25. Ryland

25

RYLAND

I dreamed all night of Hannah and the life I’d like to build with her. Scott was right. We all loved Liddy like she was our own. I’d tried to make peace with the idea of Chad coming back into her life. Even if it was the right thing to do, the mention of his name turned my dreams into nightmares. What if Hannah decided to leave us and go back to Chad? Where they could have the perfect, normal family. Unlike if things continued as they were. We’d never fit into societal norms. Thankfully, our business dealings had nothing to do with our personal lives and we could live however we wanted. Hannah’s job as a teacher was another story.

The sound of paper crinkling startled me awake. My eyes flew open, memories of last night playing out as I blinked. We’d fallen asleep in Arthur’s bed, Hannah right in the middle of us all. I blinked to clear my vision. Scott’s leg was thrown across my knees. Hannah stood at the end of the bed, her arm stretched toward me, a gift bag in her hand. She placed it beside my head.

“What’s that?” I nudged Scott’s leg to the side and scooted into a sitting position.

Hannah stepped back and tucked her hands behind her back. “Wait until everyone is awake.” A smile creased her cheeks as she placed a bag beside Scott’s shoulder.

“Want to wake them up?” I mimed kicking Scott, and her grin turned into a laugh.

“I’d like him to wake up in a good mood.” She planted a quick kiss on my cheek and clambered onto the foot of the bed. Hands in her lap, wide smile making her blue eyes shine, she reminded me of a kid on Christmas morning. “Good morning.” She grabbed Scott’s and Arthur’s ankles and gave them a shake. “Wake up. I have a surprise for you.”

“I hope it’s sex,” Scott mumbled and pushed onto his elbows with a groan. “Mornings should always start with sex.”

“I’ll remember that.” Hannah planted her elbows on her thighs and motioned toward the bags. “Open your gifts.” She’d never looked younger as she watched us with that childlike anticipation in her eyes.

The handles were so thin I worried they’d break the second I touched them, so I moved the bag carefully into my lap. Arthur sat up and yawned while rubbing a hand over his eyes. “What’s all this?”

“Open it. Open it.” The wide smile never faltered.

Sunlight filtered in through the open curtains at the balcony, casting a golden glow over Hannah. Her inner beauty matched her outer, and the two combined made me want to crawl over the bed, wrap her up in my arms, and promise her that we’d always be there to look out for her. That protective urge from before came back a hundred times stronger, so strong I almost crumpled the bag on accident. I took a measured breath through my nose and peeled off the sticker holding the bag closed.

A tearing sound from Scott’s bag made me almost smack him, but I concentrated on my own gift. A piece of paper stuck up along one side. I tugged it free and flipped it over, immediately recognizing the ultrasound photo from others I’d seen through the years. The grainy image didn’t show much other than a gray blob on a black background. I turned it all the way around, then around again. My free hand fished deeper into the bag. I felt a hard lump and yanked it out. A tiny yellow pacifier nested in my palm. I sat motionless, the pacifier held up to my eye and the ultrasound photo dangling from my fingertips.

Scott and Arthur held similar items. Scott a baby bottle and Arthur a miniature stack of blocks that spelled out BABY. My heart beat an erratic rhythm. A gift bag that tiny held enough firepower to leave me stunned and speechless.

Arthur and Scott matched my level of intensity, each of us staring at the objects, then the photos, then at Hannah.

The brightness of her smile dimmed, then fell altogether. Her earlier joy and confidence withered. It hit me then that our shock might be construed as a lack of excitement. “Is this real?” I waved the ultrasound photo. “Hannah, does this mean what I think it does? Are you having a baby?”

Teeth firm on her lower lip and a sheen of tears in her eyes, she nodded. Blinking rapidly, she released her lip from its tight grip. “Not just a baby.” She held up two fingers. “Twins.”

Arthur’s shoulder hit mine when he leaned forward. “No kidding?”

“I’d never joke about something like this.” She placed both hands over her stomach. “I understand the seriousness. It’s not a prank and I didn’t do it on purpose. My birth control should’ve worked.”

I lunged across the bed and pulled her into a hug, being careful not to squish her. A kind of joy I’d never experienced before threatened to choke me. I kissed her hard on the lips, hoping to convey everything my heart said but my words failed to supply.

Arthur moved next, followed by Scott. His speech last night must’ve done something to all of us. I’d never dreamed of having kids and the whole family thing until Hannah came into our lives. Loving and taking care of Liddy was easy. She made being a parent fun. Having two babies at the same time caused concern for Hannah to slide through the excitement. I released my hold on her lips. “Everything is okay? You’ve obviously been to the doctor.”

“I’m fine. We’re fine.” One hand rubbed her stomach, and suddenly I noticed the physical changes I’d missed until now.

Arthur’s face appeared in my peripheral vision. “Any morning sickness? Deena probably has a tea that will help.”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” A strange expression flitted over her face. “I’m sorry to surprise you all like this. I know it’s unexpected, and I understand if–”

“Don’t you dare say you understand if we don’t want to be part of these babies' lives.” I surprised myself with the force of my words.

“And it has nothing to do with responsibility,” Arthur added. “Children are a blessing. I’m personally thrilled to know you’ll be having our children.” He cupped her cheek in one hand. “We’re here for you, for all of you. Scott said it best, but you need to know that we all mean it.”

I’d seen Arthur attempt to connect with his daughter through the years. His ex-wife turned Megan against him, and he’d worked tirelessly to regain her trust. Sadly, it never worked.

Hannah’s pregnancy gave him a new lease on fatherhood. Not a chance to make things right with Megan, but an opportunity to change and be better. I tried not to think about Megan’s reaction when she eventually found out about her siblings because that’s what they were. These two babies were ours—mine, Scott’s, and Arthur’s. We’d shared Hannah and we’d all accept the babies as our own.

Hannah’s soft exhale fluttered a curl that brushed her cheek. She leaned into Arthur’s embrace. Scott’s fingers lingered over the curve of her shoulders and back, his touch featherlight as it danced over her skin. She’d thrown a robe on after leaving the bed, and it fell down around her waist when she rolled her shoulders back.

“If there’s anything you need, ask,” Scott said when she faced him. “We’re decent at subtle cues, but don’t go without because you think you need to do this alone or we’re too dumb to read your clues.”

“The offer still stands,” I reminded her. “You can move in here with us anytime. We want you here. You, Liddy, and these babies.” I covered her stomach with my hands. Happiness spilled out of my heart and flooded my senses. I was going to be a father.

“I’m going to want to be by myself sometimes.” Hannah kissed the tip of my nose. “But not right now. In fact…” She nuzzled the curve of my neck. “I think Scott’s right. Mornings should start with sex.”

“What about the babies?” I held myself back from her advances, even though I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in her body and prove I loved her beyond anything.

“Sex won’t hurt them.” She reached beneath the sheets and stroked my stiff erection. “They’re safe and sound. Even what we did last night won’t bother them.”

Good Lord. Hearing her talk about last night caused my blood to heat and my cock to swell thicker. She grinned at me and crawled between the covers to lay by my side. Scott nestled in at her back and pressed a lazy kiss to her shoulder.

“If you’re sure.” He hooked her knee over his arm and lifted her leg, rubbing his cock against her folds, her moans of pleasure undoing all my concerns. Logically, I knew we couldn’t hurt the babies by having sex, but a protective part of my brain held on and warned me to be careful.