Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“We should follow him,” Alyssa says.
“He’ll find me,” I assure them. “We’ll know exactly when he reads it.”
“What does it say, anyway?” Jordyn asks.
“This birthday girl is going to be a big sister.”
“Aw,” Jordyn and Alyssa say at the same time.
“No. Way!” Maverick’s voice is loud, and everything stops around us. “Stella.”
I turn to face him and work hard to keep my face neutral. “Mav?”
“Angel, can you read this for me?” He rushes toward me with Ada in his arms. She’s bouncing on his hip, thinking it’s a game, and laughing like she always does when she’s with her daddy.
“Oh, that, yeah. It says this birthday girl is going to be a big sister.”
“This one?” he asks, pointing at Ada. “This birthday girl?”
“Yeah, I mean, she’s wearing the shirt, right?” I’m trying really hard not to laugh. It’s the hope I see in his eyes that helps me keep it at bay.
“This is our daughter.”
This time I do laugh. “Yep. Last I checked.”
“That means we’re having a baby.”
“We are.” I smile as tears fill my eyes. The look on his face, it’s priceless and one that I’ll always remember.
Ada squirms to get down, so he places her on her feet as he moves in closer to me. His hands cup my cheeks. “We’re having a baby?”
“Baby number two.” Tears well in my eyes.
I don’t know what I expected, but it’s not Maverick dropping to his knees, kissing my belly over my shirt. “I love you so much, baby. You, your mommy, and your big sister.” He stands and pulls me into a hug. “How?” he asks.
“Um, babe, that’s not a conversation for little ears.”
He chuckles. “That’s not what I meant. I know how. What I don’t know is how I can love something so much when I’ve just learned of its existence?”
My heart melts, as do the hearts of every woman in the room. “Maverick Kincaid, you’re one in a million.”
“We’re having a baby!” he shouts. Everyone cheers. They’ve watched it all go down but remained silent until Maverick yells it loud enough that I’m certain all of Willow River now knows our news.
He kisses me. Not just any kiss. It’s slow and deep and definitely not appropriate for our two-year-old daughter’s birthday party, but that doesn’t stop me from kissing him back with everything I’ve got. “Mav, we should move out of the way of little eyes.” I finally manage to find my bearings and remember exactly where we are.
“We should stay here in this spot. Let them see what love looks like. They have lots of examples, but ours, it’s one for the books, Stel.”
EPILOGUE MAVERICK
Maverick
“You know,” Orrin says with a smirk on his face. “I remember a time when you said that you would never have a gender reveal.”
“Something about just tossing out the gender to everyone and omitting the party,” Rushton chimes in.
I smile and nod. I remember the conversation, and just like with everything else they did once they found the loves of their lives, I didn’t understand. “Sounds about right,” I admit.
“And here we are,” Sterling quips.
“Not that we expected anything less,” Archer chimes in. “This is Mav we’re talking about.”
“You just had to one up all of us, didn’t you?” Brooks laughs.
“Hold up now,” Merrick chimes in. “I haven’t had my chance.”
“Something you’re not telling us, brother?” Declan asks.
“You have been quiet today,” Deacon adds.
“Nothing to tell, but I’m still unattached, so don’t go giving Mav the keys to the kingdom of best gender reveal.”
“Uh, best of everything, brother. You were at my engagement party and my wedding. You know I pulled out all the stops.”
“I don’t know,” Orrin speaks up. “You two have that crazy twin thing you do sometimes. I think Mer can be some stiff competition.”
“It’s not like any of you get a do-over.” Merrick chuckles. “I’m the last to find my wife.” He shrugs, but I can see the mischief in his eyes.
“Fine, when you find her, and you want to go over the top, you call me.”
“I have my own ideas.”
“Sounds to me like you might be making some plans,” Brooks tells him.
“Nah, but after watching the nine of you get married, it’s easy to know what I want and what I don’t,” Merrick tells him.
“I thought that too, but when it happens, it changes you.”
“What he said.” Rushton holds up his bottle of water and salutes me.
“That’s what you all keep telling me. I guess one day I’ll know for sure.”
“So, when are we getting this party started?” Sterling asks.
I look across the room at my wife. She’s got her hands over her baby belly, and smiling at something my mom just said.
“We might as well do it now. I’m starving, and honestly, waiting is killing me.” Clapping Archer on the shoulder, I walk away, heading toward my wife.