It was all so simple and kind. So…him.
Tonight was the first full James family dinner in a while. I’d ditched my security team a few weeks ago, which had been liberating, and left my safety in the capable, broad hands of my six-foot-five boyfriend.
When we stepped inside the ranch house, Gracie was on a step stool at the counter, flour on her nose, while Dorian and Noah supervised the baking as if it were a science experiment.
Dotty and Trent were curled up on the couch, both in sweats, the kind of comfortable love that made you believe in forever. David was in the kitchen, finishing up dinner with a dish towel slung over his shoulder. Colt was already at the table, spinning his glass slowly between his hands.
He looked up and cleared his throat as we walked in. “Hey, so I have an announcement.”
Dotty squinted at him from across the room. “Since when do you make announcements?”
Trent leaned forward from the couch. “Yeah, what’d you do? Knock someone up? Get married?”
Colt went pale. His jaw clenched, lips pressing into a tight line.
Dotty’s eyes went wide. “Holy shit, you did.”
I kept my mouth shut, not revealing anything I knew from the call I got from Lilah last week.
Trent stood. “No way. Who’d you knock up?”
“I didn’t knock anyone up,” Colt said, rolling his eyes.
The front door creaked open, and Lilah and Caleb walked in, as if it was perfectly normal to waltz into a room moments after that kind of accusation.
Everyone turned at once.
“No fucking way,” Dorian said.
Trent pointed between them. “You knocked Lilah up?”
I turned toward Sawyer, whose eyes were glued to Lilah now, jaw slack.
“Mommy, what’s knocked up mean?” Caleb asked, looking up at Lilah.
Lilah froze. “Uh—hello, everyone.” She glanced around. “Not knocked up. Just…married.” She winced.
Caleb looked around and spotted Gracie at the counter. “I want a cookie!”
Sawyer let out a stunned laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. I wasn’t sure if it was disbelief or the chaos unfolding at full volume. Probably both.
Dorian peeked out from the kitchen. “We’re still baking, buddy. Only a few more minutes.”
Lilah stepped farther inside, slipping a hand into Colt’s. His grip tightened around hers.
“So,” she said, lifting her chin. “Surprise?”
Dotty flopped back on the couch like she needed a second to reboot. “You’re married?”
Lilah smiled, small, a little nervous, but sure. “Yeah. We are.”
There was a beat of silence.
Then, Noah shouted, “I knew there was something going on!” from the kitchen, and Dorian pulled a bill from his pocket and slipped it to her.
David clapped a hand over his mouth, shaking his head. Noah gave Gracie a high five.
Sawyer shook his head and muttered, “This family, man.”
