Twin Babies for my Pucking Defenders (Chicago Icebreakers #2)

37. Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jade

Nate’s hand is gripping mine, warm and reassuring, as we sit in this sterile-ass exam room. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there are two heartbeats on the monitor. Twins. Freaking twins. How the hell did I not know?

The doctor just left after dropping that bomb on us, and I’m still staring at the screen, processing. Nate hasn’t let go of my hand, but he’s staring at me with that boyish grin that melts me every damn time.

“Twins, Jade,” he says again, like I didn’t already hear him.

“Twins,” I echo, dumbfounded. “Holy shit.”

Nate’s laughing now, probably more excited than me, and that’s saying a lot. His big hand cups my face, pulling me toward him for a kiss. I taste his happiness on my lips. “We gotta tell Carter and Axel.”

I blink at him, a bit dazed. “Hell, I need to tell myself first.”

“Tell the others, then,” he chuckles. “They’re gonna freak.”

The door swings open, and a nurse comes in, clipboard in hand. She clears her throat loudly, eyes going wide the moment she sees us. Me, half-reclined on the bed, and Nate, clearly about five seconds away from climbing in with me. Her gaze flickers between us before she focuses on Nate. Oh boy, here it comes.

“Uh…Coach Nate Hawthorne, right?” she asks, starstruck, her voice almost squeaky. “You coach the Chicago Icebreakers?”

Nate straightens up, smiling like the celebrity he is, while I stifle a laugh. “That’s me.”

The nurse’s cheeks turn a bit pink. “My son is a huge fan of the team. Any chance I could, um, get an autograph? He’d lose his mind.”

“Of course,” Nate says, all charm. He grabs a piece of paper from her clipboard, scribbling something down. She looks like she’s about to faint when she takes it back.

“Thank you so much,” she gushes, and then, like it’s an afterthought, turns to me. “You’re all set to go, Jade. Everything looks great.” She gives me a polite smile, though her eyes linger a little longer on Nate before she finally leaves us alone again.

Nate turns to me, a smirk on his lips. “Wanna head to my place for lunch?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Lunch? Are you cooking?”

“I make a mean bowl of noodles,” he teases, reaching for my hand again. “Besides, I gotta make sure you’re eating properly now, mom of two.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “All right, fine. But where’s Sadie? You talk to her?”

“Yeah, she’s still with her aunt. Called her this morning.”

“Good. She’s gonna flip when she finds out she’s getting two siblings.”

We head out of the hospital, and the sun hits us as we step into the parking lot. Nate’s got his arm around me, and I lean into him, feeling the weight of the day—no, the excitement of the day. Damn, I’m having twins.

When we get to his house, I plop down at the kitchen counter, watching as he moves around, pulling out noodles and setting a pot of water to boil. “You want ice chips, right?”

I nod. “Please. You know me too well.”

He hands me a glass full of them, and I chew on a couple, enjoying the cold as it distracts me from the heat of the moment. Nate’s moving around the kitchen with ease and it makes me smile. I like this domestic side of him.

As he stirs the noodles, the front door flies open, and I hear the heavy thud of footsteps. Carter and Axel walk in, still in their jerseys, sweaty and looking like they just came from practice.

“Holy shit, Coach, what smells so good?” Carter asks, sniffing the air dramatically.

“You two stink,” Nate grumbles, tossing them both a disapproving look. “Don’t get too close to Jade, all right?”

Axel rolls his eyes, but they both come over and kiss me on the cheek anyway, making Nate growl low in his throat. “Coach is getting possessive,” Axel teases.

I laugh. “How was practice?” I ask, leaning back, still chewing on my ice.

“Declan’s a damn tyrant,” Carter grumbles, pulling off his jersey and throwing it on the floor. “Had us running drills for hours.”

“I’m sure he enjoyed every second of it,” Nate mutters, shaking his head.

I grin. “Well, speaking of practice, I have some news.”

They all stop what they’re doing and stare at me. Nate steps closer, his eyes lighting up like he already knows what I’m about to say. Carter raises an eyebrow, and Axel leans in, waiting for the punchline.

“I’m having twins.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then the room erupts.

“Twins?” Carter shouts, throwing his arms up. “Holy shit, that’s awesome!”

Axel slaps Nate on the back, grinning. “Looks like the coach has been putting in work.”

Nate’s laughing, shaking his head at their antics, but when he turns back to me, his expression softens, and he pulls me into a hug. “You’re incredible, Jade.”

“Damn right I am,” I tease, but inside, I’m melting a little. The reality of it all is hitting me again, and suddenly I’m just…happy. Really happy.

“Let’s celebrate,” Axel says, grabbing some beers from the fridge. “Well, not you, Jade,” he adds quickly, giving me a sheepish look.

I roll my eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll just stick with my ice chips.”

We all settle in, eating noodles and laughing about practice and Declan’s ridiculous drills. Carter and Axel are still buzzing from the news about the twins, and Nate can’t stop touching me. His hand is on my back, his arm around my waist. It’s like he needs the physical contact to believe this is real. And I get it. It is pretty unbelievable.

After we’ve eaten and the guys have had their beers, Carter and Axel finally head out, leaving Nate and me alone again. I stretch, my small belly now starting to poke out a bit more, and Nate’s eyes darken as they follow the curve.

“You’re so damn sexy,” he murmurs, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist, his hands resting low on my stomach. “You have no idea.”

I lean back against him, sighing contentedly. “You just like the fact that I’m carrying your babies.”

“Damn right I do.”

His lips press against my neck, soft at first, and then he’s nipping at my skin, sending shivers down my spine. I turn in his arms, wrapping my hands around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. It starts slow, but it doesn’t stay that way. Within seconds, his hands are on my hips, lifting me up onto the counter, and I’m wrapping my legs around him, pulling him closer.

“Nate,” I breathe, and he groans in response, pressing his forehead against mine.

“I can’t get enough of you, Jade,” he mutters, his hands slipping under my shirt, fingers brushing against my skin. “You drive me crazy.”

I smile against his lips. “Good.”