Текст книги "Inflame"

Автор книги: Tessa Teevan

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Текущая страница: 23 (всего у книги 24 страниц)

The beat of my heart quickens to a rapid pace as her words register. “No, baby, I don’t need space. I’ll never need space from you. I’m ready to talk. Stay here and we’ll do just that. I promise. I’ll let it all out.”

She looks at me with remorseful eyes, and I think she’s about to give in. “No, Kale. I’ve waited two days. Two long, excruciating days where I’ve gone over every single scenario in my head, and now that you’re ready to talk, I’m not sure I’m ready to listen. That’s probably selfish, but I need this. This one day to get away from it all, to pretend Tara doesn’t exist and that she’s not some big elephant in the room that’s coming between us.”

“Baby, I was wrong for not telling you. I know that now. I’m ready. Please, don’t leave like this.”

She places a hand on her hip, raising her chin at me. “Tell me one thing, Kale. If Tara hadn’t been in the bakery that day, when did you plan on telling me about her? Or did you think she’d be a secret forever?”

I’m tongue-tied at her question, because in all honestly, I have no idea when I was going to tell her. She must be able to read my expression, because her eyes narrow.

“That’s what I thought. What is this, Kale? This thing between you and me? Am I substitute for what you once lost? Are you with me because I'm having your child? That was my biggest fear jumping into this relationship, and then I find out you had a secret pregnant fiancée in your past? Why would you keep that from me?"

Anger at her questioning flows through me, and I want to grip her shoulders and fucking shake it out of her. It’s irrational, especially since this whole thing is my fault, and I know she doesn't mean it—she's just trying to prove a point—but dammit, that insinuation fucking hurts.

"You know none of that is true. It’s all bullshit and it’s not why I’m with you. I don't need to prove I love you, Lucy. You know I do. I show you every single fucking day. I’m not the type of guy who needs to make some big grand gesture and sing to you like an idiot in a bar. I may have fucked up by not opening up a painful part of my past to you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. You need to trust me and trust my feelings. I love you. I love our baby, but dammit, Lucy, I love you first."

I watch as her eyes close, but not before I see the moisture in them. Hope swells in me that I’m getting through to her.

"You’re right, Kale. You don't need to perform a big grand gesture, and I wouldn't expect you to or want you to. But what I do want from the man who claims to love me is his honesty, his openness, his whole heart. The good, the bad, the painful. You know, other than my family and Charlie, no one in my life knows about Tim. Everyone thinks Steve’s my real dad, and I could have kept that part of myself from you, but I didn’t. You know why? Because I love you, Kale. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, to start a family with you, and I didn’t feel right doing that until you knew me, all of me. The good, the bad, the painful. And I thought that, by opening myself up first, you’d feel more comfortable to do the same, but instead, you retreated. If you love me like you say you do, then why won't you let me all the way in?"

I’m about to protest, to profess my undying love for her, when she holds her hand up. “The day I realized I love you was the day that you became my whole heart. Your happiness is mine, Kale, but more than that, your pain is my pain, too. If you grieve, I grieve with you, no matter the cause. At the same time, when you rejoice, I’m right there jumping up and down with you. But unless you’re willing to lay it all out on the line with me, then we’ll never be equal partners.” A slow tear trickles down her cheek, followed by another one. I move to go to her, but she backs up. “I want one thing to be clear. When I walk out that door, I’m not leaving you. I’m simply giving you space to work out your crap. I know you love me, Kale, but you need to decide if that’s enough. If you love me enough to trust me with your deepest wounds. I might not be able to heal them, but I’ll damn well try.”

She crosses the room and lifts up on her tiptoes, planting a soft kiss on my lips. “I love you, and I will be back. It’s your job to decide if I’m back for good.”

Without another word, she exits the bedroom, and I’m frozen solid in place. What the fuck just happened? When I went to bed last night, I was confident and ready to lay it all out on the line for her, but she blindsided me. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I rest my head in my hands, wondering how in the hell I’m going to fix this.

Hours later and one Xavier beat down, I’m pacing the living room, waiting for Lucy to return. It feels like forever since she’s been gone, and I’ve barely resisted the urge to call Charlie to see if she’s heard from her. Other than during the work day, I’ve never spent this many hours away from her, and the thought that she’s out there, alone and emotional, nearly drives me wild with concern. Some rational part of me resists from doing so, knowing that I need to respect her wishes for space.

