“Whatever happened to normal dog names like Rover or Duke?”
When she could manage it, Leah answered Amanda. “I think we have our hands full. Trouble is still a damn puppy at a year old. She chewed up Jax’s slippers and then pooped them out in pieces.”
Amanda snorted. “Did you try to sew them back together?”
“Unfortunately, my sewing skills are lacking.”
Greg was now sitting on the floor with a licking puppy in his lap. Chaos laid by his side, his tail thumping slowly against the floor and accepting licks from the puppy when she got tired of eating Greg’s face.
“Chaos has slowed down a lot,” Leah whispered to her sister-in-law.
“It’s why we decided to do this now.” Amanda also kept her voice down so the kids wouldn’t hear them.
“Same reason we got Trouble. I know it’ll devastate the kids when Menace goes. He’s been around their whole lives. Plus, this one,” Leah reached over Teddy to pat Marc’s knee, “will take it way harder than the boys.”
“Hey, I had him before I met you. He was my first true love.”
“Yes, he was and I doubt you would have tolerated me shitting in your shoes like he did,” Leah teased her husband.
“I might have given you a pass if you did it while you were naked.”
“Eww,” Teddy screeched, jumping up from the couch and rushing over to Adam. “Hold me, handsome. Your cousin is giving me nightmares.”
“C’mere, wife,” Marc ordered, pulling Leah closer to him. “Havoc wasn’t the last present.”
“No, it isn’t,” Amanda said with a pointed look.
“I’m not talking about that one. I’m talking about the one I asked Carly to bring.”
Leah stared at Marc. “For me?”
“Yes...” Her husband lifted his chin at Carly, who got up, dug through her diaper bag and pulled out what looked like a greeting card sized envelope.
After her sister-in-law handed it to her, Leah glanced at Marc, who looked a bit unsure. Pale even.
“What is this?” Leah asked suspiciously.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Are we going on a second honeymoon? If so, then we should wait until after the baby is born—”
“No.”
“Is it the spa gift certificate you mentioned yesterday? I could use some pampering.” Ron’s strong hands massaging her feet made her want to book a whole day of the same.
“No. But it’s up to you whether you open it now or later... Or not at all. I know you wanted to keep it a surprise but I figured today would be the perfect day, if any, for you to find out what we’re having.”
“You’re havin’ a baby!” Greg yelled from across the room.
Leah realized all eyes were no longer on the puppy, but on them.
“I meant, what kind of baby,” Marc clarified.
“A human baby, silly!” Greg said, his puppy now on the floor, playing tug-of-war with his shoelaces.
Leah felt the blood drain from her face. She was desperate to know, but she was afraid to be disappointed. In truth, like most parents, she’d be happy as long as her child was born healthy. But also, deep down inside, she really, really, really wanted a girl this time. She insisted their second dog be female, simply so Leah wasn’t the only one in the house. But a little girl...
Not just any little girl. Marc’s. Possibly with his dark hair and stunning blue eyes.
She’d be a daddy’s girl.
Damn hormones were making her eyes burn.
She flipped the envelope over and over in her hands, staring at it, very aware that everyone was still watching her. After a few more turns, she lifted her eyes to her husband. “Do you know?”
“No, I told Carly not to tell me. I wanted to find out at the same time as you.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled, a tear threatening to fall from the corner of her eye. She quickly caught it before it did. “It shouldn’t matter.”
“I know,” Marc said softly.
“He or she will be a part of us. That’s all that matters.”
“I know. You can throw that into the fire if you want and we can wait.”
Leah tried to swallow, but her throat was closing up. She really wanted to know but she was scared.
Her finger slipped under the corner of the sealed flap and as she slid it along the edge, she carefully worked it open. Then she paused, still staring at it. “We could choose a name if we know.”
“Baby, do it or don’t. It’s up to you.”
Leah gnawed at her bottom lip. It didn’t make sense that the kids were so quiet. It wasn’t like them. How could everyone be