She reached back into the van, hauled out a large overnight bag, shut the door, and the van drove off.
Jay stayed in the doorway, watching as Blue walked up his driveway toward him. He stepped aside so she could pass.
She stopped in the entryway and let out a breath. “I can’t live in that house with my opinionated brothers for a second longer.”
He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe. “Okay. Well, you’ve got your pick of three bedrooms. Or you can share mine.” He waggled his brows at her. “I’m flexible.”
Her mouth twitched. It wasn’t a full smile. But it was something.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you around.” He didn’t ask what her brothers had done to push her into running to his house. For now, he was just happy she was here, and he wasn’t about to examine that too closely either.
Jay took her bag from her hand.
“You know I could carry that, right?”
“And now I’m carrying it.”
“I’m not letting you look after me because you think you should, since I’m carrying your child, Jay.”
He paused halfway up the stairs and looked back at her. Her mouth was in a hard line, and she met his eyes defiantly, but he saw the panic.
Blue Jay was scared, and lost, and was fighting not to show what she was feeling.
“I’m carrying a bag, Blue. No need to get bent out of shape over a loss of independence. Robyn and Asher taught me manners, and I like to use them wherever I can.”
“Sorry,” she muttered, not sounding at all sorry.
“I’m not the enemy here. Maybe try to remember that.”
He carried on to the next floor and opened the first bedroom door. “Guest room number one. The light is good in here in the mornings. From memory, you hate mornings, so this one is probably not ideal.”
Blue moved past him, walked into the room, and then turned in a circle, taking in the pale walls, closet, and the rich ruby-red wingback chair Zoe had told him he had to have in here.
Jay studied her. She wasn’t fragile, but she was vulnerable, he thought, and tired. Those bags were still under her eyes.But he guessed the stress of leaving the job you loved and then finding out were pregnant after one hot night of sex could do that to a person.
“What happened at home to have you show up on my doorstep?” he asked.
She faced him then. “They won’t stop hovering. They’re acting like I’m made of glass. Or worse, like I’ve ruined my life. Finch and Lynx keep watching me, and Mom is constantly lecturing me. Dad’s the only one who has backed off.”
“And he was the one who dropped you here?”
She nodded. “Finch is using his army training to talk at me in that tone. The one where someone is being supportive but also silently planning your future because clearly you’re incapable?”
“I know all about tone,” he said flatly. Abusive households taught you a lot about it.
Blue blew out a breath and sat on the edge of the bed. “I love them. I do. But I can’t think in that house right now, and I have a lot to think about.”
“We have a lot to think about,” he amended.
She nodded. “So I’m moving in if that’s okay with you?”
He didn’t react immediately. Not because he was shocked. But because something warm and a little scary bloomed in his chest at the idea.Hope.
“How do you know I’m a better prospect?”
“There is only one of you, and I know you’re quiet because I’ve been told by the Dukes.”
He nodded once. “Okay.”