My ears perk up when I hear the sound of the front door opening, and my eyes move to the box on the coffee table then to the doorknob that’s beginning to turn. Sending up a quick prayer for strength, I move towards her, more than ready to let it all out.

Chapter 34

Lucy

I THOUGHT walking out of our home this morning was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but now that I stand outside the door, ready to go back in, I’m finding it even more difficult to turn the knob. I have no idea what awaits me on the other side, and I’m terrified that he’s going to freeze up again, effectively shutting me out.

I spent the better part of the day wandering aimlessly along the Riverwalk, plopping down frequently on park benches, pulling the paperback out of my purse to try and get lost in. It was no use. My mind was on Kale, Tara, and their unborn baby the whole time, and guilt started to creep in. If Kale endured a miscarriage, can I really comfort him through that? Am I naïve to think that he needs me to work it through? This day of needing space ended up just adding more questions in my mind, and now that I stand here, staring at our front door, I’m not sure I have the courage to walk back in.

Mustering up all the strength in my body, I place my hand on the knob and turn. The door flings open, and I’m pulled in violently. I’m about to fall flat on my face when Kale catches me in his arms.

“Oh God, baby, I’m so sorry. I heard you on the other side of the door and I tried to be patient, but I couldn’t help myself.” His callused hand brushes against my cheek as he studies me tenderly. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, I try to regain my equilibrium as he sets me upright on my feet.

He wraps me in his warm embrace, gently stroking my hair. “This has been the longest day of my life, Lucy,” he confesses.

I look up at him with glistening eyes. Bringing my hand up to caress his face, I feel his warm stubble under my skin. “I know. It hasn’t exactly been the best day for me, either,” I admit.

His eyes soften and he releases me before taking hold of my hand and leading me to the couch. A small, square box sits on the coffee table, and I eye it suspiciously. I’ve seen it buried in the depths of the closet, and I wonder why he’s pulled it out now.

Kale sits down next to me and leans in to place a kiss to my lips. “I’ve thought about what you said, baby, and you’re right. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and if we’re going to do this, then you deserve to know everything about me.”

I hear the underlying pain as his voice catches, and for a split second, I want to give him a reprieve, tell him he doesn’t have to tell me if it’s going to be too painful. “Kale,” I whisper, but he holds a finger up to my lips and hushes me.

“No, baby. This is my time to talk.” I nod compliantly before he picks the box up from the table and sets it on the couch between us. “I’m going to tell you a story, okay? It’s from a long freaking time ago.”

“Okay,” I say in a shaky breath, steeling myself for what’s about to come.

Kale lifts the lid off the box and then looks at me. “Once upon a time, there was a very naïve, very stupid, completely idiotic nineteen-year-old kid who thought he was invincible. This same kid’s world came crashing down the day his girlfriend approached him with tears in her eyes, telling him she was pregnant. The kid, naturally, was scared out of his mind but, at the same time, was ready to step up. He went to a pawn shop, bought what he thought was an acceptable engagement ring, and was ecstatic when she said yes. This same kid, although he could be considered a dumbass, realized that if he was about to have a family, he’d need to support. He went to a recruiter and, not long after, was shipped off to the Army.”

He pauses, and I slide my hand over his, my thumb rubbing over his skin. “Suffice it to say, that kid was me. It was crazy. Stupid. And I never should’ve imagined it would work out, but I had my head in the clouds. Tara and I… We’d known each other since we were kids, and while it seemed early, it wasn’t exactly out of the realm of possibility that we’d end up married with kids, the white picket fence, all that stuff. The pregnancy just kind of sped things up.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, unsure that I want to hear the rest of the story. He reaches into the box and pulls out a faded teddy bear. A rueful smile crosses his lips as he stares at it.

“When I graduated boot camp, this was the first thing I bought. I couldn’t wait to get home to give it to Tara. She would’ve been seven months along by then, and I already felt so guilty for missing so much time while I was gone.”

“Oh, Kale. You can’t blame yourself. Miscarriages happen all the time, and they’re usually out of the blue,” I tell him, caressing his hand to provide some sort of comfort. “You were trying to find a way to provide for your family. That’s admirable.”

