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Colton set Zane down and walked around the car, opening the passenger side rear door pulled out the cooler, and hesitated.
His eyes shot up to meet hers.
“Is that what I think it is?” he said hoarsely.
“Oh, I don’t know…” she replied in a sing-song voice, teasing him – only to hear him shout in excitement.
“Eris! Are you pregnant?! There’s a pregnancy test on the floorboard of the car in a Ziploc baggie – and if you aren’t, then we need to talk about who is doing what in our car!”
“The car, the bathroom, the bedroom, the kitchen…” she taunted – and yelped happily as he put down the cooler and came racing around the car, hugging her wildly.
“Zane – I’m kissing Mom!” he blurted out – and then kissed her passionately, laughing for a moment, as he plucked Zane out of her arms. They separated, but for just a moment as Colton looked back toward the firehouse.
“Justin, can you watch my boy? I’ll be right in with dinner that Eris brought…” and she started to call out, but Zane was already halfway across the parking lot to the man who was kneeling with his arms splayed wide. Justin, Colton’s captain, scooped up the little boy, taking him to go play on the fire truck only a split second before Colton kissed and hugged her once again.
“We’re gonna have another baby?”
“Yes,” she said happily, tears of joy stinging her eyes. “I had an appointment this morning to confirm it, but yes – we are pregnant.”
“Oh man,” he whispered, his own eyes shining. “I love you.”
Eris swallowed, feeling such bittersweet feelings deep inside because this was how it should have been last time, and it wasn’t. He was so happy, so enthusiastic, and so ready for all of this – but she understood. Last time they had fumbled in their relationship so badly… that time had a way of correcting things. Instead of a singular moment that ended in a rush of mistakes, it was like things fell into place because it was time.
She never regretted Zane, and he was a treasure… but this was different.
This time, she had married the man she loved. They were building a life, home, and family together because they were mature enough to handle the consequences.
“I love you.”
“Never doubt it,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers as they stood there together, not moving… only to be interrupted by a voice in the distance.
“Hey! I’ve got a little tyrant in here that is telling me to be patient because dinner is on the way…” She heard Colton’s laugh right as she looked over to see Alec coming across the parking lot.
“No, no… carry on, you two,” Alec grinned, scooping up the cooler that waited on the asphalt nearby. “I’m here for the food and because Lance is currently eating a ketchup packet while complaining about his tummy growling. Just a head-up, your kid thinks it’s hysterical – so if you have any packets of hot mustard, relish, ketchup, or any other condiments in a drawer at the house, I’d trash them.”
“Thank you,” she chuckled nervously, as Colton’s hand slipped into hers, pulling her forward. The moment they were inside the station, chaos erupted.
“FOOOOOOOD!”
“Oh, thank heavens… you are disgusting, Lance.”
“You love me – and we both know it.”
“I wuv you, Mr. Fireman,” Zane volunteered, hugging Lance’s arm. The other firefighter grinned and pointed at the unexpected ‘fan’ he’d gained.
“See? The boy’s got excellent taste.”
“He wants to see you suck down another packet of ketchup, dummy.”
“Ugh…”
“My wife is pregnant,” Colton bragged happily. “Zane’s going to have a little brother or sister…”
“Brother,” Zane said distractedly, putting in his request as if he had a choice in the matter… while handing Lance a packet of ketchup. “Here you go!”
“I got you, little man…”
“Nobody look. That’s an old packet.”
