Page 123 of Bragg's Match

She marches to the dining area where the food is set up. “I can’t with him,” she mumbles as she begins to rearrange the food to her liking. “I just can’t.”

There’s a knock on the door, so I leave her to it to answer it. Brody drapes an arm over my shoulders. I guess we’re answering the door together.

Elder enters holding Robin in his arms with Harmony trailing him.

I hold out my hands. “I want a cuddle.”

Elder hands me Robin without any fuss. I kiss her forehead before reading her t-shirt. “World’s best cousin.”

I giggle and Elder snatches the baby back. “You saw the t-shirt. She’s mine now.” He’s such a baby hog.

“Oh my gosh! You popped!” Harmony points to my belly.

I turn to the side and strike a pose allowing my baby bump to be seen. Harmony hugs me. “I’m so excited for you.”

“Because you think we’ll alternate babysitting the babies.”

“Excellent idea!” Ashlyn shouts as she arrives with Patience on her hip. Rowan grunts. “Big guy agrees. We’ll make a babysitting pool.”

“What’s all the excitement?” Eden asks. “Are you building a pool?”

I glance over at Brody and notice the sparkle in his eyes. I wag a finger at him. “No.”

“But what if I build a community pool? Winter Falls doesn’t have one.”

“We have the river where people can swim.”

He shivers. “The river is freezing cold. And it has a current. I don’t want little Kylo to be in any danger.”

“Kylo?” Eden glances back and forth between me and Brody. “You’re naming your child after a Star Wars character?”

Moon claps. “It’s a boy! How exciting?”

“Everyone hold on before the rumors start flowing,” I have to shout to make myself heard over the crowd. “One, we don’t know the sex of the baby.” I glare at Brody. “And, two, we are not naming our child after a bad guy in Star Wars.”

“Of course not,” Sage says as she bustles inside with Clove, Cayenne, Petal, and Feather hot on her heels. “You’ll give the baby a good Winter Falls name.”

“What’s a good Winter Falls name?” Brody asks before I can stop him.

“Aderyn, Enara, Sparrow, Drake, Teal, Lark, Starling, Wren. I’ll make you a list,” Feather says.

“No,” Cayenne grumbles. “You will not win this bet by cheating.”

Brody leans over to whisper a question in my ear. “What bet?”

I elbow him. “You know darn well everyone in town is betting on the birthdate and name of our baby.”

He smirks. “Why do you think I keep making Star Wars references?”

“You’re a genius.”

He tweaks my nose. “Which is what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“I’m certain we can figure out a Star Wars name that meets Winter Falls’ criteria,” I say to the crowd.

Feather nods. “I’ll get on it. Gratitude at the library will help.”

I giggle. The librarian won’t be any help since she can’t resist a good bet.

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