He slid his hand over her stomach. A sweeping rush of elation made him want to announce it to the world.
A baby.
He kissed Minnow again, wondering how he could ever explain to her how much she was loved, and how much he already loved the child growing inside her.
Chapter Thirteen
“This is the other groom?”
The voice alone made Severin recoil. The woman standing in the foyer with Minnow and Rodrigo was probably about Minnow’s age. Blond, perky, and dressed in what he assumed was the latest fashion. She looked all polished and ridiculous.
Rodrigo gestured to the woman. “Severin, this is Talia, the wedding planner we’re bringing in last minute. Minnow isn’t sure she’s thought of everything that needs doing.”
Talia held out a hand for him to shake, while gazing up at him as if he was Frankenstein’s monster.
Severin growled. “Get this cunt out of my house.”
“Aww. That takes me back to the day we first met, Mister Leduc.” Minnow smiled sweetly and patted his arm. “He doesn’t shake hands, Talia. Don’t touch him, he bites.”
“I’m sure he’s quite...charming once you get to know him,” the woman said sunnily, barely losing composure as she withdrew her hand.
Rodrigo’s quiet “ha” only seemed to reach Severin.
He turned to leave, but Rodrigo stepped into his path.
“Please stay. For Minnow?”
His glower did nothing to change Rodrigo’s steady gaze. Knowing Ro, he’d rather take a beating later than let Minnow be disappointed. Fine. He’d stay. Rodrigo was being weirdly solicitous around her lately, as if she was suddenly fragile. Maybe because she’d been sick?
The two of them whispering together and stopping when he entered the room was starting to get on his nerves. She was dying. That was the thought that kept coming to mind, but he couldn’t deal with the answer, so he wasn’t about to fucking ask.
“So you’re expecting...” Talia asked.
“What?” Minnow blurted.
“How many people are we expecting?” Rodrigo cut in with a haste that seemed anxious somehow. Did he think she was suddenly fragile and stupid? Maybe they cared if they made a good impression on this woman?
Minnow laughed self-consciously. “Oh. Ten other than us and the officiant.”
“Really? Only ten?” Talia said, her tone amazed. “I thought you were kidding.”
“Severin’s brother Church, his wife Ilse, their girls. Rodrigo’s mother, brother Fidel, sister Mayte, her husband, the babies. So yes, ten. Four are relatively young children.”
“What about you?” Talia asked. “No family? Friends?”
“No one who’d come,” Minnow replied nonchalantly. He could tell she cared, even so. It made him want to look her family up and... And what? Tell them off, at least.
Talia’s brows rose, but she nodded. “We see that all the time,” she said, obviously lying. “So, if it rains or there’s a freak hailstorm, do we have a backup plan for the cocktail party?”
“Severin?” Minnow asked. “Is there a room you’d suggest?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. You live here, I’m sure you can figure it the fuck out.”
Rodrigo narrow
ed his eyes at Severin, as though trying to send him silent messages. Probably to quit being a dick. “Ballroom? Or is that too big?”
“You have a ballroom?”