My Kinda Mess - eBook

by Lacey Black

  Lexi’s smile is infectious as she looks my way. We’re about to see our baby for the first time. This moment is making it all seem so surreal. Not that the constant throwing up or the confirmation from our last appointment wasn’t an indication enough, but actually getting to see the little bean on the screen is driving it all home.

  “Good afternoon,” the doc says as he enters the room. He’s an older man, probably in his mid to late fifties. I’ll be honest, when Lexi told me her doc was a dude, I was a little unsettled. Okay, fine. I wanted to punch him in the face for putting his hands in a place I dubbed mine a while ago.

  “Hey,” Lexi says, lying on the table.

  “Well, the machine is all fixed, so we’re gonna take a peek at your baby. We’ll get a few measurements too to make sure everything is on track for the due date we predicted.”

  October twenty-third. That date is burned into my memory.

  The doc asks a few more questions before firing up the computer-looking thing on the cart beside the table. Lexi reaches for my hand, entwining our fingers together as we wait. We watch as he pulls out this long instrument and grabs a condom.

  The hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

  “Because you’re too early for a typical ultrasound, we’re using a transvaginal unit that will be inserted into your vagina. We’ll be able to get a good look at the baby this way, as well as measure the heartbeat.” He doesn’t seem to care at all that he just put a rubber on the probe and is about to stick it inside my woman. In front of me.

  What the fuck?

  Lexi senses my anxiety (of course she does) and squeezes my hand. “It’s okay,” she mouths, keeping her eyes locked on mine.

  “Might be a little cold,” the doc says. I can tell the moment he uses that thing on my girl. She tenses a little, which spurs me into action.

  I reach up with my other hand and push the hair off her forehead. Then, I place tender kisses along the smooth skin, trying to erase the lines across her face. She starts to relax instantly, which helps my own breathing calm and my erratic heartbeat slow.

  “Ahhh, there it is,” the doc says, drawing our attention to the screen. There, on the monitor, is this tiny little peanut.

  It’s absolutely beautiful.

  A sniffle pulls my attention from the monitor. Lexi is gazing up at the screen, gentle tears rolling down her face and disappearing into her hair. I quickly wipe them away, letting my hand linger on her face. Unable to stop myself, I bend down and kiss away one of those little drops of moisture. It’s salty against my lips, but I don’t care.

  “Well, hello,” the doctor says, a weird hitch in his voice.

  Lexi and I both turn back to the monitor. He’s marking images on the screen; of what, I’m not sure. I can’t really tell what anything is. It all looks a little alien to me.

  “Okay, Mom and Dad. Say hello to your babies,” he says proudly and turns the monitor to fully face us.

  I stare at the image. One bean marked one and a second bean marked two.

  “Babies?” Lexi gasps, leaning up onto her elbows to get a closer look.

  “Babies,” he confirms.

  I stare at the man who smiles widely at my girl, not really sure I heard him correctly. When I glance at Lexi, she’s staring in shock at the screen, mouth hanging open wide enough to catch flies. Then those emerald eyes turn to me.

  “Twins?” she asks like a question, but surely not meaning it as one.

  “Wait.” I blink at her, the machine, the doctor, and then back to her. “What?”

  “Oh my God, we’re having twins!” She exclaims, tears rolling down her face.

  “You are,” the doctor confirms before finishing up whatever he’s doing down at the place no man will ever touch again without losing his hand. “I printed off an image for you to take home. Congratulations. Twins runs in the family?”

  “It does,” she agrees and glances at me. “Actually on both sides.”

  “Well, they say twins usually skip a generation, but I always say that the human body will do whatever in the world it wants.”

  “No shit,” I say, finally finding my words.

  Doc gives me a smile and sets papers down on the counter. “I’ll give you both a few minutes to talk. Come out to the desk when you’re ready to leave.”

  Lexi says something to him, but I tune it all out. Twins? Twins?? How in the hell did this happen? Well, I know how it happened. I was there, making the baby…or babies.

