Page 109 of Players and Pages
“Dani’s pregnant,” the four of us said in unison.
The look on the other’s faces were priceless and I was glad someone else was able to snag a picture before they came rushing over to us.
“How could you keep this from us?” Taryn asked as she pulled me into a hug and Bea was right behind her.
“You guys did so much for me while I was healing, I didn’t want to be more of a burden,” I admitted.
“We are family and you are never a burden,” Bea reminded me fiercely.
“Well, you’d think I’ve realized that by now,” I laughed as tears threatened to spill down my face.
“No, no crying. We can’t ruin our makeup,” Taryn told me as she let me go. She started fanning her face and blinking, Bea and I attempting the same as we fought the tears. It was harder to do these days.
“Are you always right?” I complained playfully.
There was a collective ‘yes’ from her pack who had just finished congratulating my pack. Cy, Griff, and Jackson were over the moon about the news. I can still remember their faces when I told them.
My stomach was a tangle of nerves as I pulled up to the house. The guys were reluctant to let me go out on my own still but Henry was behind bars and I needed this moment.
First stop was the bakery for a cake that read ‘congrats, dads!’ in big lettering. Then onto the baby boutique for the gender neutral outfits I’d found since I wasn’t far enough along to know if we were having a little boy or girl.
Finally, I pulled up at the house. I planned to set it all up but I should have known. I didn’t even manage to climb out of the car before they were there, Griff opening my door and pulling me out gently, his lips pressing to mine.
“I missed you,” he said.
“You’re ridiculous,” I laughed, forgetting all about my surprise until Cy screamed. A loud, whooping yell that had us both jumping. Jackson was right there, his loud gasp and screech just as excited.
“I guess the secret is out,” I joked as I stepped away from Griff so he had a chance to see.
“What the fuck is wrong with you two?” he demanded. Cy held up the cake, the message on top displayed perfectly.
“Holy shit,” Griff whispered, turning around. I swear he was blinking back tears.
“I’m pregnant,” I said, battling my own emotions. Their reaction was everything I needed it to be. Excitement, joy, and I could feel their love through the bond.
“Here’s your pictures,” the kind lady pulled me out of the memory as she handed back my phone. “I snapped a few extras. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I said before pulling them up to see and cracking up. Their faces were priceless, mixes of shock and excitement. The picture after of everyone congratulating us was just as good. My smile was huge as the girls hugged me and the guys’ smiles were just as big.
“We need to frame these two together,” Cy said.
“Can we do that after the convention? We’re wasting precious time,” Jackson reminded us. “Not that I don’t care about their excitement about our peanut, but my nerdy heart is going to explode if we don’t go further in soon.”
“Well, we can’t have that,” I laughed. “Celebrate tonight at the house? Since it’s complete finally?”
“Yes, our moms have been planning dinner since this morning,” Griff told us. “They said there will be more family dinners since they are so close now.”
“And we can have some at the ranch as well. My mom will skin us all alive if we don’t,” Holt added.
“Yes, more free food for me,” Bea said with a wide smile and doing a little happy dance.
Jackson pulled me gently further in. If not for my leg I had a feeling he’d be sprinting in. Watching him and the rest of our family nerding out was everything.
I’d never again take these moments for granted. If Henry’s attacks taught me anything, it was that life was precious and we should be celebrating every single moment.
“Look!” Taryn said, grabbing me from Jackson and pulling me toward a display of onesies. Jackson wasn’t one to be left out and quickly piled his arms of one of everything until it was a ridiculous stack.
“Make sure to vary sizes. They grow fast… wait. You just have one in there, right?!” Taryn said, eyes widening.
“Yes,” I said. “That was my first question, too. I love Gem and Liam, but at least for the first, I’m happy with one little bundle of joy.
“I’m hoping our next is a single baby,” she snorted. “I felt like I was as big as a house trying to waddle around.”
“I’ll be there soon enough,” I joked, though I honestly couldn’t be more excited for that stage. I wanted it all, big baby bump, feeling their little kicks, and watching my pack become dads.
This was everything I wasn’t sure I’d find, but somehow fate gave me a pack that was absolutely perfect.
Our lives were changing, our found family growing bigger by the year, and I was happier than I’d ever been.
