Should’ve Known It’s You (Not You Again #7)

Chapter 67

CHAPTER 67

AUSTIN

A s the sun started dipping low outside, we sat down to yet another feast prepared by my mother. All day long, I’d been smelling the mouthwatering scents wafting from the kitchen, and now that we were finally dishing up, I was more than ready to tuck in.

Mom had made a huge roast with gravy, potatoes, roasted vegetables, salads, a whole chicken, and a few more trimmings I couldn’t wait to try. As I waited for Jess, Kenny, and Mom to serve themselves first, I couldn’t help but look around the dinner table, feeling so incredibly thankful for another Christmas with my family.

Getting closer to Kenny had made me realize every day just how lucky I was to have them, and I really didn’t want to take even one day with them for granted. I knew this feeling would fade eventually, but for now, I was just so fucking happy to be here with them.

As I watched Jess waddle her way to her chair, I caught her rubbing her belly, which was even bigger than it had been when we’d seen her at Winrey’s shower. Peanut was growing fast now, and the realization hit me with a rush of desire to have a child of my own with Kennedy.

We’d talked about it briefly this morning, and while I knew she’d mostly been joking around, my mind conjured up a picture of her sitting by my side this time next year with our baby growing inside her. I suddenly understood better than ever why Slate had asked my sister to marry him so soon after they’d worked out the logistics of being together.

There had been no reason for them to wait and they hadn’t wanted to. At the time, I’d known they were perfect for each other, but I would admit that I had wondered why they’d rushed things. I finally got it now, though.

As I tucked into my meal, I contemplated buying a ring when we got back to the city. I didn’t know if Kenny would say yes yet if I asked, but if she wasn’t ready, I could always just ask again.

It’s definitely something to think about.

Throughout dinner, I watched her with my family, fitting right in as if she’d always belonged at our dinner table. She joked around with Slate and Mom, reminisced with Jess, and swapped stories with Dad.

I hid a smile as I took it all in, deciding on the spot to buy that ring just as soon as we were back in civilization. I was a big boy. I could handle rejection if it went that way, but I had to ask. I desperately wanted to start my life with her, and I wanted to do it as soon as possible.

Eventually rejoining the conversation, I laughed with everybody else and focused on being present in the moment despite how excited I was about the future. Later on, while we were clearing the table, Kennedy’s phone rang.

She pulled it out of her pocket and smiled. “It’s Winrey. I should take this.”

She slid her finger across the screen and pressed the phone to her ear, still on her way out of the room to take the call in private when I realized something was wrong.

“What? When? How?” she asked in quick succession.

I heard the anxiety in her voice immediately and my spine straightened, my senses on high alert. I went to her side without hesitation, sliding my hand into hers to offer silent support while she finished the call.

It only took a moment before she hung up. Then she looked at me like a deer in headlights. “Winrey is at the hospital. The baby is coming.”

All the color drained from her cheeks and I knew where her fear was coming from. The baby was early by nearly a full month. I wasn’t sure what sort of implications that could have, but I knew it could be dangerous.

My family sprang into action. Jess hurried to the door to grab our coats while Slate’s gaze landed on mine, the look in his eyes dark and serious. “Leave your things in the loft. I’ll drive it out to you in the city tomorrow. Just go.”

“Keep us posted,” Mom hollered as we raced to the door, sliding our arms into our coats before we rushed out to the car.

“Drive safe, Austin,” Dad yelled from the porch. “You’ll get there in time, but not if you land in a ditch on the way.”

“Will do!” I replied just before I yanked open my door and dropped into the driver’s seat.

Kennedy was already buckling up, her hands trembling and her cheeks ashen. She sat rigidly beside me, her spine stiff and her eyes fixed straight ahead.

Focusing on getting us to the hospital safely, I kept both hands on the steering wheel and my gaze locked on the road. Every mile seemed to take an hour, but I was going as fast as I dared considering the wintery conditions outside.

What felt like an age later, the blazing lights of the hospital came into view and I glanced at the clock on the dashboard. We’d made it there in record time, especially under the circumstances, but Kennedy still hadn’t said a word.

I parked in the first spot I could find. We got out of the car and hurried to the maternity ward. Kenny ran straight to the nurse’s station, her voice shaking. “I’m Kennedy Sweet. My sister, Winrey, is in there. She said they’d let you know I was on their list to go inside.”

