“I’ve always been yours, baby, even when I was too damn stubborn to admit it,” he says.
“Stubborn and arrogant,” I counter, then he reaches over and tickles the hell out of me. I laugh so hard, I nearly pee myself and have to roll out of bed to escape his attack. Once I threaten his balls, and he calls a truce, I fall right back into his arms.
“We’re really gonna be parents,” he says with a big smile planted on his gorgeous face.
“We are,” I confirm. An overwhelming amount of joy consumes me when he places his large, strong hand on my belly. “Think you’re ready for it?”
“Probably not, but I’m excited either way. My parents are gonna flip, and Grandma’s gonna be so excited. Our kid will be close in age to their cousins too, which is great.”
“Just think of all the trouble they’ll get into when they’re older,” I muse. “We’re all gonna get a run for our money.”
“Oh yeah, the older nieces and nephews are already causin’ mischief. It’s gonna be a blast when they’re old enough to teach ’em all my old tricks.”
I bellow out a laugh. “Just remember, anything you do to your cousin’s kids, they’re bound to do to yours. It’s like a golden family rule.”
“That still leaves me with Kane and Kaitlyn’s future kids to influence.” He smirks.
As I lay on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, I think back to two years ago and how much has changed.
“The fact that you settled down before both of them blows my mind,” I say honestly. “No one ever thought you would.”
“Honestly, me too. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m thankin’ my lucky stars.”
BONUS EPILOGUE
KANE
NINE MONTHS LATER
“I got here as soon as I could,” I tell Kaitlyn when I walk into the waiting room. I was right in the middle of washing one of the horses at the stud farm when I got the call that Hadleigh and Knox were on the way to the hospital. Mom told me not to rush, so I finished what I was doing, then jumped in the shower. I didn’t want to show up sweaty and dirty.
“You haven’t missed much,” she says. “She’ll be able to take visitors in about thirty minutes.”
“Perfect timing then. How’s Hadleigh doin’?”
Kaitlyn grins. “Apparently, she did amazing. A natural. Knox almost passed out, though.”
“What a little bitch,” I blurt out.
“I said the same thing.” She chuckles, but then her smile fades.
“You okay?” I ask, noticing her expression.
She shrugs. “I just feel like I’m missing out on life, ya know. I’m twenty-seven and single with zero prospects. There are no men in this town, and I’m gonna die an old cat lady.”
“No, you’re not.” I nudge her, knowing a lot of people are having kids later in life or not having them at all. “You have plenty of time, sis. You have a great horse training business and a lot to offer a man. The right man.”
She playfully rolls her eyes. “I want to have kids before I’m too old to enjoy them, but at this point, it’d have to be an immaculate conception to get pregnant.”
Her choice of words has me snorting. “I’m sure it’ll all work out. It usually does.”
“Pfft. Whatever you say. Not holding my breath, though. Guess I’ll just have to babysit as much as I can to temporarily tame my baby fever,” she admits. “Speaking of, you gonna go make some soon?”
I huff out a laugh. “No, ma’am. But if you need a fix, I’m sure Knox and Hadleigh will be happy to let you watch theirs. At this point, you’ll be throwin’ elbows for baby snuggles, considering how many people in our family are obsessed with newborns,” I say just as Grandma and Grandpa walk in.
“That’s right,” Grandma jumps into our conversation. “The more great-grandchildren, the better. So time to find your partner and do-si-do.”
She looks at me, and I groan.
Grandpa chuckles and wraps his arm around his wife. “It’s natural, Kane. We all do it.”
“How do y’all think you got here?” Grandma adds.
“Don’t,” I say to her, pretending to throw up in my mouth. I don’t need those images in my head.
Kaitlyn snorts, and Grandma’s attention moves to my parents. Soon, the entire waiting room is full of family, and I know we’re going to have to visit in shifts, per usual.
The nurse comes out and gives us an update, and we wait for Hadleigh’s mom and the grandparents to go in first. After waiting an hour, Kaitlyn and I are finally brought to their room. When I open the door, Hadleigh and Knox smile at us.
I immediately hug my brother while Kaitlyn steals the baby boy from the bassinet.
“How ya doin’, Mama?” I ask Hadleigh, giving her a gentle hug.
“Well, let’s just say everything I was warned about the big Bishop babies was true.” She chuckles, but I can tell she’s exhausted.