His eyes narrow and turn dark, and I’m not sure what I said wrong. With a shake of his head, he continues. As he recounts exiting the plane and his initial reaction to Tara’s not meeting him in the airport, my heart begins to climb up into my throat. The details of Kaylie taking him to the bar have me nervous with anticipation. I move in closer, knowing that I need to be wrapped up in him, that he needs to be wrapped up in me as he reveals everything.

“When I saw her with a flat stomach, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Like I’d been punched in the gut. I took her out into that alley, ready to beg for forgiveness for leaving her alone to deal with a miscarriage, because that was my first thought, too. Instead, she practically laughed at me. There was no miscarriage, Lucy. She looked me cold-stone in the face. ‘I terminated the pregnancy.’ Those words haunted me for so long, and while I know I didn’t set the appointment, I often wonder what would’ve happened if I’d still been around.

“That’s what’s always been so hard about this. It wasn’t God willing. It wasn’t a fluke of nature. What should have been the mother of my child decided, without me, that our child didn’t deserve living. Because I wasn’t there to protect him. And I know all the ‘it’s a woman’s body bullshit,’ but that was my child, too. What should’ve been my firstborn… But because I don’t have a uterus and can’t carry a child, I had no say so in whether or not my child was brought to full term, even though I would’ve gladly taken all parental control after birth. She wanted him before. I didn’t get how she could change her mind all of a sudden, and I just kind of snapped.”

His admission floors me. Ever since meeting Tara, I’ve been grieving for him over the loss of an unborn child, but I never, not in a million years, ever expected this depth of hurt to be lingering. Any words of solace that come to mind seem insignificant, so I do the next best thing, I crawl into his lap, trying to get as close as possible.

Looking up at him, I catch his eyes. “I’ve gone through a million scenarios in my mind since Saturday and not one of them ended like this. My heart aches for you. And I understand now why you wouldn’t want to talk about it.” My hand rests on belly. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Kale. No parent, no matter how young, should ever have to go through that. And for the sake of being crude, I think Tara’s kind of a bitch. I mean, I can imagine that she was probably scared and alone, but she could have at least told you, even if it was through a letter or even a phone call. For you to just show up and find out that way seems cruel.”

I feel his chest rumble underneath me as he laughs. “Baby, watch your mouth,” he chastises, leaning in to press a kiss against my lips. “But yeah, I may have called her something a little more colorful the other day.”

I feel my eyes widen, and I squirm in his lap. “You didn’t! You’re the most gentlemanly guy I know. Ginger would kick your ass if she heard you say that!”

He gives me a sheepish grin that slowly turns devilish. “I’m usually a gentleman, but she upset you, and it didn’t make me very happy. Plus, Kaylie thought it was hilarious. But back to what you said… I’ve never actually thought about that. In all my anger, I never let myself think about what it was like for her after I was gone.”

“I know it’s probably not what you want to hear, but it’s been ten years, Kale. In order to really move forward, you have to let go of your anger towards her, too.”

He sighs and gives me a small smile. “I know you’re right. And I think I’m starting to. I was angrier at her the other day for upsetting you more than anything else. What she did is done and I can’t ever change it. I need to stop looking back and focus on the future. On you and Sprout. So let’s finish this,” he insists.

Nodding in agreement, I settle in against his chest and listen carefully as he pulls out every item from the box, giving me a brief history. When he pulls out the engagement ring, I turn to look at him, giving him a questioning smile.

“That’s the first thing to go to a pawn shop,” he says, and I laugh, honestly not caring what he does with it. If she was foolish enough to let him go, to return his ring, then the sight of it doesn’t bother me in the least bit.

The last item he pulls out is an ultrasound, and my breath hitches when I see the image. We’re cuddled up on the couch together, and he brings the photograph in so we can both get a close look.

“I wish I could have met him,” I whisper, hoping I’m not speaking out of bounds.

Kale’s lips press softly against my temple. “So do I, baby.” He leans across the couch and opens up the drawer in the coffee table, pulling out a photo. When he hands it to me, I realize that it’s our first image of Sprout, and my heart melts. “This is why I was so messed up that night. I was overwhelmed at the sight of him, at the thought of actually becoming a father, and I was terrified of letting you down. For the longest time, I locked away what happened, and seeing the sonogram brought it all back to the surface, and it freaked me out. I already loved him so much, and the thought of losing him, or you, was more than I could handle.”

