Chapter 35
JUNE
On my drive to Jack’s office, I keep thinking about lunch and the time Sterling and I spent together.
I’m not sure where I gathered the courage to walk into his studio and just take charge, but I loved every second of it.
I loved it more when he held me close and said, “You’re the best thing that’s happened in my life, there’s not even a close second. ”
When I park the car, I close my eyes momentarily to savor the peaceful moment we shared before I had to leave his studio.
There’re so many things that scare me about this guy.
The way we fit so well, how easily we can go from a serious conversation to mind-blowing sex and then comfortable silence.
How well he reads me when he barely knows me.
The way I get lost in us. It makes me uneasy how fast we’ve come to settle into a relationship.
Also, that he doesn’t like titles or permanency.
I grab my things. It’s time to face Jackson Spearman, and the guy is going to try to bulldoze me into a plan where I do things his way so I can have a “better” life.
“He’s in his office waiting for you,” his assistant says when I arrive.
“Thank you,” I reply and swing the door open meeting my fate.
“What is he doing here?” I ask when I spot Jason. A second later, Alex comes out of the private bathroom.
“Great, three Spearmans!” I growl.
“You’re selling my career to some idiot,” Alex protests. “I have the right to be here.”
“No, I’m taking you with me. I won’t leave you, now go away,” I argue.
He leans against the wall and crosses his arms. “Still, I’m staying.”
“And you?” I turn to Jason.
He shrugs. “I might know someone who wants to buy it.”
“Well, since almost everyone knows, let’s get this over with then you two have to leave.” I rub my temples and say out loud. “I’m pregnant.”
Jackson says, “I fucking knew it. I’m going to kill that asshole.”
“Seriously, you’re going to start with that line, Jackson Spearman? Cool it and listen to me because I’m not going to tolerate nonsense. This pregnancy was bound to happen. I planned it. Actually, I had everything planned to get knocked up this year.”
“By him?”
I look up at the ceiling and take a deep cleansing breath. He’s so smart but sometimes he can be such an idiot.
“No, Jack, I was going through artificial insemination. If that didn’t work, the next step was IVF. I wanted a baby and for some crazy reason things worked out differently than I planned.”
Straightening my shoulders and glancing at the three of them, I speak calmly. “I’m thirty-three. It’d be nice to be treated like an adult. It’s exhausting to be me. I have to show you guys that I’m old enough to live my own life. It’s getting old.”
I set my things on his desk. “Who took care of you when you were going through your divorce, Jackson? And when things weren’t working out with Emmeline? I took a week off and came to stay with you.”
I don’t add that Jeannette was with me, the point is that we’re always taking care of them.
Then, I switch my attention to Jason. “Or who looked after you when that bitch abandoned you at the altar?”
Alex lifts his hands. “I know, you take care of me all the time. When Nikki, Charlotte, Edna, Kelly, and the others left me. Or when I was in that car accident, and you took care of everything.”
“So what do I have to do so you can understand I’m not a baby?”
Jackson smirks. “Aw, but you’ll always be the baby of the family, Junie.”
I growl.
Jackson presses his lips together and sighs. “Why didn’t you tell me all this before?”
“Because what’s the point? You’d have tried to convince me not to do it,” I answer. “The only two people who I confided in were Em and Hannah because they are one hundred percent behind me and not wondering if I’m old enough to do stuff.”
He runs a hand through his hair and takes a deep breath. “What do you need from me?”
I’m astounded by his calm tone. “What?”
“I don’t want to lose you. My only options are to change or see you during the holidays. I will change,” he offers. And then he surprises me by saying, “Congratulations on the baby.”
“Well, not to brag or say I can too, but they’re twins.” I smirk.
Jason laughs and walks to me to hug me tight. “Some things don’t change, you had to compete with Jack. When is your due date?”
“The first week of August.”
Jack and Alex hug me too and it’s nice to know that they can listen and see me as their equal.
“Look, June, I love you and I support you. This is all good and I’m sure you’ll rock the motherhood shit just like you rock everything in the world. But …” Jason pauses, giving me one of those, this is for your own good looks. “Ahern isn’t what you need.”
“Stop right there,” I order, lifting my hand. “My relationship with him isn’t any of your business. We’re getting to know each other but we both agree that parenting the babies matters the most. I’ll decide if he’s good for me. Who knows, maybe I’m not good for him.”
“Now can we discuss my company?”