Page 24 of Grumped By the Mountain Man

“I’ve always loved you, Jaxon.”

Chapter Eight

Four months later

Ayla

“This place is incredible,” Maya says as she and Emmy scan the kitchen.

“Gorgeous,” Emmy agrees. “I think I’ve said that at least fifty times tonight. I need a new adjective.”

Cali rubs her rounded stomach. “Stunning?” she offers, but Maya shakes her head.

“I think she’s said that twenty times at least.”

“It’s all thanks to Jaxon and a murder mystery movie,” I smile.

I’d finally convinced Jaxon to have a housewarming party with our closest friends and family. We couldn’t always live in isolation, and I certainly didn’t want that for our future children. At the very least Jaxon needed to get comfortable with having our immediate family members over, because there’d be tons of cousin sleepovers on the horizon. Only Jaxon doesn’t know that yet.

I run a hand over my lower belly but immediately move it before the women can notice it and pry. I’d taken a test last week and I was over the moon when those two little pink lines came up, but I wanted to wait for my blood test to confirm before telling Jaxon.

I’d gotten the results in my email this morning, and sure enough Jaxon and I are expecting our first.

I look down at the latest editions to our family, Emmy’s daughter Chloe and Maya’s son Noah. Noah’s only a month old and slumbering peacefully in his stroller while Chloe, who’s nearly five months, is fighting a milk coma in Grant’s arms across the room.

He, Levi, and Beau are all crowded around Jaxon’s new billiard table. Everly and Sunny are making circles around it as they admire the heavy balls in the pockets. Mochi follows them wagging his tail and sniffing each pocket.

“So we’re back on?” Levi asks, raising a brow as if he still can’t believe Jaxon’s words.

Jaxon nods. “Every second Thursday of the month, we’ll have billiard night right here.”

I’d encouraged him to buy the table. I knew how much he enjoyed playing with the Woods brothers and his cousins, the Forester’s, years ago. It brings him out of his shell just enough while still keeping him comfortable and that’s all I want.

“A whole damn pool table,” Beau says before letting out a whistle. “You know what this means right? You can never show your face in town again if you lose a tournament at the Wolves Den. Not when you can practice whenever the hell you want.”

“The pressure’s getting higher,” Levi says. “Heath’s taken the crown since you stopped coming to the den.”

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