Page 30 of A Hot Sauce Halloween

“Okay,”he says. “I will cut Jake some slack.”

“Thank you, little brother.”

He points toward the bar. “Want a drink?”

“No,” I answer. “I’m gonna be off alcohol and on decaf coffee for the next seven months or so.”

Vincent’s head slowly turns. “No…”

I smile. “Yeah.”

“Evey said the test was negative.”

“That one was. The next one I took, however…”

His eyes twitch in confusion before he deflates with a furrowed brow. “You tricked me,” he realizes.

I smirk. “I knew that Evey can’t keep a secret and I knew that as soon as she told you we were trying to have another baby…”

He sighs. “I’d freak out.”

I nod. “I needed to know your real opinion about Jake and you needed a nudge in the right direction.” My lips twitch. “And besides, some of us aren’t patient enough to wait around for their little brothers to get over their hang-ups and accept their choice of husband.”

He tilts his head. “Message received.”

“Now…” I cross my arms. “Are we cool?” I ask.

“Yes, we’re cool,” he answers. I raise a brow and he laughs. “We’re cool, Anna.”

“You and him?”

He nods. “Me and him.”

“Forever and ever?”

He raises a finger. “… For as long as you two are together and happy, I will be happy you’re together.”

“Promise?” I ask. He flexes his jaw. “Promise?”

“Yes,” he says. “I promise.”

I extend my hand and he shakes it. “Thank you,” I say.

Vincent exhales, his mouth turning up. “My big sister is having another kid?”

I smile. “I am.”

He opens his thick arms and I fall into them. “Congrats, Anna.”

The door flies open and we pull apart as Evey barges in.

“Baby,”she says, her face twisted in panic.

“Uh…” I furrow my brow. “How did you hear us out there?”

“No.” She points at her belly. “Baby. Baby now. Can’t sentence. Baby now.”

“Oh!” Vincent tenses up. “Baby now? Our baby now?”

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