Page 102 of Stone Promises

“Here’s your drink, babe,” she says, putting it down next to me.

I see Heather watching us from across the room. I realize what I’m about to do is probably not the best move, but it’s my house so I really don’t fucking care. I pull Mal into my lap and kiss her.Hard. Cheers erupt around the room from everyone here. Well, almost everyone.

Mallory’s dad beckons me over to him.Shit. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that. “I think I’m about to get scolded by your father,” I tell her.

She giggles. “That man worships the ground you walk on, Chad.”

“Still. He’s big and I just had my tongue down your throat.”

I help her off my lap and make my way to Richard. He asks me to join him on the balcony. He hands me a small box. “In this box are the rings I gave to Mallory’s mom. I don’t know what you have planned for her wedding ring, and if you don’t want them, I’ll understand, but I thought maybe you could somehow use the diamonds . . .”

“Yes. Of course, yes, Richard. I know Mallory would be honored to have something that belonged to her mother.” I take the box from him. “Thank you.”

“There’s one more thing,” he says, looking nervous.

“What it is?”

He looks around uncomfortably. “I’m not exactly sure how to give Mallory some news.”

I can’t help my smile. I had suspected as much. “You’re getting married, too, aren’t you?”

He nods. “Yes. But that’s not the news that might be hard for her to hear.” He nods inside to Denise.

It takes me a minute to wrap my brain around what he’s trying to tell me. “She’s . . . you’re . . . ?”

I’m not sure if he’s happy or terrified. Maybe a bit of both. He releases a long sigh. “Denise is pregnant. Mallory is going to be a big sister.”

“And this is a good thing, right?” I ask, just to be sure.

He smiles and pats my shoulder. “This is a great thing,” he says.

“She’ll be over the moon, Richard. She tells me all the time how happy she is to see you living again.”

“Will you be there when we tell her?” he asks.

I nod. “Of course. How about Sunday at your place?” I ask. “Just the other day we were talking about making it a weekly thing. If that’s okay with you.”

“I would love that,” he says. “Now go back to your party, son. Quit letting this old man monopolize your time.”

“Old man my ass,” I say. “You’re about to remember what it’s like to wake up for 2 a.m. feedings. That’ll keep you young.”

Back inside, I hunt down my drink. After all, I better enjoy the heck out of it since I get only one.

Lila asks Mallory for a tour of the place since the rest of the guests already had one before she arrived. Mal is all too happy to show off our new digs.

Julian comes over to sit next to me, looking all serious. “What is it?” I ask, studying him. “Oh, hell, you’re not breaking up with her, are you? Ana really likes you. I think she might even love you. You guys are great together. I know you don’t think you want this life, but Julian, it’s no big deal. You’ll work it out. You see how good it is for Mal and me. With your background, you can get a job anywhere. Or Ana can move; she can live here in New York. You can’t just throw it—”

“She’s pregnant, Chad.”

What the fuck?I take a large swig of my drink, tossing it back in a single swallow.

I glance over at Heather, who’s looking at me but talking with Paul. Then I look over at Richard and Denise. I say to Julian, “I guess there reallyissomething in the water.”

“What?” he asks in confusion.

“Nothing. So, uh . . . I’m not sure what you want me to say. Are you asking me what you should do?”

He shakes his head. “No.” He looks over at Ana as she laughs with Noreen, Megan, and Charlie. “I think I might want to marry her.”

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