Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
As the plane touches down my phone rings. “Hey,” I say to Liam as I wait for the plane to pull to the hangar. “What’s up?” Even as I ask, I already know it’s about Elle.
“Your dad says we need to hurry. I’m outside.”
The door opens, I walk down the first two steps and then jump, running toward Liam’s car as soon as my feet touch the pavement.
“Buckle up,” he says as he tears out of the airport as fast as he can with his flashers on. “Things good?”
“Yeah. Tour’s going well.”
“Nah, with you,” he says as he maneuvers around cars.
His question gives me a pause. I smile and nod. “Yeah, I’m really good.” I am, because the past few weeks with Justine have been refreshing. No, I take that back. This tour has been amazing because of her. She didn’t allow me to wallow in self-pity but allowed me to grieve my long-term relationship in my own way.
Liam screeches to a stop at the entrance of the hospital. I don’t bother with my bag and barely thank him as I get out of the car. Someone tells me to stop running, which I ignore. For all they know I’m the expected father and I need to get to the maternity ward.
At the nurse’s station, I stop and try to catch my breath. “Where—”
The nurse smiles and points, “508.”
My expression must question her.
“I know who you are and who your family is. Your sister is in 508.”
“Thanks.” I don’t know who she is, but she needs a raise.
I push the door open and find my family gathered around, my mom with her hand over her mouth. My chest heaves, working to fill my lungs with air. “Liam called and said . . .” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I know what I was going to say next is wrong. Yes, he called, but he also picked me up and drove like a madman to get me here.
“I missed it?”
In my sister’s arms are two babies, both wearing blue hats. She had twins . . . she had two babies when I thought she was going to have one. Her one was supposed to be my best friend. The odd man out. Peyton’s babies would all have each other, and Elle’s one would have no one, except me because I understood what it was like to be on the outside, to watch Peyton and Elle live in their own world. Sure, we are close, but their bond is different. I was going to be that bond for Elle’s baby . . .
. . . and now I don’t have anyone.
“Actually, you’re right on time,” Elle says. “I’d like you to meet my youngest son, Sonny Quinn Miller.”
At the mention of his name, my head spins. I know I joked about Peyton naming her daughter Quinnella, but I would’ve been on my knees begging her not to do something like that. I never thought in a million years either of my sisters would give one of their kids my name. Even as a nickname.
“Wow, he has my name.” Tears cloud my vision, and my throat tightens with emotion.
“Of course he does, Quinny. Did you really think your sisters would have five kids in the matter of weeks and not give one of them your name?”
I look from Elle to my dad with tears tipping the rim of my eyes. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Dad chuckles.
“For this.” I look at around at my family. Other than my dad, I’m not related to a single one of them, except by a piece of paper and love. “For giving me this life when you could’ve easily shut the door and never looked back, for giving me this family.”
My eyes find our mom, our rock, the one who made sure we had a normal upbringing and experienced everything we could. “Being your son, their brother, and now an uncle is literally the best part of my life.”
Elle chokes out a sob. “Well shit, Quinn. You can’t say emo shit to a woman who just had a baby.”
“Two,” Peyton says.
“Right, what she said,” Elle qualifies.
I move in for closer look at my nephews. Peyton steps to the other side of Elle as she adjusts her boys.
“Whenever I mess up, don’t worry. Your auntie P and uncle Quinny will take care of you. Believe me, their phone numbers will be the first thing you memorize.”
“You’re not going to mess up, E,” I lean in and whisper.
We visit for another hour, taking turns holding the boys and trying to find any distinguishing marks so we’ll be able to tell them apart. I catch a ride back to Noah and Peyton’s after taking them up on their suggestion I stay with them.
As if the triplets are partly mine, I follow the new parents upstairs. Noah looks at me over his shoulder with a ‘what the fuck are you doing’ look but says nothing as I follow them into the boy’s room. I immediately walk through the bathroom and take the spot Liam vacated in Juniper’s room.