“Kale, you could never let me down, and you’re not going to lose me. Ever. All I wanted was for you to open up. Nothing from your past would have ever scared me away from you, and I would never, ever take your son from you. I love you. Who you are, who you were, and who you’ve come to be.” Pausing, I take his hand and rest it on my belly. “My heart breaks for all you’ve lost. I know I can never replace it, and I’d never try. But I’m here now, and he’ll be here soon, and we’re never going to leave your side. But from now on, you have to be one hundred percent honest and open with me. No more secrets.”

Kale’s eyes are on his hand, and then he looks back at the sonogram. Finally, his gaze reaches mine and he gives me a breathtaking smile. “No more secrets. Scout’s honor,” he says, trying to make that damned pledge with his hand as he gives me a small smile. “I can’t dwell on the past anymore, baby, and I don’t want to. I have so much to look forward to, and that’s what I wanna do. Focus on you, on him, on us. I never thought I’d have a family, Lucy, but what I didn’t realize is that I was just waiting for you. You’re everything I’ve always wanted and never thought I could have. I might sound like a pussy, but the fact that you’re sitting here with me after all this time is more than a dream come true, and I’m never going to let you go.”

Curling my fingers around his, I give them a gentle squeeze. “That’s good to know, Montgomery, because I’d never let you, even if you tried.”

Chapter 35

Kale

AFTER FINALLY opening up about Tara and the baby, Lucy and I have been closer than ever. She’s helped me realize that I never did grieve the way I should have, yet at the same time, I’ve learned that life’s gotten easier as I’ve let go of old wounds.

“Baby, we’ve got to go or else we’re going to be late!” I yell to the back bedroom, where Lucy shooed me out of earlier.

I’m pacing the living room, more than ready to loosen the green tie she encouraged me to wear. It’s late May, and Mother Nature already decided that summer should come early. I know I’ll be losing my jacket and rolling up my sleeves before the night’s over, and I fight the urge to go ahead and do it now.

As I hear the bedroom door open, I turn, my breath taken away as I catch sight of her. She’s an absolute vision, and my mouth waters as I scan her from head to toe. I didn’t think she could get any sexier than she was at her baby shower, but the sight of her now, nearly nine months pregnant and radiating sexuality, has me on edge. She’s grinning at me sheepishly as she watches my eyes creep up her tan, toned legs as I take in the sight of her. Her long blonde hair is twisted and pinned to the side, and she’s gone for the smoky effect with her eye makeup. She’s wearing a short, lacy black dress that clings to every single curve, highlighting her bump. I have no idea how she’s going to be comfortable, but she looks absolutely breathtaking. A silver chain adorns her neck, and the charm bracelet I gave her for the baby shower is on her wrist. She gives me a warm smile as she walks towards me.

“Have I ever told you how sexy you look in a suit?” she asks, her eyes raking over my body.

“Baby, you always tell me I look sexy,” I tease, and I dodge as she goes to give me a playful slap.

“Okay, let’s get a move on. My back’s been killing me all day, and all I want to do is sit.”

She slips into her standard black flats and grabs her purse as we make our way out of the house. Leading her to the car, I gently help lower her into it. Now that she’s nine months pregnant, every move she makes worries me, and I know it’s going to be hard to keep my eyes off her through the night.

When we arrive in Belle Meade an hour later, I’m taken aback as I see the Wellington home. Knowing Knox, I never would’ve guessed he grew up in a place like this. As I hand my keys off to the valet, I try to come to grips with the fact that this is the home of a guy whose bone I’ve seen protruding through his skin. He never let on that he came from money, and as Lucy and I walk down the long hallway, I catch sight of a newspaper clipping that shows him lying on stretcher, waiting for medevac. Lucy’s eyes widen when she sees it, and I wrap an arm around her protectively.

“Just think. If the explosion hadn’t happened, we might not even be here right now,” I whisper to her. “Everything happens for a reason, baby. Believe it.”

She nods in agreement as she continues to scan the article.

“Oh, you made it!” I turn and see Lucy moving towards Charlie, both of them arms wide open. “I know you probably hated sitting in the car on the way here, but I’m so glad to see you. After all, what kind of engagement party would it be without my best friend and maid of honor?”

Lucy grins at her and looks down at her stomach. “Trust me. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I’m just thankful you set your wedding for August so this little guy doesn’t have to make an appearance in every single wedding photo.”

