Page 71 of It's Always Us

I find my earring and give it a couple of twists to calm the swirl of emotion flowing through me. “Actually, I need to tell you something.” This man is not soft by any stretch of the imagination, but as his gray-blue eyes find mine, I see a tentativeness there that’s as rare as a Ford GT. “But—”

Mark finally rounds the corner and steps beside me, sliding his recently freed arm carefully around me. His large hand stops to rest low on my hip but mostly on my butt. Him and all his touchy-feely tendencies. I might as well light myself on fire.

Grandpa’s eyebrows shoot higher. He doesn’t say a word, and I know the stubborn old goat is going to make me say it.

“Wehave something to tell you,” Mark says, evidently having ditched his nerves in the kitchen. He grins like he just won the Super Bowl.

Damn him and that smile and his hands and every last stitch of manly self-assuredness.

Grandpa rests back in his chair, eyeing us as my pores prickle with sweat. Are nerves transmitted through contact? I inhale slowly.

“When I played in Vegas, Lex showed up, and I asked her to marry me.” Mark just throws it out there like it’s no big deal or surprise.

I watch Grandpa’s face, and the man should’ve joined the CIA because he doesn’t even flinch. I’m not sure he’s even breathing.

Mark continues, unfazed. “She said yes, or actually ok, and I wasn’t about to let her leave without making her mine forever.”

Mark’s fingers stretch to my hip, pulling me into him while I wait, watching. The only sound in the room is some news anchor droning on about gas prices.

Eventually, one rough hand reaches up and scratches at his day-old whiskers as his eyes move to mine. “You’re married . . . to this one?” He points at Mark.

I bite my lip and nod. “Also,” I say softly, needing to get it out. “I’m pregnant.”

The news suddenly flips to a commercial, and the room vibrates from the increase in volume. Grandpa’s blue-gray eyes zero in on Mark and stay there, and his body presses closer to mine as if maybe his carefree attitude bolts.Ha.

The silence would be deafening, but the commercial blares on instead.

Eventually, Grandpa leans forward in his chair.“You got my granddaughter pregnant?” he asks Mark like we’re sixteen again, and my insides wiggle just a little at his tone.

Mark’s arm pulls me even tighter, my shoulder pressing into his chest. “Yes, but I was sure to marry her first.” His voice is clear and confident, and I press into him this time, wanting to wrap him up and also kiss him like never before.

“The two of you are married and having a baby.” Grandpa’s finger wags between us.

I stare at him, wondering what in the hell is going on. I know he didn’t go deaf, but then again, the blaring TV filters through, making me question.

“Grandpa,” I say, getting his attention. “Mark and I are married. I’ve been with him these past few days in Phoenix, and we’re having a baby.” The words I’d never in a million years thought I’d say roll right off my tongue.

“Well, hot damn!” Grandpa jumps up like a spry fox. “Congratulations, boy. Hell, it took you long enough to get your ass back here.” He lunges forward and wraps Mark in a bear hug while I stand speechless. “I’m going to be a great-grandpa. How about that?” He claps Mark on the back, and I wonder if he remembers I have a role in this.

Grandpa beams at me and pulls me in for a hug with what might be tears in his eyes. Mark stands to the side, grinning like he just stole the last cookie from the cookie jar. I knew Grandpa wouldn’t be mad or disappointed, but I didn’t expect him to start prancing around as if he won the Mega Pot.

Grandpa leans back, holding my face in his hands, and those tears cause pools to form in my own. “My brave girl. It was always the Mustang.”

“What’s the deal with Mustangs?” Mark asks, eyeing the two of us. I think he might be catching on.

An ornery smile pulls at my Grandpa’s lips. “Damn. I’ve got to tell the boys. They’re going to . . . Sandberg and a baby. Ha!”

“Hold on, Grandpa.” I grab his arm. “I’m stopping by the shop in the morning, and then I have my first appointment, so you’re keeping your big mouth shut until then.”

His elation falters. “Pal, you can’t be on the floor pregnant. If anything happened . . . ”

Mark’s hand presses into the small of my back, and it’s comforting.

“Grandpa, I can’t sit around handing back keys. I’ll go crazy.” My eyes shift to the floor. “I know we need to talk about Slade buying the shop—”

He cuts me off. “Not tonight, but you should know we were only talking. We would’ve told you that if you’d stuck around.”

“We have a lot of things to figure out,” Mark says, breaking the tension.

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