Declan pulled out a black velvet box and waved it in the air.
“Found it.”
Bree giggled at Declan, who pressed a palm to his heart. He shook his head smiling and said, “Am I allowed to have this one and final fuck-up?”
She stepped into his open arms and hugged him close. She leaned her head back and stared into his eyes.
“I don’t think this will be your final fuck-up, Dec.”
He cocked his head and waited for her to explain. She smiled up at him and said,
“Even if you are a putz, I will still love you forever.”
Declan
August
“Fuck. They’re here already?” he said.
“Who is?” Bree asked while stacking the second laundry basket full with folded clothes. Declan shot a glance at the array of white, pink, yellow and blue baby clothes.
“I asked you yesterday if it was okay for Jessie and Liv to come over for Sunday brunch so they could meet you and the twins, Bree.”
He chuckled while taking the laundry basket from her.
“It’s like I still have my pregnancy brain.” Bree shook her head while dumping the pile of unfolded clothes on top of the basket.
“I’m still in my pajamas! I hate to make a first impression like this. Can you open the door? I’m changing real quick.”
He kissed her nose.
“Sure.”
Declan had been in touch with Bree’s cousin via email and texts. They’d arranged this first meeting for Bree to meet Jessie and Liv.
Bree had expressed her hope to bond with Jessie and to see if she could perhaps meet some of her half siblings in the future.
Not every Ryan sister had been enthusiastic about this meeting. But Bree didn’t care. His wife simply followed her heart and did what felt right. He loved calling Bree his wife. It had been a shot-gun wedding at the courthouse.
But non of it all mattered. They would have their big celebration at Lucky in a few months. Bree didn’t want to get married while pregnant. So they compromised.
Luckily, the doorbell didn’t wake up the twins. He picked up the two baby monitors and spotted the two dark-haired babies still sound asleep.
He searched for the frizzy black hair to pick out the first-born, little miss Ava. Bree had said that she got her curls after she was eighteen months, and she was sure their daughter’s hair would turn out just like Bree’s.
Dean made a sudden move in his sleep like he had a bad dream. He hit himself with his tiny hand in the face and woke up crying. A cute little putz. A true son after his father.
He smiled at the monitor when he heard Bree’s soothing voice and saw her arms picking Dean up. Dean had also been born with thick, dark hair. He was going to be a heartbreaker. Best to keep him far away from Ro.
Declan sat the monitors down on the table next to the front door and opened the door. Liv took a step back behind her mother and clung to Jessie’s leg.
“It’s okay, Liv. Do you remember that nice police officer? It’s all right. Come, sweetie.” Jessie gave Declan an apologetic smile as she tried to peel Liv from her leg.
“I’m sorry, it has been so long since we’ve seen you. And it wasn’t in the best of circumstances,” Jessie said to Declan.
He understood. The hell they have been through would have caused a lot of trust issues for Jessie’s daughter, Liv. Especially since he was a stranger to her.
Liv shook her almost white blonde head against her mother’s jeans, and Jessie sighed. She got on her haunches and took Liv’s shoulders in her hands.