Lily

THE MORNING OF my sonogram, I awoke with nervous energy. My belly was getting bigger by the day. At least, I felt like it was—probably because I wanted to eat constantly. The nausea was finally gone, and I felt incredible.

My appointment was during my lunch hour, and I wasn’t sure how I’d make it through the first part of my day. I couldn’t wait to find out what we were having. Flea was driving me to work since Maverick left early, so I decided to take advantage of my parents’ kitchen, especially since Mom mentioned she might have picked up fresh bagels that morning.

Locking my door, I headed upstairs and to the kitchen. Mom held up a bagel, and I nodded my head. “Grab the cream cheese, will you?”

I opened the fridge and handed her the container just as Rex shoved his nose into my hand. I knelt down to scratch his ears. “How’s my boy? Hmm?”

“Dad took the last of the coffee. Want to make another pot?”

“Sure.”

Flea walked in just as I’d hit the brew button. I gave him a nod since my mouth was full of bagel.

“Perfect timing,” Mom said and handed him a bagel.

“Thanks.”

I glanced at my watch and frowned. “We need to head out, or I’m going to be late.” I hugged Mom. “Are you coming today?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said.

I grinned, and Flea and I headed to the hospital.

* * *

Maverick, Cassidy, and Mom arrived within minutes of each other, and I could barely contain my excitement. Maverick kissed me gently, and then we headed to my appointment.

We were guided into a room, and I settled myself on the table while Maverick stood beside me, and our moms hovered close by.

The ultrasound tech smiled as she tucked paper towels into the waistband of my scrubs and tugged them down a little farther. She grabbed the jelly and said, “Might be a little cold.”

I nodded, and she squirted it on my stomach and then placed the wand on the jelly. “We’ll just have a look at the baby. I’ll take some measurements then we can look at the sex if you want.”

I looked at Maverick and then back at the tech. “Yes, please, we’d like to know.”

Mom and Cassidy held hands, and Mom let out a quiet squeak.

I lay on that table, my bladder ready to burst, especially when the tech applied a little pressure, but I didn’t care. I was holding hands with the hottest guy on the planet, and we were looking at a picture of the baby we made.

“Okay,” the tech said and smiled at us. “Ready?”

I nodded.

She moved the wand around and pointed at the screen. “That right there... is a girl.”

I burst into tears and looked up at Maverick. “Charley.”

I could see a sheen of tears in his eyes too as he grinned. “Charley,” he agreed.

Our little girl would be Charleston (still unknown middle name) Quinn.

“Charlotte?” the tech asked.

“Charleston,” I corrected.

“Oh, that’s so cute.”

“Thanks, we like it.”

She pointed out all the fingers and toes, we got a close-up of her little face, and then it was time to head upstairs. The whole process had taken less than half an hour, and I still had five months to go. I wanted to meet her now. Especially since we knew her name.

I cleaned up, then we made our way to the cafeteria for a quick lunch before it was time for me to go back to work. Mom and Cassidy monopolized the conversation, and I was grateful since I was unable to focus on anything. I just nodded and smiled and let Maverick hold my hand while I ate.

“So we were thinking ponies and zebras to ride at the shower,” Mom said.

“Sure,” I said and then registered what she’d just said. “Wait, what?”

Cassidy and Mom chuckled as Cassidy gave me a sympathetic smile. “Maybe we should wait to make plans for the shower until this has all sunk in.”

I smiled. “That’d be great. Thanks, Cass.”

“I think we should do high tea,” Mom said. “Just the girls. Then we can do a big combined party at the club another day.”

“Mom,” I said with a sigh. “One. You get one shower.”

Maverick kissed my cheek. “I have to go, baby doll.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you when I pick you up.”

“Remember, I may go to Poppy’s tonight,” I said.

“I’ll drop you there and pick you up after church.”

Wednesday night was the club meeting, which the brethren referred to as “church.”

“I think that works.”

