The Will(163)

Jake held Josie’s eyes, ones she’d just cut to him, and they were narrowed.

It was the next morning.

Conner was shoving books in his backpack at the butcher block table.

Amber was running around like a teenaged girl in the throes of a drama. Seeing as she had Josie’s entire wardrobe and makeup collection to pick from that morning, she took too long doing it and she was running late.

Ethan was sitting at the table, swinging his legs, shoving Josie’s scrambled eggs, bacon and toast into his mouth.

Jake was resting his hips against the counter, his hand wrapped around a fresh mug of coffee.

And Josie was at the sink, doing Conner and Amber’s breakfast dishes.

Until a moment ago, all had been well at Lavender House.

Last night, Josie had rallied. The kids saw it and relaxed. And not a one of them said anything or gave a bad vibe after a night where they slept under the same roof that their dad slept under, doing it in a bed with Josie.

He’d gone to open the gym while Josie stayed to make breakfast and control the mayhem that was the Spear kids getting ready for school.

Jake had returned ten minutes ago.

However, Conner had just dropped the bomb that Ellie had visited last night, something Jake had not shared with his woman.

It wasn’t the only thing he hadn’t shared, the rest of it she still didn’t know.

And it was clear from her look she didn’t like that he’d delayed in doing this. So he was not looking forward to giving it all to her.

Still aiming her glare at Jake, she asked his son, “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“Sure. Her loss,” Conner muttered.

“Con,” Josie called, finally moving her eyes to his son and Jake watched Conner look to her. “Are you okay?” she asked quietly, and so f*cking sweet, he tasted that sweetness in his mouth.

“I’m good, Josie,” Conner replied, also quietly.

She studied him closely then, obviously approving of what she saw, she nodded her head.

When she did, Conner tipped his head back and yelled at the ceiling, “Amber! Get a move on!”

This got Jake another cut of Josie’s eyes and he knew why. She didn’t like shouting and obviously held Jake accountable for Conner doing it.

He was already fighting a grin but it became harder when her brows lifted when Amber was heard shouting back, “It’s not like I don’t have my own car! Go without me!”

She tipped her head to the side and crossed her arms on her chest when Conner continued the shouted conversation with, “You’re gonna be late!”

“Conner,” Josie called, again with her eyes to Jake.

“Yeah?” Conner asked and she looked to his boy.

“It’s sweet you’re looking after your sister’s attendance record and don’t wish for her to be tardy. But if you would do that not shouting the house down, I won’t attempt to get you to eat green beans tonight.”

Conner grinned big and said, “Deal.”

At this, Jake swallowed down laughter.

Unfortunately, he made a noise doing it and regained Josie’s glare.

“Later, Eath,” Conner said as he slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed out.

“Later, Con,” Ethan said with mouth full.

“’Bye, guys,” he said to Jake and Josie.

“Have a good day, Conner,” Josie called to his departing back.

“Later, son.” Jake did the same.

Amber rushed in the second he was gone, crying, “I can’t find my geometry book!”

“You’ve been in five rooms in this house since you got here, honey. Have you checked them all?” Jake asked.

But before his daughter could answer—or from the look on her face lose it—Josie moved, stating, “I’ll help you look, Amber.”

She disappeared on the heels of his daughter.

Ethan jumped off his chair to take his empty plate to the sink, declaring, “Josie’s eggs are the freakin’ bomb.”

Jake took a sip of coffee and didn’t reply because he didn’t need to. His son spoke truth.

Ethan put his plate in the sink and turned to his old man. “So, instead of Josie bein’ around our place more, we should come here more. She doesn’t have as big a TV but her couch is all squishy.”

“You’d give up our TV for a squishy couch?” Jake asked.

“It’s like it hugs you,” Ethan answered and Jake grinned at his son.

“Got it!” Amber cried, waving around her geometry book as she ran back into the kitchen, Josie following her when she did.

Amber shoved it into her bag, dashed to her dad and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then dashed to Josie and did the same.

As she did this, Jake again gave Josie credit for his daughter’s return to sweet.

But it was all Amber when she said to Ethan, “Later, runt.’

“Ugh!” Ethan grunted. “You suck!”

Amber halted in her dash out the door, gave her little brother a cute smile and teased, “But you still love me.”

“Hardly,” Ethan shot back.

“You totally do,” she returned.

“I can’t love someone who sucks,” he told her.

She grinned at him, unperturbed by this, and took off.