  “Are you all right?” she asks turning on the table but keeping the paper sheet clutched at her waist.

  “Uhhh, I’m not sure how to answer that,” I say truthfully, rubbing the back of my neck as I stand up and start to pace.

  “I know this is a shock,” Lexi starts, her voice getting small as if she’s afraid.

  Of me? No, not of me, but of my reaction. Holy shit, that can’t happen. Kneeling in front of her, I take both of her hands in my own. “It’s a shock, yes, but do you know what?” She shakes her head, waiting for me to continue. “We’re having twins. Holy shit, I can’t believe it,” I say, giving her my biggest smile ever. She starts to blur in front of me as realization starts to set in. Two babies. Not just one to read a bedtime story to or teach how to change the oil in the car, but two.

  Twins.

  “Holy shit,” I proclaim, picking her up in my arms and spinning around the little room. The paper sheet falls to the floor, but I don’t give a shit.

  We’re having twins!

  “You’re really okay with this?” she asks when I set her down on the floor.

  “Are you kidding? How can I not be? We’re having two babies.”

  “I know, but things could get a little messy. I mean, it’s not like they weren’t before, but now this?”

  “Seriously? Babe, this is my kinda mess. This is you and me…and our babies.”

  “It is,” she says softly before my lips claim hers. The kiss is tender and passionate and so fucking perfect that I could stay right here, right now, forever.

  Except we can’t.

  It’s time to change the game plan. Things are about to get a little chaotic. Life is about to get a little bit crazy.

  Or as I like to call it, messy.

  The best kinda mess there is.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Lexi

  I’m standing at the front of the church, waiting for my sister to make her entrance. When she steps around the corner, her arm linked with our father’s, I can’t stop the tears. Even if it weren’t for these crazy pregnancy hormones, I’d be a blubbering mess the moment I look over at the groom. Ryan is fighting his own tears, his eyes glued on the woman he loves and the biggest smile on his face, as she walks towards him in a gorgeous white dress.

  It’s a picture-perfect moment.

  Dad holds up well as he hands Jaime’s hand over to Ryan’s. He leans forward, grabs Ryan by the back and whispers something in his ear. Whatever Dad says, Ryan agrees as he nods his head decisively, blinks back tears, and gives him a smile. Then Dad takes his seat in the front pew beside Grandma and Grandpa, and my sister and her groom step up to the altar.

  My eyes keep glancing to my right where a certain sexy mechanic is seated in the row right behind my family. Linkin is wearing black dress pants with a light blue dress shirt and plaid patterned tie. But it’s the way his shirt sleeves are rolled up casually, revealing that incredible ink on his arms that keeps drawing my attention. God, he’s so sexy. He’s sitting with Levi, whose own eyes are glued to my twin sister’s ass. Typical.

  The ceremony doesn’t last too long, but the pictures are a whole other story. The photographer is a true professional, and ends up taking a billion and a half photos from every angle, in every light, and in every pose. Okay, so maybe not quite that many, but I’m starting to get a little hungry.

  Can’t a pregnant girl get a little bit of stuffed meatballs and some cheese dip around here?

&nbs
p; Finally, we’re released to head to the reception. Linkin and I ride with Abby and Levi to one of the hotels along the bay. It’s not tourist season, so it’s a quick drive and parking is a breeze. I’m seated up front with the rest of the wedding party, while they placed Linkin at the table with my parents, Levi, and Brielle. She looks so stinking cute in her purple dress, her hair full of curls.

  The night progresses quickly with dinner, toasts, and the cutting of the cake, all while Ryan keeps close tabs and at least one hand on his bride at all times. When they take to the dance floor, I can’t help but smile. They’re so in love with each other. It’s been evident since they were being arrested for indecent exposure back when they were first dating.

  And now here they are.

  Married.

  Linkin comes up behind me and pulls me into his chest. His muscles flex under my fingers as I wrap my hands around his forearms and revel in his embrace. I can feel his strong heart pounding against my back and his stubble has he drops his chin to nibble on my ear. Whisker burn on my neck is almost as good as whisker burn on the thighs.

