As if I could be a part of them.
Jud, Salem, and Juni were ushered into the middle of the mayhem and were presented with a bouquet of black helium balloons.
Jud helped Juni pop one.
Blue confetti fluttered out.
“A boy! We get a boy!” Juni shouted, and she threw herself around her mom’s neck, hugging her tight. Jud wrapped himself around both of them. He leaned down and kissed his wife, and I saw Salem’s eyes were filled with tears.
He kissed them away, murmured something none of us could hear.
So tender.
So sweet.
I had to look away.
My eyes tangled with Logan’s where he leaned against the counter three feet away next to Trent.
Malachite.
Stony green that sparked with flecks of gold.
His hands were in his pockets, and he had an ankle crossed over the other. This sexy casualness rolled from him in waves that tied my stomach in a needy knot.
Hot and blinding.
But it was his expression that did me in.
The soft affection that played and danced, the tiniest tweak of a warm smile kissing the edge of his mouth all mixed with old understanding.
My spirit lit.
Caught in his energy.
In this gravity.
All while my brain kept warning I was being a fool.
Heedless.
I could feel the tendrils of my spirit weaving into the fabric of these people, and when I pulled them loose, they were going to snap.
Break.
Still, I mouthed,Happy birthday, as he gazed over at me.
That time he did smile. This slow satisfaction taking over the gorgeous, defined angles of his face when he mouthed back,The best.
I jolted when Eden was suddenly in front of me, her voice a little panicked. “Can you hold her for a second?”
I didn’t have time to refuse before she set Baby Kate in my arms.
I froze, and my heart rose to my throat. The knot was so huge it clotted off air.
I tried not to look, not to turn my attention down on the precious little face that stared up at me. Her eyes were so dark they were nearly black, her cheeks pink and her nose tiny, her mouth curled in the sweetest, crooked smile.
My chest clutched, and my arms shook, and I held her to me probably a little too tightly, scared that I would hurt her. That I would harm her.