Page 103 of Christmas with Brother's Best Friends
“Not yet, but they’ll be happy,” I promise her. “Mom has been begging me for a grandchild for years now, and they both love you.”
The tension in her features fades a little. “Good. I just want everyone to be happy.”
“We want you to be happy too,” Josh replies as he rests his hand on her knee. “We weren’t sure if what you wanted changed or not over the past few days.”
Surprise lights up in her eyes. “You think that I changed my mind about us? About our family?”
“A lot has happened since you ended up in the hospital,” I point out. “We just want to be on the same page.”
Emma takes a deep breath before standing up and turning to face us. “I wish Ryan was here too. I have to talk toallof you.”
“Just say it,” Josh encourages her as I fidget with my pants leg nervously.
Emma’s eyes shift back and forth between us. “The past few days have only reinforced what I already know. And what I already feel. I need all of you in my life. Iwantall of you.”
Relief slowly lifts off my shoulders. “We’re right here.”
Josh nods in agreement.
“Not all of you,” Emma whispers. “I think I lost one of you. That’s what I was trying to avoid.Losingpeople.”
An ache of sympathy fills my chest as I gaze at her, seeing the quiet agony on her face. I know that she cares about Josh and me, but she cares about Ryan too. She will always care about him.
“I can call him,” Josh offers. “I’ll get him over here. I don’t care what it takes.”
Emma shakes her head. “I’m not going to force any of you to do anything. If he wanted to be here, he would be here.”
A creak sounds out in the hallway, making Emma spin around just as Ryan steps into the bedroom breathing heavily.
“I’m late. I know,” Ryan says as he catches his breath, his back thumping against the door as he shuts it behind him. “I don’t know if you’re in the middle of breaking up with us or whatever, but I have to get this out before I chicken out. I’m tired of running, unless it’s to you.”
Emma’s fingertips touch her lips in shock as Ryan steps closer to her.
Meanwhile, Josh and I look at each other with relief in our eyes. He finally showed up. He overcame his fears.
“I love you,” Ryan blurts out before gesturing to Josh and me. “I think I can speak for all of us by saying that we all love you. We have for a while, and I know that being with us might be complicated, but it’s the best possible thing for you and the baby. I can promise you that.”
Emma sniffles as she looks over her shoulder at Josh and me. “Is that true?”
“A hundred percent,” Josh replies without hesitance.
I nod in agreement. “We want to have the family that we talked about. If that’s what you want too.”
“Of course, it is,” Emma breathes out, passion gripping her voice. “All I want is to be with you. All of you. I want us to raise our baby together, and I want to do that here in New York City where we’re close to our families. The ones we choose.”
I glance at Josh and Ryan, who nod. Their parents probably won’t have anything to do with our child, but that’s fine. There’s still plenty of love to go around, and our family will still be large and loving.
“And I love you,” Emma finishes as she grabs Ryan’s hand and tugs him closer to us so that she can smile at all of us. “I should’ve said that way sooner.”
My heart pounds wildly as an uncontrollable smile crosses my lips. Her brothers didn’t sway her decision. Sheison the same page as the rest of us.
I stand from the bed and pull her against me, kissing her temple as I hug her tightly. “It doesn’t matter the timing. It only matters that you feel it too.”
Emma loops her arms around my torso and squeezes me back. “I have for a while.”
Josh takes her hand and playfully steals her from me, his lips grazing her cheek before he hugs her. “You have no idea how good it feels to have you back in my arms, beautiful. I’ve missed you.
“I missed you guys too,” Emma replies. “I should’ve gone home with you.”
