Page 39 of Loving Josy
Austin leans back in his seat, his expression thoughtful as he takes a swig of his beer. “She’s probably just scared, bro. Being pregnant is a huge deal, and she’s been independent for so long. Maybe adding romance to that freaks her out.”
I nod, even though it frustrates me that she won’t just let herself lean into what’s between us. “Yeah, I get that. I do. But we already have this bond, and it’s only going to get stronger with the baby. Why keep fighting it?”
Esteban shakes his head, grinning like he always does when he thinks he’s got the world figured out. “Keep being you, man. Be there for her. Sooner or later, she’s gonna stop fighting it and realize you’re not going anywhere.”
I let out a breath, feeling the weight of Esteban’s words settle on me. He’s right—I’m not going anywhere. Josy can push anddeny all she wants, but I’m going to be here. For her, for our baby.
Austin raises his glass, breaking the moment with a grin. “To fatherhood,” he says, the pride in his voice unmistakable.
I smile, clinking my glass with theirs. “To fatherhood,” I echo, feeling the warmth of it spread through me.
But as I take a sip of my beer, I can’t shake the feeling of wanting more. Fatherhood is one thing, and it’s huge. But I want Josy too. I want us to be a family.
“I need to tell you guys something,” Austin says, a grin spreading across his face.
“What? Did you finally realize you have a tiny dick?” Esteban quips without missing a beat.
“You know my dick is bigger than yours, asshole,” Austin shoots back.
“Wanna bet?” Esteban challenges, already moving to put his hands on his waistband like he’s about to whip it out.
Before this gets completely out of hand, I step in. “Come on now. We arenotdoing this again. No one’s measuring dicks tonight. We already settled this, and everyone knowsIhave the biggest dick out of all of us.” I point at Esteban. “So do us all a favor, quit screwing around, and let Austin talk.”
“Fine.” Esteban shrugs. “But only if you two admit my dick’s bigger. Say it, and I’ll stop.”
I glance at Austin, and we both know what’s coming if we don’t give in. Esteban will keep going until he actually pulls his pants down, and none of us are in the mood for that.
“Alright, man. Your dick is bigger,” I say with a sigh, gesturing for Austin to play along.
“Yeah, sure,” Austin deadpans. “Whatever you say.”
Esteban smirks, leaning back in his chair like he’s just won the lottery. “That’s more like it. Thanks, guys. I feelsorelieved.”
“Great. Glad we cleared that up,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Now, can we move on? Austin, you have the floor now.”
“I need to confess something,” Austin says, a sly grin tugging at his lips. He’s looking at me, but his gaze drifts to the ultrasound picture I have in front of me. His next words catch me completely off guard. “Now that I’m staring at your baby ultrasound, I can’t deny it anymore—I can’t wait to get Vi pregnant.”
I choke on my beer, coughing as I set the bottle down. “Wait,what? Seriously?” I glance at him, trying to gauge if he’s joking, but the way his grin fades into something softer tells me he’s serious.
“Yeah,” he says, his voice quiet but sure. “I really want it. We’ve talked about it, Vi and I, but... I don’t know if now is the right time.”
I lean back, giving him my full attention. “What’s stopping you? I mean, you just got engaged. You’re living together now. What’s holding you back?” Esteban asks.
Austin runs a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. “That’s just it. We’re still settling into all of this. Getting engaged was a big step, and moving in together? It’s been amazing, but it’s a lot too. Adding a baby to the mix... I don’t want to mess up what we have. But at the same time, I can’t stop thinking about it. I want to be a dad. I want to see Vi holding our kid, you know? I’m not getting any younger, and the thought of waiting feels unbearable.”
The longing in his voice hits me. I know that feeling—the way wanting something so deeply can make you restless, impatient.
I glance at the picture he’s still staring at. “Austin, man, that’s huge. But you know it’s not just about timing. If you and Vi are on the same page, you’ll figure it out. Have you told her all this? Like, how much you really want it?”
He nods, but there’s hesitation in his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve mentioned it. She gets it, but she’s more cautious than me. She wants to enjoy being engaged, focus on us and Adrian for a while. I get it, but... every time I picture us as parents, it feels so real, you know? Like it’s supposed to happen.”
The corners of Esteban’s mouth lift slightly. “Sounds like you’re ready. Just make sure Vi feels ready too. The last thing you want is for her to feel pressured.”
He smiles faintly, his shoulders relaxing a bit. “Yeah. You’re right. She’s everything, and I don’t want to mess this up. But, man, I can’t wait to see her belly growing with our kid. I think it would be amazing.”
“Of course it will be,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder. “And when the time’s right, you’ll both know.”
Austin looks at me with a spark of determination in his eyes. “Thanks, man. I just... I needed to say it out loud, you know?”
