“I know. I saw it and couldn’tnotget it. It felt real, you know?”
I nod slowly, fingers trailing over the slogan. “It is real. This makes it hit different.”
She reaches for the last gift in a slim black box and passes it to me. “Speaking of our little one.”
When I open it, my breath catches. Inside, framed in a simple metallic frame, is an ultrasound of our little Meatball.
I can’t think past another wave of emotions crashing over me. My fingers carefully brush over the glass. This photo is proof of the lifewecreated. It’s the closest I’ll get to holding our baby right now and that makes it so much more special.
I swallow hard, my voice rough when I finally speak. “Sweetness…”
Her hand lands over mine. “I thought you might want to keep a copy on your nightstand,” she says softly, her eyes shining. “Now it’s the first thing you see waking up in the morning.”
My throat feels too tight to get words out, so I don’t say anything.
She leans in and presses a slow, lingering kiss to my cheek. “Happy Birthday and Valentine’s Day, Rasmus.”
“Happy Valentine’s,” I whisper back, holding back my own tears.
30
WHAT I’M HEARING IS YOU THINK I’M ATTRACTIVE AND TALENTED
HAISLEY
Iknow our first family dinner is going to be a nightmare. A test to see how Rasmus handles my brothers. They aren’t exactly the silent types, even if they support (almost) every decision I make in life. But still, they’re overprotective, meddling idiots who love making my life difficult for the fun of it.
I mean, would they even be my younger brothers if they didn’t do that? I don’t think so.
Bringing Rasmus home to officially meet the family, unwed and pregnant, is like handing them an all-you-can-eat buffet of material to work with. They can’t resist a good challenge. And I’m truly getting worried as we get closer to our family estate on Long Island.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked him earlier while fixing my hair in the mirror. “You don’t have to prove anything to them.”
Rasmus casually leaned against the doorway like he wasn’t going to walk into enemy territory. “I’m not scared of yourbrothers. I’ve played against two of them and work in the same organization with the third one. They won’t say anything I haven’t heard before.”
“But I’m still worried because I never really know what’s going to come out of their mouths,” I sighed.
He walked over, put his hands on my shoulders and rubbed them. “They’re going to comment on my looks, my playing style, and something about not marrying you after finding out you’re expecting my baby.”
I nodded, agreeing with him.
“I would do the same if I had a sister and she brought a guy like me to meet the family.”
That made me smile. “I love that you can see their side of things.”
The conversation stuck with me the whole drive out here. But no matter how calm he seemed, I couldn’t shake the nerves twisting in my stomach.
“Here we are.”
Rasmus puts the car in park, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel before he turns to me. There’s a flicker of nervousness in his expression, his brows tugging together.
“Hey,” I say gently, meeting his eyes. “Remember what you told me earlier—they only want the best for me.”
Getting out of the car, Rasmus walks to my side and opens the door for me. He offers a hand, balancing me, because my ankle is still a bit wonky two weeks after the fall. I’m out of the walking boot, but to be safe, I’m still avoiding putting too much weight on it.
“I’d think you’re trying to get brownie points in front of my parents, but you do that every time we go out lately.”
He chuckles, holding a caramel almond cake he baked this morning in the other hand. “My abuela taught me well.”
