Page 103 of Calamity Rayne Knocked Up

I laughed. “You hook up with one guy and you’re using words likefabulous?”

“Is it too much?”

I patted his hand. “Not at all. Don’t let anyone ever make you second guess yourself, Ty. And if some people think you’re ‘too much,’ then they just aren’t your person or your people.”

He sighed. “Is it just me, or has pregnancy made you wiser?”

“It’s not pregnancy. It’s being with someone who loves and accepts me just the way I am.”

I selected all the proofs and moved them into the cart. “Done. What do I owe you?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t be a jerk.”

“I’m not. A jerk would make you pay.”

“Tyler, if you don’t let us pay for your work I’m not accepting a single portrait. And then I’m going to be sad, because some of those pictures of Elara are amazing and I needthem on my desk at work. Do you wanna make a pregnant woman cry?”

He sighed. “You were easier to control when you were broke.”

“I know. No discounts, either. You charge us full price.”

Another formal dinner was scheduled at Remington’s that night and it would be the last of the trip. Sunday would consist of packing and goodbyes, but to be honest, I missed home, so I was okay with how things were wrapping up.

As we bundled up to drive over to Remington’s I could tell Tyler was nervous. He fussed with his hair and obsessively worried if his clothes were wrinkled.

“I should have ironed. I’m never satisfied when I steam my shirts.”

“For the love of God, you look fine, Tyler. Hale! If you don’t feed me soon I’m going to get cranky!”

Hale came down the steps empty handed. “Elara’s staying home.”

“What? Why?”

“She said shit again and she’s never going to learn if there aren’t consequences.”

That made sense. “Is she staying with my momor yours?”

“Yours.”

“I’m sure she’ll really feel Daddy’s wrath when Grandma Penny’s giving her ice cream and letting her stay up late to watch Frozen for the thousandth time,” I mumbled.

“What?”

“I said I love you.”

“Oh, you’re ready.” I gave him a cheeky smile.

Tyler returned to the foyer in a different shirt. “I went with the brown one.”

“Great. Let’s go.” I handed Hale the keys. “Xander’s probably waiting.”

Hale stilled, so we all stopped and looked at him expectantly. Sometimes getting out of the house was so much more complicated than it needed to be.

“What are we doing?”

Regret flashed in Hale’s eyes as he looked at Tyler. “Xander left.”

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