"I know! It doesn't make any sense but I either think you're the sweetest man I've ever met or that there's no way I can live up to that kind of consideration and I should just punish you now."
J.J. laughed out loud then and hugged me. "That settles it. You have to make an honest man out of me. I don't want to be too considerate, so you'll have to teach me how not to be."
I huffed. "You've been friends with Scott long enough to know what my other brothers are like. If you want to see an example of hownotto treat a woman, just look back on their history."
"They weren't that bad," he said.
I wasn't sure what sort of expression I was wearing on my face, but J.J. winced when I looked up at him.
"Okay, I never thought they were that bad, but apparently I wasn't paying close enough attention."
I laughed again.
"So? Are we doing this? Are we getting married?" he asked, giving me a squeeze with his arms. He hadn't released me after the hug and even though it was sweltering outside, I didn't mind.
"Yeah, I think we are."
We were both smiling when he kissed me, a short, smacking kiss meant to be playful instead of sensuous.
When we separated, we heard applause and looked over to find every member of the McClane family including Brody and Jacks standing on the other side of the living room window, clapping.
"Get your behind inside and tell me exactly what's going on," Colette, J.J.'s mother, demanded. "I didn't even know y'all were dating and now you're getting married!"
J.J. looked down at me. "I know it's early, but would you be okay with me telling her about the baby? She's going to be so excited."
I was hesitant about all of this because I was still in my first trimester, but only for the next couple of weeks. At this point, it was probably okay.
Then, there was the fact that my own mom knew. It didn't seem right that she was privy to the information if Colette wasn't.
"Okay. But tell them they can't go spreading it around town."
J.J. grimaced. "Maybe we should wait then. Because you know Mom can't keep things to herself. Half the town knew that Brody was going to propose to Cam within hours of him asking Mom to go help him pick out the ring."
I had to laugh. "It's not that I mind her telling people so much as I'm worried what will happen if my brothers find out before we're married."
"Maybe she can keep it a secret if I tell her it's literally life or death.Mylife or death."
I laughed but our conversation halted when Colette opened the front door and demanded we come inside instead of doing all this in the heat.
I definitely didn't think it was funny when my brothers did find out.
9
J.J. was right. Colette couldn't keep her mouth shut.
I wasn't sure what to expect from her. When she found out we were getting married, she was excited and immediately started asking if my mother would be willing to let her help with the wedding plans.
My only option was to shoot J.J. a pleading look. I didn't want to be the one to crush her dreams of another traditional wedding like the one Cam and Brody had.
"Mom, Lee and I are going to get married at the end of the week. She's ten weeks pregnant."
Colette and Malcolm were both silent then. But only for a moment. Then, I was being hugged by Colette, who was laughing and crying at the same time.
"Another grandbaby. This is exciting!" she said as she released me.
And that was that. There were no pointed questions or accusing glares. She and Malcolm took it all in stride as if they had no problem with it.
Maybe they didn't but it worried me all the same. I didn't want J.J. to resent me in this marriage and I definitely didn't want his parents to resent me either.
