“Tell me you aren’t being serious,” she scolds.
I scratch at my chin, an overwhelming protectiveness sparking to life. I don’t like the thought of any man’s hands on my sister because, ewww, it’s my sister. But Tristan’s hands? I’d chop them off at the wrists before he could lay a finger on June.
I dismiss the thought entirely. She hates Tristan as much as I do.
“Buy the house,” I say. “Move to Seattle so we can spend more time together. And no, I can’t imagine you and Tristan together in any capacity, let alone as a romantic couple.”
seven
. . .
My mother-in-law has radar hearing
Drew
early august
Recently,Vesper and I have made a habit of meeting up for Italian food and to catch up on the latest going on in our lives.
Loosely translated: an excuse to gossip.
And, boy, did we have a lot to discuss this time around.
It’s been over two weeks since Kate and Jensen’s renewal ceremony, and my best friend is approaching her due date, so naturally, much of our conversation has centered around final preparations ahead of the baby’s arrival.
Me, on the other hand? Well, I am three days out from my period and took my first pregnancy test this morning.
Nada.
Will was hovering over me the whole time I was in the bathroom, even while I was peeing on the six separate sticks he insisted we buy, just to be sure.
After all of them came back with a negative result, I left him licking his wounds in the home gym.
“Give it time,”I told him, brushing my lips across his before I raced out the door to meet Vesper.
“It gets to the point where you start daydreaming about the birth, just so the girdle pain will stop.” Vesper arches her back into the seat, right before Jon Morgan—who co-owns the restaurant with several of his former Scorpions teammates—slides a red velvet cushion behind her back. For years, he was my dad’s captain, and our families have always been close. Not as close as we are to the Jones family though. And especially not now I carry their last name.
But Jon has always been the glue that held the original crowd together. Without him and his friendships with my dad and Jensen, I wouldn’t have met Will. It’s crazy how life works and it’s hard to refute the existence of fate when you take mine and Will’s relationship as an example. There were so many moving parts that needed to fall into place before we had a chance at knowing each other.
I glance back at Jon. Usually, he works whenever he’s at Luigi’s, but today he’s dressed in casual clothes.
“Pelvic pain or not,” he remarks, “you’re looking really great, Vesper.”
She smiles and sighs, sinking back into the cushion.
“You aren’t working today?” I ask.
He shakes his head and adjusts the mini lamp shade in the center of the table. “Nah.” He runs a hand through his salt and pepper hair, gray eyes creasing around the corners. “I actually have your in-laws stopping buy any minute. They’re on their way home from the airport and asked if I would be around.” He looks at me, blowing out a breath. “Whenever Kate asks to talk, I get nervous.”
I nod in understanding and Vesper follows suit.
He lifts a shoulder. “I mean, I know it was my first renewal ceremony, but I thought the day went well, no? Other than Will’s Ring Pop prank.”
Vesper snorts a laugh and her phone vibrates on the table. “I need to take this. It’s my boss, he wants to talk through the final terms of my maternity leave.”
She stands and takes a few steps away from the table before Jon continues talking.
“I think Kate hated the cake. I know they wanted lemon, but frosting never works with that flavor.”
