Page 17 of A Baby Changes Everything

"Yes. Olivia. Just this past April."

Sadness tugged at Hope's heart. "And he has two boys?"

"Alex and Zach. They're seven and five."

So young to be motherless. Absently, her hand covered her abdomen where her own child grew and emotion welled up in her throat. "That’s so sad for all of them,” she managed to reply.

"Yeah. It is."

Hearing the grief in Drew’s voice sliced straight through Hope. Instinctively, she laid her hand on his forearm and squeezed. As soon as her palm touched his sleeve, warmth rocketed through her, and Hope couldn't help but wonder if Drew felt it too.

Don't be ridiculous!she chided herself. She’d probably only imagined she felt something anyway. Being pregnant had shifted her nervous system and hormones into extreme overdrive, magnifying her emotions and senses a thousand-fold. It was enough to drive her to distraction.

Like right now, trapped in a moving vehicle with the man who seemed to elicit all these warm, tingly feelings inside her. Hope dropped her hand and forced her thoughts back on track and continued with her get-to-know-the-Blackwood-family questions. "What about your other two brothers?”

“Jack is number three. He’s two years younger and is a writer.”

Right. JD Blackwood, best-selling author of suspense thrillers. Hope had just finished his latest novel,The Doctor's Wife, which debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller's List. "I can't put his books down."

"Please don't tell him that. His ego is big enough as it is," Drew replied good-naturedly.

“I’ll try to keep my fan-girl suppressed when he’s around.” Yeah, right. He might be Drew’s brother, but he was also a celebrated author. Not to mention one of Hope’s favorites. She’d keep that to herself, though. “That brings us to the fourth Blackwood brother.”

"Holden." Drew changed lanes to pass an RV from Missouri. "He runs his own construction company."

Hope curled her left leg under her right thigh. "Shew. Four boys. You think your mother was trying for a girl?"

His broad shoulders lifted and fell in a shrug, the gesture tightening the fabric of his blue knit shirt and causing a riot in all her girlie parts. Dang!

"She never said so, but I guess it's possible."

Okay, get yourself under control,Hope chastised herself. No need to make this long trek unbearable. Best to get back to her inquiry. "Does everyone but you live at Lone Oaks?"

"Yeah. Dad and Reese do most of the farming; however, my father is also a lawyer. My grandfather was adamant his children would have college degrees. Dad went to law school, and his sister, my Aunt Clarissa, who also lives in Beaumont, is a nurse. Her husband, Earl, is Dad's law partner. Family law mainly, but Uncle Earl has done some litigation."

"Your grandparents still live on the farm?"

"Yeah. Soon after Reese was born, they built a smaller house and turned the main house over to my parents."

"And your brothers live there as well?"

"Reese does now. Makes it easier for our mother to help with the boys. But he also has a house he built after he and Livvie were married. Jack has a place on an adjacent piece of land he bought after selling his first book. And Holden's place is a continual work in progress."

"Too busy building homes for others to spend time on his own,” Hope supposed.

"Something like that."

Hope propped her elbow on the back of the seat and leaned her head against her fist. "I'm curious. How did you explain bringing me home with you to this big family of yours?"

"I just told Pops I was bringing you along."

"And he just said 'okay’?"

"Actually, his exact words were, 'I see.'"

"That's it?" Hope asked, assuming his grandfather would require more of an explanation.

"That's it," Drew confirmed.

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