  His hands automatically go to my abdomen. Ever since he found out I was expecting, he’s always touching my stomach. But since we found out it was twins earlier in the week, it’s his new obsession. He can’t keep his hands off me (and I’m not talking sexually), and at night when we’re getting into bed, he actually takes to talking to them.

  My heart melts and I fall further every night.

  “So, you knocked up my granddaughter, and now she’s having twins, eh?” Grandpa asks, coming up to stand beside us.

  “That’s the rumor,” Linkin replies with a smile and wink.

  “I’d like to think I had a hand in it,” Grandpa says, adjusting his suspenders and wearing a huge grin.

  “The only thing you had a hand in is a hard-on that took hours to go down,” Linkin retorts, getting a big laugh from my grandpa.

  “Yeah, let’s talk about those special brownies of yours,” Dean says, joining the conversation.

  “I was afraid I was going to have to go to the ER. Do you know how embarrassing that would have been if I would have had to go to the place I work and confess that I had an erection that lasted longer than four hours?” Levi adds, stepping up beside me.

  “I may have used a few too many. I’m still working on perfecting the recipe,” Grandpa says, scratching his head.

  “Why do you even need Viagra brownies to begin with?” I ask, flabbergasted.

  “Your grandma is an animal, Lexi Lou. I’m man enough to admit that, at times, I require medical intervention to keep up with her appetite.”

  “Gross,” Payton whispers, making a gagging noise.

  “Just promise us you won’t poison us again with male enhancement drugs,” Ryan begs as he escorts his wife off the dance floor and joins us.

  “I make no promises,” he argues.

  “At least have the decency to tell us when we’ve been drugged. I think we were all a bit nervous as to why four guys were together in the bathroom with boners,” Linkin says with a nervous laugh.

  “Fine. Anyway, it’s been longer than the five minutes Emmie asked me to wait.” Then bending forward and dropping his voice, he adds, “She’s waiting on me in the coat room just behind the concierge. We’re crossing public sex where you could be caught at any moment off the bucket list.” With a wide grin, he turns and practically dances out of the ballroom and out of sight.

  “You didn’t check your coat, right?” Abby asks Levi as all of us watch him disappear.

  “Thankfully, no.”

  Another slow song starts, and I’m pulled onto the dance floor. Payton and Dean, Ryan and Jaime, and Abby and Levi all join us, as well as a few other guests. Linkin wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. My head hits just below his chin, my cheek lining up perfectly with his heart.

  “You know, you’re lookin’ mighty fine in that dress. We could always find our own coat closet and cross something off our bucket list.”

  “I think you’ve already managed to cross something off the bucket list,” I retort, glancing down at my belly.

  “Damn right, I have,” he agrees.

  “Did you get into the Viagra brownies?” I ask, noting the hardness that’s pressed against my stomach.

  “Nope, that’s just my standard reaction to having the most beautiful woman in the world in my arms.”

  “A bit cheesy, but I like it.”

  “Because you like me. I knew it! All those months ago, I knew my charms would win you over.”

  “It wasn’t your charms. It was your mega cock,” I answer cheekily. A gasp is heard behind me, followed by the muffled sound of a laugh turned into a cough. When I glance around, I’m startled to see one of my old high school teachers dancing with her husband. She’s staring at me with wide-eyes and her mouth gaping open.

  “Come on, sweetness. Let’s go find a coat closet so I can show you my mega cock.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Linkin

  I swear I haven’t slept a wink since the moment I saw two babies on that monitor.

  As the days turn into months and the cravings turn from Mexican food to coffee cake and cottage cheese (and yes, she eats them together), my nervousness grows. The first of July has brought a heat wave like no other in Virginia that even the coastal waters can’t seem to cool.

