Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
CORA
I’d gone from single to engaged in less time than it took to put on my mascara. In a way, I was still reeling from it.
But what could I do?
Sure, I could have said no, but the thought of Colter raising my sister’s baby made me sick. I would rather walk on the sun barefoot, drinking lighter fluid, than let that man touch Elias.
Now, two hours later, Anna and Ari were stepping off a jet on the tarmac behind the house. As soon as she saw me, she waved excitedly and began walking toward me and Jason.
Thomas stood a few feet away, constantly scanning the area.
The moment Anna reached me, she hugged me and squeezed. “I’m so happy.”
“You know this is just—” I started to whisper.
“I know,” she whispered back, “but I’m still excited for you.”
Ari extended a hand to Jason. “Good to see you, man. How’s your arm?”
Jason rolled his shoulder. “It’s a lot better. How about you?”
His hand came to his side. “Ribs are good.”
Anna released me and moved to hug her brother. “Hey, you.”
“Hey.” He returned the hug. “You look… great, Anna.”
When she leaned back, I could see the subtle glow of early pregnancy. She caught me looking and smiled, her hand coming to her belly. “Thanks.” She wrapped her arms around Ari’s bicep as she leaned into him. “He’s taking very good care of me.”
“Thanks for coming,” I said. Although there was a part of me wondering if I’d regret it later. I had a feeling this wedding was about to flip from proving to the judge and CPS that the wedding was real to wondering if our line was being permanently smudged.
Her gaze moved from Jason to me. “I wouldn’t miss it.” She grinned and dropped her arms from around Ari. Her smile widened. “I’ll happily help you with your wedding as soon as I get to meet my nephew. I have kisses to give and toes to bite.”
Jason chuckled as he put his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, sis, we’ll introduce you.”
As we made our way across the short distance from the landing strip to the house, Anna immediately launched into questions. “Is he sleeping? How big is he? Does he look like Maya?”
“He’s napping,” I said, matching her pace. “And yes, he looks just like her.”
Ari shook his head with a grin as we approached the warm light spilling from the windows. “She’s been like this the entire flight.”
The moment we stepped through the front door, Anna was pulling off her jacket. “Okay… lemme see him.”
I’ll admit, I loved it. I loved the genuine excitement she showed. I think Maya would have too. A huge family to surround him, love him, and protect him. Part of me wondered how things would be once Jason and I weren’t married any longer, but I stopped those thoughts in their tracks.
We hooked arms and quietly made our way up the stairs. When we reached Elias’s room, Anna paused in the doorway and quietly said, “This is gorgeous.”
“Jason did it.”
Her mouth dropped open. “No way.” She took a breath. “We’ll talk about that later, when I can be louder.”
I rolled my eyes, and we crossed the room to the crib.
Her hands went to her cheeks. “Oh, my gosh. He’s beautiful.” She sighed. “Look at those fingers.” A gasp. “And those toes. Oh, and the hair. I love his hair. Oh, I just love all of him.”
Without seeming to realize it, her hand moved protectively over her belly. “How long did it take you to fall in love with him?” she asked and then looked at me, a huge grin on her face.
“The instant Ms. Chen said he existed. Then, the first time I saw him…” I took a breath. “It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. He was tiny and perfect and mine. I love him more than life itself. If something happens…”
“Jason won’t let anything happen. I promise that. And Ari will help him. My man can take down an army. A creep in a motorcycle gang is nothing.”
“I’d prefer it if we didn’t start a war,” Jason said as he walked into the room. “That’s the only reason Colter is still alive.”
Ari strode in behind Jason. Based on the way he cut a glance at Jason, his opinion aligned with Jason’s.
I took a step towards Jason, giving Ari space to join Anna.
Anna motioned for Ari to come to her. “Look,” she whispered. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
He reached the crib and smiled as he looked down. “Of course, he is. He’s my nephew.”
Jason’s family was something out of a dream. A snap of the fingers, and Elias had an aunt and an uncle who would love him.
“He is such a good baby,” I said.
Ari looked over his shoulder. “These are the ones who trick you into having more, and then they turn out feral.”
Anna popped him on the arm. “Stop that.”
“Do you need to rest a little, Anna?” Jason asked.
“No, I’m fine.” She smiled down at Elias again.
Elias sneezed a couple of times and gave a soft grunt as he stretched.
“Oh, I think he’s waking up. May I hold him?” Anna asked.
“Sure.”
She lifted him out of the crib and cradled him in her arms. “Oh, my gosh, little man. You are so precious.” She looked at Ari, smiling.
Ari ran his hand over Elias’s head. “He’s amazing, Cora.” He looked at me. “I’m sorry you lost your sister, but I’m glad you have him.”