“Trust me. If it were up to Knox, we would’ve already gone to Vegas and gotten it over with, but I think Dad would kill me if he didn’t get to walk his only girl down the aisle. Knox just has to deal. Speaking of, let’s go get you something to drink and find my groom.” She loops her arm through Lucy’s and then heads off in the direction of the backyard. I follow closely behind.

Finding Knox, Jace, and Lexi, we settle into comfortable conversation as Charlie tries to pry the gender of Lexi’s baby out of her. For some reason, Jace and Lexi are keeping it to themselves, something that’s driving Charlie absolutely nuts.

Knox’s younger brother, Cohen, joins the group. I got to know him a little last year when Knox was laid up, and he’s a pretty cool kid. I watch as Knox wraps an arm around his shoulder then looks at me with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“Guess who’s got a new main squeeze, Montgomery?” he teases, bringing his brother into a headlock.

“Dammit, Knox. I told you that shit in confidence. Plus, she’s not my main squeeze. She’s not my anything. In fact, I’m pretty sure she hates my guts.”

Jace starts laughing and looks between me, Cohen, and Knox.

“All right, Montgomery. Now’s your chance. Let him have it.”

I shake my head. I’d almost feel bad for the guy if I didn’t know just how well they worked for me. I lean in close, and Cohen looks at me with nervous eyes as soon as I say those two promising words.

Charlie cracks up and gives his hair a ruffle. “Oh, Cohen. This is going to be fun.”

Lucy

THE NIGHT continues on as the live band starts to play. It’s an unusually warm May day, and I’m thankful I thought to put my hair up to keep my neck cool. Although I try to mingle as much as possible, eventually I have to find a seat to rest in. I’m going to be worn out by the time I get home. Hell, I’m already worn out. My back’s still killing me, and my uterus is screaming at me as what feels like menstrual cramps set in. I’m sitting on a bench, enjoying the music, trying to convince myself I’m experiencing Braxton Hicks and that I’m not actually in labor. Looking around, I see Kale across the yard talking with Jace. I take short, shallow breaths, and I close my eyes, willing this not to be happening.

“Um, excuse me, miss. Are you okay?” The slow Southern drawl is sexy, sophisticated, and it’s honestly the last thing I need—or want—to hear as I’m trying to control my breathing.

He crouches down in front of me and takes hold of my hand. Shaking my head, I wince as a sharp pain slices through me, and I squeeze his hand tight, trying to brace myself. Without waiting for me to answer, he snaps at a nearby partygoer, signaling for them to dial 911.

“I… Oh, son of a…” I cut myself off as a warm rush of liquid flows out of me. “I’m so, so sorry, but I think my water just broke. Holy shit. Oh God. Oh God. It got on your suit. Holy shit. Umm, I think I’m having a baby. In a backyard.”

I feel the stranger sit on the bench beside me. He slides his hand around my waist, using his other hand to brush away the hair from my face.

“Shhh. You’re safe. I’ve no doubt you’re a strong, beautiful woman, and you can do this. I won’t leave you. I promise. An ambulance is already on the way, and if you can hold off just a little longer, you won’t have to give birth on the grass.”

When my eyes finally reach his face, I realize that he looks familiar, but I can’t place him.

“Do... Do I know you?” I ask, shivering as the pain of a contraction roils through me.

He allows me to grip his hand, and he doesn’t even flinch at how hard I squeeze, almost as if I can transfer the pain to him.

He leans in and gives me a rueful smile. “Name’s Branson. I’m Knox’s big brother, and I haven’t always been well liked around these parts, which is probably why we’re not acquainted.”

As the pain of the last contraction subsides, I glance up at him. He looks at me with earnest care, and I give him a small smile.

“I’m Lucy. And I don’t know, Branson. You seem pretty okay to me.”

He chuckles, shifting me in his arms as he scans the yard, signaling to an unseen person. “You’d be the only person to say so, but I’m workin’ on it.”

Before I can respond, a sharp pain shoots in my belly, and I double over, wincing at the pain.

“Lucy, you okay?” I can hear the panic in his voice.

Clutching his arm, I grasp as hard as I can. “Branson…” I breathe. “As much as I love clinging to you, can you please find Kale for me? If I’m about to have his baby on your parents’ lawn, I should at least warn him, right?”

Branson gives me a beautiful, reassuring smile as his hand strokes my back. “Don’t worry, Lucy. We’ll take care of you. ”

I give him a weak smile as a sharp pain assaults my belly, and I double over in pain once again. All of a sudden, I feel a flurry of activity around me, and I look up just in time to see Knox pushing Branson away. Kale’s by my side, and I look up at him, gesturing towards Knox.

