Chapter Thirty Three

B rooke set a package on the fold-out table and handed Skye and Mariah a notepad. "Skye, you sit by Cora, and Mariah can sit by Katrina. Make sure you write down the gift and who gave it to them, okay?"

"Why?" Skye set her notepad on the table.

"So they can send thank you cards afterward."

"Can't they just say thank you while they're here?" Mariah laughed. "Adults make everything harder."

Brooke laughed. "You're not wrong, but now you know, so someday, you can give one of your friends an after-baby shower."

Rachel tied the last balloon on the table. The women of Havlin had planned the party weeks ago but had to wait until Katrina gave birth—ten days after her due date.

"What's Katrina's baby's name, again?" asked Skye.

"Baller." Brooke straightened. "Why don't you two open the cans of peanuts and pour them in the bowls over on the counter? The guys got into them after I opened the first two cans."

Once the girls left, Brooke turned to Rachel. "Skye's grounded. If you need her to do anything, feel free to have her do the chore—we're allowing her to attend the party because it's only right, but tomorrow, she's stuck at home."

She laughed quietly. "Aw, I remember what it was like to be grounded. It sucked."

"Girl, she deserves it. She snuck out of the house Friday night." Brooke shook her head. "We had no idea where she went. Scared me to death."

"At her age?" She glanced at the girls doing their assigned jobs. "Where did she go?"

"Dio's house." Brooke scoffed. "She thought he'd take her to the arcade downtown where the tourists hang out. Supposedly, she and Mariah had a big plan to meet there, but Mariah chickened out. Thankfully, she went to Dio, and he brought her straight home."

"It's a scary world out there," she said.

"I know." Brooke brushed her hands off. "Can you finish up here? I'm going to go make punch."

"Sure." She straightened the paper tablecloth.

Katrina had given birth two weeks ago. Today would be her first venture away from her house. She and Ruger had gone to the hospital when the baby was born. It was a special time for Ruger to be there with his daughter.

Of course, they'd also visited Katrina a few times after she came home.

Her stomach fluttered. Seeing Ruger hold the baby made her wonder if she would ever have a child. She always assumed she would, but she hadn't planned to fall in love with a man with a daughter Rachel's age.

She couldn't assume he'd want to raise a child when he was a grandpa to Baller.

Arms circled her waist from behind. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. Most of the men belonging to the women putting on the party hung around the clubhouse.

"Katrina's here. Jagger's helping her get the baby out of the car." Ruger nibbled her neck. "How long is this going to last?"

"A couple of hours or less." She turned in his arms. "It's going to be a lot for both of them to deal with the babies and opening packages."

Ruger looked at the table laden with presents. "Do you ever think about having a baby?"

"That's weird that you ask now because I wondered if you ever thought of having a child." She stilled. "I get why you wouldn't want one, so don't feel like you have to—"

"I'd give you a baby." He inhaled deeply. "I missed out on so much with Katrina. You'd have family to support you." He looked around the room. "Havlin would always be around."

Adrenaline whooshed through her, and she nodded. "We can talk about it later."

Having a baby needed more thought than having the warm fuzzies whenever she got around Katrina and Cora with their new babies.

He kissed her deeply and pulled back when a cheer went up inside the clubhouse. She kept her arms around him as she smiled, seeing Jagger and Katrina walk in together carrying an infant car seat.

Her stomach fluttered. To think that could be her and Ruger in a year or two left her dizzy.

Daisy and Brooke rushed over. Rachel kissed Ruger and pushed him away from the women, who were moving the chairs into a circle.

He walked straight over to his daughter, kissed her cheek, bent over, and talked to the baby. Rachel rubbed her tummy. He couldn't bring up having a baby and then be adorable as he admired his grandson.

Ruger turned to Cora, spoke quietly, and then kissed Clara on the head before walking to the door. Rachel blew out her breath at the easy exchange between brother and sister. God, she loved him.

As the party started, she sat, thankful to lose herself in her thoughts while the others were distracted. As gifts came to her, she admired each outfit, each toy, and each contraption before passing them to Daisy to her right.

Now that Ruger put the thought into her head, she couldn't help but imagine a baby boy or girl of her own.

She looked up, searching for Ruger at the edge of the room with the other Havlin members, and found him looking at her. Her cheeks flushed with warmth. There was no doubt he loved her.