The Strength of the Pack (Suncoast Society #30)(56)

Nate pulled her in for a kiss. “Be my good girl, all right? We’ll work everything out once we get through the next couple of weeks. I can’t even think about moving until after my class is over.”

“Yes, Sir.”

She headed for the bedroom door. “Oh, and sweetheart?”

“Yes, Sir?”

He managed a smile. “I’ll be getting reports from Leo on whether or not you’re behaving yourself and doing what you’re told. Just remember that.”

“Dammit,” she playfully muttered. “Yes, Sir.”

After he heard them leave, he closed his eyes and turned off the TV. Maybe he could get to sleep and pop the damn headache.

But at least he could rest easy knowing this was temporary. The remainder of his life was now settled.

Since he’d already survived the worst day of his life, everything else from here on out was easy.





Chapter Twenty


Nate’s firm response didn’t waver or change in the three weeks leading up to Eva’s first appointment. Despite having very little time together, between him being gone for his course and then an extra-heavy load of clients the week upon his return, leading to long, exhausting days for him, he always made time to talk on the phone with Eva at least once a day.

And, every time, he reassured her he hadn’t changed his mind.

That he loved and supported her, and that he still wanted her to be his wife. That they’d have their wedding once her first round of appointments was set up after the initial appointment.

Eva did her best to beat back years of self-doubt during this time. The ingrained mental voices that constantly whispered in her ear and tried to tell her she wasn’t good enough, that Nate would leave her, too, that this was too good to last.

That she was too old to have a baby. That there’d be a problem and she’d let Jesse down by not being able to get pregnant.

She always responded to those mental voices by repeating her new mantra.

If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.

Eva’s stomach felt a little iffy Tuesday morning before their scheduled appointment. The five of them had gone out to dinner the night before at a new Vietnamese restaurant Laurel had been bugging them to try because she’d seen it on their route to school. Nate had early clients Tuesday morning, so he and Eva didn’t spend Monday night together. But they’d be getting together tomorrow night, spending the whole night together.

Maybe that was for the better anyway. Eva felt nervous as hell about today. As long as everything checked out okay, they would schedule the next series of appointments. And Jesse would have to give a…sample.

Leo would render the assist there, if necessary.

Ironically, as much as Eva had fantasized early on about wishing Leo and Jesse were bi, now the thought of sleeping with Jesse brought a massive squick factor into the mix. She loved Jesse, but not romantically. Like a brother.

Sleeping with Jesse to do the deed the “natural” way—if he could even handle doing that with her—would have felt…weird. Awkward.

Besides, her heart belonged to Nate. It wouldn’t just feel like cheating, it would be cheating, and she would not do that.

So the choice between impersonal medical assistance and a potential lifetime of uncomfortable morning greetings became a no-brainer.

Laurel would get the little brother or sister that Eva always wished she’d been able to give her. Leo’s legitimate fears over any contact with Eva’s father were finally put to rest.

She and Leo could finally have a second child. Technically not together biologically, but they’d be co-parenting.

Leo and Jesse had also agreed that yes, Nate would be a co-parent as well, and were both excited to get started helping plan their wedding. What really touched the men, though, was how Nate had collared her, still leaving her under their protection. It meant all the more reason for them to live together, and something about that settled her heart and soul more than she wished it would. They’d start planning on how to integrate the two households next week, easing Laurel into it so it didn’t disrupt her too much.

Best of all, Jesse’s dream of becoming a biological father could finally come true.

Hopefully. She was almost thirty-nine. If they were going to do this, it needed to be now for a slew of biological reasons.

She was sitting at the kitchen table and sipping a cup of mint tea when the men walked into the kitchen. They’d already taken Laurel to school, giving Eva the house to herself for a short while.

Leo frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I think we can cross another cultural food dish off my palate. It didn’t settle well with me last night.”

“Bummer,” Jesse said. “I thought you liked it.”

“I did, but this morning it doesn’t seem to be liking me.”

Leo leaned against the counter. “Can I say something?”

She smiled at him. “Yes, if I change my mind at any point in this process—up until I’m pregnant, obviously—I will say so. But I’m in. Really. I want this, I want this for both of you, and I’m ready for it.”

Leo looked unconvinced.

She pushed her chair back and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him.

Yes, staring up into his blue eyes still conjured love inside her, but that had slowly been transforming from in love to…love.