Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
After I finish, the nurse takes Noah to clean him up. I stand next to Kat, my hands still trembling, and sweep the hair off her forehead.
“We make cute kids, huh?”
I follow her line of sight to the nurse who is holding our baby. “He takes after his dad.”
She looks up at me with watery blue eyes that have tears of joy in them. “He sure does. I can’t wait to take Noah home and start my family with you.”
I kiss her hand. “Me, too, Kitten.”
“You should let everyone know that we’re okay.”
“Not yet. I’m not leaving your side.”
She tips her head toward the door. “Go ahead.”
Hesitant, I release her hand. “I’ll be right back.”
When I walk into the waiting area, the entire Baldwin clan stands. Nick helps my mom up from the chair and hooks his arm through hers.
“Did Kat have the baby?” Austin says with a hopeful smile.
I nod. “The nurse is cleaning him up now.”
Austin slaps me on the back and pulls me into a one-arm hug. “Congratulations.”
I hug him back. “Thanks, Aus.”
“How’s Kat and Noah?”
“They’re both good. Kat’s tired from being in labor for ten hours.”
“I guess this makes you an official member of the family,” Duke says, interrupting my conversation with Austin.
“Yeah, I guess it does.”
Our relationship is still strained, to say the least, but I’m trying to hate Duke a little less every day for Kat and Noah’s sake.
Theo pulls me into a tight hug. “Congrats, bro.”
Travis takes my other side, sandwiching me between them.
“Welcome to the fam,” Travis says.
Theo and Travis have finally forgiven me for having sex with their sister. They didn’t believe me when I told them the truth. Even though they still swear we were hooking-up behind their backs for years, the twins are over the betrayal. We’re not as close as we were before, but I have faith they’ll get over themselves and everything will return to normal.
“Do you guys want to see Noah?”
“Yes,” the Baldwin brothers say in unison.
My mom is a sobbing mess, held up by Nick. She hugs me and chokes out, “Congrats, baby.”
I kiss her on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom. You’re an amazing mother. You’ll be an even better grandmother. Noah will love you as much as I do.”
She smiles. “I guess it’s about time I leave Florida. My boys need me.”
I nod. “We do.”
When Nick welcomes me into the family, the feeling is surreal. I’m officially a father and one of the Baldwins.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
KAT
After dinner, Dean offers to watch Noah. I’m so exhausted from the lack of sleep that I sink into the couch cushions and close my eyes. Dean takes Noah into his bedroom to play on the floor with some of his new toys, giving Mommy a much-needed break. Sleep has been non-existent since Noah was born. I love him to death, but I had no idea I would never sit down or get a decent night of sleep ever again.
Maybe in a few years, I had told myself—until the doctor confirmed my second pregnancy. Now that we have another baby on the way, I’m looking forward to Dean’s mother coming to live with us.
I doze off for what I swear is only five minutes before I hear Dean talking to Noah in his baby voice. Dean is so adorable when he speaks to him in the tone he reserves only for our child. Pretending to sleep, I keep my eyes shut, but Dean has other plans. He drops to the floor next to me and places Noah on my stomach.
I turn my head to look at him. “Dean, c’mon. I need a few more minutes.”
With a good grip on the baby, he holds him in place and leans in closer. “Noah has something he wants to show you.”
“What do you want to show me, sweetie?” He has no idea what I’m saying but giggles at the sound of my voice. I grab Noah’s little fingers. A silk pouch falls from his hand and onto my chest.
I look at Dean, with a curious smile on my face. “Did you get me that hockey charm we saw at the mall?”
“Nope, I got you something better.”
I tug at the strings and turn the pouch over. A diamond engagement ring falls into my hand. My mouth widens in shock as Dean takes the ring from me.
“I…” I have trouble getting out the words. “Are we? Are you?”
He nods. “I had the perfect engagement all planned out before you told me you’re pregnant again. But I don’t think we need a grand gesture to show each other how much we love each other. Plus, Noah should be here when I ask you the most important question I will ever ask you.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” I wipe away the tears that slide down my cheeks.
Dean holds Noah with one hand and the ring in the other, staring into my eyes. He clears his throat and sits up straighter. “Okay, here goes. Why am I so nervous?”