“I pick you up, Lil, got it?” he stressed. “No walking home with another recruit or by yourself.”

I squeezed his leg. “Got it, Möosh.”

He rose to his feet and leaned down to kiss me gently, laying his hand on my belly. “Love my girls.”

“We love you, too.”

“Flea’s here, so he’ll walk you back,” he said. 

I nodded. Maverick kissed me once more, before kissing our mothers’ cheeks and walking out of the cafeteria.

“High tea with close girlfriends, big club party with everyone?” Mom asked, hopefully.

“You’re ridiculous,” I said.

“That’s not a no,” Cassidy mused.

“No, it’s not,” Mom agreed and stood. “Let’s get out of here before she has a chance to think about it.”

I giggled as they gathered their trash and waved Flea over.

“I’ll walk you all back to Lily’s station then walk you two to your car,” Flea said.

“Thanks, buddy,” I said.

* * *

“Okay, so high tea with the girls,” Poppy started, “then a big party with the club?”

I groaned. “How the hell did Mom get to you already? We just talked about it at lunch!”

Maverick had taken me home to change before walking me to Hatch and Maisie’s where I was meeting the girls while the men were at church. Dogs’ women were upstairs, and the younger women were down. We were here most Wednesdays since it was a fortress.

Poppy chuckled. “Cass told me. Grace and I had a class with her today.”

“I have no problem with a small one with you guys and a bigger one for the Club, I guess.” I smiled. “My wedding didn’t kill me.”

Grace laughed. “Way to look on the bright side.”

I sighed. “Is it wrong that the bigger the party, the more diapers we won’t have to pay for?”

“Not wrong at all,” Poppy said.

“How’s it going with Devon?” I asked.

“Holy subject change, Batman,” Poppy retorted.

“Not sure you want to go there, Lil,” Grace warned.

I gave Poppy a sympathetic smile. “Who’s the holdout?”

“Poppy,” Grace answered.

Poppy gasped. “I am not.”

“You totally are,” Grace countered.

“One, Devon is very clear on not being into me. Two, I have been trying to move on, but he’s the one who interferes with everything.”

“Because he loves you,” Grace said with a singsong voice.

“He does not love me,” Poppy snapped, her red face resembling a cartoon—the kind with steam coming out of its ears. “If he loved me, he wouldn’t treat me like a piece of shit.”

“He doesn’t treat you like a piece of shit,” Grace argued. “He’s overprotective and interferes with guys sniffing after you, yes, but he has a stupid lovesick look on his face whenever he looks at you, and every guy he’s messed with has been a douche.”

“Duncan wasn’t a douche.”

“Duncan was a total douche,” I countered.

Duncan had been the guy before Donnie, and for a little while, at least, he’d seemed like the perfect guy. He wasn’t.

Poppy groaned. “He’s a nice guy. We still talk on occasion.”

“Ohmigod, don’t let Devon find out,” Grace said. “He’ll lose his shit.”

Poppy frowned. “It’s none of his business.”

“I’d suggest you also keep that opinion from Devon,” Grace said.

“Do you love him?” I asked.

She shrugged.

“She loves him,” Grace said.

“It’s complicated,” Poppy countered. “I want what Mum and Sid have. I won’t settle for less, and I don’t think Devon can give it to me.”

“I think that’s fair enough,” I said. “I wouldn’t settle either.”

Grace sighed. “If only there were more Mavericks in the world.”

“Give Liam a few years.” I smiled. “Hunter and Case are close behind, too.”

“Too young.”

“Kim’s five years older than Knight is,” Poppy said.

“Hmmm,” Grace mused. “Maybe you’re onto something. Hunter’s gorgeous.”

“Maybe give Hunter a little more time, huh?” I said.

Poppy snorted. “Okay, can we change the subject again and go back to planning the baby showers?”

“Sure,” I said, although I really wanted to dig deeper about Devon. I let it go, though. Poppy would talk when she was ready.