AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Holden closed his eyes, bowed his head for a second, then nodded, gazing around the circle at each of us. He ended with his eyes on Chloe. “Couldn’t have done it without you all.”
There was a second round of clinks, then we all got to the business of eating some damn good food if I did say so myself.
Conversation flowed as dinner progressed, with my siblings and me flipping each other the usual amount of shit and Zane joining in around the edges, even though he was the quietest of the bunch. There were compliments on the food and drinks, a collective pause to appreciate the sunset over the lake, several local folks stopping by the table to say hi, and more than one joke about who was running the restaurant and brewery since all of us Henrys were sitting here stuffing our faces.
As Finn McNamara and Carter Costello walked away from us, Holden straightened and addressed the family again. “Hey, all, Chloe had a doctor’s appointment today and we have some news.”
Everyone’s attention locked on the couple. Chloe had passed the halfway point on her pregnancy, and we were all itching to know whether they were having a girl or a boy. They’d previously decided not to find out, but the way Holden spoke now…
Chloe eyed her husband, as if wondering what confidence he was about to break, but she tilted her head, waiting like the rest of us.
“We’re having a…” Our youngest brother’s brows shot up as he glanced around to make sure he had everyone at the table’s attention. He did, of course. We’d all stopped breathing, waiting. “Baby!”
There was a half second of silence as it sank in that he’d tricked us, and then, laughing, Seth said, “You’re a douche, man.”
“You really didn’t find out the gender?” Hayden asked, her expression crestfallen.
Chloe shook her head, grinning, and said, “Wegenderlydon’t care either way, as long as the baby’s healthy.”
“Boo,” Zane said, and there were groans and laughs around the table. Holden, on the other hand, high-fived her for the lousy pun.
I shook my head and shared a look with Ava, who was still getting used to this nutty group I called my family.
“I respect your decision,” Everly said to Chloe, “but you two are stronger than I’ll ever be. I’d be dying to know. Iamdying to know!”
“Are you preggers?” Hayden asked her.
Everly’s quick answer was a head shake. “Bite your tongue. We’d like to get married first please.”
“Old-fashioned,” Hayden declared, and everyone laughed because Hayden and Zane had done things all out of order, with an oops, then a relationship, and then the marriage in time for Harrison’s birth.
“Not to sound like a nosy stepmother-in-law-to-be, but have you made any plans for your wedding yet?” Faye asked.
Everly ducked her head with an exaggerated cringe. “Not yet but soon. I promise you you’ll be one of the first to know, Stepmother-in-law-to-be.” Her voice was warm and affectionate.
“Ev’s been burning it up in the studio,” Seth said.
“Now that I’m indie, there’s no deadline,” Everly said, “but for the first time ever, the songs are coming to me fast and furiously. Go figure.”
“Since she’s at the Hale Street Studio, I got to listen in the other day,” Hayden said, her tone bubbling with enthusiasm. “It’s sounding incredible.”
Everly beamed. “Gin Steele is amazing. I can come in in the morning with a rudimentary melody and lyrics, and by the end of the day, she’s turned it into a song that’s ready for release. It’s making my creativity explode in a good way.”
“I can’t wait to hear it. Do you have any idea when you’ll release your album?” Ava asked.
“Not officially, but that will be announced soon, I think. And then…full steam ahead on marrying this patient guy.” Everly leaned into Seth’s shoulder. My brother put his arm around her.
“You two are so cute,” Hayden said.
“Nauseating,” I added, grinning.
“You’ve got no room to talk, bro,” Holden said.
I turned to Ava, grasped her chin, and kissed her hard just for Holden’s benefit, making everyone laugh and throw some more shade, but I didn’t care.
“I’m just happy you guys worked things out,” Zane said. “If Ava had rejected you, my conversation with Mason about emergency use of the company plane would’ve had a whole different tone to it.”
Laughing, I held up my glass to him for another toast. “You’re my hero, Lieutenant North. Thanks again for the ride.”
