Daddy Undercover (Crescent Cove 9)

She rolled her eyes. “Bless Kinleigh, but that chair is nuts. We’re totally keeping it in the storage room for future parties though.”

I laughed. My sister, ever the marketing queen. “Well, you can park your butt in it first, and then we can open all those gifts.”

Her dark eyes sparkled as her smile widened. “That’s the best part. I peeked in a few of the bags. So many cute little booties.” She pinched her fingers together, leaving the smallest space. “Such teeny-tiny baby feet. It sure doesn’t feel like they’re tiny when this little boy or girl is trying to kick its way out of my ribcage.”

“I’m impressed you didn’t cave and find out the baby’s sex.”

“Jake is too. But this whole thing has been a surprise, so what’s one more, right?”

“You’re amazing, Ric.”

She grabbed my hand. In a flash, her soft smile turned a little feral. “I’m not. I’m so scared. Every day, I take out Tía Lucia’s rosary just to calm myself down. Do you know the last time I used a rosary?”

I held both her hands in mine. “It’s okay. You’re supposed to be a little scared. My indomitable older sister.” I pulled her in for a hug. The Ramos women liked to seem like they didn’t have any faults or fears. I was pretty sure we all just liked to hide them.

The door to the bathroom opened, and Frankie stuck her head in. “Is there a powwow going on and I wasn’t invited?”

Erica opened one of her arms. “Get in here. With all the people swarming around at Thanksgiving, we barely got to chat.”

Frankie rushed to us and we hugged tighter. “Are we crying about something,” she whispered to me.

I laughed and sniffled. “Just reminding our dear sister that she’s fearless.”

“Of course she is.” Frankie turned to Erica. “Married a fireman and having a baby and a business. That’s fucking fearless.”

“See?”

Erica laid her head on Frankie’s shoulder. “I missed you, girl.”

“I know. I’m trying to get home more, but stuff has been crazy. New designers are coming out of the cracks in the sidewalks.” She looked up and dabbed her eyes as to not ruin her flawless makeup. “And you know there’s more cracks than actual smooth pavement in the city. Hasn’t been that long since you’ve been down there.”

“Bah.” Erica huffed and went back to the mirror. “I miss it. Not enough to return, but I do miss it.” She went back to rubbing the side of her belly “I miss sleeping a whole night without getting bruised too.”

“Tell that strapping husband of yours to lay off.”

Erica shot a saucy smile over her shoulder. “He finds me irresistible even with all this going on.”

Frankie crossed her arms. “I can’t get any and I look like this.”

I gave my sister a side-eye. “Nice.”

“What? I work hard for this body.” She turned to the mirror and ran her hands down the gray wool pencil skirt that accentuated her rocking curves and tiny waist. She fluffed the small purple ruffles on either side of the buttons of her blouse. “Besides, we should be talking about your little sister.”

“Do we have to?”

“Is the sex that bad that you don’t want to share?”

“No.” I fussed with the sash of my wraparound dress. “Not at all.”

Frankie narrowed her eyes. “Is that I don’t want to brag, or I’m lying to you so you don’t feel bad for me?”

My lips twitched. “Former times eleven.”

“Ugh. I hate you right now. And I don’t even want to discuss why you needed new panties the other day.” Frankie pulled out a lipstick from her impossibly tiny purse and dabbed at her lush lower lip.

Erica snatched the lipstick out of her hand. “That’s not your color. But it is mine.” She tucked it into her sweater pocket.

“Hey!”