The twin dynamic fascinated me.These two men—both so successful and used to giving orders—deferred to each other with ease.I liked that about them, thinking how nice it was to trust and respect someone so much I never worried about whether they had my best interest at heart.
Carter shot Jasmine a glance, “Well…I was hoping we’d keep up tradition and have that meal at the Big House, like we used to do.”He fidgeted, like he’d just asked for the moon.
“I’m happy to do Thanksgiving dinner,” Jasmine said.“But we will have to make a few tweaks.”
All the kids groaned.The servers whisked out the first course in the five-course meal I’d planned out with the caterer.
“You make me pi-ee, Gamma?”Cash asked with a worried frown.That grew as he poked at the crostini topped with hummus, caramelized onion and a perfectly sauteed asparagus tip.
“Always, sugar bear.That won’t change…much.”Jasmine reached over and interlaced our fingers.“But I promised Steve that I’d cut most of the butter out of my cooking, seeing as how I need to live a mighty long time to love this man properly.”
Again, there was a groan.“But your pies are perfect, Mama,” Cam said.
Jasmine shot me a wink.“While I don’t need to mess with perfection, it’ll be fun tasting out new crusts.You and Cash will be my taste testers.”
Cam smiled.
“I bet we could make that happen,” Cam said with a glance at Jenna.“I mean the based good taste testing and the family-first scheduling.”She nodded, her countenance lit up brighter than the fairy lights surrounding us.“I like that.Being together for the important dates.”
I knew she did because Jenna struggled to connect with her own family, now that her father had made it clear he blamed her for her grandfather’s death.That was utter hogwash, if I’d ever heard it, but I was glad that Jenna and Jasmine were so close.Jasmine had so much love in her, and everyone seemed to blossom under her care.
I sure had.
“So we do the Fourth at the ranch, Thanksgiving at the ranch, and Christmas—where?”Nash asked.He’d pulled out his phone and peered at the calendar.
“Switzerland,” Carter said.“We’ll fly you all over in my jet.”
“It can fit us all?”Cam asked, counting heads.
“We’ll be coming from Africa, most likely,” Aya said.“I have wells set to be dug in December in Eritrea.We’ll have Levi with us, so that’s three less for you to worry about.”
“You’re not going to Africa without me,” I said.
“All right,” Nash said.“So we’ll have my dad and Mama.”
My breath caught, held in my chest.Jasmine clasped my hand as she leaned into my side.If I hadn’t been seated, I would have collapsed into the chair.As it was, I struggled to catch my breath, lightheaded with Nash’s easy use of the term…the one I’d dreamed of him using for so long but feared he’d never wanted to.
Not for me.Not after my massive screwups where he was concerned.I stared at Nash for a moment and he stared back.He raised an eyebrow.Equally as slowly, my heart beat again.
I felt Jasmine’s hand at my lower back, supporting me.She knew—she more than anyone knew—how much that short, simple word meant to me.I opened my mouth, closed it, opened it again, but had to close it and clear my throat.
“Thank you for that.”My voice cracked.“But just so we’re clear: your safety in my priority.Mine, Nash, not someone who could never care about you and Aya and Levi as much as I do.”
Nash nodded.“I get what you’re telling me,Dad.”He dropped his gaze toward Levi’s dark head that just peeked out the top of the wrap-thing Aya had him in.“More so now than I did before.And I appreciate everything you’ve done and continue to do for me and my family.”
“I…I’m so glad,” I said, my voice breaking once more.
I didn’t care that tears filled my eyes and one trickled down my cheek.I didn’t care that everyone was watching with solemn interest.All that mattered was that my son was finally,finally, mine.
Rising from my seat, I tugged him into a full hug.He embraced me back.
“Thank you,” I said as I dropped my nose to his shoulder.
“You’re welcome, Dad.”
Chapter19
Jasmine
