Page 42 of Whiskey Reveals

Chapter 21

Melody shouldn’t be nervous,but she totally was. She might have made it through a whole week of dance classes with only a few hiccups, but that was nothing compared to this.

Tonight was dinner with Fox’s family.

Meaning she would probably be interrogated and introduced as Fox’s girlfriend.

Fox’s pregnantgirlfriend.

Dear God.

It wasn’t as if they didn’t already know she was pregnant. Hell, the entire town knew she was pregnant by this point because she was almost four months along and starting to get a tiny belly. She’d felt so guilty that she hadn’t told all of her dance students ahead of time, that she waived their first fees if they wanted to cancel because she was pregnant. Somehow, nobody canceled, and she hadn’t lost a single student yet. She might in the future, but for now, they were staying. Even though they knew she was pregnant.

And that meant no more hiding from Fox’s parents, his brothers, or the women in their lives.

Hence why she was just a little bit stressed out and really worried that she was about to mess everything up by saying something stupid.

Fox, however, did not understand how she could be so stressed since she’d already met everyone. This was one area where he was a typical man and really needed to think before he spoke. But she didn’t yell at him, afraid that if she did, she would start crying because her emotions were all over the place. She really didn’t know if it was baby hormones or the stress of not figuring out who the stalker was that was making everything worse, but she was beyond tired of not knowing whether she was going to yell or cry any moment. And she wasn’t even really that pregnant yet.

“It’s going to be fine. My parents already love you from that one meeting and every time you come into the bar. You’re giving the family tons of business, and they’re already working with you at your studio. Yes, we went about this whole relationship a little backwards, but they’re getting a grandbaby out of the deal, so I really don’t think they’re going to freak out about that. You don’t have to worry either.”

“You say that, and yet I’m walking in there pregnant and unwed. I might as well put on a shirt that is ruined or have a scarlet letter on my chest.”

“As we are in a different century and Whiskey is a little more progressive than a lot of towns, especially compared Regency England, I’m going to go with no on the scarlet letter. But whatever you think is best.”

“Sometimes you’re very lucky that you’re cute. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

Fox leaned over and kissed her hard. The touch left her pulse racing, and she had to fight to catch her breath. “Just cute? I’m going to have to step up my game when it comes to touching you if you just find me cute.”

“Fox, keep your hands off that poor girl so she can come inside and actually get something to eat. Plus, she’s carrying my grandchild; therefore, I want her sitting down with her feet up and a glass of ice water in her hand. For the love of Pete, Fox, keep your hormones at bay for at least five minutes.”

That’s it, Melody really needed to find that hole where she could bury herself and never actually think about what had just happened. Of course, his mother would be standing on the porch waiting for them. Of course, she would be staring and watching Fox make out with her as he made growling noises. And Melody was pretty sure she had made a moan or two of her own. Fox did that to her. Damn the man. Damn him and his pretty face and his yummy dick.

“Sorry, Mom. She’s just so pretty.” He gave Melody a wink before taking her hand and leading her towards the house. Fox’s mom rolled her eyes before opening her arms for a hug.

“That boy is just too smooth for his own good. Or at least he thinks he is. I know we’ve already met, but just in case you forgot, I’m Barbara. Bob’s inside, chasing the other two grandkids around the house. I don’t know exactly what game they’re playing, but it makes the kids giggle, and it keeps them out of the kitchen so they’re not pilfering food. Keeping my children out of the kitchen, well…that’s just never going to happen.”

All of her nervousness seeped out of her at Barbara’s hug. Because not only did that woman give good hugs, she immediately made Melody feel at home. And though Melody had met every single person inside the house, Fox’s mother introduced her to everyone again and then literally sat her on the couch, put her feet up on the ottoman, and handed her a glass of ice water.

Kenzie laughed at the expression on Melody’s face. “Let her take care of you. The boys keep pushing her away, and now that Tabby has decided to stay in Denver, she needs someone to pamper.”

“She’s still pampering you,” Dare said as he walked into the living room with two glasses of iced tea in his hands. He handed one to Kenzie and sipped the other. Melody remembered that Dare was working that night at the bar, hence why he wasn’t having a beer like Fox and Loch were.

Fox’s father was indeed chasing Nate and Misty around, the noise almost deafening, but no one said anything. The three of them were having a blast, or at least Melody thought a good time was had by all. Loch was fixing a hinge on a door to one of the rooms down the hall but was still in the middle the conversation between Dare, Fox, and Kenzie. Melody tried to keep track of it all but still felt two steps behind. It didn’t help that she was already getting pregnancy brain and was a little too tired to be on her feet. Fox’s mom really knew what she had been talking about with putting her feet up.

Barbara wouldn’t let most of them in the kitchen to help out with food since she had her own way of doing things, but Fox had told Melody that wasn’t always the case. Sometimes, his mom was just in the mood to cook and perhaps work with one person.

That person today happened to be Ainsley. Apparently, Ainsley was doing even better than Fox at the cooking class, and Barbara wanted to see what the other woman had learned. Every once in a while, Misty would come up to Ainsley, give her a hug, and then go running after Nate. Melody knew she wasn’t the only one who saw that interaction; the rest of the family watched it as well, but they all seemed to be doing their best not to say anything.

Because whatever was going on between Loch and Ainsley was none of their business, even though she had a terrible thing feeling that things wouldn’t end well if the two of them didn’t talk to one another. But knowing Loch as she did, talking wasn’t going to come easily or anytime soon.

Melody rested her hand on her belly and let out a sigh. Fox had his arm wrapped around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. He didn’t say anything to her, and he didn’t need to. She could feel his comfort and his need, especially since it matched her own.

She was going to be a mom, that much had finally gotten through her head. Fox was going to be a dad. It should have stressed her out more than it did, but with everything else, it was just about par for the course. It was going to be something completely different, something else that would change their lives forever.

But Fox’s family surrounded her, and she was comforted by the fact that she knew her grandmother was hanging out with her friends tonight and wouldn’t be alone. Fox had been by Melody’s side throughout it all and hadn’t backed away—even when she tried to push him. She saw the strength in Bob and Barbara’s love and marriage. She saw a similar strength in Dare and Kenzie’s relationship. She saw the laughter from Misty and Nate. And she saw the delicate temptation between Loch and Ainsley. All of that surrounded her and reminded her that she wasn’t alone. As she leaned into Fox, Melody figured that maybe just this once, she could trust herself. She could trust him.

Maybe this feeling she had wasn’t wrong. Maybe she was finally falling.

Maybe she’d already fallen in love.

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