Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 33887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Now, she was studying Matt while eating and pretending not to study Matt, and Hale was thinking his woman was all kinds of cute.
On that thought, his phone started vibrating, which meant, as planned, the others were arriving, he just didn’t know which others they would be. Duncan, Genny, Sully and Gage or Rix, Alex, Blake and Ned.
What he did know was it was time to scramble more eggs and fry more hash browns for the second wave.
He got up, kissed the top of Elsa’s head and headed to the kitchen.
The doors to the elevator opened, expelling Duncan, Genny, Sully and Gage, but as usual, it was Gage who opened his mouth first.
“God, I’m not even two steps in and I’m salivating for whatever you’re cooking,” he announced at the same time he was rubbing circles on his gut.
“Do they know?” Genny asked excitedly, after ascertaining the table didn’t include Sasha.
“Know what?” Sully queried.
“We know,” Matt shared.
“Know what?” Gage repeated after his brother.
“You have to be quiet about it,” Duncan said to his son. “You know Sash, and this is Tom and Mika’s day. Sasha can learn tomorrow.”
“Know what?” Sully repeated.
“Elsa and I are having a baby,” Hale announced.
Sully grinned. Gage grinned bigger.
“You’re having a baby?” Sasha shrieked from the stairs.
“Shit,” Hale muttered at the same time Chloe mumbled, “Merde.”
Sasha had planted her hands on her hips and her eyes were locked on Duncan. “What did you mean, ‘you know Sash?’”
“Honey, you’re not exactly good at keeping secrets,” Duncan said gently.
“I’m great at keeping secrets,” she declared, or more to the point, lied through her teeth.
“Judge, darling, get the fire extinguisher. Sasha’s pants are about to ignite at any second,” Chloe drawled.
Sasha stormed down the steps, saying, “Okay so I let some things slip once or twice.”
“You told my ex-girlfriend what I was giving her for Christmas,” Gage said.
“You told Dad and Genny I was thinking of moving to New York before I even agreed to come visit the company that was trying to recruit me,” Sully said.
“You told Dad it was me who used all his tennis balls to teach our dog not to be afraid of the pool,” Matt said.
“You told Genny I stole all the meatballs she made for Dad and took them with me back to school,” Gage kept at it.
“You told Rix I told you I thought Alex being shy was hot,” Sully kept at it too. Then added, “And you told him I thought Alex was just plain hot.”
“You told my roommate I ate the cookies his mom baked him after I’d convinced him some guys down the hall ate them,” Matt put in.
“You told Genny and Tom I used their brand-new couch to slide into third base with my girlfriend when I was a junior in college,” Hale added.
Chloe kept her mouth shut, but the brow she arched toward her sister spoke volumes.
Sasha’s face was red after all this, though she didn’t verbally cop to it, probably because it served no purpose. They already knew it was her, she could deny none of it.
Instead, she griped, “You all can’t possibly know how it’s feels to be left out of something this big when everyone else in your family knows it.”
“Then my sunny, darling, beautiful girl,” Genny started, “perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned here.”
Sasha glared at her mother then she came to Hale and gave him a sideways hug.
“Happy for you, bro,” she said, then to Elsa, “You too, Elz. Terrific news.”
“Thanks, Sash,” Elsa replied.
Hale just put his arm around her waist, gave her a squeeze and asked quietly, “Wanna help me with the eggs?”
“Defo,” she replied.
“Throw some butter in the pan, honey,” he muttered.
Coffee mugs were filled. Muffins were claimed. Rix, Alex, Ned and Blake showed and got the news, and more excitement, well wishes and hugs were shared.
The table was buzzing. Another batch of eggs was in the sauté pan. Hash browns in another. And now Chloe was in the kitchen with him keeping the toast flowing, the fresh coffee brewed.
That was when he felt it.
He looked to where it was emanating from, and he saw Elsa’s eyes tracking him.
When he caught them, she blew him a kiss but didn’t stop watching him, an expression of sheer contentment on her gorgeous face.
Now, Elsa was an extrovert. She liked people. She liked buzz. Energy. She also had a complicated family dynamic, so she loved how close Hale’s family was, for him, whereas Hale loved he could give that to her.
Thus, right then, she was in her perfect element.
But she wasn’t feeling contentment for her.
Hale’s family was at his table.
It was contentment for him.
Christ, he loved her.
And he was feeling that so much in that moment, the tightness that began forming in his neck last night when Elsa confirmed she was pregnant didn’t register.