Chapter 7 – Drew
seven
. . .
My mother-in-law has radar hearing
Drew
early august
Recently, Vesper and I have made a habit of meeting up for Italian food and to catch up on the latest going on in our lives.
Loosely translated: an excuse to gossip.
And, boy, did we have a lot to discuss this time around.
It’s been over two weeks since Kate and Jensen’s renewal ceremony, and my best friend is approaching her due date, so naturally, much of our conversation has centered around final preparations ahead of the baby’s arrival.
Me, on the other hand? Well, I am three days out from my period and took my first pregnancy test this morning.
Nada.
Will was hovering over me the whole time I was in the bathroom, even while I was peeing on the six separate sticks he insisted we buy, just to be sure.
After all of them came back with a negative result, I left him licking his wounds in the home gym.
“Give it time,” I told him, brushing my lips across his before I raced out the door to meet Vesper.
“It gets to the point where you start daydreaming about the birth, just so the girdle pain will stop.” Vesper arches her back into the seat, right before Jon Morgan—who co-owns the restaurant with several of his former Scorpions teammates—slides a red velvet cushion behind her back.
For years, he was my dad’s captain, and our families have always been close.
Not as close as we are to the Jones family though.
And especially not now I carry their last name.
But Jon has always been the glue that held the original crowd together.
Without him and his friendships with my dad and Jensen, I wouldn’t have met Will.
It’s crazy how life works and it’s hard to refute the existence of fate when you take mine and Will’s relationship as an example.
There were so many moving parts that needed to fall into place before we had a chance at knowing each other.
I glance back at Jon. Usually, he works whenever he’s at Luigi’s, but today he’s dressed in casual clothes.
“Pelvic pain or not,” he remarks, “you’re looking really great, Vesper.”
She smiles and sighs, sinking back into the cushion.
“You aren’t working today?” I ask.
He shakes his head and adjusts the mini lamp shade in the center of the table.
“Nah.” He runs a hand through his salt and pepper hair, gray eyes creasing around the corners.
“I actually have your in-laws stopping buy any minute. They’re on their way home from the airport and asked if I would be around.
” He looks at me, blowing out a breath. “Whenever Kate asks to talk, I get nervous.”
I nod in understanding and Vesper follows suit.
He lifts a shoulder. “I mean, I know it was my first renewal ceremony, but I thought the day went well, no? Other than Will’s Ring Pop prank.”
Vesper snorts a laugh and her phone vibrates on the table. “I need to take this. It’s my boss, he wants to talk through the final terms of my maternity leave.”
She stands and takes a few steps away from the table before Jon continues talking.
“I think Kate hated the cake. I know they wanted lemon, but frosting never works with that flavor.”
I bark out a laugh and slap a palm over my mouth.
He eyes me carefully, and I chew on my bottom lip. If there’s one thing this man appreciates, it’s gossip.
I roll my lips together and say nothing more.
He leans forward on his elbows. “You can’t react like that and then not tell me what’s so funny.”
My cheeks flame. There’s no way I can divulge details of that night to my dad’s friend and former teammate.
“Umm…” I clear my throat. “Well…”
“Oh Jesus.” He pales. “It was the frosting, wasn’t it?” He shakes his head in thought. “I’m going to get my first one-star review, all because I wouldn’t listen to my wife when she told me not to switch suppliers.”
“Actually”—Kate’s voice streams across the room as she hands one of the servers her jacket and leads Jensen toward our table—“the frosting was perfect.”
My mother-in-law has radar hearing.
She and Jensen kiss me on the cheek and slide into two available chairs around the table. They both look tanned and relaxed.
“Positively delicious,” Jensen agrees, keeping a straight face worthy of winning any poker competition.
Everyone falls silent and I catch myself, pushing back my chair. “Shit, sorry, I can find another table and give you guys some privacy to talk.”
Kate shakes her head and her hand circles my arm. “Don’t be silly, Drew. You’re as much a part of this family as anyone else.”
Her words shoot a warm feeling inside me, her new black sapphire ring sparkling in the restaurant lighting.
She turns to Jon and smiles. “We’re actually looking to hire you again.”
Jon looks as shocked as I feel.
“For a wedding?” I blurt out.
Jensen sighs and shakes his head. “No. One ceremony organized by Jon is more than enough for anyone in their lifetime.”
Jon narrows his eyes at his former teammate. “Duly noted, Jensen.” He turns back to Kate. “In that case, how can I be of assistance?”
Kate lowers her voice, looking a little pained as she says, “I need you to help me with my retirement party.”
