Page 142 of Steele

I glanced at Natalie. “I won’t stop her,” I said. “Unless you ask me to. But I honestly don’t think she will. I’ve always been Miss Jaymi.” Since the school year ended, I’d just been Jaymi. We took a few more steps. “Will you do the same for Brett?”

I knew my husband. He didn’t want Lili to call Henri dad either. He’d worked too hard to be worthy of the title. Now, he was such a girl dad. He took Lili to ballet and constantly talked to the little girl in my belly waiting to meet him.

“I’ll talk to Henri,” Natalie said, and then she smiled. “It is pretty cute the way she calls him Onery.”

Once downstairs, Natalie walked away. My mom was in the kitchen with some of the ladies from the MC. Holly spotted me, and we slipped away without my mom noticing.

“Bitch, you are so bad,” Holly said and fixed my hair.

I glanced over my shoulder, making sure we weren’t overheard. “I can’t help it. He just has to smile, and I’m ready to bend over. It’s not like he can do me any other way. My baby bump is a freaking blimp.”

“She asked where you were. And yes, I told her you were being ravished by your husband again.” She shrugged. “And then I told her you were a lucky bitch.”

“Oh, god.”

“Yeah. She brought Him into it, too. But a little more along the lines that it’s a good thing you’re going to church because you need to find God.” She linked her arm with mine as we went outside.

“I’m going to gain ten pounds today.”

Holly snickered. “Because Brett’s been feeding you dick all day.”

We wandered over to the food table. Stormy filled a plate with spicy meatballs, jalapeno poppers, and spicy-hot buffalo wings. “Don’t tell,” she said with a conspiratorial tone and chuckle. She was only a few weeks behind me in her pregnancy. But this was her first baby, and she still had a waistline.

Rogue grabbed a plate and filled it with meatballs.

“Hey, Daddy,” Stormy said.

Bullet came up behind her and snatched a popper from her plate. “I’m the only one you’re calling daddy.”

Rogue snorted and grabbed a couple cookies off the platter. “If Jazzy’s like this with a mutt, I’m not sure I’ll survive a kid.”

Jazzy sat with Rosie on a blanket. A little pup, with a studded collar and wearing a leather dog vest with Heller Hound patched on the back, hopped around between them. The dog rode behind her on a specially designed pillion seat.

“I think Harley is adorable.” As I spoke, the black and white Boston Terrier yipped. Rosie squealed and clapped her hands. My hand went to my belly. One day soon, that would be me, holding a baby—but no dog. One cat and a menagerie of critters were enough.

“I’m ready for cake,” I said, and Stormy enthusiastically nodded her agreement.

“The pregnant ladies want cake,” Stormy said.

“Pregnant ladies get what they want.” Bullet picked up the cake knife.

“No,” Holly screeched. “You’ll be going to war with her mom.”

Brett came up behind me. His palms cradled my belly. “Are you ready?” he asked.

He wasn’t talking about cake. I fingered the charm bracelet on my wrist. Brett had given it to me, along with a baby booties charm, after our first prenatal appointment. He’d added a butterfly with angel wings charm the day we’d gone to the cemetery to tell Matti about us getting married. He’d given me another one last night. A heart with today’s date inscribed on the back.

Lili loved to twist the charms as she snuggled against me on the couch, waiting for the baby to move. I wanted her to have a bracelet of her own.

I slipped my hand into his. Lili was with Romeo, wearing her sparkling tutu dress and giggling as he and Levi played I-Spy with her. Rhinestones glinted in her Princess Leia braided buns.

“Lili, we have something for you,” Brett said and helped me to sit next to her on the end of the lounger.

“Rematch later.” Romeo stepped away with Levi.

Natalie and Henri approached. I’d asked them to be involved. Then I pulled the small box from my pocket.

Lili’s lips formed an O as she took the box.