“I already did!”
“Do it again! Hell, I want to get married to you in every city and every country forever.”
“You know, we were only supposed to come to Europe for a vacation. Not to get married and spend every night trying to make babies.”
“What the fuck else did you want to do on vacation?” His nose scrunches up as he giggles, carrying us into the tub. “I love you, Renate.”
“I love you, too. Let’s go home, Chase. We can get married again, if you want, and have this baby. We’ll come back and make as many as we can.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
CHAPTER44
BELONG TOGETHER
MARK AMBOR
Epilogue- Chase
“Where’s Dani?”
“Making out with Xander in the pool.”
“What? Oh hell no, not in my pool,” Ren announces as she tries to get up out of the chair and just glares at me when she realizes she’s stuck. “You did this to me.”
“Damn right.” I kiss the top of her head and give her belly a gentle rub before I head over to the door and look out. “They’re fine. Besides, it’s not like she’s going to end up like—shit, you’re right.” I slide the door open. “Hey, assholes! No knocking people up in my pool unless it’s me knocking up Ren.”
“You can’t stop me! Also, why are you so fucking gross, Coop?!” Dani yells back, flipping me off and laughing.
“I feel like I swallowed the fucking sun,” Ren complains as return to my seat next to her. “The thermostat says seventy and you’re in a hoodie while I melt!”
“We could go join them in the pool. Can you still hold your breath while you suck?—”
“They’re coming!” Devin yells as he whips around the corner, sliding to a stop. “They’re coming. Not like that! I mean, like, in the gate, right now!”
“Okay?”
“But it’s a surprise. Aren’t we supposed to hide or something?”
“Devin, are you seriously asking if we’re going to jump out and yell ‘surprise’when they come in? Do you think that’s wise?” Ren asks, trying to hold back the laughter as I head for the door. I’m not waiting for them. I’m too stoked. “Go get Jamie and help them.”
I step outside in time to see Steve sticking out of one side of the car and Ethan on the other, arms flailing as they take potshots at each other. They already bicker like it’s been fifty years—it’s perfect. For both of them. Ethan’s become part of the family and I’ve never seen Steve act so natural and happy before. I jog over and hop in the front seat, looking back at the two of them as they struggle. “You, uh, get a manual with that thing?”
“No! Did you get one? If so, I need to fucking borrow it! I have no idea what the hell I’m doing, as Ethan reminds me every fucking five minutes.” Steve sighs, exasperated. He only calls himEthanwhen he’s annoyed. “How the fuck do you get it out? Putting itinwas so simple. How come pulling itoutisn’t?”
“Oh, sure, cause he’s gonna know how to pull anything out? Have you seen his wife?” Ethan snipes back. He’s getting a lot better at that. We’re a bad influence on the poor guy. “Also, don’t call her ‘it’ just because we haven’t picked a name!”
“Click the button, the red one. No, the other one. Just, yeah, there you go!” I raise my fists and stare into tiny green eyes as I whisper yell, “Freeeeedom!” She gurgles and tries to laugh as she kicks her feet. She’s beautiful.
“I thought this was your first kid?” Ethan stares at me, trying to figure out how I learned to work a car seat. I glance out the front window at Devin and smile before I go grab the diaper bag out of the back.
Babies haven’t changed since I raised Dev, but the toys and contraptions all have. Internet videos have helped. But I have the same car seat already setup in the SUV and Jamie and I have used Lulu as a test baby to make sure we know how to get the real baby out when the time comes. We give her plenty of treats and eventually Devin always comes out to rescue her. We’ve got it down to thirty seconds to get the whole car seat out and attached to the stroller. Ren keeps saying something about whiplash, but Lulu’s fine!
The hugs and photos start as soon as Steve and Ethan step through the door. Steve even starts a game ofmake Lexi hold the baby,which makes her freak out and run away. She’s convinced she’ll drop the kid or warp her mind just by holding her. Lexi’s more into puppies than babies; that’s never going to change. Jamie’s the same, but he’ll at least hold the kid. Once the oohs and aahs are all taken care of, everyone heads outside to the pool to get the grill fired up and the adoption shower going.
I hang back and sit on the couch next to Ren instead of helping her up when she holds her arms out. She looks so pitiful and so beautiful all at once. I wrap my arm as far around her as I can, kissing her neck and smelling her shampoo.
