Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
“Watch your mouth, young lady,” Serenity said.
“But she’s right. Holy shit.” That came from one of the triplets. Knox had never been able to tell them apart, and at the moment, it didn’t matter.
Michael ran a hand over his lightly graying hair. “Kids, out. Layla, go to your room and FaceTime with a friend. Boys, go outside and shoot hoops or something.”
Grumbling, the kids dispersed.
“Can we talk?” Michael asked Knox.
His heart skipped a beat, but before he could answer, Jade spoke.
“Oh, no. This is not the dark ages. You two don’t need to have a private conversation about me, my body, my choices, or some marriage we never even discussed!” Her voice rose along with her anger.
Knox put a hand on her back, hoping to calm her. He didn’t want her upset.
“Umm, Aurora, Leah, and I are going to go home,” Nick said. “You don’t need an audience. But Jade? Call me,” her twin said. “Say bye, Leah.”
The adorable little girl hugged her grandparents, aunts, and uncles, then stopped at Jade. “Auntie Jade?”
“Yes, sweetie?” Jade knelt down in front of her niece.
“You call me, too,” Leah ordered.
Everyone laughed, breaking the tension. “I will,” Jade promised. “Now give me a hug.”
Leah wrapped her arms around Jade’s neck, then finally Nick and Aurora said their goodbyes and herded Leah out the front door.
Harrison cleared his throat. “I’ll leave, too, but we’ll talk.” His warning gaze held Knox’s before he strode out.
Zach stepped forward next. “I know where to bury bodies,” he said before slapping Knox on the back.
“Cut it out,” Jade muttered.
Chuckling, Zach took off.
That left only her parents and one sibling for Knox to deal with. He knew better than to think Asher would leave.
“Can we at least take this into the family room?” Serenity asked. Without waiting for a reply, she walked through the open-concept layout, toward the huge room with an oversized sofa and chairs to hold their large family.
Serenity clearly expected everyone to follow and they did. Michael settled into a seat beside his wife. Asher sat across the way in a club chair. Knox waited for Jade to sit, but she remained standing.
“Knox, have a seat.”
She waited for him to do as she said before she faced her family. “I have something to say to all of you.” She paused a beat. “Maybe I shouldn’t have taken off when I found out I was pregnant, but I needed time to process the news. And now I want to make a few things clear.”
Knox appreciated the way she’d taken control, and he let her handle her own family. He’d be here for backup, if needed.
“We’re listening, honey.” Serenity’s warm gaze settled on her daughter.
Jade nodded. “I’m twenty-six years old. This may not be how I envisioned my life going, but things happen that change our path. Knox wants to be a part of the baby’s life, and what happens next is up to us.”
He wondered if she realized her hands, once again, protectively cupped her stomach as she spoke. He loved this fierce part of her he’d never seen before. She’d be a damned good mother, not that he’d had any doubts.
Jade cleared her throat. “I love you all and I came here to tell you the news, but I don’t need you to solve my problems for me. And that includes you.” She pointed to Knox. “As gallant as it is to ask for my father’s permission to marry me, this isn’t a typical situation, and it’s something you and I should have discussed first.”
He let her continue since she had a point. Despite thinking he knew what to do, he’d panicked and hadn’t handled this meeting well.
“So you aren’t getting married?” Asher asked, his pissed-off stare on Knox again. “Because it would be the right thing to do.”
Jade wrinkled her nose. “In what century? I already said we will not be getting married just because I’m having his baby.”
Ouch, Knox thought. What about marrying for love? He loved her. He’d told her as much. But he knew that if he’d uttered the words before she’d revealed she was pregnant, he’d have a better chance at convincing her to marry him than he did now. Still, he wasn’t a man who gave up when things got rough.
Michael rose to his feet. “I understand. You two deserve to work things out together.” He nodded at Knox, then held out his arms.
Jade walked over, stepping into her father’s embrace. “We’re here for you,” he said. “Whatever you need.”
“Thank you,” she said, stepping back to hug Serenity.
Asher rose to his feet. “I just want you to be happy.” He, too, got in a quick squeeze around her shoulders.
“Umm, I have something else I need you to know so… can you all sit back down?” Jade asked, taking everyone by surprise.
Even Knox wasn’t sure what there was left to discuss, but he did as she asked and waited, along with the others, to find out.