Little boots. Little dimples. A little someone with his eyes.
The fantasy crashed and burned before it’d even fully formed when his mouth pressed into a tight line, the daydream popping like a soap bubble. “What is it? What happened this time?”
“We, uh, we’ve got a situation,” he said, lowering his voice.
I instantly shifted Reagan into a better hold, like I could use her to shield my heart from whatever was coming. “What is it?”
He glanced around the room first, but there were too many people, too many ears, and too much chaos for a privateconversation. “I’m not totally sure yet, but Jameson got a call from Nate. Alex and your dad are fighting again. It sounds like Gregory is still involved.”
My heart thudded against my ribs. “Okay, but we’re married now, Trent. It doesn’t matter what he does anymore.”
He shook his head, his jaw going tense. “There are things you don’t know about Gregory.”
A cold little knot tightened behind my ribs. I hated that name. I hated that it still had the power to put that look on Trent’s face. “What things?”
“God, I wish Alex had just told you the truth from the beginning,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck like the words themselves irritated him. “It would’ve saved everyone a lot of trouble.”
I blinked hard. “What truth? Trent, what are you talking ab?—”
“Trent!”
A pair of older women bustled toward us, smelling like perfume and powdered sugar. One of them had a plate stacked with pastry. The other already had her arms wide open, aiming for Trent like a guided missile.
He stepped back on instinct. I knew that move now, his polite, gentle,no thank you,please stay at least ten feet from my personal spacesidestep.
“Oh! Which one is that, Reagan or Alexa?” the dessert-plate lady cooed at the baby on my shoulder. “Where’s sweet Sadie? I haven’t seen her yet.”
“She’s with Briar and Hailey,” I said. “I’m sure you’ll see her soon.”
“And who are you, honey?” she asked, already reaching like she might pluck the baby right out of my arms.
I tightened my grip. “I’m?—”
“She’s my wife,” Trent said, sliding his hand to the small of my back. “Charlotte Shepard.”
Even now, even after rings, vows, and weeks of matrimony, hearing him saymy wifestill did something to me. The older women made matching squealing noises.
“Well, isn’t that something!” the perfume-cloud one beamed. “You are just darling. And holding a baby, too. I swear, I blink and another Shepard is popping out. Well, I suppose Sadie’s kids are Westwoods, but the principle still applies.”
“Not today,” Trent said quickly.
I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. They chattered at us for another full minute before finally drifting off toward the buffet again.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Trent exhaled like he’d been underwater. “Sorry about that.”
“For which part?” I asked. “The part where I nearly got adopted by random family friends, or the part where you interrupted me right before telling me something terrifying about the guy my dad wanted me to marry?”
His brow softened. “Both.”
“Trent,” I said, shifting Reagan again when she gave a sleepy sigh against my neck. “What truth was Alex supposed to tell me?”
He opened his mouth, but another person called his name from across the room. Then another. Then someone tugged at his arm, asking where to put the spare coolers. Someone else asked if he could fix the sound system, andoh my God, I was going to start charging people consultation fees on his behalf.
Even so, he made the time to lean in close, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “I’ll explain. I promise. Just not here and not now.”
The warmth of his breath sent a shiver straight down my spine. I nodded because I had to, but it wasn’t because the knot in my stomach loosened. It hadn’t. At all.
Trent glanced at Reagan again, watching her hand curl up to my collarbone. “She likes you.”