  My girl is all baby. Well, babies. At almost six months, she’s sporting a bigger beach ball than the one the boys use when we go to the beach to swim. But do you know what? It’s sexy as fuck. Like seriously, hard-on inducing sexy every time she walks (albeit a bit of a waddle) into the room, and I can’t keep my hands off her. I guess it’s a good thing you can’t get knocked up further while being knocked up because we’d probably have a dozen babies on the way by now.

  Lexi is still working as long as possible, but the belly is already starting to make it difficult. Clients get knocked in the back of the head pretty much daily now, which makes them laugh and Lexi frustrated. She’s a worker, and the thought of having to stop working before nine months is stressing her out. Personally, I love it when the ball gets in the way. We’ve had to be a bit more creative in bed, which my feisty little tiger is all for. She’s insatiable, which bodes well for me, since I think she’s the most desirable woman on the planet.

  I’m on my way home from work after a long, hot day in the shop. Lexi’s last client of the day should be wrapping up about now, so she shouldn’t be too far behind me. After a quick pit stop, I pull into the driveway. We decided to put my Harley in the second bay of the garage to leave her more room to get in. It’s a pretty tight two-car unit with not a lot of wiggle room. I don’t mind parking outside so that my girl can get in and out of her car easier.

  Inside the house we’re renting together along the bay, I preheat the oven before slipping off to the bedroom to shower. The en suite bathroom is a bit on the smaller size with only a shower stall, toilet, and sink. Eventually, we’ll find a bigger place, but this place will do just fine for now. At least we’re not back at the apartment.

  After a quick shower, I’m sporting a clean pair of basketball shorts and a sleeveless shirt in the kitchen when Lexi gets home. With the kitchen just off the garage, I hear her grumble and bitch as she tries to roll out of her car. I snicker to myself, thankful that she’s not in the house yet. I’d never laugh in her face; I love my balls too much to be that stupid. Just another reason why we should move up our search for a new car. I think she needs a small SUV so she doesn’t have to crawl in and out of a car. Something with a good safety rating.

  “Welcome home, mama,” I say happily when the back door opens.

  “Why are you so happy? It’s hotter than the surface of the sun out there,” she grumbles as she waddles in the door and sets her bag onto the table. “What’s that smell?”

  “Soap. I decided to shower today,” I retort.

  “No, that smells sexy,” she s
ays, walking up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist, and taking a big whiff of my shirt. “I mean what’s in the dish? It smells like heaven.”

  “Homemade mac and cheese with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese,” I tell her, mixing it all together and piling the extra cheese on top.

  “Oh my God, that sounds amazing. You should hang out with Levi more often,” she says, reaching around and taking some of the cheese from the top of the dish.

  “It’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.” I slide the dish into the oven and turn just in time to catch her staring at my ass. When she glances up, I raise an eyebrow and give her my best smirk. It always makes her horny. “How was work?” I ask, grabbing her a bottle of water from the fridge.

  “Fine. Busy. How as your day?” she asks, taking long pulls from the bottle.

  “Hot. Jacob finally got himself fired,” I tell her as I grab two plates and forks then join her at that table.

  “Really? What did the little bag of dicks do this time?”

  “Pulled a car into the shop and left it in gear.”

  She glances up at me, eyes wide. “What happened?”

  “It rolled into another car that was there for an oil change.”

  “Oh, shit. How much damage?”

  “Not a lot, fortunately. The car wasn’t going that fast. Just a dent in both of them that Ernie is now responsible for fixing.”

  “Of course. So he was fired?”

  “Yep. Ernie blew a gasket, told him that if he couldn’t do something as elementary as remembering to put the car in park, then he wasn’t needed around there anymore.”

  A few minutes later, the timer on the oven sounds. The cheese is bubbling on top when I pull it out and set it in the middle of the table. “Drink?” I ask, grabbing a bottle of beer out of the fridge.

  “I’d take one of those,” she grumbles, which makes me smile.

  “Not for another three and a half months, baby,” I say gently, reaching in and grabbing the carton of milk. When I hold it up, she grudgingly nods her head. After the glass is poured, I join her at the table and watch her dive into dinner.