Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Adriano keeps appearing beside me every few minutes like he physically can’t stay away for long. He showers me in forehead kisses and rubs his hand over my stomach.
Sometimes I catch him watching me with the same obsessive intensity he’s had since the day he decided I belonged to him.
‘I love you,’ I mouth to him before blowing a kiss.
He pretends to catch it mid-air and presses it to his heart.
Little Ricky comes over with a huge plate of food I can’t possibly finish, and orders, “Eat it all, boss lady.”
“Have you lost your mind?” I ask. “I’m not eating for a village.”
“It’s just a little of everything.”
“Little of everything, my butt,” I grumble.
“What’s going on here?” Big Ricky asks. “Is my son pissing you off?”
I point at the plate. “Look at what the Hulk over here expects me to eat.”
“But you’re eating for two,” Little Ricky argues.
I scowl at them, but the next moment Big Ricky comes to take the plate and hands me one that has everything I love.
When I smile at him, Little Ricky complains, “It’s the same amount of food!”
“Laurie can’t stomach steak, dumbass,” his father mutters.
“Oh.”
Adriano settles into the chair beside me, his thigh pressing against mine as his hand immediately returns to my stomach. I feed him every second bite while we watch our friends and family enjoy themselves.
The sun slowly lowers as the party shifts into something softer. The men drift closer to the tables, and when I glance over everyone, all I see is love.
I hear Gabriella and Samantha argue over who made the best dessert, but we all know nothing beats Mom’s cannolis. Dad comes to sit on my other side and places his hand on my shoulder. “So what do we still need to get for the baby?”
“Nothing. I think we have too much.”
“You sure?”
I give him a smile while leaning into him. “Yes, Dad.”
He looks at me with fatherly love that makes me feel protected. “How about you, my girl? How are you holding up?”
“I’m good. You all spoil me rotten.” I place my hand on top of Adriano’s and adjust his so he can feel our baby moving.
“Only the best for our daughter,” Dad murmurs.
Adriano
Across the yard, Laurie laughs at something with Nina and Yuki, and my attention locks on her instantly like it always does.
Fuck, I love that woman so much.
“You’re staring again,” Remo says beside me.
“I can stare at my wife whenever I want.”
My brother lets out a snort. “That doesn’t make it less creepy.”
Georgi chuckles into his drink. “He looks at her like he’d start a war over someone breathing wrong near her.”
“I would,” I reply without hesitation.
Augusto lets out a sigh. “Those women have us all by the balls.”
Little Ricky grins. “Adriano’s gone soft in his old age.”
I slowly turn my head, raising my eyebrow at him.
“Fine. Middle age.”
“That’s what I thought,” I mutter before turning my attention back to my beautiful wife, who I get more obsessed with every passing year.
She catches me staring and smiles.
After six years, seeing the love in her baby-blue eyes still hits me right in the chest.
Mom suddenly claps her hands loudly. “Everyone gather over here. It’s time for the big reveal.”
I walk to Laurie and help her up before wrapping my arm around her. “Are you ready to find out what we’re having?”
“I don’t know. Are you?”
I shrug. “As long as our baby is healthy, I don’t care if it’s a boy or girl.”
“You’re right.”
I guide her to where Mom’s standing by the fountain in the center of the garden.
“Everyone count down from ten,” she orders.
The kids dance as the countdown begins, and when we reach one, the fountain comes to life, several streams of water shooting high into the air before the hidden lights beneath the water turn a deep, rich blue.
Our family and friends instantly erupt into cheers, while shock shudders through me.
Laurie gasps beside me, both hands flying to her mouth as she stares at blue water raining back down into the marble basin.
“A boy?” she whispers, her voice strained.
Emotion hits me so hard it almost feels unreal.
Then my wife shrieks, “We’re having a boy!”
As I look at her, I see tears rolling down her cheeks before she throws her arms around my neck. I engulf her against me, processing the shock at the speed of light, then pushing her back, I sink down to my knees and press a kiss to where the woman of my dreams is keeping my heir safe.
My heart swells to twice its size as it fills with love for our unborn child.
“Our son,” I whisper as I press another kiss to Laurie’s stomach, then I look up at her. “We’re having a son.”
Her fingers brush through my hair as she smiles tearfully down at me. “We are.”
Ours.
Mine and Laurie’s.