Tipping my head up from staring at my phone, I find that Bennett is looking just as intensely at the video on the screen. For the last five minutes, we have stood in the sitting area at Olive Owl and watched the latest video from our last appointment.
“She or he doesn’t look like a potato anymore,” I comment and feel elation showing on my face.
“Definitely not. Two feet and two hands, your cute button nose too.”
I interlace our arms and encourage him to sink into the sofa with me. We are waiting for the Blisswood family dinner that includes the gender reveal.
Lucy came with us to our appointment, and she stayed quietly in the corner looking on with almost astonishment before playing her part. An equally excited and almost devious smile took over her when Bennett and I left the room so the doctor could tell her what we’re having.
To my surprise, she hasn’t taunted us… yet.
But it’s been a long twenty-four hours of waiting.
“Disappointed your parents aren’t here?” Bennett asks me as his feet land on the low coffee table in front of us. It’s his farm so he can do what he would like, I guess, and he certainly does walk around like he owns this place after he’s had a long day.
“Nah.” I’m impartial at this point. “My father still hasn’t come around, and my mother is actually excited, but she went to visit my aunt who lives in Charleston. Plus, I kind of like that it’s a small group.”
“Okay. After dinner, you’re going to stay or…” It drags out of his lips.
I can tell that there is only one answer he wants but he doesn’t want to pressure me.
“Well, I don’t work tomorrow…”
The sound of a four-year-old squealing hurricane breaks our moment as Rosie comes running into the room, with Grayson not far behind.
“Hey, inside voice, kiddo.” He shakes his head before dropping her little backpack and unicorn on a chair. “Sorry, making us go deaf was not part of the plan.”
Rosie stands towering over us slightly where we’re sitting. Blinking, she looks between Bennett and me. Grayson sets his hands on her shoulders. “We explained to her why we’re having dinner. She is a little horrified that Uncle Bennett put a baby in Aunt Kelsey’s belly.”
Bennett grunts a sound. “Really? Of all the ways to explain to a kid, you chose the one where I’m a villain?”
“Not at all. We said you got so excited around Aunt Kelsey that you didn’t use your brain and gave her a gift.” He grins.
It makes me laugh.
Grayson picks up Rosie, swings her around, then scooches her in the direction of outside. He then sits on the lounge chair next to the cold fireplace. “Lucy is so excited, she would only let Brooke out on the patio to set up.”
“Yeah, we’ve been commanded to stay in here. That was an hour ago, but it’s fine, it’s nice to just sit for a while.” I sigh a breath.
“Everyone getting glammed up for the upcoming holidays, I guess?” Grayson asks.
I nod. “It’s okay, since I can work really hard now, so when the baby comes, I won’t need to worry about working so much those first few weeks because I’ll have enough money saved, and by then, Amber should be up to speed.”
“You don’t need to worry about any of that,” Bennett reminds me with a stern eye aimed in my direction. He has mentioned a few times that he wants to pay for a lot of things.
But I have too much pride. “It’s not so much the money part, more that I’m a business owner and need to ensure it continues, even when I push out an eight-pound baby.”
“Nine pounds, if we’re going by Blisswood statistics,” Grayson humorously informs us.
“Either way, I will have to work a little, even in the first weeks. Only admin stuff, but yeah, that’s the reality.” I’m okay with it, because I will prepare as much as I can beforehand, so I can do an hour here or there when the baby sleeps.
“But I’ll be there to help care for the baby,” Bennett makes it clear to everyone, and sometimes I wonder if he’s scared that I won’t let him play a role, which is crazy.
“Everyone will help,” Grayson adds. “By the way, I made the designs,” he speaks to Bennett.
“Oh yeah? I’ll have to look later,” he replies.
I look between them. “Clue me in?”
Bennett looks at me then Grayson, and it almost feels as though they forgot I was here.
“I’m going to make the crib,” Bennett almost shyly declares.
“As in from a box?”
“No, as in Grayson designed it and my brothers and I will build it. If we have time, then a rocking chair too.”
Who are these creatures? Is there anything they can’t do?
“Wow, that’s quite a task. You’re not giving me much reason not to be enchanted with you,” I honestly state in a melancholy tone.
Bennett smirks from my words.
Grayson looks up when someone at the door motions for him to go outside. “Duty calls. See you in a few minutes.”
“If Lucy uses glitter, tell her I will personally ensure her car has a flat tire that she will need to change herself,” Bennett calls out.
I slap his arm and give him a warning glare. “That’s a little harsh.”
“Oh no. Absolutely not. We once had a wedding here and they used glitter for the bride and groom walking down the aisle. You can still find remnants of silver… three years later.”
“So you’ll slash her tire?” I give him a concerned look.
He laughs. “Nah, but the idea of it will scare the hell out of her. I tried to teach her how to change a flat, and we gave up after hour three.”
“Tough love, huh?”
“Totally. You weren’t that way with your brother?” he asks.
“We kept space between us. He’s four years older than me, so we were never really at the same school, and once he went to college, then he deep-dived into his studies to become a doctor. We are worlds apart. He is the dream child.”
Bennett drapes an arm around me to pull me closer to him. “I’m positive a beautiful small-business owner who can make a guy follow her rules is a dream child too. Or at least I hope that’s what our daughter will be.”
I offer him a side-glance, puzzled. “I thought you think coffee bean is a boy.”
“Oh, I do, but maybe one day we need to add to the brood.”
“That’s like ten steps ahead of where we are, but I’m happy that coffee bean will be a girl so we don’t need to discuss further.” I smile confidently.
“Want to bet on it?” Bennett flashes his eyes at me.
“Maybe. What do I win?”
“If it’s a girl then I will ensure you have a lifetime supply of Bear Brew coffee once she comes.”
