“Thinking about what could’ve been.”
He shakes his head, jaw clenching. “The past doesn’t matter. What matters is the here and now. She’s home and so are you. And from where I’m standing, the two of you are making a go at it. You look happy, Jett. There’s a light in your eyes shining bright, one I haven’t seen in too long.”
Everyone’s right. I'm happy. The happiest I’ve ever been, because through the tragedy life forced in my lap, I learned who I was. My future has never been clearer than it is right now.
And it starts with the woman on the other side of the glass.
Wren
An arm snakes through mine, gently trying to steer me somewhere, but I'm so busy watching—swooning over—Jett holding his nephew, that I literally can't see anything or anyone else. The way he shocks me by confidently holding the four-month-old in his arms like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
The Jett I used to know was terrified of babies. He always said they made him nervous about how fragile and dependent they were on us. When we’d talk about our future, he reassured me he’d be able to handle our kids since they would be a piece of us.
I wonder if he still wants kids or has life hardened him to the point that kids are out of the question. I wouldn’t say I’d blame him. War changes people and seeing children go through what he witnessed can easily shift opinions.
After losing our baby and experiencing the abuse from Elias’s hands, getting pregnant was my biggest fear. I was terrified I’d make a baby with the devil. It’s why I had to find a way to get on birth control without him knowing. He used to talk about getting me pregnant as a threat—a manipulation tactic to control me. For the longest time, I dreaded the idea of having a baby. Even though becoming a mother was all I ever wanted growing up.
Watching Jett talk to his nephew and bounce him in his arms, the itch is back. To have a child with him—and only him. There’s no denying Jett’s looks. He’s hot as hell on a normal day, but seeing him holding a baby, it’s safe to say my panties are damn near ready to melt off me.
Saylor tugs me toward the patio door. I meet my dad’s eyes as I pass by him, greeting him before I’m swept outside. Saylor’s arm never leaves mine as she guides me to the seat next to her.
“I see my brother is the reason you missed Pilates.” Saylor’s eyebrows wiggle at the insinuation.
I chuckle as she tugs me toward the patio doors. When I glance over my shoulder, Jett flashes me a wink. And yep, there go my panties.
The sound of the door opening pulls our attention.
“Hope you don’t mind if I join,” Bret says tentatively, closing the door, but not without sparing a glance behind her.
“Not at all, Sister,” Saylor welcomes. “I was quizzing Wren on her absence from Pilates this morning.”
Bret hums. “By the way she’s staring at your brother, I’m going to guess she was getting her workout in another way.”
Saylor whips her head my way, pink hair nearly wrapping around her face. I raise my hand in defense. “Do you want the details of your brother and me? I’m happy to provide details about how he leaves me satisfied.”
Her face scrunches in disgust as Bret barks out a laugh. “That was a good one.”
“Thanks.” I smile warmly at her.
“I’m not asking for details,” Saylor explains with a quick shake of her head. “I’m happy to see you two working through your past.”
“Past? You two used to date?”
Saylor tosses her wavy hair over her shoulder as she turns toward her sister-in-law. “Past is an understatement, but it’s the classic high school sweetheart love story. Minus the fact that he left without a word and she moved to California. Then it turned all Hallmark-esque when the big city girl moved back to her small town.”
“Oh my god, Saylor.” I laugh. “If you think our love story is anything similar to Hallmark, you’ve clearly lost the plot.”
Bret huffs a laugh as Saylor shrugs. “I’m not a romance person, so what do I know?”
“You don’t like romance? How did I not know this?” I ask, eyes widening.
Bret crosses her legs in her seat. “Oh, you didn’t know she’s Miss Slasher?”
“Miss Slasher? That’s new.”
“Your favorite movie isScream, what else would I call you?” Bret asks.
“Scream? Seriously?”
