Page 69 of Choose Me

I let out a shaky breath, tears welling up in my eyes, my hand going to my stomach as I tried to comprehend the reality of it all.

I was pregnant.

Again.

With everything that happened with Izzie's birth, I was scared to go through something like that again. But simultaneously, the thought of carrying another baby for James, or Everett now, made me feel so grateful.

A wave of emotions washed over me as I washed my hands and splashed some cold water over my face, trying to calm myself down before heading back to the kitchen. As I walked in, I saw James and Everett blowing up balloons and hanging streamers, Izzie laughing and clapping her hands in delight.

"Mama!" she exclaimed as she walked unsteadily towards me, her eyes lighting up when she saw me.

I scooped her up into my arms, holding her close to me, planting kisses on her cheeks, and inhaling the scent of her skin, "I found Lambie!"

She giggled, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, and I smiled at her, feeling incredibly lucky to have her in my life.

"Are you okay?" James asked, noticing tears in my eyes.

I nodded, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "I'm fine. Just happy."

"Babygirl, what's wrong?" Everett asked, walking over and placing a hand on my shoulder.

I took a deep breath, looking at both of them. "I'm pregnant," I said softly, feeling the tears slip down my cheeks.

Their eyes widened, and for a moment, there was silence, interrupted only by Izzie's giggles as she tried to grab the balloons next to us. Everett opened his arms, and I collapsed into them, feeling him hold me tight.

"I'm so happy," he murmured against my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

James came up behind us, wrapping his arms around us, and I felt safe and secure, surrounded by them.

"Are you okay?" James asked, his lips brushing against my temple.

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "I'm scared, but I'm okay. Are you happy?"

"Oh my God, baby. What? Of course, I am happy. Seeing you pregnant is one of the best things life has given me." James said, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"We'll be here for you every step of the way," Everett said, his voice filled with emotion.

James pulled back slightly, cupping my face in his hands. "We love you, always."

"I love you both, too," I whispered, leaning in for a kiss, feeling the warmth of their lips against mine.

"I can't wait to meet our baby," Everett added, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"We're going to be a family," James said, his voice low and emotional. "A real family."

The door opened, and Amelia and Brock came in carrying gifts for Izzie.

Amelia looked alarmed when she caught sight of the three of us hugging and crying. "Oh my God, what happened? Who died?"

I looked back and forth between the boys, and they smiled and nodded.

"What?" She asked, looking worried. "What is going on?"

"I'm pregnant," I announced.

"What! You're having another baby! Izzie is getting a sibling, and I get another niece or nephew?" She squealed and rushed towards me, wrapping her arms around me. "This is amazing news. I am so happy for you three. But wait, who is the dad?"

Both Everett and James erupted into laughter, and I felt my face flush. It had taken some time to get used to being with each of them intimately, but we took baby steps, letting each of us be comfortable before we did anything more. We had decided that, for now, I would only be intimate with one of them at a time, and that was important to allow us to explore our physical connection to one another without worrying about competing for attention.

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