AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hunter leaned over and whispered something to her.
“Now?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Oh please,” I moaned. “Surely you can wait until you don’t have company to indulge in your marital duties.”
“Shut up, Kade,” Hunter said.
“You’re the one feeling up her ass.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why are you watching me feel up my wife?”
Okay, that was embarrassing.
“As much as I would indeed like to engage in marital relations, that’s not what this is about,” Hunter said. He beamed down at his wife, who was beaming right back.
“We’re having a baby,” she burst out.
“Oh, how wonderful!” Sara waddled her way to them, the first to hug them both. Chase followed suit, with Ash and Beth right behind. Finally, I took up the rear, as usual, feeling happy for them and at the same time sad for myself. I could have that, I thought. If only Morgan would accept me. Granted, the baby she carried now wasn’t biologically mine, but I could adopt it. That would make it mine.
The dinner went on as usual, or the usual it had become since Chase married Sara. B.S., or before Sara, my brothers and I had little tolerance for each other. My father made sure that we worked hard and earned what we got in the business, and that meant competing with my brothers. Then he went and changed the rules, saying we had to get married because he was willing our inheritance to our kids. I hoped to hell he’d consider Morgan’s child mine when the time came. If the time came.
I helped with the dishes, noticing again that Beth and Ash were in a serious exchange on the other side of the room.
“What’s with them?” I asked Grace.
She glanced over. “I don’t know. Looks serious though, doesn’t it?”
“Maybe the honeymoon is over.”
“Speaking of honeymoons, there is a rumor that a woman has captured your heart. I’ve been dying to ask you about it.”
I put the dried pan in the cupboard. “Not much to tell. I want her. She’s not so sure she wants me.”
“How is that possible?” She handed me a pot to dry.
“Can’t imagine. I’m a catch.” I grinned.
“Could be the conceit,” she said with amusement shining in her eyes.
I laughed. “Maybe.”
“Seriously Kade, is this something special?”
“I think so, but it’s complicated. She’s pregnant.”
Her face went blank.
“It’s not mine,” I said quickly. “But I’ll accept it as mine.”
Her smile widened. “That’s lovely. She doesn’t want that?”
“I’m not sure what she wants. Sometimes I feel like we’re there, you know? Like it’s clear as day that we’re together. And then she gets distant. I figure I’ll wear her down eventually.”
She laughed. “No doubt. But you do have to know for sure you want her. With a child to consider, that might be why she’s hesitant.”
I nodded. “That’s what Hunter said.”
Her smile was wistful as she looked over at him. “He’s a smart man.”
I rolled my eyes.
Later, all the couples were chatting, which made me miss Morgan. I decided to text her to see if I could stop by later. I went out onto the terrace with my wine and phone.
For a moment, I stared over the city, wondering how Morgan was doing. Was she thinking of me? I had a moment of doubt as I considered that she probably didn’t think of me as much as I thought about her.
“Ash, now isn’t the time,” Beth said from behind me.
I turned and saw Ash come out on the terrace with Beth right on his heels.
“There is no best time, Beth. He needs to know.”
My gut clenched. What did I need to know? Did one of my restaurants burn down? Did Ben die in a fiery drunk driving crash because I failed to help Alex get him into rehab?
Ash stood in front of me, crazy emotions passing over his face. What the fuck was wrong?
“Ash, it’s not for us to tell — ”
“He has a right to know. I won’t let him go through what I did.”
“Give her time,” she pleaded with him.
“She had her chance. She can betray him, but I won’t, Beth. Don’t ask me to.”
Sadness washed over her face. She looked like she was caught between a rock and a hard place. Ultimately, she sided with her husband, as she nodded. “Yes, okay.”
Ash turned his attention to me.
I inhaled a quick breath, steeling myself for whatever bad news he was going to tell me. Because whatever this was, it couldn’t be good if it was creating tension between them.
“Kade…” Ash blew out a breath, like he needed a moment too.
“Ash?” I looked between the two of them.
“Morgan’s baby.”
“What about Morgan’s baby?” Jesus, did she lose it?
“You’re the father.”
It took a moment for the words to sink in. I simply blinked.
“No. She would have told me.” I looked to Beth, Morgan’s best friend, for confirmation that she would have told me.
