Chapter 18

Chapter

Eighteen

S pring was beautiful here—warm mornings and cool nights—and Samuel loved it, spending quite a few hours with Grant in the sunshine, watching him run.

Today, though? He didn't feel like going out. He didn't feel like doing anything. He was queasy.

The smell of Jake's morning coffee had made him sweat, but he thought he'd hidden it well. Now, though, Grant was fussing to go outside, and all Samuel wanted to do was lie down for a nap.

"Not right now, baby. Ammu is tired."

"Out! Out, Ammu! OUT!"

Tears stung his eyes, surprising the hell out of him. "Please, baby boy. My head hurts so bad."

"Huuuurt?" He could feel Grant's sudden worry, his care.

"Uh-huh."

"Da! DA!" Then he heard Grant, mentally raising the alarm.

"Shhh. Oh, don't bother your—" His panic flared, and then he was so nauseated that he had to run to the bathroom, his stomach heaving.

Jake came running in a few moments later, covered in sawdust. "Samuel? What's wrong?"

All he could do was vomit, his world feeling heavy and off.

"Oh, love." Jake came to hold him, kneeling next to him. "Did you eat something bad?" Dragons so rarely got sick, but bad food could induce a mild dose of it.

"I don't think so, but I'm sure queasy." He wiped his mouth. "I'm sorry to have scared you."

"Grant can sure shout." Jake lifted him up. "Do you need a drink? We have Sprite."

"Please? I think I scared him. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Let me grab him and that drink." Jake lowered him to the sofa, then went to hoist up Grant, who was sniffling hard. "Such a good boy! You did just the right thing. I'm so proud."

Samuel nodded. "I am too. Good boy."

"Ammu." Grant stared at him, brows knitted hard.

"I know. I was sick. I'm better. My good baby."

"Baby!"

"That's right."

Grant waved his hands, laughing. "Baby! Ammu!"

Jake chuckled and kissed Grant's forehead. "You're the baby. That's right."

Grant tilted his head, then patted Jake's cheeks with both hands. "Da. Ammu. Baby!"

"Uh-huh." Jake smiled. "You're a good boy."

Blowing out a little breath, Grant shook his head, looking very frustrated.

"I'm going to brush my teeth and maybe we can go outside and run…"

Poor baby.

"I can take him if you want to hang on the porch or stay in here and nap."

"Can we go together? I'm feeling—" Lonely. "—a little blah."

"Of course, love. I'm sorry if I've been working too much."

"It's okay." Jake had been doing a commission, and he'd been in the workshop for days.

"Come on. Do you want extra pillows or anything?"

"I'll just sit in the swing." It was already padded and had a throw… "I'm really sorry about this. I just must have eaten something iffy."

"No problem, love." Shifting Grant to one arm, Jake wrapped the other around him when he rose. "I'll just keep an eye on you both."

"You spoil me." But he was heavy, tired, and the swing was calling him.

"Baby, Ammu!"

"You are, little one."

He slumped down on the swing, watching Jake haul Grant out to the yard where his little play area sat. That little boy loved to dig. Maybe he was part dachshund.

Bumper's cold nose touched his hand, then the big wolf curled up by the swing.

"Hey, you. How are you doing?" He petted Bumper, fingers trailing through the thick fur.

Bumper panted happily, sticking close to him, which was odd. Usually, Bumper followed Grant around nose to butt.

"Are you so good? I can tell that you are."

Grant waved at him, and he waved back. His hand felt heavy. Really very.

What on earth was wrong with him?

Still, he closed his eyes and just breathed, trusting Jake to have Grant. And Grant's squeals soon had him smiling, even as he dozed.

When he woke up, he felt like a million bucks, and the sun was warm on his cheeks. He sat up, grinning as Grant ran in circles.

"Ammu!" Grant saw his eyes were open, and sparks flew. "Love!"

"Grant! Love!" He opened his arms up, ready for his hug.

Grant toddled up, with help from his dad on the steps, and came running to give him a smooch.

"You need a bath, little one!" He tickled Grant, listening to him squeal.

"Tink." Grant patted Samuel's belly. "Baby."

"You are the best baby."

"No. Ammu. Baby!"

Pat. Pat. Pat.

He blinked. "I?—"

Surely not.

He couldn't be.

"Love, are you all right?" Jake asked.

"I—" He didn't know what to do, what to say. "Grant thinks I'm pregnant."

Jake stared at him, blinking. His lips opened, but no sound came out.

"Baby!" Grant beamed and patted his belly. "Baby, Da! Ammu. Baby!"

"Wow. What do you think?" Jake asked. "Could that be why you feel so sick?" He came up to stand next to Samuel, staring from much closer.

"DA!" Grant stared at Jake, and Samuel began to giggle, tickled to death.

"Well, someone sure believes it. And I think Bumper does too." Bumper sat up, wagging hard.

"But—do you want more children?" They hadn't even discussed it.

"I do. So does Grant, clearly. Do you?" Jake looked worried.

"I do. I didn't want you to think I was hurrying us. I wasn't. I swear to you."

"I think it just means we're ready." Jake's mouth curved ruefully. "The same thing happened to Logan."

"Well, you know we have one already, so maybe we won't be blessed with twins." That thought horrified him.

"Goddess help us." Jake snorted, then came to sit by him, taking his hand and letting Grant flop over on him.

"Did you finally get yourself explained, baby boy?" Samuel stroked Grant's soft blond hair.

Grant grunted happily, wiggling around until his ear was up against Samuel's belly. "Baby, Ammu. Babe. Bee."

"I understand now, Grant. Such a good boy."

Grant giggled. "Me!"

"That's right! You! My good boy!" He couldn't stop laughing.

"Not baby."

Jake tilted his head. "Is he trying to tell us something else?"

"I—I have no idea. I don't know who to ask. Do you?" He was lost.

"I'll talk to Logan." He would find out who the guardians went to.

"Okay. I'd love that, because… I'm worried." He didn't want to be excited if it was a lie.

"No, no. No worries. We'll figure it out." Jake kissed his cheek.

"We will. Later. Someone needs a diaper change and a nap."

"Okay. And then you and I can curl up on the couch and be lazy."

"That sounds amazing." His belly was…unhappy. "I'm all over lazy today."

In fact, he might be all over lazy until tomorrow.