The Proposal (The Proposition #2)(82)

“Exactly. At least it’s consistent. I mean, everywhere we go from your dad’s to Grammy and Granddaddy’s it’s the same,” Emma replied.

As Jenny bounced Noah in her arms, they followed her inside. “Can we get a booth as far away from the smoking section as possible?” Aidan asked.

He watched as Emma and Jenny exchanged a glance before Jenny nodded. “Sure. Nikki, can you take them to booth fifteen, please?”

Nikki nodded and started trailing through the bar. When Emma reached for Noah, Jenny shook her head. “No, no, no. I haven’t gotten my fill of him yet.”

Emma laughed. “When he gets fussy like he wants to eat, just bring him over.”

“I will. You two can have some privacy. Like a date night,” Jenny said, with a grin.

“Right. I don’t even remember what those were like,” Aidan mused.

“Yes, you do. Remember how Megan kept Noah for us two months ago so we could go back to the lodge in the mountains?”

Aidan’s mind immediately flashed to dropping Noah off at his niece, Megan’s, apartment before they went back to the lodge where they spent their honeymoon. While Noah had been happy to go to Megan and excited to get to play with his cousin, Mason, Emma had wept the entire ride to the mountains. Thinking of her behavior, he shook his head. “You mean the night you spent texting Megan every five minutes to make sure Noah was all right?” Aidan countered.

Emma grinned. “Yes, that’s the one.”

“Whatever,” he replied as they hurried to catch up with Nikki. She was standing in front of the booth in the farthest corner.

When Emma slid in beside him rather than across the booth, Aidan’s brows furrowed. At the sight of the dreamy expression on her face, he asked, “What are you all moony about?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“Remember what?”

She sighed. “This is the same booth we sat in the night you came home from India.”

“Really?”

She bobbed her head before leaning in to give him a lingering kiss. Her tongue had just brushed against his when someone cleared her throat, ending their brief make-out session. Nikki gave an apologetic smile as Emma snapped back from Aidan like a rubber band. “So what can I get you two to drink this evening?”

“Just a Coke for me,” Emma replied.

Aidan grinned. “You should have a drink. I mean, you aren’t breastfeeding anymore, and we’re allegedly on a date night.”

A flush crept across her face, and Aidan knew he had embarrassed Emma by mentioning breastfeeding. Finally, she shrugged. “Nah, I’m good.”

“Come on. Have a margarita, Em. You deserve to celebrate and cut loose a little. I’ll even be the DD tonight,” Aidan urged.

She shook her head at him and then glanced up at Nikki. “Just a Coke.”

Aidan grunted. “Fine. Be a killjoy. I’ll have a Heineken on tap.”

“I’ll be back to get your food orders in just a minute.”

Aidan nodded at Nikki before she walked away. Then he turned his attention back to Emma. “Why didn’t you want to have a drink? Were you afraid I was plying you with alcohol to get you drunk, so I could take advantage of you?”

She grinned. “Since when do I have to have alcohol in me to get your libido kicking?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Never.”

A squeal drew their attention to where Jenny was bouncing Noah on her hip. He was reaching for one of the balloons that the bartender was blowing up for him. Aidan couldn’t help smiling at the look on Noah’s face as he kicked his legs excitedly.

Emma cleared her throat, and Aidan glanced over at her. “I’m sorry, babe. Now I’m the one not doing a good job at date night.”

“Well, speaking of your libido…” Aidan watched as she shifted her menu and chewed her bottom lip.

“Em, what’s the matter? You look a little pale. Are you all right?”

“I need to tell you something.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Aidan saw Jenny with three bobbing balloons walking Noah over to a group of admirers. He held up a finger. “Just a second, Em.” He rose up from the booth. “Jenny, don’t get him so close to the smoking section,” he called.

She glanced back at him over her shoulder and nodded. Once he felt like Noah was safely away from the second hand smoked danger, he turned back to Emma. “I’m sorry. What is it?”

“Well, it’s…I know we weren’t actually planning on this, but—”

“Aw, look, Em. Noah’s blowing kisses to all the old men at the bar.”

The next thing he knew she had grabbed both of the sides of his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. “Would you please listen to me!”

“Jesus, what is the matter with you?”

Her green eyes narrowed at him. “I’m pregnant! That’s what is the matter!”

His heart jolted to a stop. “Y-You’re what?”

Emma’s expression momentarily softened. “I just came from the doctor. That stomach flu I thought I had...yeah, that’s not what it was. I’m six weeks pregnant.”

“Holy shit…but we were using condoms.”

Pink tinged her cheeks. “Not the weekend at the lodge.”