She was already tugging her hand free of mine.
"We have an announcement to make," I said.
"Don't tell me you're engaged," Shep said as he grabbed a tortilla chip and dipped it into the fresh salsa.
I chuckled easily, used to my family's banter. "Not engaged. But we're pregnant."
The only sound was Shep chomping on a chip.
Hudson and Elena were the first ones to step forward, probably because this wasn't news to them. "Congratulations, man." He thumped me on the back and then pulled Ivy into a hug.
She looked bewildered as he let her go.
Hudson inclined his head. "How are you feeling?"
She cleared her throat. "Great, actually."
His nose wrinkled. "I've heard that morning sickness can be pretty bad."
She smoothed her hands down her skirt. "Thankfully, I'm not having any of that. I'm just tired and hungry all the time."
Elena skipped me and hugged Ivy, murmuring, "It's Cooper's? When were you going to tell me?"
Ivy grimaced. "We decided to do it all at once."
Elena glanced over at me. "You're a team now?"
Before Ivy could say no, I interjected, "Yes."
Mom stepped in front of me with Dad slightly behind her. "I can't believe you're gifting me with another grandchild."
"There's going to be more Kingstons running around the island," Brady said, his arm around his fiancée, Hazel.
"Are you happy?" I asked Mom, blocking out my brothers' banter.
"I'm ecstatic. I can't wait to hold my grand babies." Mom squeezed me tight, and then she turned to Ivy. "Thank you for bringing another Kingston into this world. You've made me so happy."
Mom hugged her without waiting for her response and, when she pulled back, said, "Welcome to the family."
"That's not—" Ivy looked frantically at me.
"Oh, we're not together. We're just having a baby," I filled in quickly.
Mom tipped her head to the side. "Weren't you just holding hands, or do I need to go to the eye doctor again?"
"Now, Joy, if they say they aren't together, then they aren't together," Dad chided.
"I just want to be sure. It wasn't too long ago that Brady and Hazel were pretending to be engaged, and now they're engaged for real." She threw her hands up in the air. "I can't keep up with this generation's relationships. They're together. They're not." Mom moved over to the counter. "All I have to say is, keep giving me babies. I'm not getting any younger."
Dad rolled his eyes at her antics. "Congratulations, son. We couldn't be happier for you. No matter how you create your family."
I accepted his hug. "Thanks, Dad."
"And, you, welcome to the family," Dad said to Ivy.
Ivy's eyes widened over his shoulder, but she didn't protest. She'd learn that it was best to keep quiet around my family. She wasn't going to change their mind. She'd always be included as the mother of my child.
Shep stood in front of me. "What's the deal with everyone settling down lately? Are you trying to make me look bad?"
