“Um, you should probably head down to the perinatal department. Your wife had her ultrasound and she’s—um—freaking out.”
My heart squeezed, and I whipped around, my hands still covered in foamy soap. “Is she okay? Is something wrong with the baby?”
“No, nothing’s wrong exactly...” She hedged. What the fuck? “You should just get down there…before your wife murders someone besides you.”
That made my brow shoot up into my hairline, but I didn’t ask for details. I quickly rinsed and dried my arms, then threw my surgical gown in the hamper as I jogged out of the room. Opting for the stairs because it was faster, I reached the perinatal department two floors down in minutes. When I pushed through the doors, a nurse stood at the nurses’ station and she pointed to a room.
I dashed over and into the room she’d indicated. Aubrey was sitting rigidly on an exam table with her
fists clenched and her face red with a furious expression. She looked up as soon as she heard me, and her eyes narrowed to slits. “You,” she growled.
“What is it? Is everything okay?”
She opened her mouth to speak then snapped it shut and shoved something into my hands. I glanced down and saw that it was an ultrasound picture. I quickly scanned over the two little bodies looking for something that would be upsetting her.
Oh fuck. I backtracked over my thoughts, settling on “two.” I studied the picture intently. Yep, there was no denying it. There were two babies. I grinned but wiped it from my face when I saw the murderous expression on Aubrey’s face.
“Twins!” she shouted.
“How did they miss this before now?” I wondered.
“Apparently, their heartbeats were in synch and one of them was blocking the other until now.”
“Seriously, Nash. You are never getting near my baby maker again.”
I gathered her into my arms and hugged her close. “You know you love your baby daddy, cherry. And, I know you’re excited about these little ones.”
She sighed. “Of course, I am. I already love these girls as much as I love our boys, but damn, Nash. Four kids under two? You’d better be prepared to be on permanent diaper duty. I don’t care if you are delivering a baby, if one of them has a dirty diaper, I’m going to make you come home and change it.”
I was only half listening to what she was saying, still caught on her revelation. “Girls,” I croaked.
Aubrey stopped ranting and studied me, likely wondering why I looked freaked-the-fuck out. “You said you’d be happy with either, Nash,” she said with a frown.
I shook my head and quickly assured her. “I am, baby.” I looked at the ceiling as though I’d find something to allay my fears. “I’m just…girls,” I groaned. “I better buy a shotgun. I mean, look at you, they are going to be gorgeous”—I gave her a severe look—“they aren’t dating until they are thirty. No-scratch that. They aren’t allowed to date ever.” Rage filled me at the thought of teenage boys. “No boys are getting near my precious baby girls,” I growled. “At least we had the boys first,” I conceded. “They can help watch over the girls.”
I stopped suddenly when I realized that Aubrey was laughing hysterically. “What’s so funny?” I demanded to know.
She patted my cheek condescendingly. “It’s so funny that you think you’ll be in charge.”
“I will be,” I almost shouted.
Laughter continued to spill from her lips and she doubled over from it. When she could breathe, she said, “You’re going to be wrapped around their little fingers.”
My shoulders drooped with resignation and I sighed. “Just like their mother.”
She grinned and winked at me.
“I’m serious about the dating, Aubrey,” I told her firmly. “There will be no baby daddies, or I’ll be locked away for murder.”
“I take it you’re telling me this because you expect me to be the bad guy?”
“No, but you’ll probably have an easier time convincing them that I’m right.”
Aubrey chuckled and used her hand on my neck to pull my head down to hers. “First, you’ll have to convince me.”
Sparks burst inside me, spreading like wildfire throughout my body. “Is that a challenge, cherry?”