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Dr. Peterson has helped the Sterling men find their footing again. They all talk and meet at least once a month to catch up.
I’ve met Elsie, and she’s genuinely sincere and sweet. I never got to meet Julian's mom, but I think she would feel settled knowing someone is watching out and caring for the man she loves as well as his sons.
“I’m just hoping Kent didn’t let Harper cook anything,” Julian jokes, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
I reach for the car door,“They were supposed to bring the wine.”
Julian arches a brow, his smirk widening,“That still scares the shit out of me. Knowing those two, they’d try to make moonshine.”
I tip my head back and laugh heartily. He’s right. Harper has made it her mission to learn how to cook well and not cause mass sickness. Poor Kent has to take the brunt of it, trying bites of all her very strange recipes. She tried to make veggie burgers during the fourth of July. I'm going to leave it at that and not go into the details because I'd like to eat this meal in peace and not think about the massive amount of turmeric we all had to swallow. It died our lips and tongue orange for a solid day. Harper's fingers looked like little Oompa Loompas; they were stained turmeric orange for a week.
Julian gets out and rushes around to open my door. In the far distance, a few horses creep closer to the fence to inspect us. His dad turned his Texas ranch it into a rescue ranch, and I could spend hours here playing with the animals, especially the miniature horses — I've never seen anything so adorable. Messy and stinky but so darn cute.
We still live in Julian’s penthouse, but we’re in the middle of building a house on some of this same land. Julian’s dad gave it to us, and he saved plots of land for each of the boys to build a house on.
Julian opens my door and reaches for my hand. It takes some effort for me to move from a seated position to standing — over thirty pounds of weight will do that to you. He gently guides me up with a hand on my lower back.
"I feel like a whale being forced back into the ocean. I can walk on my own, Jules." I wiggle and try to shake off his protective hold.
"Walk or waddle?" Julian teases, a naughty twinkle in his eye.
"That comment, dear sir, has earned you a month of diaper duty," I grin widely.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll go all the way and tell you that for Christmas, I got you a penguin onesie. I figured if the shoe fits and you're shuffling so much, it does."
I smack him playfully.
"Whose fault is that, Jules?"
"Mine," he beams proudly. "I knocked you up good."
"Too good. How the hell are we going to handle this?"
He bends down and kisses me. "I've got it all covered, Pumpkin," he whispers over my lips.
I have no doubt he does. He's taken on this pregnancy like a military operation.
He begins to guide me to the stairs, one hand on my elbow, the other placed firmly on my lower back. "You know pregnancy doesn't affect vision, right? I can see the stairs. I can walk them too. It's not a slip-and-slide," I jest, though secretly, I adore his attention and care.
"The steps are steep," he replies with a gentle seriousness, his eyes glinting at my stomach.
His smile? It outshines the sun.
I pause, taking a deep breath as I prepare to climb the steps to the ranch house.
“You okay?” Julian's voice is filled with concern.
I glance down. My feet? Completely hidden by my sixth-month belly. That's what twins will do to you. I thought my belly would be cute and round, but it's more oval, getting scarier each week.
“I’m six months pregnant, not elderly,” I joke, though I’m half-lying. I did need to take an extra breath. I should have worn my Crocs shoes; they're like clouds for my swollen feet, but I opted to look more classy and wore loafers to match my dress pants and yellow blouse.
Big mistake.
I should have gone with the flowing, loose dress Harper bought me. Not to mention, I have a few months left to wear my Crocs without Harper goading me over that fashion decision.
Instead, I feel like a hot air balloon struggling to lift off the ground.
“You know I love you, right?” Julian grins as I muster the strength to ascend the entrance steps.
