Page 160 of Only Fate

It honestly doesn’t matter to me whether we have a girl or a boy.

All I want is a healthy baby.

Yes, some people might say that is cliché, but I don’t care.

Essie is next to me, absolutely glowing. I can hardly tell you who’s at our party because I’ve barely kept my eyes off her. While she doesn’t look like she’s grown much in her dress, I see it when the dress is off.

When we’re lying on our bed, her in only panties and a bra, and we talk to our baby. I know Essie’s body so well that I see where it’s growing.

She throws her head back, laughing at something Callie said.

I grin. She takes my breath from my lungs every time I look at her.

Sometimes, I have to pinch myself—a reality check that this is real and I’m not dreaming.

“I can’t wait to have someone to play with,” Jasmine says, jumping up and down with a cupcake in her hand.

“The baby might be a little too small for you to play with for a while,” Easton comments, grabbing a napkin to wipe the frosting from her cheek.

“Why?” Jasmine frowns. “I play with baby dolls all the time.”

“She does,” Ava confirms, a smile cracking her lips. “I saw her hanging one upside down from the couch the other day. As your aunt, that’s a big no-no, babes.”

“Hannah will help me with her,” Jasmine says with certainty, smiling over at her nanny.

Hannah stares at Jasmine with affection.

“Ahh, that’s the nanny,” I hear my abuela say to my mother.I’m pretty sure it was meant to be said much quieter, but my abuela, apparently, isn’t capable ofquietvoices.

“She’s also his employee,” my mom comments.

Her tone is lower, but from the way Hannah’s eyes widen, I’m sure she heard her.

“That’s just asking for a lawsuit,” my mother adds.

We’re still working on warming her up.

It’s getting there—slowly but surely.

I dip my head toward my mother. “This isn’t a company. I don’t think we need to worry about HR.”

She holds up her hands. “Don’t blame me for always considering liability.”

“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t,” I murmur.

She shrugs, shooting me anexactlyexpression.

Callie holds out cake cutters to Essie and me. “Are you ready?”

We take them, but Essie grabs my cutter before I can make another move.

She sets both on the table and captures my hand in hers. “Can we have a minute in private?”

All eyes are on us.

Callie tries to pretend she doesn’t think what Essie did was awkward but is doing a bad job at it.

Carolina and Rex scoot in closer in their chairs, as if they know something is wrong.

---