Page 41 of Loving Josy
“No, nothing’s wrong.” A small smile tugs at his lips. “I was with the guys at the Tavern, and I told them about Grape.”
I blink at him, confused. “Grape? Who’s Grape?”
He chuckles, the sound warm and familiar, and pulls his phone from his back pocket as he sits beside me on the porch steps. “Grape is what I’ve been calling the baby,” he explains. “You’re about nine weeks along, right? Since we don’t know if it’sa boy or a girl yet, I needed something to call them. So I went with Grape this week.”
“Grape,” I repeat, incredulous but amused.
He opens an app on his phone and holds it out to me. The screen shows a diagram with information about fetal development at nine weeks. “See? This app tells me the size of the baby every week, and right now, it’s the size of a grape. In two weeks, they’ll be the size of a lime. So I’ll call them Lime then.”
I stare at the phone, then at him, my chest tightening. This big, rugged man—the same one who teases me endlessly and has a penchant for making me crazy—downloaded a pregnancy app. He’s tracking our baby’s growth and even gave them a nickname.
“You’re serious about this,” I say, my voice quieter than I intended.
“Of course I am,” he says, his expression earnest. “In the app, it explains how the baby is developing week by week. I’ve been learning a lot.”
The way he says it with excitement makes my throat tighten. “Wow, Noah. I never thought of doing that. I’ll have to download it too.”
“You should.” His enthusiasm unmistakable. “I’ve also been watching a ton of YouTube videos about pregnancy and babies. I want to be ready when Grape comes. I don’t want to screw this up.”
My emotions catch me off guard, swelling in a way I can’t control. For so many days, I’ve carried the weight of this pregnancy by myself, not because Noah wasn’t around, but because I was afraid to let him in fully. And here he is, throwing himself into this, showing me that I’m not alone.
“Noah,” I whisper, blinking back tears. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
He turns to me, his brows drawing together in concern. “Hey,” he says gently, his hand reaching for mine. “You’re not in this alone, Josy. I’m all in. For the baby, for us, whatever it takes. I want this. I want us.”
His words settle over me like a warm embrace, softening the sharp edges of my fears. I let myself believe that maybe, we could make this work. If only I can let him.
“What did the guys say when you told them about Grape?” I ask, curious to hear their reactions.
Noah chuckles, his lips curving into a soft smile. “They were excited for me. I mean, I’m the first one in the group to have a baby, so it’s definitely uncharted territory. But the guys have my back—they always have.”
I nod, understanding exactly what he means. “Yeah, I know that feeling. Violet was over the moon when I told her. She had a million questions, and honestly, I didn’t know how to answer half of them. But she’s so excited about becoming an aunt. And Adrian—oh, Adrian is even more excited than Violet. He keeps saying he’s going to take care of his baby cousin.”
Noah’s grin widens as I speak, and I can’t help the wistful tone that slips into my voice. “He even told me that if it’s a girl, he’ll be her protector. My little dude is growing up so fast.”
“He’s a good kid,” Noah says warmly. “With him as a cousin, this baby’s already got a solid team on their side.”
I glance at him, feeling a pang of warmth in my chest. “Yeah, he’s really stepped up. But I’ve been thinking about something... If it’s a girl, I have to be ready for what’s coming. You know, keeping all the boys away from her.”
Noah leans back slightly, crossing his arms as a mischievous smirk tugs at his lips. “Oh, I’ve been thinking about that too. If she looks even a fraction as beautiful as her mother, we’re in so much trouble.”
The way he says it, so casually yet full of sincerity, sends a flutter through my heart.
“I’m serious, Josy.” His voice teasing but with an edge of protectiveness. “I’m not above sitting on the porch with a shotgun, glaring at every boy who tries to come near her. And if one of them dares to step out of line... well, let’s just say I don’t want to end up in jail for murder, but I’d do it if I had to.”
I laugh, a genuine, belly-deep laugh that feels like it clears away weeks of tension. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
He shrugs, unbothered. “Maybe. But I’m also serious. No one messes with my girl—or my boy, for that matter. This baby is going to have us both wrapped around their little finger, and I’m okay with that.”
His words settle over me, wrapping me in a sense of security I hadn’t realized I needed.
“Thank you,” I say softly, my eyes locking onto Noah’s piercing brown eyes.
He tilts his head slightly, his brows drawing together in genuine curiosity. “Why are you thanking me, sweetheart?” he asks, leaning closer.
The way he looks at me so open, so steady makes my heart race. I can see every detail of his face now: the crinkle at the corners of his eyes when he smiles, his long, dark lashes that any woman would kill for, and his lips soft, full, and utterly kissable. I can’t help but get lost in him, my thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind.
He smiles then, a slow, heart-melting grin that shows off his perfectly straight teeth, and nods as if to pull me back to the moment. “Josy?” His voice warm with amusement.
