With the absence of snow, I’ve been getting back out on the road more with Carter’s car. I haven’t hit any stop signs, and in fact, I now stop about ten feet away. Garrett says that’s not great, either, but Garrett can kiss my ass.
“Can you give me a ride?” I’ve been casually dropping to Carter that Garrett’s been giving me rides to school on his way to grab his morning coffee. It should work in our favor, because it shows Carter our friendship is growing, that we’ve had time to get to know each other.
Or maybe I’m totally delusional and hoping for a miracle.
“Oh, that reminds me,” I yell over the shower. “I had to get air in the tires yesterday. I got a great deal!”
Nothing but the sound of water raining down.
And then: “A deal? On air?”
“Yeah, I took it to that shop over on Renfrew, and they knocked the price down to four hundred dollars!”
The water stops, silence hanging heavy in the air as steam seeps from the bathroom. Slow as molasses, Garrett appears in the doorway, naked, soaking wet, not even bothering to cover his XL cock.
“Pardon?”
“A hundred bucks a tire! For premium air! Can you believe it?”
“P…Premium air?”
“They said they normally charge double!”
“Oh my God.” His hands come up, head moving rapidly between them like he isn’t sure what to do, before he finally drags them down his face. “Oh my God. Jennie, what the fuck? How-how-how…You got ripped off!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Air is—oh my God! Jennie, it costs, like, a dollar to put air in your tires!”
“What?”
His arms fly around his head. “You do it at the gas station! At those little pumps with the hose! Jesus fuck.” He scrubs his face, and I think it’s hilarious he’s somehow managing to get an erection right now. “We’re gonna have to skip breakfast. We’ll stop at the shop on the way to Carter’s. I’ll get you your money back.”
My chest rumbles. I bite my lip, trying to stop it, but when Garrett’s flustered gaze meets mine, I can’t help it. A snicker-snort comes out my nose, and I fold forward as the rest of my laugh comes barreling out.
“It’s a TikTok trend,” I choke out, rolling on the bed. “I can’t believe you fell for it. You’re so gullible!”
He picks up a balled-up pair of socks and tosses it at my head. “I’m gonna fuck your brains out later tonight just for that.”
“Oh no,” I mock. “Anything but that.” I hop off the bed and head into the bathroom, slipping my arms around his middle and hugging him from behind. “I love you.”
“You Becketts and your fucking TokToks.”
“TikToks.” I give him another squeeze, Lieutenant Johnson one quick pump. “I’ll go make us breakfast.”
“Jennie?” he calls after me. “I love you too.”
I know he does, that’s why I make him a four-pancake stack, topped with Reese’s spread and sliced bananas, dusted with icing sugar and drizzled with real maple syrup, with a side of Canadian bacon. I just finish plating it when he claps two hands firmly to my ass, making me gasp.
“Your ass looked lonely without my hands on it.” He kisses my cheek and inhales. “Looks and smells incredible.”
“Thank you. It’s all natural.”
He pinches my butt. “I was talking about breakfast, you turtle.”
He spins me around, and I push him back a step, gaze coasting down his body. He’s so ridiculously beautiful it hurts.
“What is this?” I ask, touching the collar of his jacket.
He looks down at himself. “A jean jacket.”
“Hmm. I’m into it.”
He grins and tugs on the denim lapels. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I murmur, skimming the buttons as my teeth press into my bottom lip. Gripping the collar, I yank him down to me. “I’m into you.”
Garrett laughs, hearty and rumbly, both hands on my butt, squeezing. The tip of his nose touches mine as he brushes a soft kiss to my lips. “I can’t wait until I get to love you out in the open.”
“I’m ready,” I tell him honestly.
“Me too.”
“This is the most incredible thing in the world.”
“Isn’t it?” Olivia’s brown eyes shine as she smiles down at her stomach. “I wish you could feel it from the inside.”
My palm glides over her firm, round belly, searching for my niece or nephew. Olivia takes my hand and places it on the right, near the bottom of her rib cage. She presses my hand into her skin and a moment later something pushes back.
I gasp, watching in wonder as her stomach jumps.
“Auntie J loves you so much already,” I whisper to my niece or nephew, running my hand over the home that’s kept him or her safe. “I can’t wait to meet you.”
The front door opens, and Dublin flies off the couch and down the hallway.
“Hi, Dubs,” Carter coos. “Who’s my handsome man? Did you miss Daddy? Daddy missed you. Yes, I did, Mr. Handsome.” He strolls into the living room, carrying the seventy-pound dog in his arms before setting him down. “Saying hi to your nephew?”
“Or niece,” I point out, then gasp when he essentially shoves me to the floor so he can press his hands to Olivia’s belly. I slam my fist into his quad. “You asshole.”
“Hi, baby,” he speaks against her stomach. “How’s my little man?”
“Carter, for fuck’s sake, help your sister up and stop assuming the sex of our baby.”
“Okay, bossy pants.” He hoists me back to the couch, then cups Olivia’s face and presses a kiss to her lips. “But you’re gonna feel awfully silly when that baby comes out all man.”
“You’re the one that didn’t want to find out,” I remind him.
“Because I just know.” He taps his temple and winks. “Call it a father-son connection.”
“Call it ignorance,” Olivia mutters, then smiles brightly when Carter sets a treat-filled plate on the coffee table. “Mmm, come to mama.”
“Weren’t you on a no-junk-food kick?” I ask as they dig in.
“I’ve learned it’s best to have no goals or expectations when pregnant. That way I don’t get upset with myself when I accidentally go through the Taco Bell drive-thru, order three tacos, one Crunchwrap Supreme, and large chili cheese fries, then devour all four in ten minutes.”
“Should we find out?” Carter asks suddenly. “The gender? We still have a month. We could find out. Do you wanna find out?” He holds up a hand. “No, don’t answer that. I don’t wanna find out.”
He flops down in a chair, drumming his fingers. Is his eye twitching? His jaw definitely is. He sweeps his hand out and then second-guesses, bringing it back in, resting his chin on his fist.
“What if it’s a girl? It won’t be, right? No, because my mom had me first, and your mom had Jeremy first, so that means we’ll have a boy first. It’s just, like, science.”
I open my mouth to tell him that’s not how it works, but Olivia touches my hand and gives her head the tiniest shake, continuing to watch Carter. He’s alternating between staring off into space and tugging at his hair, going off about genetics and DNA, both of which he’s not qualified to talk about.
Suddenly, he leaps to his feet, eyes wild as he lays a hand on his chest. “If it’s a girl, Olivia, I will die. I. Will. Die.” He storms down the hallway, shoving his fingers through his hair and muttering to himself. Heavy footsteps pound up the stairs.
“What the hell was that? And did he just call you by your full name?” The only time I’ve heard it in conversation is when they said their vows. It’s Ollie, Ol, Liv, princess, pumpkin, pumpkin pie, or Mrs. Beckett, but never Olivia unless he’s singing that song he likes.
Olivia waves a dismissive hand through the air. “He’s just made himself a girl dad in his head, and now he’s thinking about the fact that one day somebody will try to take her from him. It really upsets him. He needs some time to cool off.” She hooks her toes beneath the coffee table, dragging it closer, and snatches another cookie off the plate. “Happens about once a week.” She looks down the hall. “You only have fifteen minutes to freak out, Carter! You need to be showered, dressed, and ready to go in a half hour!”