For A Good Time, Call... (30 page)

“Oh
yeah?” Charlie asked, smiling. “Big news?”

I
looked at Hunter and he nudged me. “You tell them,” he
whispered.

“I'm
pregnant,” I said loudly.

There
was a short silence before the yelling began, making Becca jump and
then clap at the commotion, not knowing what it was about, but
excited nonetheless.

“See?”
Charlie asked, slapping Ryan hard enough on the back of the neck to
make him stumble two steps forward. “Grand babies,” he
yelled. He walked over to us, the scariest, most intimidating man in
five states wide, with a huge happy grin on his face as he pulled me
out of his son's arms and enveloped me in a bear hug, spinning me
around.

“Babe,”
Helen called, stepping closer and putting a hand on his shoulder.
“She's going to puke all over you if you keep doing that.”

“Nonsense,”
he declared, but set me on my feet. “You had four boys and were
never sick one time. Oh,” he said, smiling fondly at Becca.
“maybe that means we are getting another little girl.”

I
silently agreed with him. I thought it was another girl. But, I mean,
you can never really know. Not for a couple more months anyway.

“My
daughters are never going to be able to date, are they?” I
asked, looking around at all the men they would have in their lives
to love and protect them and feeling so incredibly grateful my heart
hurt. My daughters would have so much more than I did. They would
never grow up thinking men were raging rivers. They would never have
to worry about keeping their heads above water.

“Hell
no,” Shane said, scrunching up his face in disgust. “No
one would ever be worthy.”

“That's
probably true,” Hunter agreed, walking up behind me and putting
his hands on my belly.

This
was right. This was the life my mother had wanted for me. A good man.
Actually, seven good men around me. The touch of someone who loved
me. Rare and beautiful and godly. And my perfect daughter, my perfect
future children. A chance to break the cycle. A chance for happiness.

“Love
you, Fee,” Hunter said against my ear.

“I
love you too,” I said, putting my hands on top of his. “Even
though you stole my cactus.” And he laughed, squeezing me
tighter at our little inside joke.

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