Page 20 of Winter Frost

“I’m not saying such a thing. You tested him?”

She tilts her head and says, “I just wanted to give you a peace of mind.”

“I don’t need this to tell me he’s my son, Jacqueline. I never did. Might have been frightened about being a father, but I was never afraid that you were carrying another man’s baby.”I cup her face with my free hand. “I mean it,” I whisper, kissing her lips.

“Good, but it still doesn’t change that I want you to have this. I don’t want anything standing between us. You didn’t have doubts until the girls were adults.” I’m serious when I say that I don’t need validation.

“My ex-wife wasn’t anything like you. You are special, kind, and we are in love. That’s a huge difference.”

“Fine. We won’t read it.” She sets it on the counter and then I walk into the living room just as my daughter enters the house.

“Hey, Noelle. What’s up?” I asked, giving her a one arm hug because my little guy is tight to my chest. I should put him down, but letting him go is too damn hard sometimes.

“Nothing. I came by to say hello and see my little brother. Goodness, he’s adorable.”

“Hey, Noelle,” Jacqueline says, coming out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron.

“Hey gorgeous. You look incredible and it smells good in this house. Dang, I wish I was a better cook.”

“Come on and see what I’m making.” She follows my wife into the kitchen as I play with my son.

“I love you, little Jacob. You’re going to be a big boy and I’m going to show you so many things as you grow up, especially how to love a good woman.”

“Dad, did you read this?” Noelle comes in waving a letter in her hand, which I can only assume is the test results.

“And a stubborn one…” I grumble as I stare at my son.

“No, I told Jacqueline I didn’t care.”

“Is there something in there that should surprise me?”

“No, of course not. Jacob is your son, but that means he could have heart problems.”

“Yes, I’ve considered it, and I will take him to a specialist to be sure as he gets older, but so far his tests come back normal for his heart,” I informed her. My wife peeks out of the kitchen door. “Sweetheart, would you like to come out and talk to me?”

“Um…”

I set my sleeping son in his bassinet next to my recliner and then sat down. “Come here, wife,” I growl, crooking my finger, summoning her.

“What’s up, Evan?” she asks, clasping her hands together and biting on her bottom lip as she looks down at me.

“You conned Noelle to open it, didn’t you?” I asked, tugging her ass down on my lap.

“Actually, I didn’t. I told her you didn’t want to open it and she decided to do it for you.”

Noelle smiles boldly. “It needed to be done whether you think so or not, dad. Now, if Autumn’s husband or mine questioned the paternity, we’d be totally offended because they don’t have the trauma or the reason for it. Besides, you didn’t ask Jacqueline or accuse her of such an insult. That reassurance is because of your painful past.”

“I trust her.” I look in my wife’s eyes. “Jackie, I want you to know that I love you for this. Because even though you didn’t have to prove anything to me, you did it anyway. I would have never asked you because that would mean that I believed you cheated and if I thought that we wouldn’t even be together.”

“Thank you.”

“Hell, she almost lost her career because of you,” Noelle teases. Noelle gasps and then checks her pocket. “Sorry, gotta go.The husband will be home soon. See you later.” She waves us off as she dashes out of the house, giggling as she goes.

“So wife, the baby is asleep, and it’s time that we start working on baby number two.”

“I like the sound of that.”

I lifted her apron and took it off, tossing it to the side. “The rest of this has to go, baby.” I bit my lip and stared at my wife. She’s so damn sexy. “I’m a lucky fucker.”

---