Page 123 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

“Aww, he’s very attractive and romantic,” said Willa.

Marcy grinned. “He’s going to be an amazing husband and father.”

“Father?” asked Stratton.

Marcy’s gaze slid down me and then to Stratton. “Yes. And speaking of fathers, Astria’s is very overprotective. You might want to take her on a honeymoon, quickly. Give him some time to adjust to the fact his daughter is now married.”

“He knows?” I asked.

Willa looked confused, but stayed close to me, her gaze darting often to Jonathan.

Marcy didn’t appear the least bit bothered by anything. “Oh yes. I think he realized as much when you and Stratton did that light show thing last night.”

“At the campus?” I asked.

“No, in the bedroom,” she replied.

Stratton dipped his head and kissed me, stopping the outburst he no doubt guessed I was about to have. When he ended it, he stayed close. “Astria, everything will be fine. Adam and I have worked out our differences in the past. This won’t be any different. He’s calmed a lot with age.”

Marcy nodded. “Uh-huh, but you might want to go ahead and get started on the honeymoon. I suggest somewhere far away at least for the next week or so. That will give Adam some time to wrap his mind around the fact he’s going to get to finally meet Astria face-to-face and that he’s going to be a grandfather.”

My eyes widened.

The muscles in Stratton’s neck worked overtime as he held me tighter. “Marcy?”

Drest exhaled an exasperated breath. “You got my niece pregnant already? I’m Team Adam here, in case you’re wondering.”

Torid snarled at Stratton.

Drest nodded to him. “So is Torid.”

Stratton lifted me and spun me in a circle before setting me down and kissing me again. His smile was so broad that it made my chest tight, seeing just how excited he was by Marcy’s news.

Willa was teary eyed, nodding at me. “I’m so glad I got here to find this outcome and not the one I’d dreamed about.”

Marcy took Willa’s hand in hers. “Dreams are such funny beasts, aren’t they? Speaking of dreams…” Her gaze slid slyly to Jonathan.

He stiffened, looking at Willa quickly before glancing away.

I put my head to my husband’s chest and savored being held by him.

He kissed the top of my head.

I patted his arm. “So you know, I’m Team Stratton.”

Torid’s attention slid to the open front door.

The entranceway filled with a man I’d not seen in eighteen years. His hair was salt-and-pepper now instead of ink-black and his eyes held worry, then relief as he looked in at me. He had on doctor scrubs and a pair of sneakers and was as physically fit as I remembered him being. “Franks!”

Willa let out a squeak of surprise. “Craig Van Helsing? Wow. You managed to get hotter. Didn’t know that was possible.”

Jonathan narrowed his gaze on Craig and growled, sounding like a big dog.

Craig ran in and past everyone, coming right for me. He grabbed me and lifted me, hugging me tight before setting me down. “Elis just told me this morning that you were here and I…ohmygod, I thought you were dead. Are you okay? Where were you? Where did you go?”

Stratton grunted. “Kindly take your hands offmywife.”

Craig glanced over at him. “Wife? Hey, aren’t you a detective or something?”

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