Jon rears back, and my head whips to Kate. “You’re retiring?”
“Shhh,” she hushes me, eyes darting around the restaurant like retirement is a dirty word. I guess to a workaholic like Kate, it really is. “You don’t know who’s listening, and I haven’t exactly announced it yet.”
Jon’s jaw is agape. “No kidding. Felicity hasn’t mentioned a word to me.”
Kate sits back in her chair, satisfaction pulling at her lips. “Of course she hasn’t. Don’t forget that your wife and I go back further than you two do.”
“I still can’t believe that you’re retiring,” I mumble.
Kate rests her hand over mine. “I’m turning sixty soon and it’s time to start concentrating on family. With June looking to buy a place in Seattle and you and Will living here for the foreseeable future, I want to devote more time to you all.”
“Our daughter isn’t just buying ‘a place’,” Jensen interjects. “More like a goddamn mansion.”
I low chuckle, still wondering how June will fill the house with furniture. It’s the size of Buckingham Palace. Well, not quite, but you get the picture.
Kate flicks her blonde hair over one shoulder. “It’s an investment, JJ.”
He rolls his eyes. “An investment that will require live-in staff to maintain the grounds.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Kate scolds.
“Anyway…” Jon gets the conversation back on track before it descends into a full-blown Jones face-off. “When are you looking to retire?”
“The end of October.” Kate confirms.
Jon holds up a hand. “That’s Halloween.”
Kate nods. “It sure is. I want a Halloween-themed retirement party, and I need the best of the best to pull it off.” She drums her manicured fingernails on the table. “So are you in, or not?”
Jon opens his mouth to reply, but Kate holds up a finger.
“Oh, and one other detail before you agree to take things further. “We’re going to hold it at June’s new place.
She should close on it in the next four weeks so there will be plenty of time between now and then.
It’s going to double as a house-warming party. ”
Jon considers Kate’s offer for a moment, lips twisting in thought. “How many guests?”
“With all Morgan, Jones & Richards employees plus friends and family I count around two hundred fifty guests.”
Jon swallow thickly. “Christ. How many staff do you guys have these days?”
Kate just smiles, proud of the legal empire she and Felicity have built from nothing. “Just over one hundred twenty.”
Jon folds his arms across his chest. “Why don’t we make this interesting?”
“Go on,” Kate prompts, one brow raised.
“Since it would be Morgan’s Magical Marriages assisting with the organization. How about we ask guests to attend as their twisted version of a bride and groom?”
Kate looks intrigued, and I can already envision this whole thing descending into absolute chaos. “Like a bridezilla and her monstrous groom idea?”
“Oh my god.” Jensen pinches the bridge of his nose. “Where did my classy princess go?”
She balks at her husband’s statement. “Oh, trust me, Jensen, this will be epic.” She pushes back her chair and stands. Jon follows her, both of them deep in conversation about ballrooms and champagne towers as Kate makes her way over to the bar.
Jensen and I just stare at each other. Totally speechless.
After a moment, Vesper’s shadow draws my attention, and I register the panicked look strewn across her face. “Is everything okay with your boss?”
Jensen is already on his feet and calling out for Kate.
“I think the baby might be coming,” she whispers, and my eyes drop to her soaked black jeans. The wetness wouldn’t be immediately evident if it weren’t for the puddle of water surrounding her feet.
She’s in my arms in seconds as Kate instructs Jensen to pull their car around to the front of the restaurant, and we start taking slow steps toward the exit.
“Listen, I love babies and everything, but I have no idea how to deliver them.”
Something I’ve discovered in the past five minutes? Ninety-nine per cent of the time, Jensen Jones is the King of Cool. Apart from when he’s faced with a woman in labor riding in his back seat while his wife barks instructions at him as she drives like a maniac through the streets of Seattle.
“Why am I not driving?” he asks as I talk Vesper through her contractions, pretending I have a clue what giving birth is like.
Maybe one day I will.
My best friend seems to appreciate my efforts though as she smiles at me through gritted teeth, and Jensen begins dialing Silas on her cell.
“Shit, no answer,” he confirms after a few seconds.
“He’ll be taking a shower after his gym session,” Vesper grinds out, arching her back into the car seat. “Silas never leaves his phone unless he’s forced to.”
Jensen hits End on the call. “Should I have left a message?”
Kate rolls her eyes at him in the rearview mirror. “No need. I heard that Silas has mastered the art of reading minds.”
She takes a left, and Jensen finishes up leaving a voicemail.