by ANDREA SMITH
I know they’re being supportive, but this is a major thing for me.
After my shower, I pull on some sweats and one of Eli’s tee shirts and sit on the bed I don’t use much anymore. We all sleep together in the master suite, except for those nights that Eli refuses to wear his mouth guard and his snoring eventually drives me back to my old room.
I can’t figure out how Cain can sleep through it, but he does.
I pout for a bit, and that morphs to reflection, and finally resolve. I will remain positive. I will do all of the things that Dr. W. has instructed me to do. I refuse to throw any more pity parties about this. It’s in Mother Nature’s hands, as well as God’s I conclude.
Enough reflection. I’m in the mood to make something kick-ass for dinner since we’re all home today at dinnertime which is kind of unusual with our various schedules.
I leap from my bed and head towards the kitchen. Eli and Cain are lounging in the family room, watching the tube.
“Hey babe,” Eli calls out, “Feeling better?”
“I’m good. You know I love you guys hard, right?”
“We know,” they both say in unison. “Right back at you,” Cain says. “How about I take us all out for dinner this evening?”
“Nope. I have plans.”
“Do tell?” Eli asks, getting up from the sofa and coming into the kitchen to grab a beer. He sets it on the counter, and comes up behind me as I’m opening various cupboard doors, pulling ingredients from them and setting them on the counter.
He wraps his strong arms around my middle, and I feel his lips softly nipping at a lobe. “You sure, sweetie?” he asks softly. “I mean it’s a rarity for Maddox to offer to pick up the tab.”
“Hey,” Cain says from behind Eli, and I hear him give Eli a swift smack on his tight ass, “I heard that douche,” he teases.
“Guys, I’m fine, really. I want to make a fantastic dinner for us, okay? It will be romantic and intimate. Just the three of us as a family.
“Sound goods to me,” Cain says, coming over and giving me a peck on the cheek. “I’m gonna hit the shower and dress for dinner,” he continues, giving me a wink.
I busy myself with getting the rest of the ingredients out, pulling the fresh loin of veal roast I’d bought from the market yesterday from the fridge.
“What are you making?” Eli asks, peering over my shoulder.
“Veal Prince Orloff with Mornay sauce,” I reply, turning to give him a peck on the lips. “I’m starting to love gourmet.”
“Yeah, well too much gourmet is going to cause Maddox and me to have to spend more time at the gym and away from you,” he teases.
I give him a playful smack on his firm flat belly. “Don’t worry, I won’t let my guys get paunchy.”
“Can I help?” he offers.
“Sure,” I reply handing him the recipe card. “You direct, and I’ll make.”
Twenty minutes later, the roast is in the oven, and Eli and I are cleaning up the kitchen.
“You know, Paige, we are a family with or without a baby, you get that, right?”
I turn from where I’ve been wiping off the counter to gaze at him. He’s so loving, so caring and so worried that in some way, I love Cain more than I love him which is just not true. I love them both differently, but equally if that makes sense. “I know, Eli,” I reply softly, “It’s just that I want a baby or two. Do you think we’ve been going at this the wrong way?”
“What do you mean?” he asks, his brow furrows.
“Maybe we should alternate months during my window of opportunity. I mean, maybe my egg is getting confused by having two different masses of sperm knocking to get in, you know? Maybe it’s putting her in a tough spot.”
He chuckles softly. “I don’t really think it works like that, but hey, whatever you want is fine with me. You want Maddox this week, it’s okay with me.”
“I didn’t say that,” I reply, “I think we should simply try this for the next two months—that’s when I go back to the doctor if nothing has happened for a laparoscopy. At this point, I’m willing to try anything, however off the wall it seems.”
“No, babe. I get it.”
I walk over to him, and place my hand gently against his strong chest, breathing in his scent, pine and honey. That’s what he smells like, and I love it. “Okay then. So how about you get this window, Cain gets next month?”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. I love you, Eli, why can’t you understand that I love you just as much as I love Cain?”
He shrugs, giving me a meek smile right before the doorbell rings.
“I’ve got it,” Cain hollers from the living room.
“Answer me, Eli,” I press, not taking my eyes from his.
“God, I don’t know, sweetie. Maybe it’s because it happened first between you and Maddox. I guess I still wonder if you love me by default.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, would you have loved me on your own?” he asks.
“I already loved you, Eli. I loved you both. It just morphed into a different kind of love, one that I wasn’t sure you wanted. So you see, I’ve had my insecurities where you’ve been concerned same as you have.”
He leans in, pressing his forehead into mine. “I guess I get it,” he says with a sigh. “But just know that if for some reason we never have a child, I don’t want that to change anything with us.”
I nod. “But don’t worry, baby, we’re going to be parents. I feel it in my heart, trust me.”
His lips lower to mine, and we are totally absorbed in our kiss when Cain clears his throat behind us. “Uh, Eli,” he says, “You’ve got company.”
Eli breaks away and turns to face Cain. I peer around him and see that Eli’s company is a girl. She looks to be fourteen or fifteen; and very pretty at that. Blond hair, cornflower blue eyes that are studying Eli as if she’s trying to assess him.
“Hi,” Eli says, “Can I help you?”
“Uh, this is Brittany,” Cain says, slowly. “She says she’s your daughter, Eli. She says her mother is outside in her car. She wants to talk to you.”
I feel my jaw drop.
“What’s your mother’s name?” Eli asks the girl.
“Greta,” she replies meekly. “Greta VanMeter.”
Holy shit!
I watch as Eli walks over to her. “Let’s go talk to your mother,” he says, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Why didn’t she come in with you?”
“She wasn’t sure you’d want to see her,” Brittany answers as they head out of the kitchen towards the living room. “She wants you to take me.”
My eyes quickly meet Cain’s.
“Oh my God,” I say quietly. “She looks just like him.”
“No shit,” Cain replies with a chuckle. “I had to do a double take myself when I saw her standing there on the porch.”
“So what do you think, Cain?”
He comes over and pulls me against him. “I think we’re going to have that child after all, babe. At least we’re past the diaper stage.”
About The Author
Andrea Smith is a USA Today Bestselling Author. Her previous published books are listed below.
G-Man Series
Diamond Girl
Love Plus One
Night Moves
G-Men Holiday Wrap
Taz
These Men (Spin-off)
Limbo Series
Silent Whisper
Clouds in my Coffee
Crimson & Clover (Summer 2015)
Past Tense Future Perfect
(Previously released as the ‘Baby Series.’)
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