“Make sure to thank Branson,” I insist. Kale frowns down at me, but I don’t back down. “Kale, he was there when my water broke—on his suit, I might add. He held my hand through the pain. I don’t care who he is or who doesn’t like him. I’m just thankful he was around.”

Nodding, Kale gives me a tight smile as Knox returns. He gives Kale a slap on the shoulder then looks down on me.

“I guess this is the little guy’s way of getting back at me for stealing his thunder,” Knox jokes, and I give him a sheepish grin.

My next contraction starts just as the paramedics arrive, and they quickly load me onto a stretcher. Kale follows behind, and it’s a matter of time before we’re wheeled into a whirlwind of activity.

Kales grips my hand in the ambulance, and I look up at him. “Kale? I’m as much as I love Sprout, I’m really glad I’m not giving birth in the grass.”

Grinning, he shakes his head at me. “I’m glad, too.”

I DIDN’T actually have to worry about having a baby in the Wellingtons’ backyard because even after my water broke, Sprout decided to delay his entrance into the world. Fortunately, it was enough time for me to have an epidural, something Kale scowled at me for, but I didn’t care. Until he is the one dealing with labor pains, he doesn’t get a say.

“Okay, Lucy, it’s about that time,” the doctor informs me. “You’re fully dilated and we need to get you ready to push.”

Nodding, I let out a long, slow deep breath, more than ready to meet my son. A nurse in salmon-colored scrubs directs Kale to grab one of my legs. He squeezes my hand one last time and moves to the end of the bed, and I lurch forward in protest. I don’t care how many times his head’s been between my legs. The last thing I want is to traumatize him by seeing a baby’s head coming out of that sacred spot.

“Baby, it’s fine. I don’t mind,” he reassures me, but I shake my head. He cocks an eyebrow up at me, giving me a nod with a smile on his face, almost as if he can read my mind. “I promise I won’t look if that’s what you’re worried about. But you’ve got to push, and I want to help. Let me do this.”

Letting out a deep breath, I concede, knowing that I won’t change his mind no matter how much I want to protest. In the end, when it comes time to push, I barely register that anyone else is in the room. His coaching and encouragement through each push helps keep my focus on him, and even though he promised not to look, I see the way his eyes light up the moment I feel the baby escape from my body. Exhaustion flows through me as I lean back against the bed. Kale looks up at me with watery eyes, giving me the widest smile I’ve ever seen on his face. His expression is full of elation, awe, and pure love.

The sound of the baby crying snaps my attention, and I watch as he’s wrapped in a blanket then handed to Kale. He walks towards me and gently sits on the side of my bed.

“Hey, Sprout, meet your momma,” he whispers, lowering the baby into my arms. An overwhelming sob racks through my body at the sight of him—our precious, perfect baby boy. Kale brushes my sweaty hair aside and leans down to give me a kiss on the forehead. “You did amazing, baby. That was amazing. Like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It was the biggest rush of my life. Bombs have nothin’ on babies.”

Laughter escapes me, and I grin up at him then down at my son. “Hear that, Sprout? You’re more exciting than explosives. Don’t go getting any ideas now.”

“Okay, Momma. As much as I love Sprout, that’s not going on the birth certificate. Are you ready?” he asks, peering down at me.

After weeks of disagreeing on names, we finally decided that we’d split it. I get the first name and he gets the middle, and we both have one veto each. As much as Kale’s baby naming scares me, I’m excited to give our son a name.

“On the count of three?” I ask, and he nods. “One… two… three.”

“Austin,” he says at the same time as I tell him, “Jacob.”

“Jacob Austin Montgomery?” I try the name out and realize that it’s perfect. “I love it.”

Kale leans onto the mattress and gives me a smirk. “You know what this means, right?”

Frowning at him, I shake my head. “I don’t, and I’m not sure I want to.”

He brings a finger up to stroke Jacob’s face. “He’s got one awesome set of initials.” I look at him in confusion. “JAM! Seriously. I had no idea you were even picking a J name, but it worked out perfectly.”

I groan then give him a teasing smile. “Can I use a veto?” I ask jokingly, and he shakes his head.

“No way. From here on out, it’s you, me, and Jacob. Just like it’s meant to be.”