Thea: I know where you live.
Thea: Why are you ignoring me?
Thea: I’m just going to keep texting.
Thea: How many Jace’s does it take to screw up a family dinner?
Thea: Answer—One.
Jace: Hey, it’s Nova. We were with Greyson. On our way now.
Thea: Don’t tell Jace, but I’m spitting in his food. Mark my words.
I can’t help it, I laugh.
Jace: You’re bad.
Thea: Bad is the best. Good is overrated. Who has ever had any fun by being good?
Jace: Definitely not you—you did propose to your husband in Vegas.
Thea: Dammit, why can’t any of you let that go?
Jace: Hey, I’m impressed you had the balls to go for what you wanted.
Thea: Xael’s screaming her head off, apparently her food isn’t to her liking. I’ll see you guys when you get here.
I put Jace’s phone on the seat beside me.
“What’d she say?” he asks.
“That she’d see us when we got there.”
He harrumphs. “She’s doing something to my food, isn’t she?” I smile wickedly, unable to help myself. He sighs heavily. “Knew it.”
Thea yanks the door open before we can. “Thank God you’re finally here. I thought I was going to have to hunt you down. Everybody’s already in the dining room. Xael sits in her high chair with a few toys. She’s gotten big. It’s crazy how fast kids grow up. She’s going to be a year in a month.
Jace and I greet everyone and then take our seats. Thea’s made homemade lasagna and it smells delicious. My stomach rumbles.
Thea sits down beside Xander and takes his hand. He smiles at her, love shining in his eyes. That boy would kiss the ground she walks on and she knows it.
“We have gathered you all here today,” Thea begins dramatically, “to share with you the momentous news that my husband’s super sperm has once again penetrated the barriers of my birth control and knocked me up.”
“Thea,” Xander groans, shaking his head in embarrassment.
We all stare at her in stunned silence, wondering if she’s serious or joking. She seems to pick up on this fact and adds, “I’m not kidding.”
“Um, wow,” I say, still shell shocked. “Congratulations.”
“Our babies will be close in age.” She claps her hands giddily, so she must be happy about this. “I hope one of us has a girl and the other a boy, then maybe they’ll grow up and fall in love.”
Jace gags. “Ew, no, that’s like incest or something.”
Thea rolls her eyes. “We’re not related, dumb ass.”
“Ass! Ass! Ass!” Xael cries, smacking her f
ist against her high chair tray.