Prologue
Logan
April
“Munchkin, are you sure this is what you want? I’ve told you before, I’m okay waiting.” I watched my husband as an array of emotions came over his face. I would do absolutely anything for him, and I wouldn’t be on board with something this life-changing if I knew he wasn’t ready. But I’d talked to Dr. Lane and she agreed, Rhett was ready. We had an appointment in a little over two hours, and it wasn’t as if things could be stopped. Well, technically, yeah, they could, but we weren’t going there.
“I am. I’m nervous, of course. But I want to have a baby with you. I know how much you love children.” Rhett placed his fingers over my mouth when I tried to interrupt. “I love little ones, too. You’ve seen me with Chloe and Phoebe. Even Mack. Just think about it, Logan. We could have one of those of our own. I thought that was why I was selling the bakery to Chad?”
I couldn’t help it—I smiled down at my husband. He was so damn cute it wasn’t even funny. He was right, of course. We’d been discussing this since February. We hadn’t been married long, only a little over a year. But I’d known Rhett for two. I was instantly attracted to him, and I tried to fight it since he was so much younger than me, but after he’d been kidnapped, the fight was over. I just had to tell that to my mind. My heart was already Rhett’s, but my brain didn’t necessarily agree, at first.
We’d been through hell and back since Rhett showed up in Crooked Bend, but we’d been through it together and now we were talking about starting our own family. Rhett was right—I adored my two nieces, but I’d love to have a little one of my own. I was knocking on forty, and I wanted to be young enough to still enjoy young children. I feared that wouldn’t happen if we waited too many more years.
“You don’t have to convince me. You know that. In about a year or so, just remember, you’re the one that pushed for a baby now. 3:00 a.m. feedings are hell on sleep patterns.” I leaned in and gave Rhett a gentle kiss. He tried to take things further, but I pulled back. If we started that now, we’d never get to the fertility clinic.
“Why did you stop?”
“Because we have an appointment, remember? We’re supposed to give samples?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun now.”
“Munchkin, that’s exactly what it means. Now…I’m more than willing to play around a bit at the clinic to help you get the job done…” I smirked as I watched Rhett’s face flush and his eyes darken. I knew my husband, and the little shit had an exhibition streak in him. Although, I couldn’t complain. I never knew I had one until I met Rhett.
“When do we go?”
I chuckled at Rhett’s eagerness. He really was adorable.
“The appointment is in a couple hours. Would you like to go out to lunch first? We have time, and it might be a good distraction.”
“Lunch sounds good.”
I watched as Rhett turned and walked over to the coat rack and pulled his down. Mission accomplished. My husband was now preoccupied, and that was a win in my book. I needed Rhett to not be completely focused on what we were about to do. No, I needed him calm, and that wasn’t going to happen if his anxiety got the better of him.
“Come on, girl,” Rhett said as he held up Scarlett’s harness. Well, so much for being calm. I couldn’t fault him for wanting Scarlett with him though. After all, she was his service dog, and that’s what she was trained for.
I smiled at the pair, who looked at me hopefully. “I’m coming. Do you know where you’d like to have lunch?” I asked as I walked over and pulled down my own coat.
“Anywhere that has food works,” Rhett said as I put on my coat and grabbed my Stetson off the peg on the wall.
“Then anywhere it is. Let’s go,” I said as I gave Rhett a smile and reached down to give Scarlett an ear scratch.
Several hours later, we’d both eaten and were sexually satisfied after our “deposits.” Rhett kept throwing me heated glances, but I wasn’t falling for it today. No, I wanted my husband in our bed where I could spend the next few hours taking his mind off things.
May
“Wow…just…thank you, Allison. I can’t…”
“I’m so happy for you two. And that you’re allowing me to be part of this, I’m truly honored. Please give Rhett a hug for me, and I’ll give you a call when I have the appointment schedule.”
“Will do. Thanks again, Allison.” I looked at the phone and saw that she had ended the call before I could, and when I looked over to Rhett, my heart hurt for how anxious my husband looked.
“Well? Did she have news?”
“Yeah, sweetheart, she did. The pregnancy test came back positive. If things—”
Rhett screamed and then launched himself at me. If my munchkin weighed more, we both would have ended up on the floor. As it was, I could only laugh as I was peppered with kisses. I smiled at my husband when he pulled away slightly to look at me. Rhett had tears running down his face, but I knew they were happy tears.
“We’re going to be daddies! I can’t wait.”
“Me either,” I told him before I wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a deeper kiss.
September
“Are you sure it’s okay we’re here?” Rhett asked Allison as she lounged back on the uncomfortable-looking table.
“Why wouldn’t it be? I’m only providing lodging for the first nine months. You two have it for the next eighteen years.”
I looked at Allison and couldn’t help it—I laughed. I’d spent so many years bitter and hiding, but since Rhett, my life had changed drastically. Now we were having a baby. But hell, Allison looked huge already. Not that I would ever say anything to her. I honestly just thought she looked uncomfortable.
“Are you three ready?” the ultrasound technician asked.
“Yes,” we all replied in unison. We all looked at each other and laughed, causing the ultrasound tech to shake her head at us. We hadn’t gone through an agency, and Allison had been recommended by Dr. Lane. We knew she was using the money we were paying her to pay off her student loans as well as move away from the area. We hadn’t talked too much about her reasoning, but we knew it involved her parents’ disapproval of Allison’s life choices.
“Okay, I can tell we are all a little nervous and excited here. So, daddies, in reading the notes here, it said you are possibly expecting twins but were waiting for a later ultrasound to confirm. I can now definitely say that there are indeed two babies, so congratulations. You’re having twins.”
“Twins?” Rhett croaked out before he looked at me, his face ghostly white.
“Rhett!” I shouted just as I grabbed him before he completely crumpled. My munchkin had fainted. I looked up at Allison, who looked concerned but was also trying to not laugh.
“Is he okay? He knew this was a possibility,” Allison asked.
I glanced at Rhett, who was out cold in my arms. “I know, but I think maybe he was thinking that we’d only end up with the one.”
“But I’ve had no spotting, and you two know the doctor has heard more than one heartbeat.”
I smiled at Allison. “True. I think seeing them for the first time made it more real for him,” I replied before nodding toward the monitor that showed our twins, back to back. We knew it was a possibility that we’d have twins. Allison had been willing to carry two, so we’d agreed to have two fertilized eggs implanted. Well, it looked like both did indeed stick. Not only that, they looked like they were thriving.
I smiled down at Rhett, who opened his eyes and blinked at me several times. “Shit. Fuck. I’m sorry,” Rhett said as he sat up.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. Now, come look at your babies, silly,” Allison said as she reached out and gave Rhett’s hand a tug. I was currently more worried about him having fainted, but he seemed okay.
“Don’t worry. He’s not the first daddy-to-be that’s fainted in here. Won’t be the last,” the ultrasound tech said. I tried to pull Rhett back to me, but he honestly did seem okay, so we both turned toward the monitor and watched in awe as our babies filled the screen and their heartbeats filled the room.