Page 108 of Honest With You

“All the rooms except for the library are done, baby mama. But once we unpack the copious amount of mangas and books you have, we’re all set to start planning a housewarming party.”

“Did somebody say party?” Vanessa saunters from the other side of the kitchen, coming from the back staircase. She was helping me set up the nursery when I excused myself to start dinner.

“Of course that's what you heard,” Stephen mutters.

I shoot him a glare. After what happened in high school, Stephen and Vanessa never got along. Every time they’re in a room together, it just stinks of animosity. It gets annoying. especially since for the most part, Vanessa does her best to pretend he doesn’t even exist. Which in turn goads Stephen even more to get a reaction.

Reese elbows him but then they share a meaningful glance that has me frowning.

What’s that about?

Jesse presses a soft kiss on the crook of my neck before joining Matt, Ryder and Tyler, who have started pouring shots behind the bar of our expansive dining area.

Ryder musses up Vanessa's hair affectionately when she goes to stand next to him and she steals his beer. He rolls his eyes and tosses a shot back but I don’t miss the awkward glance he throws our way, his eyes pausing to look at Reese. She doesn’t even look his way, somehow now preoccupied with her phone.

Now that’s strange. She’s had a crush on Ryder since she was thirteen. Ever since they met, she made a point of hanging around him, flirting. But today, she seemed to go out of her way to avoid him altogether. I loop my arm around her and guide her into the kitchen.

“Need help, babe?” Jesse hurries back over, kissing my shoulder. But he doesn’t even wait for a response, and he simply starts opening cupboards and stacking plates. Always so overprotective.

And hot.Damn, my baby daddy is hot.

I watch as his muscles flex under the tank he’s wearing, his blond locks framing his chiseled face and now I suddenly want to kick everyone out of my house, even after they spent all day helping us move in. He winks at me when he catches me staring at his butt and Reese groans.

“Ugh. You guys are gross.”

“Shut up. Blame the hormones.” I smack her arm and point at the oven. “Take out the lasagnas for me, will you?”

She does what she’s told while I make a move to grab the salad and garlic bread I made from the counter but Stephen beats me to it, nudging me with his hip to move me out of his way.

If Jesse was overprotective, my big brother is overbearing.

I’ve seen more of him after I got married than I had since moving back to California.

Reese sets the two bins of lasagna I made on the breakfast bar with the rest of the food while Jesse and Vanessa set the table.

I wait until everyone is out of earshot before nudging my sister with my shoulder.

“What’s up with you and Ryder?” I whisper to her.

She sighs then shrugs. “Nothing. I’m pretty sure I’m over it–him, at this point.”

I crook an eyebrow, not buying it for a second, because she sounds sad and not over it.

“It’s time, Ava. I realize now that I will never be someone Ryder sees himself with.”

She forces a smile and I can tell it’s fake because she drops it in a nanosecond.”Besides, I’m not lacking when it comes to male company. It’s about time I started exploring my options instead of waiting around for a guy.”

I mean, I can’t argue with that. I love Ryder like a brother, but Reese is my actual sister. I hated seeing her pining for a guy who only saw her as the little girl who followed him around.

I hug her close, even though she’s almost a foot taller than me now and she wraps an arm around my shoulder. We squeeze each other before joining everyone for dinner.

I only want to see her happy. I make a silent vow to be there for her more before the baby comes.

I watch as my wife slips under the covers beside me and I gratefully cocoon her in my arms.

I’m still in awe. I get to call her my wife and we’re blessed with another child.

Something happened to us after we lost our first child. The seed had been planted in our heads and even after all these years, the loss caused a yearning in us. We wanted a family. Together.

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