“Li?”
“Does Aunt Sarah know?”
It was my turn to fidget. “Yes. We told them right after we found out. We’re not ashamed about it.” I found Ian’s hand under the table and tangled my fingers with his. “I love him and he’s not going anywhere.”
I hated the stricken look on my cousin’s face. Babies and Lila were now a bit of a touchy subject. It wasn’t like she didn’t have children. She and Nick had twin girls. But they wanted another baby and were having some difficulties making it actually happen.
I hated feeling like I couldn’t talk about it.
Lila suddenly moved over into Nick’s chair and hugged me. “If you’re happy, I’m happy.” She narrowed her eyes at Ian. “Did you talk to her brothers?”
Ian cleared his throat. “Oh, we had a conversation.”
“And still no ring on my cousin’s hand.” She sat back. “Brave.”
Ian looked down at our linked hands, brushing his thumb over my ring finger.
It was no one else’s business how our relationship worked. I knew Ian still had some self esteem issues to get through, but there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he loved me. None. That had never, ever been our problem. In fact, the love part had always been the easiest.
Conforming to what people thought we should be—that was a bit more of an uphill battle. Between my last art showing and the sudden fame I sure as hell wasn’t used to, and Ian blowing up with his new EP, things had been a little crazy. We’d figured making a baby would take a few months at least.
Wrong.
Jesus take the wheel? Nope, for us it was all about fate.
Just how we liked it.
“Her brothers like me. Mostly.”
I laughed. “They tested their latest moonshine on him and he has a very impressive liver, according to Hayes.”
Ian sat back in his chair. “The only one who can outdrink me in that crew is Beck. He’s truly terrifying.”
“You have no idea,” Li said with a grin.
“Oh, he does.” I relaxed in my chair. I knew we were going to be just fine. I had faith in him, us, and this baby. “I protect him when necessary.”
“She does. She’s way scarier than her brothers.”
I had to laugh. We might be moving too fast to some, but in my heart, we felt right on time.
At least in between the panic attacks.
Margo
Well, evidently, the Kagans were having a special on babies.
Margo patted her stomach, rubbing where Raine was kicking. Repeatedly, the little demon.
She’d been kicking since the morning. Actually, she’d been kicking for months but mercy, she was active today. Considering the scare she’d had, she would take all the kicks.
Nothing had been as terrifying as the baby being quiet when she’d been in that dark room. N
ope, she’d take a bruised bladder and ribs every single day instead of that terror.
She pushed herself out of her chair and immediately, Lila and Ian rose. She waved them off. “I’m fine. Me and my bulk have been waddling around all day.”
Li sat back down with a sigh. “Sorry. You just look so uncomfortable. I can’t believe you wanted to come out here so late in your pregnancy.”