Page 40 of Acceptance
Gavin smiles and stands, holding his hand out to her. “Yeah, we can do that.”
Chapter Fourteen
Griffin’s Beach
Kent
Kent Conway knocks on the door to the Short house. If not for the shit that happened last night, Kent would have made Gavin bring his sister’s crib to the house himself.
The door opens, and a very pregnant Gracie Short answers the door. “Hey, Kent.”
“Hey,” he says with a smile. “Got a delivery for you.”
They may be a couple of years apart, but he’s known her pretty much his whole life. The idea that she’s about to have a baby still doesn’t seem real even though she stands in front of him about as wide as she is tall.
“You’re a pack mule today? What is it?”
She shifts her position, and Kent can’t help himself from thinking she has to be more than a little uncomfortable. There’s a lot of weight to carry around the front. “Looks to be a crib.”
“Um, my room, I guess. I thought Gavin was bringing this over.”
“You didn’t hear?” he asks, lifting the box that should really be carried by two people, and follows her into the house.
“I’m pretty isolated here. I don’t get out much.”
She moves to the side and allows him to set the box on the floor. “Why not?”
“Because I need a sign that says OVERSIZED LOAD when I go out. I swear, this baby’s going to be ten pounds.”
Smirking, he nods before telling her what little he knows about the Hailey situation. Gracie’s discomfort disappears as she gapes at him, her eyes wide.
“So, yeah, if I had to guess, your brother’s probably with Hailey right now. I know I’d be if I was in his position,” Kent says.
“Oh, God, that’s terrible. I’m glad she’s okay.”
Moving behind her, he holds his hands up. “May I?”
“May you what?”
The need to try and ease her discomfort becomes intense, and he figures the worst that can happen is Gracie telling him to go to hell. She doesn’t push him away as he begins to massage her lower back. In fact, she moans with every movement of his fingers. Holding back his chuckle becomes impossible, and she just shakes her head.
“I don’t even care. You have no idea how much my body hurts. Imagine carrying a watermelon strapped to your front. That’s basically what it feels like.”
“Can I try something I’ve seen online?”
“Will it help?”
He shrugs when she looks over her shoulder at him. “It’s supposed to.”
“Go for it. I’m willing to try just about anything right now.”
She’s quite a bit shorter than he is, his height being inherited from his father while she was not blessed with the same, but he reaches around and holds the underside of her belly. He lifts slightly, helping to relieve some of the strain on her, and her head falls back against his chest.
“Oh my God, I think I’m in love with you right now,” Gracie says, her eyes closed.
“You’re the first girl to ever say that to me.”
“You will make one of the best baby daddies in the entire world.”
