The Proposal (The Proposition #2)(37)

Standing in the bedroom doorway, Aidan surveyed the scene with a smile. Emma held a flashlight to her baby bump. Hovering close to her, Georgie stared expectantly at Emma’s stomach as if waiting for something earth shattering to happen.

Emma glanced up to see him and smiled. “Hey. You’re back.”

“Grammy sends her love and the promise she’ll be down within the week.”

Emma huffed out a frustrated breath. “And Granddaddy?” she asked tentatively.

“Is still in a lot of pain, but he’s doing pretty well. And he managed not to verbally or physically assault me.”

Emma’s brows raised in surprised. “That’s good news.”

He motioned at her and Georgie. “What are you guys doing?”

“Trying the flashlight trick,” Georgie replied, not taking his eyes off Emma’s belly.

“Flashlight trick?” he repeated, as he walked over to them.

Emma nodded. “Since a baby’s eyes start to open in the sixth month, supposedly pressing a flashlight to your belly will make him move.” She smiled down at Georgie. “He’s never felt a baby kick, so he wanted to feel Noah.”

Aidan chuckled. “Any luck?”

Georgie’s lips turned down. “Nope.”

“He’s showing his true Fitzgerald stubbornness by not cooperating,” Emma said.

“Hey now, I think he’s equally inherited some of that from you too,” Aidan argued.

“Kick Noah!” Georgie ordered.

Aidan laughed at his determination. “Did you ever think that maybe you’re making him mad or something? How would you like someone sticking a flashlight on you and shining it in your eyes?” Grabbing Georgie by the ankles, he slid him down the bed. “Let’s see how you like it, huh?”

Georgie giggled when Aidan snatched his shirt up and pressed the flashlight to his stomach. “Stop it, Uncle Aidan!” he said, when he could catch his breath.

“Did your baby start kicking?” Aidan asked.

Georgie pushed his shirt down. “I don’t have a baby in my belly, silly!”

“You don’t?”

“No, only mommie’s have babies in their bellies.”

“Oh, I see.” He tickled his fingers up Georgie’s sides, causing him to laugh and squirm again.

“Quick Georgie!” Emma cried.

Aidan grabbed Georgie’s waist and hoisted him back up to Emma. She took his hand and brought it to her belly. His eyes widened. “Uncle Aidan, Noah’s kicking me!”

Emma grinned. “He must like the sound of your laugh because that’s what got him going, not the flashlight.”

Georgie dropped his hand to lean over and kiss the spot where he had been feeling. “I love you, Noah!”

Aidan smiled when tears sparkled in Emma’s emerald eyes. He was getting used to her hormonal waterworks at the drop of a hat.

Georgie, however, peered up at her in surprise. “Why are you crying, Aunt Emma?”

“Because you’re such a sweet boy,” she replied, drawing him into her arms. She kissed the crown of Georgie’s head as she hugged him. It didn’t escape by Aidan how Georgie had called Emma ‘aunt’, and she hadn’t protested.

“I gotta go pee-pee,” Georgie said, squirming away from Emma and hopping off the bed.

As he swept by Aidan, Emma’s gaze honed in on the bag at his side. “What’s that?”

“Oh, um…” He rubbed his jaw and shifted on his feet. He didn’t know why he was nervous about giving her the gift. It was just a stupid onesie. “It’s something for Noah.”

Emma’s green eyes instantly lit up. “Really?”

“It’s nothing much. I just saw it in the store and thought of him…and you.”

With a grin like a kid on Christmas morning, she snatched the bag from his hands. Her fingers dug inside to pull out the onesie. She unfolded it and peered at the writing. “I’m cute, Mommy’s cute, and Daddy’s…” She tore her gaze up to meet his.

“Daddy’s lucky,” he finished for her.

“Oh Aidan,” she murmured. Tears once again welled in her eyes, but a pleased smile curved on her full lips as she ran her fingers over the onesie. She tilted her head up at him. “Thank you. This is too adorable and sweet. And I love that the first article of clothing anyone has gotten for him is from his father.”

“Besides his christening gown,” Aidan reminded her.

“Oh, you’re right. But still.”

“If I knew you were going to get that sentimental about it, I would have bought him something nicer,” he mused.

“It’s not just the onesie, Aidan. It’s what it says,” she said softly. Her eyes met his, and his heart leapt at the love he could see burning in hers. If he could only bottle moments like these, he could then give them back to her whenever she tried to doubt her love for him.

“Aunt Emma?” Georgie asked, squirming back up on the bed.

“What honey?”

“I was just wonderin’ how did Noah get in your belly?”

“Um, well…”

“Mommy says he’s Uncle Aidan’s baby, so did he put it there?”

Emma’s eyes bulged as she stared up at Aidan. “Uh, well…”