Proving Paul's Promise (The Reed Brothers 5)

Sam is asleep on the sofa. His feet are up on the back of it, so I sit down in the empty space that’s left. I motion for Friday to sit in my lap. She perches on the arm of the couch beside me instead.

Emily’s dad leans forward. “What’s going on?” he asks.

I grin. “It’s time,” I say. I can’t stop smiling.

Mrs. Madison claps her hands together. “I can’t wait!” she cries.

Matt rolls his eyes behind her, and it makes me grin.

Friday threads her fingers in my hair, a lot like the way Emily did to Logan a minute ago. I close my eyes and enjoy the fact that she’s touching me. That she wants to touch me. It means something to me. Especially when I feel like my guts are hanging on the outside of me because I’m so f**king nervous for Logan.

I reach out and pull Friday into my lap, and she settles her head against my chest. She nestles into a spot, snuggling with me, and then she tilts her head back and looks up at me.

“Wait!” Sam says, lifting his head.

“What?” I ask. I force myself to look up at him.

He motions from Friday to me and back. “Are you guys a thing now?”

I grin and look down at her. She worries her lower lip with her teeth. “Are we a thing?” I ask her.

“We’re a thing,” she whispers to me.

My heart trips a beat. I press my lips to her forehead and linger there, and she makes a soft noise. It’s almost like a purr, and I find that I really, really like it.

I tip her face up and press my lips to hers.

“God,” Sam complains, “it’s so f**king weird watching you two be a thing. You make me want to throw up.”

I smack his leg. “Watch your mouth,” I say. I move my eyes toward Emily’s parents, but her dad just shakes his head and laughs. He likes us a lot more than he used to.

“Sorry,” Sam grumbles.

“Kids,” Mrs. Madison says, commiserating with me. “What can you do? Mine ran away from home, fell in love, and made a wonderful life for herself.”

“They’re happy,” I say. Friday yawns, and I feel her hot breath through my shirt. I sit up a little so I can draw her even closer.

Suddenly, Logan runs into the room. “She’s here,” he says, signing at the same time. But he’s so f**king excited that his hands are flying wildly. “Eight pounds, two ounces, and she’s twenty inches long. And she’s perfect.” He stops to take a breath. “I just cut the cord, and it was disgusting and awesome all at the same time.”

His eyes are shiny with tears, and he dashes his hands across his cheeks. He leaves to go back to Emily, and the door shuts with a swoosh behind him.

I swallow hard because my heart is in my throat.

“You did good,” Friday says quietly. She tips my face down and kisses me. “Really good.”

“I didn’t do anything,” I say, surprised to hear how gravelly my voice is.

“You did everything,” she whispers, and I feel her tears against my shirt. I hold her to me because I have a feeling this has a lot more to do with her past than Logan’s present. “You did everything they needed.”

“Can I be what you need, too?” I ask.

I feel her nod against my chest. And my f**king heart takes flight. She can keep her secrets if she needs to. But I’m here to take her burden if she wants that, the same way I take theirs. Because she’s family. My family.

Friday

Is it terrible that I don’t want to hold Catherine, aka Kit? I watch as Mellie and Joey both take a turn holding her, with Matt bracing both of them in his strong arms. He’s so gentle with his daughters, a lot like Paul is with Hayley. Seth waves the baby away, though he does present Emily and Logan with a coupon book for a dozen diaper changes that can be used in the future.

“Preferably before she starts to eat solid food,” he says with a laugh.

Logan shoves him, and then he pulls him in for a hug. Seth has become a part of the family. Sky takes the baby next, and she props her up on her big belly and looks down at her. “She’s so beautiful,” she breathes.

“My turn,” Reagan cries. She takes her from Sky like she’s a football and holds her up so Pete can help her support Kit’s head. Kit’s eyes are wide open and she stares into Reagan’s face, and Kit grabs hold of Pete’s finger and holds on tight.

“She’s got one hell of a grip,” Pete declares.

“Let me have a turn,” Sam says, and he takes her next.

“All these blond men,” Emily’s mom says. “She’s not going to know who’s who.”

Kit’s eyes wander over to Logan, almost like she’s looking for him, and he smiles, his arm still around Emily as he sits beside her in the hospital bed. Emily looks tired, but she knows none of these boys are going to leave without holding that little girl at least once.

Matt goes to Emily and kisses her cheek, whispers into her ear, and then ushers his family out of the room. The little girls get one last look at the baby, and then the room empties out just a little.

Pete and Reagan leave next. “Get some rest,” Pete tells Emily, squeezing the top of her head. He makes a loud slurping sound against Logan’s cheek, and Logan swats him away. Sam passes the baby to Paul and goes out with Pete and Reagan.

“Thing one and thing two,” Emily’s dad says.

Paul chuckles. “At least they’re staying out of trouble.”