Page 73 of I Knead You Tonight

“Well shit. I feel a little ripped off right now. Like, you all have this mutual bonding experience and I’m left in the dust.”

“I mean, I can show you if you really want me to.” Foster goes to stand, and I rush out of my chair, grabbing Riker.

“Give me my baby before you get naked.”

His hands drop to the button on his jeans.

“Wait! Don’t actually get naked!” I groan. “Oh my god. I can’t believe I’m friends with you people.”

“What do you mean ‘you people’? We’re fantastic,” Wren says.

“You’re something.”

“Iamfantastic,” Porter insists. “You don’t know me well enough to say otherwise yet.”

“Fine. You get a pass. The rest of you suck.”

None of them disagree.

“Here.” Wren takes Riker out of my arms. “You sit. Let’s open gifts before the food is ready. Also because I’m eager for you to see what I got you.”

“That scares me.”

“You’re going to love it.”

Wren settles down with Riker while Foster starts handing me gift bag after gift bag. There’s a lot more here than there are people, which tells me they all went above and beyond to make this something special.

Which, I have to admit, I really appreciate, because my supplies are running low.

When I found out I was pregnant, I started buying things slowly every week. By the time he was here, I was stocked up for a while and didn’tneedthe baby shower I didn’t have time for.

I don’tneedit now, but Wren has been insisting for months that we do it, and since I’ve missed my friends lately, I agreed.

By the time I open the last bag, the deck is full of everything I could ever want, and not just the things he’ll need during this stage of his life but items we’ll use for years to come.

My heart feels so full I could burst.

I feel tears start to sting my eyes.

“Shit. I…I need to start the macaroni.”

I race back into the house before they can see me cry.

I bypass the kitchen, knowing Wren will probably follow me inside. I just need a minute totally alone, so I close the door on the laundry room and let the tears finally fall.

There’s a brute knock on the door and I jump from the sudden pounding against my back.

Before I can say anything, Winston shoulders his way inside.

He’s so big and the room is so small. We’re standing chest to chest when he closes the door.

“How’d you know I was in here?”

“Because I know you. You’d want somewhere quiet to cry, being all embarrassed and shit to show emotion in front of everyone. You headed this way, so I took a chance on you coming in here.”

I wipe at my eyes. “Whatever.”

“Why are you crying, Drew?”

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