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“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.” I tried to steady my breathing, still fighting that nausea. “I’m not sick. I’m…pregnant.”
The bathroom descended into utter silence as each alpha gazed at me with wide eyes. You could hear a proverbial pin drop, and I actually let out a chuckle, shaking my head.
It had taken a few minutes for it to sink in when I found out, so it was understandable that they needed a few moments to gather their wits.
“Pregnant?” Noah asked, his voice faint. “Like…with a baby?”
Everything had happened so quickly I hadn’t given much thought to how I wanted to tell everyone that I was pregnant, but sitting on the bathroom floor after puking my guts up definitely wasn’t high on the list of options.
“Pregnant. Knocked up. With child,” I reiterated, laughing now as the four of them still looked completely baffled.
They all stared at me for a moment, then two, then three. Were they just frozen now? Statues of themselves trapped in a bathroom?
Tobias was the first to move, probably because he was kneeling next to me. One moment, I was on the floor, and the next, I’d been pulled into his lap for a bone-crushing hug.
“Oof,” I groaned, sort of hating the pressure. “Gentle, okay?”
“Summer!” He pulled back, gaping at me. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I just found out at the B&B,” I admitted, eyes watering. “Everything happened so fast, and I didn’t get a chance to tell you. I was going to tomorrow, but… well, clearly the baby had other ideas.”
“Baby,” Tobias whispered, looking down at my stomach as I still sat in his lap. “Holy…shit!” He yanked me into another hug, and then the other three were piling in despite the close confines.
“You’re having a baby! Milo is going to be a big brother!” Noah was practically screaming, and he was too close to my ear to do that. I couldn’t help but laugh, though, and hey, the nausea was backing off a little.
“Oh, princess,” Emmett soothed, reaching for my cheek to rub it with his thumb, “you’re dealing with morning sickness? Oh god, we’ll get you something to help.”
“A baby…” Marshall sounded genuinely in awe.
I nodded, giving him a gentle smile. The grumpy alpha’s eyes actually welled up, and of course that meant I was crying like an idiot now.
“Yup.” I nodded again, and Marshall pulled me closer, his hand sliding to my lower belly.
“Hi there,” he whispered, sounding so delicate and sweet. “Hi, baby.”
“So…you guys are okay with this?” I looked around at each of them, and I didn't know why I was asking. Just looking at their faces told me everything I needed to know.
“We’re thrilled!” Tobias and Noah shouted at the same time, shooting each other a look before bursting out laughing.
I joined right along, giggling as one massive hug from all of them surrounded me. “I don’t know why I was worried. You’ve all been incredible with Milo, genuinely his—” My throat caught as the emotions overwhelmed me, more tears sliding free. “His dads. You’re his dads, and now you get to do it again.”
“I can’t say I imagined learning this because you puked, but I do not care.” Emmett leaned in past Tobias and Marshall, kissing me, which made me grimace. “I love you. Hey! I love both of you.”
His eyes went to my stomach, and I was a blubbering mess in less than a second.
A chorus of “I love you” rang around me, and with everything out in the open and settled to a degree, I felt a massive weight lift from my shoulders. I finally caught my breath and lifted my head to smile at them all.
“I love you guys too.”
Marshall scooped me up and strode out of the bathroom. “You need rest,” he said, placing me gently in the middle of the nest.
I bit back a smile, shaking my head. “I’m not made of glass, you know. I’m just pregnant. I can still do things. Hell, I have to!”
“You’re going to rest. And we’re going to help as much as we physically can.” Marshall narrowed his eyes at me, leering down playfully like he was my boss or something. “You get to be waited on. Take advantage.”
Smirking, I mirrored his arm cross. “You’re going to regret encouraging me.”
“Bring it, angel.”
