Page 28 of Together

I blow out a breath. “A little. You’ve never met her. What if you two don’t get along? How can I have a baby with a woman I’ve only spent time with while I was drunk or hungover?”

“You’ll do it because you have no other option. Also, who doesn’t get along with me? I’m like a ray of sunshine. Everyone loves me.”

Dean laughs probably a little too hard if the sharp look Josie sends his way is anything to go by. I chuckle quietly. “Right.”

“Whatever. You know I’m lovable.”

“You’re also pretty hardcore,” Dean reminds her.

“Hardcore? What the heck’s that supposed to mean?”

“Babe. It’s impossible for you to step aside when it comes to your brother. You’ll be overprotective like normal, and this time there will be a baby in the mix so it will be worse.”

Josie rolls her eyes and squeezes my hand. “Don’t listen to him. I’ll have my own baby by then so I won’t even have time to go all insane for you.”

I look up just in time to see Dean give me a knowing look. One that says, she’s full of shit but we’ll let it be for now.

“Will you keep us updated and let me know when she’s ready to meet us?”

“Of course. Give us time, though. She and I have a lot of learning about each other to tackle first.”

“She’s going to fall in love with you, I just know it.”

I don’t let her words settle in. It’s so premature and ridiculous to think about that I won’t even let my head go there.

Instead, I squeeze her hand back and say, “Obviously. What’s not to love about me, right?”

“Right. That’s what I was thinking.”

“He probably wants a little bit of privacy, babe. Let’s let the man be.”

“But…” Josie protests.

“I’ll be fine,” I promise her. “I’ll be here for the next few days for you to keep an eye on me, remember?”

All my life, I’ve been Josie’s protector. Since I was five years old when she was born, I took on the role as her guardian pretty fiercely so having her trying to “protect” me now feels… good. We’ve been there for each other our entire lives and I know without a doubt that this situation will be no different, even if she does have a newborn baby soon.

“Love you, Niko.”

“Love you, too, Josie. Even if you’re a pushy pain in the ass,” I add on.

“What a lovely term of endearment,” she murmurs. I help her stand and Dean takes her hand in his, guiding her out of the bedroom. She looks over her shoulder at me and I give her a smile, praying that it looks real enough that it eases her worries.

Just as I lie down on the bed, staring up at the white ceiling, my phone chimes with a text.

A picture.

Of Ashley holding up a pregnancy test with a clear reading of two lines displayed for me. Along with another test with a plus sign.

She really is beautiful.

“Holy shit. We’re having a baby,” I whisper to myself.

Me:Thank you.

Ashley:You’re welcome. Little weird taking a picture of something I just peed on.

Me:Might as well get used to weird things happening.

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