“Nothing!” Holden insists.
“We told you about the Christmas party. It’s a destination party so we may need to ask Val to babysit,” Gunner agrees. “Although, I’d pay to see Lief with the kids for more than five minutes.”
“Gunner and Nick’s families will be coming the day after Christmas to join us. Holden’s brother will join us on Christmas eve. Christmas is just for us,” Roman says.
I keep watching them. Nick stays quiet. He exhales. “I’m planning to do some teaching once we’re done working. I’d like to encourage kids to paint.”
I nod. Roman scratches the back of his head. “Nona wants to stay for a month when the twins are born. I haven’t given an answer.”
“Anything else?” I ask the table.
“Anything you’d like to tell us, Soph?” Holden asks.
I shake my head. “I tell you guys everything other than presents I get you. My whole life is about you and the babies and I love that.”
“If you want to go out, you should!” Gunner encourages. “Spend time with Val, go and spend a week with her. Take some spa days.”
“The point is, you guys know everything about me. You know what I do every day, you know how much I love being a mom and a wife. I just don’t want there to be any ammo.”
The guys look at one another, then I see Gunner look at me. “You talked to Matthew, didn’t you?”
I scratch the back of my neck. “He called me today. He said he and Bella are going to the party. I don’t want surprises. She was mostly good at the wedding and we really haven’t dealt with her much and ...”
“Bambina, you are the only woman for us.”
“You’re it. You’re literally bursting with the force of Roman’s love,” Gunner teases.
Roman flips him off, then pulls me up. “Let’s dance.”
“Roman.”
“You know everything. We will tell you every story you’ve missed out on, I’ll make sure you hear about it every single day,” He insists while leading me to the dance floor. “But I won’t let you think for a moment that anything could get between us. You are our whole world.”
I sniff and let him lead me in a slow dance. Roman spins me into Gunner and the guys take turns dancing with me, promising me again and again that nothing in the world could get them to stop loving me, could make them question our relationship, could do anything to hurt us.
It’s silly, it’s my own insecurities, but between this date, their eagerness to put my fears to rest, and everything they do for me, by the end of the dance, every worry is gone.
I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping it always stays that way.
13
NICK
Sophie eases into the fun. She dances and her smile reappears. I’m convinced it’s the best thing she could ever wear. When Gunner groans and sits, rubbing his belly and Roman says he has to talk to the captain about something, I take Sophie over to the front of the yacht, right at the railing.
She closes her eyes and the water sprays on her face. She leans back and that smile returns as she takes a deep sigh. I wrap my arms around her and rub her sides, over her big belly and see her grin wider. She opens her eyes and meets my gaze.
“This is an amazing night,” She says.
I kiss her temple. “You deserve more of them, Sophie. I’m so sorry that we let life get in the way.”
“We all did, not just you, not just me. We have two kids now, two more on the way and it happens.” She assures me still smiling..
“There’s no excuse for not treating you like the queen you are,” I argue.
“Oh, I’m a queen now?”
“We have a princess, she had to get her power from somewhere.”