“Thanks.”
Anna kissed his cheek. She was such a natural. She rocked side to side as she held Elias. “How are you doing?” she asked as she faced me.
“I don’t know yet.” I didn’t, but I could feel it. A landslide of grief was one trigger away from hitting me.
But not now. Not when I needed to keep fighting.
“Did they say what caused the accident?”
I shook my head. “No, but Kane showed up last night, and he said Colter has been acting funny ever since Maya died. It makes me wonder if he had something to do with it. Kane said he’s working on something, but he couldn’t say what. It sounded like issues were going on within the club.”
As if the topic upset his tummy, Elias strained, and the next minute the room filled with the foulest odor I’ve ever smelled.
Ari choked. “Oh wow.”
Anna rolled her lips in and looked at him. “My goodness. What have they been feeding you!”
I rushed forward with my arms out, laughing. “I’ll change him.”
Jason shook his head. “No, you have a wedding to plan. I’ll change him.”
How was he so calm? Why wasn’t he disgusted? “What? But…”
His eyes locked with mine. Nothing belied fear or distress on his face. Most men would have been scrambling to get away. But not him. “I’ve got it.” Then he plucked Elias out of Anna’s arms and strode to the diaper changing station. “Little man, we’re going to have to talk about manners.”
Anna hooked her arm in mine. “If the man says he’s got it, he’s got it. Let’s go plan a wedding.”
As we left the room, I looked over my shoulder. He’d been a willow in the storm just now. A small storm, but it was easy to rally for the big ones. It was in the small ones that people tended to disappear.
We were barely to the stairs when Ari gagged.
Anna snorted.
Jason laughed. “You’re going to need to develop a stronger stomach, man.”
As we descended the stairs, the voices from upstairs faded to a gentle rumble. Anna squeezed my arm. “He’s really good with him, isn’t he?”
Jason wasn’t good. He was great. It was one thing to hold a sweet, freshly bathed baby who was happy and giggling. He’d taken Elias when anyone else would have been playing hot potato.
I smiled and nodded. “Yeah, he really is.” He was my boss. He’d offered to marry me so I could keep Elias, and now, he was upstairs changing the stinkiest diaper I’d ever smelled.
When I looked at her, she had this look in her eyes like she wanted to say something. Honestly, I expected her to. She hadn’t been shy about voicing her opinion so far. Why start now?
Instead, she said, “So, do you have any idea what you want your colors to be? Jason said we want this wedding to look real, so that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to spend money like you’re marrying a billionaire for real.”
A billionaire? “What?”
Her eyebrows lifted. “What? You didn’t know?”
Nope. I shook my head. “I had no idea.”
“Well, now you do. So, let’s plan a wedding this town will never forget.” She winked.
Suddenly, it felt as though a weight settled on my chest. A wedding. With vows. A moment that I thought would mean forever with the man that I loved.
I quickly shut my thoughts down. This was for Elias. I’d deal with the emotional fallout when he was safe and mine… permanently.
For now, I had a wedding to plan.
Anna sat at the kitchen table with a planner laid out in front of her. “Okay, invitations, dress, flowers, guest list. Do you have colors in mind?”
I set my elbow on the table and my head in my hand. “No.”
She grabbed her phone and pulled up her Pinterest app. “I may have created a board while on the way here.” She grinned and showed me the screen.
I chuckled. “You named it ‘It’s a Texas Spring Wedding, Ya’ll’?”
“Well, it is.”
“Oh, I like that silver theme. With the blues and the grays.” Elegant and tasteful. Jason would probably like that too. Something that could be a mix of both of us.
“That’s very in style right now, and it’s pretty classic too. It should be easy to find floral arrangements to fit that color scheme.”
Her gaze dipped to my finger. “And you need a ring.”
“She’ll have one,” Jason said. He had Elias propped on his shoulder, patting his back.
“Why is your hair wet?”
Ari snorted. “He had to take a shower…”
Jason’s cheeks turned pink. “He peed in my face… And then again on my shirt.”
“I took over after the bomb disposal unit was finished.” Ari smiled.
Anna and I both cracked up.
“I’m sorry, that is not funny,” I said. “Really, I’m so sorry.”
He waved me off. “It’s not a big deal. He’s a baby. It happens.”
Ari and Anna exchanged a look, like they were thinking about the little one Anna was carrying. The fun they were going to have. Talk about two people in love. That baby was going to be so doted on.
“Okay, back to wedding planning.” Anna gave Jason and Ari pointed looks. She used her pen to point at Jason. “You have a plan for the engagement ring?”