Page 89 of Big Daddy Christmas
“I know I’ve never seen you turn down a mimosa, but sure,” Ivy said with a shrug. “Water and a muffin, then.”
Silver opened her mouth to protest, but she was cut off by Cordelia’s low chuckle. “Just let her, Sil. You know she enjoys doing for others. Drink the water and pass the muffin off to someone else if you’re really not hungry.”
Because she’d been friends with them long enough to know Cordelia was right, Silver just sighed. “Will do.”
Silence stretched between them for a few seconds before it was broken by the loud clearing of a throat. “So… would it be totally out of line for me to ask for an autograph?”
Aria’s question surprised a laugh out of Silver and she grinned over at her new friend. “Absolutely not. And the next time we visit the club, I’ll send some stuff home with your dad. We’ve got piles of it at the house.”
Piles of entirely useless memorabilia, because Deviant Whispers was no more. The loss was still a wound, deep in her soul, one she didn’t think would ever fully heal.
Ivy returned with Silver’s water and a muffin, a welcome distraction from the ache. Silver took both, and was both surprised and relieved when the smell of the muffin didn’t make her want to throw up. Setting the water aside, she unwrapped the fragrant treat and took a tentative bite.
“Oh my god,” she said with a low moan. “I forgot how fucking good these muffins are.”
The first bite went down without any problem, so she risked a second bite, and then a third with no ill effects.
Magic muffins.
As Silver ate, Ivy launched into an animated story about something that had happened at school. And as she talked, Silver’s mind wandered, her imagination conjuring images of her and Ice’s child, making mischief at some imaginary preschool in the future.
Would it be a little girl, with her daddy’s dirty-blonde hair? Or a little boy with Silver’s own dark curls? Would the child look more like Ice or her or be some perfect blend of the best of both of them? Would they inherit their parents’ musical talents or have their own gifts, their own paths to follow?
And even if they were as musical as she and Ice, would she want her child to follow in her footsteps? She’d loved almost everything about being in a band, but there had definitely been some drawbacks. Milestones she’d missed out on in her teens and twenties because she’d been busy setting the musical world on fire.
An ache settled in her chest as she wondered. These were all questions she and Ice would need to talk about. Decisions to be made, because the little bean growing inside her wasn’t just an accessory to be flashed in front of the cameras, it was a person. A human being with their own hopes and dreams and ambitions.
Heavy. God, she hadn’t considered how fucking heavy it would feel, the weight of caring for this tiny human who wouldn’t stay tiny forever. Everything in her ached to go to Ice, to tell him the truth, to let him hold her as she broke down and confessed her deepest fears.
But no. Today was about Lottie and Braden. She just had to make it a few more hours and then she could tell Ice everything.
And pray he’d be willing to stand by her side through it all.
Chapter 4
Ice
“Spoilsport.” Jacob’s voice was full of playful amusement, his brat clearly coming out to play as it often did when Holden was around.
Ever willing to play the part of the exasperated uncle, Holden glowered at the boy. “Damn straight I am when it comes to you potentially unleashing dinosaurs on the earth.”
“What’s this about dinosaurs?” Striding into the suite, Ice grinned at the pair of them. “What’s our boy up to now?”
“Apparently he watched Jurassic Park and now he wants to make it real life.” Holden shot Jacob a mockingly stern glare, which only earned him an even cheesier grin from the boy in question.
“Oooh, if you do, I want a pocket-sized T-Rex.” Ice held his hands a few inches apart to show the proper size. “In the movies they’re always trying to make them bigger, but you just know if they made them smaller everyone would want one.”
Turning his glare on Ice, Holden narrowed his eyes. “You’re not helping, Elias.”
Ice’s smile shifted to a smirk. “Who said I was here to help?” Glancing around, he raised his brows when he didn’t spot Braden. “Quick subject change. Where’s the groom?”
Holden nodded toward the closed bedroom door. “Needed a few minutes with his babygirl for some, ah, stress relief.”
“Ah, the age-old dance. Wonder if Silver will be in need of some 'stress relief’ before the wedding.” She’d certainly seemed stressed enough earlier, for reasons he still hadn’t worked out. Maybe he should have spanked her at the house, regardless of her protests that they would be late.
Or maybe he’d just take a page from Braden’s book and haul her off somewhere private for a half hour or so.
Hmmm.
