hysterical laughter catches in her throat as she looks back at him.

One thing we can all count on with her is that she’s strong enough to stand up and face reality. Face us.

“I’m keeping her.” Her hands come up to cover his, and Cedric pauses for a breath before he leans in to kiss her.

Her hand drops, and I snatch it up, twining our fingers together.

Sofia looks at Orion as if to repeat what she said, and his lovesick expression seems to be more than enough for her.

When those vibrant blue eyes are focused on me again, I laugh a little. “We’re having a girl?”

Her real laugh breaks through this time, letting her head fall back with her joy. “I don’t know for certain. It’s just a feeling.”

Sofia touches my cheek, her thumb stroking the back of my jaw as she smiles. My relief is a tangible weight off my shoulders. I don’t want her to regret this, regret us.

“I know this is a bomb on top of everything else, so if the shock wears off and we need to talk things through, just…” And she’s back to being her take-charge self.

“Oh, Soph, we’re going to have a lot of things to talk through. Don’t worry about that.” I drag her in for a kiss.

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