“This is the strangest conversation I’ve ever had. I think we need to change the subject,” Savannah says, holding out Aria’s soda. She chuckles and leaves my side to take the can from Savannah.
“Did I hear you say you were heading out to look at a horse tomorrow?” I ask, attempting to steer away from the awkward conversation.
“Yeah,” Sav says. “We’re looking at getting a filly for Hope. She loves to take care of the horses and she’s getting more confident riding. I think it’s time. The one I’ve seen is three, and the perfect age to be broken in. I need Aria’s expert opinion.”
“Does Hope know?” I ask.
“God, no!” Josh exclaims. “She’d be asking constantly when the horse is arriving. We made the mistake of telling her about Libby being pregnant, and she asks every day if today is the day the baby arrives! It’s been a long eight months.”
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” Savannah asks me.
“I was thinking I might take Libby for lunch if she feels up to it. I heard Mason say he was checking the perimeter fences all day, so I figured she’d be on her own.”
“That’ll be nice,” Aria says as she sits next to me on the sofa and presses her body against mine. She yawns and I wrap my arm around her.
“Shall we head back, baby?” I ask her, seeing she’s tired.
“Yeah, I think all the Sex on the Beach has made me tired.” My eyes widen and Savannah snorts with laughter. “Hang on,” she says, sitting up. “That came out wrong.” Her cheeks have flushed pink and she looks beautiful. “Urgh, you know what I mean,” she says, waving her hand, and I laugh.
Standing up, I hold out my hand and pull her up off the sofa. I watch her as she goes to Savannah and pulls her into a hug. Savannah whispers something in her ear, and Aria shakes her head before looking across at me, and I can’t help but wonder what was said. After a round of goodbyes, we head back to the ranch house, hand in hand. The house is in darkness as we come to the porch steps. Claire and Ryan must already be in bed. We enter the house silently and climb the stairs, Aria’s hand still entwined with mine.
“I just want to check on Jacob,” I whisper as we reach my bedroom door. “I won’t be long.”
“Can I come too?” she asks shyly. I nod and smile, tugging her down the hallway with me. I slowly push open Jacob’s door. The unicorn night-light gives off just enough of a glow to cross the room without falling over anything. Dropping Aria’s hand, I peer into his cot, seeing he’s fast asleep. His thumb is in his mouth and his other hand holds on tightly to his blue rabbit toy. Leaning over the side, I press a kiss to his chubby cheek.
“Sleep tight, little man,” I whisper. I step back and watch as Aria looks into the cot. Her hand brushes over his hair, and she kisses her fingers, pressing them gently to his cheek.
“Night, buddy,” she mumbles, and my heart just about explodes in my chest. She turns around and catches me staring, but I can’t drag my gaze from her. “Everything okay?” she asks quietly.
I nod. “Come on, I want to fall asleep with you in my arms,” I tell her as I reach for her hand and guide her out of Jacob’s room and into mine. She smiles and yawns. As much as I want to make love to her, I know she’s tired. I’m more than happy to just have her in my arms.
Aria
The next few weeks fly by, and I spend all of my spare time with Jack and Jacob. I fall asleep in Jack’s arms every night, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, I know I’m falling in love with him. I’m sure he feels the same. I can feel it in his kisses, and I see it in his eyes when he looks at me. I can’t even think about him leaving. Neither of us have mentioned it, and I’ve no idea how long he plans on staying. It’s a conversation we need to have, but for now, I can’t bring myself to instigate it.
It’s the day before Libby’s due date, and her and Jack’s parents are arriving this afternoon. If I said I wasn’t nervous, I’d be lying. After insisting we just be friends with benefits, we’d never discussed the fact we’ve become so much more than that. I want his parents to like me. He and Jacob mean the world to me.
“Morning, beautiful,” Jack says on a yawn as he wakes up, his arms tightening around me. I’d been awake for a while but hadn’t wanted to move off his chest and wake him up.
“Hey, did you sleep well?” I ask, sitting up on my elbow and staring down at him. His face is soft with sleep, and his dark hair messy. A layer of stubble covers his perfect face and I reach up my hand, brushing my fingers along his jaw.
“I always sleep well when you’re wrapped up in my arms,” he says, reaching for my hand and brushing a kiss against my palm. There had been a couple of nights earlier in the week where Jacob had been unwell, and he’d wanted to sleep with his daddy. I’d stayed in my own room, and neither of us had slept great. It was surprising how quickly we’d gotten used to being together.
“What time are your parents getting in?” I ask, biting down on my bottom lip.
“They land at two fifteen p.m. I need to leave here just after one.” He’s borrowing one of the ranch trucks to pick them up.
“What are you telling them about us?” I ask quietly.
Everyone on the ranch knows we’re together to some degree, including Claire and Ryan. I have no idea if Claire or Lib mentioned anything when they spoke to Jack’s mom on the phone, which I know they do regularly. Before he can answer, his phone chimes from the nightstand. He reaches for it, his whole body tensing underneath me as he looks at the screen.
“Are you okay?” I ask, placing my hand on his arm. He sits up, swinging his legs to the side of the bed, my hand falling from his arm. Frowning, I kneel behind him. “Is it Libby?” I ask, my voice laced with concern.
He shakes his head. “It’s Zara.”
“Who’s Zara?”
“Jacob’s mum,” he says on a sigh, his hand pushing through his dark hair. “I haven’t heard from her in months.” I wrap my arms around him and drop my head onto his back. Feeling his hand come over mine, he tangles our fingers together.