“Never.” When she says nothing more, I continue, “I’m not trying to punish you by sending you to New York. I’m fucking terrified.”
“Then you know how I feel.”
“Won’t being in New York be less stressful? You can set up your studio and start designing.”
“For how long?” She sucks in a shuddering breath. “I hate being useless.”
“You’re growing our son. That’s far from useless.”
She shakes her head. “That’s not what I mean.”
“I understand what you mean. You wanna help. I get it.” I press my lips to her forehead. “But if you’re not happy and safe, everything we do is pointless. Our world crumbles.”
Her fingers fidget with the hem of my shirt. “Don’t say things like that. It makes it impossible to be irritated with you.”
“Good.” I caress her stomach, hoping to feel the baby move.
“I hate this,” she sighs. “I hate being separated. I wantourhouse. I want my grandma close by.”
“I know.” I twist her braid around my fist and try to find the words to soothe her.
There’s nothing I can promise, nothing I can say with certainty. We will be separated—not always, but at times, when Jax and I travel—and I can’t replicate the beach house.
Jackson clears his throat. “Properties are investments, babe. I can sell ours and design another. I don’t mind. I actually enjoy it.”
He’s talking as if he realizes this isn’t temporary, and I meet his gaze over Aurora’s head. His eyes are shadowed with worry, his brows furrowed, but there’s trust there too. Trust in me to figure this out.
The connection between us—between all of us—tightens something in my chest and fuels my need to protect this bond we’ve built.
“And Gram can come to New York,” Reece offers. “We’ll find her the best assisted-living facility, or I’ll help with her. There’s in-home care. We have plenty of options.”
“Talk to Gram.” I clasp Aurora’s chin and raise her mouth to mine for a gentle kiss. “Let me know, and I’ll arrange it—although I’m not sure I can handle the trouble you two will get into.”
“You’d do that for me? Move my grandmother all the way to New York?”
“I’d do anything for you.”
“What about the baby? Doctor appointments. The delivery?”
“I’ve got it covered.”
Her eyes narrow to slits. “You’ve been planning this.”
“I spent a long time talking with Rocco and Dimitri.”
Jax leans forward, his sandy-blond hair falling across his forehead. “We’ll be in New York between games, even if it’s just for a day. We’ll make every appointment, without question. I’m not missing a single ultrasound.”
She turns her head to peer at Reece. “You’ll be with me?”
“Where you go, I go. Remember?” He tucks an unruly wave behind her ear. “But you better stop keeping shit from me. We don’t lie to each other.”
“We don’t lie to each other?” Her brows raise. “You lied to me about your birthday.”
“Fuck,” he curses, his lip curled. “Did my sister tell you?”
“Sadie did, yes. You didn’t think they were planning to celebrate yourthirtiethbirthday?”
He throws his head back into the headrest and groans, “This is a nightmare.”
