The Baby Bombshell (Shadow Creek, Montana)
Page 15
“You bet. Lily said she’s baking me a pie.”
Jack rolled his eyes. All the women in this family were enablers.
“Jack, I just want you to know, because I’m not sure I’d ever said it out loud, but I’m proud of you. I’m proud of the man you’ve become, of the life you’re building for yourself.”
Jack swallowed past the lump in his throat and looked into his father’s weathered face. Michael had always been more like their father, while he’d been more like their mother. But standing here now, after everything, he felt very close to the man that had enough strength to stand tall with his family when tragedy struck. He placed an arm on his father’s shoulder.
“I learned from the best, Dad. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”
“Edward, for the love of God, hand over that pie.” His mother appeared, shooing his father and snatching the pie. Jack laughed, watching them leave as he walked over to Lily. He put his arms around her from behind, resting them on her rounded stomach. He smiled when she leaned back against him.
“I was just telling Lily that I don’t mind taking over more of her shifts,” Gwen said.
“Sounds good to me,” he said.
Lily elbowed him. “I’m perfectly fine. I feel great now that the morning sickness phase is done.”
Gwen took a sip of coffee and wagged her finger. “Still…I want to be around for more Muffin Man sightings.”
“Who’s the Muffin Man?” Jack asked.
“Seriously? Even I know who the Muffin Man is,” Chase said as he and Julia joined them.
“Me, too,” Maggie said, shooting him an adorable grin. “He’s the boy Auntie Gwen has a crush on. He comes in the shop every morning at the same time and orders a coffee and a muffin, and then sits down at the seat in the window and reads the newspaper.”
They all burst out laughing.
Gwen’s face was bright red. “Thank you, Maggie. But I don’t actually have a crush on him.”
Maggie patted her hand. “It’s okay, Auntie Gwen, I think he’s nice.”
“We, um, ran into the Muffin Man the other day when we stopped in the shop. Gwen pointed him out and I guess Maggie was eavesdropping,” said Julia.
They stood there and laughed and talked, and as Lily leaned against him, he held on tighter. “Can we leave yet? Or do you need to hear about the Muffin Man and pretend I’m interested?” he whispered in Lily’s ear.
“We can hear you,” his sister said. “You were never good with subtlety, Jack.”
“Fine. Sorry. Tell us about the Muffin Man.”
Gwen crossed her arms. “Never mind. This conversation was for women only, anyway.”
“Agreed,” said Maggie, shooting him and Chase a ferocious frown.
“Well, Miss Maggie, I think it’s time for bed,” Chase said.
They said their good-byes, and as he and Lily walked outside to their car, he heard the howls of wolves in the distance. He stopped for a moment and felt the emotion of that night in the blizzard. Everything had changed for him. He’d found faith, he’d found out the man he could be. They were having twins. Maybe at one time he’d have said it was all just a coincidence, but now he knew better. He knew better than to question any of his blessings.
He pulled Lily into his arms and kissed her, never fully able to get enough of her, never able to let her go. “Love you, Lily, forever.”
“I know, Jack. I love you, too.”
“Will you marry me, Lil? I know I asked you this five years ago. I was a different man, but my love for you has always been a constant.”
Lily stared at him through her tears. She nodded and leaned up to kiss him. Maybe in some ways he was the same, maybe there had been more boy in him than man five years ago. But as she looked at him, warm with the unmistakable stamp of love, he knew that he was enough for her. She was his. He was theirs.
“I kept thinking we’d never get back what we’d lost, that we’d never be the way we were. I was right. We are better. We are both stronger. Wiser. This is how we were meant to be. This is how we were meant to be together, Jack.”
He kissed her back with a passion that only grew stronger every day. He kissed her back, cherishing this woman that had brought him back home.
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About the Author
Victoria James is a romance writer living near Toronto. She is a mother to two young children, one very disorderly feline, and wife to her very own hero.
Victoria attended Queen’s University and graduated with a degree in English Literature. She then earned a degree in Interior Design. After the birth of her first child she began pursuing her life-long passion of writing.
Her dream of being a published romance author was realized by Entangled in 2012. Victoria is living her dream—staying home with her children and conjuring up happy endings for her characters.
Victoria would love to hear from her readers! You can visit her at www.victoriajames.ca or Twitter @vicjames101 or send her an email at Victoria@victoriajames.ca.
Discover the Shadow Creek, Montana series…
Christmas with the Sheriff
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The Rancher’s Second Chance
The Best Man’s Baby
A Risk Worth Taking
The Doctor’s Fake Fiancée
Rescued by the Rncher
Falling for the P.I.
Falling for Her Enemy
The Rebel’s Return
The Billionaire’s Christmas Baby
The Billionaire’s Christmas Proposal
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