Page 8 of Tying the Knot with her Sweet Scrooge

“It sounds like she’s announcing that she’s pregnant,” Logan chuckled.

“That’s what I’m thinking she’s alluding to,” Juliet quipped, looking at her husband as they shared a knowing smile. “He looks just as shocked as you were when I told you about my pregnancy with Griffin.”

“Lena, are you sure?”

“The man looks completely befuddled…”

“You’d think with as much smack as he talked overseas that he would know how babies were made.”

“Oh, I know!” Ortega practically giggled as he set his chair upright and sat down before Lena, who was beaming at her husband. “I know it, I love it, I practice it every chance I get.”

“And here we go,” Logan, Griffin, and Houghton all groaned in unison. He knew Ortega was about to go on some big spiel about his junk, make a bunch of innuendos, or crass comments of a sexual nature, but he shocked them all.

“Lumberjack…are we gonna have a baby?” Ortega said in a hushed voice, thick with emotion, as a tear ran down his cheek. “Are you sure? You aren’t kidding me, are you?”

“I’m sure,” Lena chuckled, touching the man’s face tenderly.

Houghton looked at Jill again, feeling like a troll. He’d ruined her moment, and he knew it. She had been so excited to tell him about the baby, so happy and looked so nervous, and he’d left the room, left the house and her behind.

They didn’t have that hug, those shared kisses, those whispers of love between them that were happening not six feet from him as the couple held each other close. Everyone was congratulating the newly expecting parents, and no one had done that for his wife. She deserved so much better than him, and he knew it.

Houghton was failing her as a husband - and all to keep his stupid surprise a secret. He uttered a foul word under his breath, threw down his napkin, and walked out of the house to be alone.

“Babe?” Jill called out from behind him, and he kept going, walking past Lyndsey as she entered the cabin, late, to join them for dinner. Panic was standing in the distance, watching, only to turn around and go back inside his own small cabin.

Weirdo,he thought angrily and kept marching forward, needing to be alone and think of how to make this up to Jill.

CHAPTER 5

JILL

“What is going on?” Lily said openly, turning to look at her as she stood there looking out the windows of the living room near the fireplace, watching her beloved husband walk off in a huff.

“What got his knickers in a twist?” Lena said in disbelief, looking at all their faces before landing on Jill’s. “Is he mad?”

“His knickersstaytwisted…” Juliet muttered, rolling her eyes.

“Doesn’t it make it uncomfortable for him to walk?” Lyndsey said jokingly, pulling out a chair and sitting down brightly before holding up a hand. “Hi, strangers – I’m Lyndsey, your newest addition to the ol’ proverbial flock.”

“Forget the knickers. The stick up his butt makes it much worse,” Ortega chuckled. “Can you pass me another roll, Logan?”

“Lyndsey is closer to the basket.”

“Dude, the new chick referred to us a ‘flock’ – and with Houghton’s sour attitude, he certainly ain’t getting…”

“Uh-huh,” Lena barked out, holding up her finger. “Don’t say it, Jake. Children are present and would not appreciate your delightful play on words. Just leave that one alone… for me.”

“Anything for you,Baaaaaa-by,” Jake mocked in obvious delight, causing an uncomfortable ripple of laughter around the table.

“The new chick is capable of passing the rolls, Potty Mouth,” Lyndsey quipped, causing Griffin to lift an eyebrow as he pointed at Ortega – who mockingly pointed back at him, giving him the same expression.

“Where’s Panic?”

“At the disco?” Logan retorted as Juliet choked beside him – but Jill saw Lyndsey hold up a hand and high-five the man over the table for the joke. “Sorry, Jules – it was just too easy.”

“Panic is living up to his name and decided to skip attending dinner,” Lyndsey said simply, pointing at a bowl. “Can you pass me the green beans – and by the way, that was brilliant, mister.”

“Logan,” he corrected. “Nice to meet someone who appreciates good music.”

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