Page 110 of Loving the CEO

"We girls can have our secrets, can't we?" Gran winked.

Tory merely nodded.

I tossed the fallen tarts in the bin, and the three of us headed to the living room. Jake and Natalie had arrived in the meantime, as had Maddox and Cami.

"Mini quiches!" Natalie exclaimed. "Oh, Jeannie, thank you so much."

Grandmother kissed her cheek affectionately. "Anything you want, darling! Just say it and I'll make it for you."

"I was just craving quiche so badly."

"Craving?" Maddox asked slowly. "Are you...?"

Natlie’s eyes widened. "Oh, shoot. Jake, help, please."

He kissed the side of her head, laughing. "There's no way I can help, babe. We just have to fess up."

She looked around the room, beaming. "I'm pregnant. We wanted to wait for a bit until we told you, but I can't keep it to myself anymore."

Both of my grandparents had warm expressions, but neither seemed surprised, which meant Natalie had already shared it with them.

Everyone started congratulating them at the same time, including me.

Tory was all over Natalie. "How far along are you? Do you know what you're having?"

"No, we don't. I’m only eight weeks."

"What do you want it to be?" Tory went on.

Natalie looked at Jake.

"I have no preference," he said. "I just want both of you to be healthy."

As Tory stepped to one side so others could talk to Natalie, too, I hugged her from behind. She looked at me over her shoulder. To my astonishment, her eyes were a bit glassy.

"Babe, you okay?"

"Yes," she murmured. "This is a very beautiful moment.”

“It is.”

I could imagine us asking Gran to throw a dinner so we could share similar news with the family.

Only a few months ago, even the thought of that would have sent me running for the hills, but not anymore. I'd always been adamant that I didn't want to be a father. In reality, I figured I’d be a shit one. But now I was starting to think that that didn't necessarily have to be true. Spencer was a great father, and I was sure Jake would be one as well.

I kissed the back of Tory's head and tightened my arms around her.

"I'm sorry I'm being so silly," she said.

"You don't have to be sorry. Just feel whatever you want. I'm here for you."

Why in the ever-loving hell did I tell her that I would support whatever decision she made? I didn't fucking want her to go to New Orleans. What if she decided it was a good idea to stay there? Hell no. Tory belonged here with me and my family, but mostly with me. Didn't she know that? Why was she even entertaining the thought of going there?

She probably wanted closure. Closure was good. She’d dropped her entire life there in one day. Of course it was naive to think that she wouldn't have to go back again. Not only did she need to settle things with her mom, but she had other things to finalize there as well. Tory had a whole life before me, and I needed to respect that.

The doorbell rang, startling Tory.

"That would be the caterers," Gran exclaimed.

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