“Go right in,” the head nurse told her and pressed the button to grant her access. As I slid my hand into Kenny’s once more, the nurse looked at me over her shoulder. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to stay in the waiting room, sir.”

“Of course.” I rushed to the door with Kenny but only gave her a quick kiss before she ran inside. The frosted glass door swung slowly shut behind her.

Once she was gone, I inhaled a deep breath and headed back to the waiting area. I understood why I hadn’t been let in. I never would have intruded on a moment like that anyhow, but the waiting was brutal.

I had no information other than what Kenny had said back at Merrick Meadows. While I was relieved that she was there for her sister, I had to ask myself who was there for her. Please, God. Please let everyone be healthy and safe.

After letting my parents know that we’d made it without incident, I grabbed a cup of weak coffee and settled in, prepared to wait all night if I had to. Jess texted occasionally for updates, but I simply never had anything to tell her.

Kennedy finally came out almost two hours later. As the doors opened, she was grinning ear to ear and relief soared through me. I flew to my feet, racing over to hug her. “Is Winrey okay? Is the baby?”

She nodded, pulling away and looking right into my eyes. “They’re both doing wonderfully. She was such a badass in there.”

“What about how premature the baby is?”

Kenny’s grin turned into a relieved smile as she shrugged. “The doctors think her due date was incorrect and that the baby is only two weeks early, which is apparently quite normal. If all goes well, they’ll both be discharged by this time tomorrow night.”

I let out a long breath, feeling like I could finally unclench my shoulders. Kennedy took my hand. “Do you want to meet him? Winrey and Benji told me to come get you. They’d love if you’d come see him.”

Him. A boy.

I nodded eagerly, walking toward Winrey’s room with her hand still in mine. As we strode down the hallway, Kenny smiled at me. “She’s already been moved to another room after giving birth and she’s pretty tired, so I told her we’d only stay a couple of minutes before we let them settle for the night and get some rest.”

I wasn’t sure how much rest one could get with a newborn, but I knew that as soon as the adrenaline wore off for Kenny and me, we were both going to crash pretty hard ourselves. Best I get her home before that happens.

“Knock knock,” she said as she pushed open a door to our left. “Look who I found.”

I followed her into the room, seeing Winrey on a bed in front of a little window. She looked exhausted but blissfully happy as she cradled the baby in her arms. Her hair was plastered to her head, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright with joy, but red-rimmed.

I grinned at her. “I hear congratulations are in order. I guess the little guy didn’t want to wait a whole year for his first Christmas, huh?”

Winrey chuckled. “I guess not. Come on over here, Uncle Austin.”

Striding quickly across the room, I went to stand next to the bed and leaned over to look down at the squishy face of the little boy. An unexpected wave of emotion crashed into me as I stared at his beautiful, sleeping face, and I cleared my throat in an attempt to dislodge the lump growing in it.

Winrey gave me a knowing look, whispering, “I know.”

“He’s just so perfect,” I murmured softly, unable to tear my gaze away from him. “I think I just realized why people are always saying that babies are such miracles.”

Benji chuckled. “Well, this miracle is your nephew. Maybe not legally. Yet. But you still qualify.”

“Would you like to hold him?” Winrey asked, gently lifting the tiny little boy toward me.

I took him as carefully as I’d ever taken anything, so damn scared to jostle him as I slid an arm underneath him and held his precious head in my palm. As I gazed down at him, I felt like I was falling in love all over again. It was insane.

Holy hell. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.

“His name is Nicholas,” Winrey said. “We thought it was only fitting considering that his birthday is Christmas.”

“Hello, Nicholas,” I murmured with blood rushing in my ears and my heart racing a million miles a minute. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

The little boy blinked his eyes open, yawning the most adorable yawn I’d ever seen before he wrapped his tiny fingers around my thumb. My heart nearly climbed out of my chest then, a feeling of utter emotional chaos sweeping through me.

The powerful surge of it nearly knocked me off my feet as I stood there, just staring at this tiny, brand new person who technically wasn’t even related to me. And yet, I knew in that moment I would be a part of his life.

Nicholas was my nephew in every way that counted, and right then and there, I pledged that I would always be there for him. Starting with making his aunt my wife.