Page 79 of Only for Tonight
“Not a clue.” I play dumb. “What did you hear? You know you can only believe half the stuff you hear and read these days, Uncle Evan.”
“Don’t be smart,” he retorts.
“We heard all the news,” Zara now cuts in, “and your uncle is a bit fit to be tied.”
“Who told you?” I ask him, looking at my mother, who shakes her head and holds up her hands like “it wasn’t me.”
“I heard,” he barks in the phone and I roll my lips.
“From who? Say their names,” I snap back at him.
“Matthew,” Zara interjects, mentioning her brother.
“What?” I say, shocked. “How in the hell did he hear?” My eyes go to my mother, who has the most confused look on her face, so I know it definitely wasn’t her.
“Manning told Nico. Nico told Matthew, and Matthew is Matthew,” Evan relays. “He’s like a billboard in the middle of Times Square.” I chuckle, because he’s not wrong. “Do you know how that conversation went?” I don’t answer him. “He gloated. I hate when he gloats.”
“He didn’t gloat,” Zara quickly defends him. “He called to say congratulations to him on becoming a great-uncle.”
“Same thing,” he grumbles. “Anyway, is it true?”
“You still haven’t told me what he told you.” I fuck with him and even Zara knows what I’m doing.
“Are you and Jaxon Stevenson having a baby together?” he questions between clenched teeth.
“Oh, that?” I sing out. “That’s true.”
Zara laughs now. “We are so excited for you, it’s a blessing.”
“When are you guys getting married?” he asks me and my mouth hangs open when I look at my mother.
“Oh God,” my mother gasps, “hang up on him.”
“We are moving in together,” I fill him in. “Then we are going to have a baby together and see maybe. I don’t know. We haven’t gotten that far just yet.”
“You haven’t gotten that far yet,” he mocks me. “You’re having his baby, I think that is as far as one can get, don’t you think?”
“Did Zoey get married to Nash without even kissing him?” I turn the tables back on him.
“She was saving herself for him.” He quickly laughs, making us all laugh. “Anyway, I’ll be in LA in two weeks and I want to see you. Both of you.”
“I shall mark you on the calendar,” I say happily.
“She fucks up by not calling her uncle and she’s still a smart-ass,” he grumbles to Zara.
“I’m sorry. I should have called you, but between telling my parents and then coming back to New York to pack up things, I’ve been a bit busy.”
“Don’t mind him,” my aunt says, “he’s a sourpuss. We can’t wait to see you.”
“Thank you. Let me know when you’ll be in town.”
“We will,” my aunt replies before they disconnect.
I pull up my text thread to Jaxon.
Me: My uncle just called to congratulate us. I guess the word is out.
I see the three dot bubbles come up and then see his answer.
