Page 133 of Duke
“Dang thing is heavy as hell.” Cash sets down the box on the porch with a grunt. “Means it’s gonna be sturdy.”
Ducking to get a better look, my eyes blur over when I see that it’s the dream stroller Mollie and I gushed about the other day. We’re obsessed. She likes it in heather gray, and I liked it best in bright red.
She and Cash got me the red.
“Y’all.” I cover my face with my hands. “You did not need—”
“Yes, we did.” Now Cash is pulling me in for a hug. “I love that our babies are gonna be almost the same exact age. It’ll be like having twins.”
Wyatt’s face splits into a grin. Where the hell did he come from? “I think we got enough of those in the family. Hey, Wheeler. Welcome to the family.”
“Please don’t make this weird,” Duke says. “Wheeler and I are dating. Yes, we’re also having a baby, but we’re not—I’m not—”
“Gonna wife her up?” Ryder rolls his eyes. “We all know it’s happening.”
Duke does that thing where he looks at me, gauging my reaction.
I’m crying and I’m smiling and, wow, Sawyer and Ava are here, and so are Ella and Junie, who are currently wrapping me in the world’s sweetest little group hug.
“Y’all ready to make s’mores?” Duke squats in front of them, a handful of sticks in his hand. “I know I am.”
“Yes!” Junie jumps up and down. “But what is a more?”
Duke smiles. It’s so handsome and so genuinely happy that I feel short of breath. “It’s only the best dessert ever invented. Here, I’ll show you how we make ’em. You start with the marshmallow, which we put on the end of this stick…”
Sally insists Mollie and I sit in the pair of rocking chairs in front of the fire. Ryder insists I open his gift. Everyone breaks out inawwwswhen I hold up the little onesie dotted with cowboy hats and horseshoes.
“Dude.” Duke sets a plate of s’mores on my lap. “Where the hell’d you find that?”
Ryder shrugs. “Billie helped me pick it out.”
“Billie?” Cash raises his eyebrows. “Colt know about y’all hangin’ out?”
“There’s nothing to know.” Ryder’s voice has an edge. “I asked her for a favor, and she helped me out.”
Wyatt claps his hands. “Oh, Lord, there’s more to that story, ain’t there?”
“Shut up,” Ryder says.
“Tread carefully is all we’re sayin’.” Wyatt holds up his hands. “You know how the Wallace boys are.”
Sally pats his stomach. “Almost as bad as the Rivers boys are.”
“True story.” Duke sets down his stick and wipes his hands on a towel. “I’d like to think we’re more handsome, though, right?”
“Of course you are,” I say, picking up my s’more.
Ella and Junie are happily munching on their treats, their little faces already streaked with melted chocolate and marshmallow. I take a bite of mine and nearly moan again.
“You’re also really good at making dessert.” I lick some chocolate off my thumb. “This is delicious, Duke. Maybe you’re not so far off from cracking open those cookbooks.”
He meets my eyes. “Ready when you are.”
“I hope that means y’all are ready to officially share your ‘surprise’ news.” Cash swipes a s’more off the tray by the fireplace.
Duke slips his hand through mine. “Ready?” he asks me.
“Not like everybody doesn’t already know.” I set down my plate and stand up. “You wanna tell them?”
