For now.
“Then let’s get you fed,” I murmur as I lead her away from Ian and Knox while I eye them.
Neither of them look even a little bit ashamed of the way they’ve tried to steal my woman’s affection. Ian is lucky he’s a kid and Knox is lucky that he’s family.
As the party progresses, I can’t keep my eyes off my woman as she talks and laughs with our family. She deserves this and so much more. I’ll do anything to ensure she never knows loneliness again.
She’s mine.
And this family is ours.
Soon our family will grow by one little girl, and I can’t wait to meet her.
CHAPTER 20
AVERY
I’m so lost in thought that I almost don’t notice Bridger sitting next to me and trying to hand me a steaming cup of my favorite tea. It takes me a moment to sit up a little bit more because the couch is trying to swallow me whole. I’m sure my giant 36-week belly isn’t helping matters, but I try to keep my complaining about it to a minimum because our peanut is healthy and growing just like she’s supposed to.
The groan I let out has Bridger’s eyebrows pulling together and his eyes filling with concern. “I’m fine,” I promise him, “just some back pain, but that’s become normal.” I eye the mug that is now in my hands with suspicion. “I’m not sure I should drink this.”
“But it’s your favorite,” he points out gently.
“I know, but then I’ll have to go to the bathroom.”
He chuckles, the sound sliding down my spine before it blooms in my chest and fills me with warmth.
I’ve seen such a change in him the last few months. His smiles come easier. His laughter bursts out of him like it can’t be contained any longer. And love pours out of him.
We haven’t said the words, but I know he loves me. I can feelit in the way he cares for me, the way he takes the time to talk to our daughter, and the way he touches me with reverence as he rubs cream on my belly for the stretch marks I complained about one time.
I’ve learned to not say everything that pops into my head around this man because he files it away, and then does everything in his power to make it happen. It’s just another way he shows me how much he loves me.
As I stare into my mug, I can’t help but think back to a few days ago and the phone call I received. Bridger was with me since we were just leaving my doctor’s appointment. Even now, I can’t seem to shake it, knowing the stress isn’t good for me doesn’t help matters.
The only reason I answered when I saw my father’s name was because I thought something might be wrong. Since the day I picked up my stuff, I hadn’t heard from either of my parents.
“Hello?” I could hear how uncertain I sounded even to my own ears as I answered.
Bridger looked at me out of the corner of his eye since I put the call on speakerphone. My gut was twisting and the high from hearing our baby’s heartbeat was fading quickly.
“Avery,” my father snapped, “this has gone on long enough.”
“What, exactly,” my voice was artic, “has gone on long enough?”
“This whole charade with you carrying on with that hooligan.”
“You mean Bridger? The father of my child?” I challenged him, shooting the questions at him without hesitation.
He paused for a moment, probably surprised at the vehemence in my tone and the fact I was talking back at all. It’s not something he had heard from me before, but spending time with Bridger and our family gave me confidence I reveled in and was damn proud of.
“If he recognizes himself as the father of your,” he took a breath and gritted out, “baby then that makes this easier for you.”
“Makes what easier for me exactly?”
My stomach clenched and I had a feeling where the conversation was going, I was just hoping my own father wasn’t going to disappoint me yet again. Like he always has.
“The baby,” the terse tone in his voice told me he would have preferred to use another b-word other than baby, but was restraining himself, “can be with its father and you can come back to the family.”
