Page 79 of Through the Storm

Katy’s crying again—softly this time, her hand trembling on her belly—and that’s what finally cracks him completely.

Declan rakes a hand through his hair, turns toward the door. “I just… I need a minute.” He storms inside, the screen door slamming behind him.

Ella sighs, turning to me. “You should probably give him a day before you try again.”

I nod, staring at the door. “Yeah,” I say quietly. “Or a year.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

katy

JUST… NO

Ella and Rebeccainsisted we needed a girls’ morning after all the baby shower drama from yesterday. They picked me up at ten sharp, relentlessly cheerful despite how tired I am. Stupid non-pregnant people.

We grab coffees and head straight to the nail salon. My feet are soaking in lavender-scented water, but my brain is still stuck at the baby shower.

Ella sighs dramatically from the chair next to me. “Okay, but objectively? The diaper drills were amazing.”

Rebecca hums, inspecting her nails. “Iconic.”

I close my eyes. “So many football players. Five. Why did I let that happen?”

“Because,” Rebecca says calmly, “you’re apparently football player catnip.”

Ella giggles. “They were all kind of adorable.”

I snort. “Only you would think six-foot-tall men are adorable.”

She shrugs. “Leo is my brother. I’m an expert at spotting secret softies.”

“And Logan’s mom? I lovedher,” Rebecca adds.

“She was lovely,” I admit.

Ella nods. “She was so nice. And apparently, she’s Ali’s new bestie. They bonded over being single moms.”

The pedicurist gestures for me to lift my foot. I do, watching the water ripple.

“But Declan absolutely losing his mind.” Ella sighs. “That was rough. I worked on him all night, but he’s still upset.”

“Gross, Ella. I do not need to hear that.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she protests.

Rebecca smirks. “But itwaslike that.”

Ella turns beet red.

I press my palm into my eyes. “Moving on.”

She glances at me. “He overheard Logan talking to Ben, right?”

“Yeah,” I say. “Logan was just trying to be nice. Explaining how it’d be awesome if Ben were the dad but that if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t get between us. Declan did not take the possibility of Ben being the dad very calmly.”

“Seriously. I almost had to body-check him to prevent a felony.”

“Yeah.” I swallow. “He left furious. At all of us.”