That she was.
“You could have just said we were stoppin’ in on our way home from—”
“We aren’t supposed to be home from the cabin for another three days,” Ryder cut me off.
I opened my mouth to speak but closed it when I realised he was right.
“Are you laughin’ at me?” I asked as he got out of the car.
He was clearly smiling as he rounded the car to my side and opened the door, but he said, “At you, my love? Never.”
I took his hand as he helped me out of the car.
“You’re full of shite,” I told him.
He vibrated with silent laughter but stopped when the door to our house opened.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Bronagh shouted.
Here we go.
“I didn’t want you to worry—offt.”
I was cut off as my little sister charged at me, only slowing her pace briefly before she reached me to wrap her arms around me as she gave me a bone-crushing hug.
“Jesus, Bronagh.” Ryder scowled. “Be careful with her.”
“She’s pregnant, not made of glass,” my sister said to him before she looked down at my leg and realised it was bent.
“What happened?” she asked, her brows furrowed.
I sighed. “It’s a story that should only be told over a cuppa.”
“Dominic,” Bronagh shouted. “Put on the kettle.”
“I already did,” came his voice from the doorway.
I looked around my sister and saw Dominic standing on the top step with my niece in his arms.
“Georgie!” I squealed.
I halted when Ryder’s hand gripped my forearm.
“What?”
He frowned. “I’ll carry you.”
“You’ll make a show of me,” I informed him.
He rolled his eyes. “Everyone is still in bed—”
“Morning, neighbours!”
Ryder closed his eyes. “Except for Alec.”
I turned and waved at my brother-in-law who was getting his mail from the post box next to his front door in just his boxer shorts. It was so typically Alec being Alec that I didn’t even flinch.
“It’s a cold one,” I shouted. “Huh?”
He looked down to his groin then back up at me and said, “You’re a smartass.”
We all laughed.
“Come over with Keela,” I called out. “We have to tell you guys somethin’.”
“We’ll be over in ten,” he said before retreating into his house.
I barely turned back in the direction of my own house before I was lifted off the ground. I yelped and latched onto my husband, hoping I dug my nails into him a little harder than he’d like.
“You’re goin’ to annoy me to death,” I told him.
“Safety first,” was all he said.
I shook my head as he carried me inside our house with my sister hot on our heels. We gathered around the kitchen table, and when I realised one twin was missing I said, “Where’s Dame?”
“Sleeping,” Dominic replied like it was obvious. “We used our key, and when I looked in his room, he was snoring, so I didn’t wake him.”
Ryder yawned. “Go wake him now.”
“Is it bad news?” my sister asked, taking the seat next to me.
I turned to her and saw fear in her eyes.
“No, baby, it’s not.”
“You want Alec and Keela to come over, and Damien to come downstairs,” she said, unconvinced. “Somethin’ is goin’ on.”
“It’s not bad news,” I assured her.
She gave me a once-over.
“I’d have been there in a second,” she said and leaned into me, hugging me tightly.
“I know,” I said, returning the hug, “but I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Worry me next time,” she stated as we pulled apart. “It freaks me out knowin’ you were in the hospital and I had no idea.”
I didn’t plan on there being a next time, but to appease her, I relented and agreed.
“I know it’s early, but how is Aideen?” I asked, noting she, Kane, and Jax weren’t there.
“On ‘er way,” Bronagh said. “We debated callin’ ‘er because of ‘er just havin’ the baby, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She threatened us a time or two on the phone for even hesitatin’.”
I smiled. “You would have opened a can of worms if you didn’t call ‘er.”
“Tell us about it.” Keela snorted as she strolled into the kitchen followed by a now fully dressed Alec. “She’s only just calmed down from havin’ Locke. There is no way in hell I wanted to piss ‘er off.”
After we had hugged one another, we spent the next few minutes looking at pictures of the newest addition to our family, and it only added to my excitement about Ryder’s and my baby news.
“I recorded some of the labour for you,” Keela said and handed me her phone.
I winced through some of the footage when I saw my friend in pain, but then I straight-up cackled at other clips.
“If you ever approach me for sex again, I’m cuttin’ your dick clean off,” Aideen bellowed at Kane, who was just staring at her and rapidly blinking.
“Babydoll, do you want—”
“What I want is for you to jump out that window right there,” Aideen cut Kane off. “You did this to me!”