Chapter 23 Jules #2
“Well, what’s been going on?” Talon pressed.
I dropped my gaze to the ground, a smile playing at my lips as I thought about how much my life had changed over these weeks. Nothing had ever felt this good, not even when I’d made it as a professional skateboarder.
“I have some shocking news to share,” I confessed.
Vic let out a laugh and said, “You make it sound so serious, like you went out and got married or something.”
I said nothing as I pinned my stare on him and held it.
The smile was wiped off his face in seconds. “What? I was just kidding.”
Shrugging, I held up my left hand, displaying my wedding band, and said, “I’m not.”
“Whoa. Whoa. Wait a minute,” Jamie ordered as he stood from where he’d been sitting on the floor in front of the chair on the opposite side of the room. “Are you telling us you got married?”
“I am.”
“To the Westwood girl?” Talon questioned me, grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes. We did it just a few days before the holiday. It was the last day of June.”
“What the fuck?” Jamie shouted, his eyes bugging out of his head. “Dude, how did that happen?”
This was precisely what I’d expected would happen. Jamie, no doubt, would be the most animated of the group. One glance at Vic, and the disappointment was clear as day.
“Jules was here the day I got home from the tour,” I shared. “I told her how I felt and what I wanted to have happen between us.”
“How did you go from that to married in a matter of weeks?” Vic grumbled.
“She’s pregnant.”
Jamie collapsed on the couch as he let out a shout of disbelief mixed with celebration. Talon just started laughing, and Vic was not impressed.
“Beau Easton is going to be a dad,” Jamie said, his voice pitching higher. “This is the best day of my life.”
Still laughing, Talon agreed, “Mine, too.” I rolled my eyes. “Can we assume you’re happy about this?”
I took in all three of my friends, the guys who had become like family to me, and I admitted, “She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Vic slapped his hand over his chest. “I’m wounded.”
“Shut up and just be happy for me.”
He opened his mouth to object, thought better of it, and sighed. “Congratulations, Beau. I’m happy for you.”
I grinned at him. “Thanks.”
Jamie shot up off the couch, came over to me, and messed up my hair. “I can’t believe this happened, but it’s the best news. Congratulations.”
After pushing him away, I ran my fingers through my hair to get it back to some semblance of normal. Talon walked over and slapped me on the back. “I couldn’t be happier for you, man. I’m really glad you found her.”
“Yeah, me too.” I inhaled deeply and sighed. “I just wish her family could have had a similar reaction.”
“They didn’t?”
I shook my head. “It’s been awful…”
I went on to tell my friends about what happened when her family learned the truth.
When I finished, Talon said, “That’s awful. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Jules is devastated, and I’m just doing everything I can to cheer her up. I realize they don’t like how we went about things, so I understand, but for people who are so hurt because they love her, I can’t understand why they aren’t looking to make amends with her. I don’t know what to do.”
The mood had shifted in the room. It had gone from being upbeat and teasing and fun to this. Just as I’d always sat with them as part of the group whenever anything bad happened in one of their lives, the guys were doing the same for me now. I appreciated having them around.
Vic said, “Have you considered going to them on your own?”
“What?”
He shrugged. “I can understand not wanting to subject her to more heartache, but if you love this girl, shouldn’t you do what you can to fix it?”
Love.
I hadn’t said the word to her yet.
I wasn’t quite sure if that’s what it was. All I knew was that the thought of not being with her made it difficult to breathe. Seeing her hurt or upset made me want to burn the world to the ground.
Maybe it was love.
“I hadn’t considered it, but it’s not a bad idea.”
“And here I thought Vic knew nothing about women,” Talon teased.
Laughter filled the air, most of it coming from Jamie and me.
Vic insisted, “I know everything I need to know about women. And I’m good with things just as they are.”
“I said the same thing.”
“In all seriousness, Beau,” Talon said, redirecting the conversation. “If there’s anything we can do for either one of you, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Just then, the garage door opened.
“That’s her. If you really mean that, I’d like for you all to stay, have dinner with us, and get to know her.”
Talon nodded as Jamie said, “Of course.”
I glanced at Vic.
“I’ve got to see what all the fuss is about.”
While the guys waited in the living room, I made my way to the door, where Jules would walk in. When she opened the door and saw me making my way toward her, she asked, “Is everything okay? What are all those cars in the driveway?”
Just seeing her beautiful face made my heart ratchet. Maybe that was more proof of that four-letter word. I closed the distance between us, gave her a kiss, and said, “I have some people I’d like you to meet.”
Her eyes rounded. “Oh.” A smile. Then, “Okay.”
That easy. She was that easy about it.
I wrapped my arm around the back of her shoulders, noted the box in her hands from the bakery, and urged her toward the living room. We came to a stop in front of them, and I said, “Jules, I want you to meet my best friends. This is Vic, Talon, and Jamie. Guys, this is my wife, Jules.”
“It’s so nice to meet the three of you.”
“Likewise,” Talon said as Vic gave her a nod of acknowledgement.
There was a moment of awkward silence before she held up the box and said, “I brought desserts home.”
“I was going to order some pizzas for us tonight. You don’t mind if they stay for dinner, do you?”
Her eyes were shining. “Not at all.”
Jamie was up in a flash and moving toward us. “Hey, Beau, why don’t you go order that pizza while Jules shows us what she brought for dessert?”
He placed his hand on her arm and swept his other one out in front of him, urging her to the couch.
In any other scenario, I might have growled at him for getting so close to her.
But when Jules looked up at me, eyes dancing with such happiness I hadn’t seen in days, I found myself smiling and feeling grateful for these men who had become my family.