Page 130 of Stuck with my Mechanic Daddies

His hand, still wrapped around mine, tightened, his fingers pressing against my skin like he was grounding himself in the moment.

His lips parted, like he wanted to say something, but no words came.

Mason let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. “Whoa.”

Ethan, ever the steady one, just stared at me, unreadable. His jaw flexed, his nostrils flaring slightly like he was trying to keep his emotions in check.

“You're sure?”

I let out a breathy, nervous laugh. “Pretty damn sure.”

Another beat of silence.

Then, all at once, their expressions cracked open, shock melting into something softer.

Owen exhaled, blinking rapidly like he was trying to process it.

Then, to my utter surprise, his lips curved into the widest grin I’d ever seen on him. “We’re having a baby?”

We.

Something inside me cracked at that word.

I nodded, my throat tight.

And then Mason was moving, letting out a breathy laugh as he surged forward and pulled me into a tight hug.

“Holy shit,” he said again, this time with something like awe. “Aurora.”

Ethan still hadn't moved, his arms crossed, his brow furrowed, but there was something in his eyes. Something deep and raw that struck me damn hard.

“And you didn’t tell us sooner because?”

I huffed out a breath, overwhelmed.

“Because I’ve been drowning in everything else? Because I just lost my job? Because I’m fighting to keep the bookstore, andI had no idea how to deal with this on top of all of it?” My voice cracked slightly, and Mason’s arms around me tightened. “And because I was scared.”

Owen shook his head, his expression filled with something so warm, so steady, it nearly broke me. “Aurora, you're not doing this alone.”

Ethan finally moved then.

He stepped closer, reaching out, his palm settling over the small of my back in a wordless show of reassurance.

“Come on,” Mason said, stepping back but keeping one hand on my arm. “Let’s get out of here. We need to talk, and I don’t feel like doing it under these damn fluorescent lights.”

Owen nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go to Mason’s.”

I hesitated. “Are you sure?”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Aurora, we just found out we’re having a kid. Pretty sure that warrants a sit-down conversation. And maybe a drink.”

Owen shot him a look. “Not for Aurora.”

“Obviously not for Aurora,” Mason deadpanned.

Ethan exhaled, then nodded. “Let’s go.”

And just like that, they were ushering me out of the shop, into the cold Medford night, toward something new.

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