“Ooh, that will probably be needed. Okay, and if it’s a boy?”
The corners of his mouth tilt up. “You have to tell me tonight what you want when it comes to us.”
My smile fades but not to disappointment. Butterflies dance around my belly because I hear the desperation in his firm tone. I know what he wants to hear, and I’ve been avoiding it.
I don’t answer, as he caught me slightly off guard, and before I can say anything, I am saved by Lucy yelling through the patio door that it’s time.
“Come on.” Bennett stands and offers me his hand.
Stepping outside and I see why Lucy is like a jumping bean of enthusiasm. It’s late afternoon in November, and the patio is beautifully decorated with blue and pink streamers, plus a table front and center with a giant cake on it. It has white icing and a pink-and-blue question mark on top. The table is decorated in mint-green paper confetti and silver paper plates.
A wave of excitement hits me because this is the moment we learn if it’s a boy or girl.
“Okay, who is going to do the honors?” Lucy proudly presents a cake knife.
I look to Bennett and we’re both grinning, but I know he wants to do it.
“Father-to-be,” I answer.
“This is so exciting!” Brooke squeals. “Okay, I’ll take a video with my phone.” She pulls out her device and moves to a position near the table.
“Why not? I’ll also get a video.” Knox throws us an almost-sly smirk.
Grayson is too busy keeping Rosie from touching the cake as Bennett and I make our way to the table.
“Cut into this masterpiece and you will have your answer that I kept secret all night and day.” Lucy hands the knife to Bennett.
His hand comes to the small of my back and I angle into him to rest my palms against his chest, as I need something to hang on to and he is an excellent option. “Ready for this, Kels?”
“Totally.”
Everyone around us waits in anticipation as Bennett brings the knife to the cake, and as he slowly presses the knife down, my body tightens in nerves, and I hold onto him harder by clawing his shirt. My eyes squint, and I know any moment that pink or blue icing or sprinkles will appear.
Everyone around us makes a sound.
“And?” Grayson asks.
Bennett cuts into the cake and pulls the knife out.
Green.
Huh.
It’s green icing and sprinkles.
My face drops and a frown forms as my eyes quickly find Bennett’s, and we are both confused.
“Wait, what?” Brooke looks between everyone.
Bennett’s eyes dart to his brother and sister, before his eyes darken with disapproval and land on Knox and Lucy who just high-fived one another.
“Your faces.” Knox laughs.
“You think this is funny?” Bennett looks like he is ready to charge his brother.
I catch on that Lucy and Knox completely just pranked us. Which… I find kind of entertaining.
I pull on Bennett’s shirt so he can’t get far.
“I’m sorry, Knox convinced me, and to be honest, your faces right now.” Lucy giggles, and Knox wiggles his phone to show that he got it on video.
“Really not cool.” Grayson chastises his siblings.
“It’s not pink or blue?” Rosie’s little hands go up in confusion.
“That’s because Uncle Knox is being an absolute as—” Bennett runs a hand through his hair and tries to breathe out as he realizes Rosie is watching and listening. “He is absolutely heading to timeout.”
“That’s what my daddy says to Mommy all the time before they go to their—” Grayson covers Rosie’s mouth and pulls her back to him as he chuckles.
“Enough there, kiddo.” He clears his throat.
I can feel Bennett tense under my touch, as he isn’t impressed.
“Hey, relax.” I grab his attention and try to give him my best reassuring smile. “It’s kind of… memorable?”
“I’m so sorry that my family decided now is the moment to show their lesser qualities and mess with me, mess with us. This ruined the moment,” Bennett apologizes.
“I mean, we are still going to find out, right?” I look to Lucy who seems to grasp that the joke didn’t have the greatest effect.
Lucy’s face turns serious. “Absolutely, and I promise I didn’t let Knox near the balloon.”
Bennett and I look behind us, and we must have missed it—a giant black balloon with silver lettering: boy or girl?
Gripping Bennett’s hands in my own, I ensure he focuses on me. “I’m not mad or upset. Really, I maybe even want to laugh too, and it will be a story for coffee bean. It’s just your family being… family. The good kind. Every child needs a crazy uncle, and ours is no exception.”
“You are way too relaxed about this.”
“Because truthfully, you will get them back one day, and it will be just as fun.”
“Maybe I’ll throw this cake at Knox now,” Bennett calls out and shoots a glare at Knox.
My hand grips Bennett’s jaw and draws his attention back to me. “Don’t do that. Baby boy or girl and I may want a piece later. Now, if you can refocus, I believe we have a mystery to solve.” A permanent smile stays on my face as I watch him calm.
Lucy clears her throat then offers a pin to Bennett. “I promise.”
I tow Bennett behind me to the big balloon floating in the air and tied down with a white paperweight. “Come on.”
As we stand under the balloon, everyone settles in a circle around us and pulls out their phones to record the moment about to unfold.
“Ready?” I ask him as his arm encircles my waist to pull our bodies flush.
He holds the pin up. “Only if you remember our bet.”
“It’s a girl, so I will be a caffeinated momma bear.” I’m completely sure.
He raises his brows at me. “And if it’s not…” He raises his arm until the pin touches but doesn’t yet puncture the balloon, our eyes never parting.
In that moment, I feel like I’m floating, just like the balloon over our heads, and any moment I will burst. Excitement for the baby, sure, but that’s a surprise that’s fleeting. My body is anticipating something more long-standing; it’s between Bennett and me. It’s a sensation that overpowers me.
My heart beats on full speed and his look of contentment melts me.
“I want to try, you and me.” It slips out of my mouth.
“Ah, so you knew I would win the bet,” he tells me just as his fingers press the pin into the balloon.
Pop.
His lips crash down on mine, and he kisses the hell out of me as everyone whistles with blue confetti floating around us.