by Craft, Lana
Blair seemed skeptical but she nodded anyway.
"Besides," Trent continued. "It's not like we were real siblings, now were we? And these days, there’s really no such thing as a traditional family anyway. I think we're safe."
"You're probably right," Blair replied, but Trent could hear the hesitation in her voice as clear as day. "So long as she doesn't have to call me grandma.”
Trent chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. Not even ten minutes ago he had been shooting the shit with Chase and rest of the guys, and now he was knee-deep in a tense conversation he couldn’t see the end of. Eden got off way easier, he thought as he eyed her from across the room. All she had to do was “oh” and “ah” and act like she loved every gift more than she did.
"Sure," Trent said with a shrug. "She'll call you whatever you feel most comfortable with." He could tell by the strained look on Blair’s face that she was struggling with the implications of this, but they all were. Based on the hefty engagement ring on her finger alone, she seemed to be on the road to coping with it just fine.
Blair seemed to read Trent’s mind. She looked over at Ronald, who was playing poker with the rest of the boys, and cleared her throat. "You know, when I first met Blair's father I was just this...bright eyed, stupid kid with a ridiculous dream. I didn't love him and he didn't love me. But now...I don't know. When he looks at me, I see something that I didn't before. He cares. About me and Eden both. That has count for something, doesn't it?"
Trent swallowed hard. He started to ask her if she loved him, because he figured that was all that really mattered in the end, but she sighed and shook her head before he could.
"I never thought this would be how we found or way back in each others lives, but maybe it's for the best." Blair looked over at Eden, who was smiling as she tore wrapping paper off another gift. "I've never seen her this happy, Trent. I don't want to be the one to ruin it. Not this time."
They shared a silent moment before it faded and Blair placed a gentle hand on Trent's back. He tried not to react to the sudden physical contact, but he couldn't ignore the burning sensation she left behind.
"This baby is lucky to have you both as parents," she said in a soft voice. "That's all that matters now."
They locked eyes for a few seconds before someone walked over to the bar and interrupted them. It was Eden. She looked back and fourth between the two of them and raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget about me over there?" she questioned Trent in a playful tone, not seeming to sense the intensity of what she just stumbled in on. "I'm parched."
Eden shuffled around the counter for her glass and Trent and Blair were quick to recover from their moment.
"Sorry," Blair explained. "That would be my fault. I was pressing Trent for baby names. You still haven't told me what you're considering."
Eden moved in closer to Trent and snuggled into his side as he brushed a brief kiss against her temple. "We're not even sure ourselves," she said as she lifted her head to look at him. "I mean…we have ideas, but nothing solid."
Blair nodded and pushed away from the counter, motioning towards Ronald. "I should get back to Ron," she said, sharing a nod with Trent before walking off.
Eden raised an eyebrow when she was out of earshot, stepping back to look at Trent and crossing her arms over her chest. "What was that all about?"
Trent shrugged as he took her in. He still couldn't believe that she was his, and that in just a few short months he'd be holding their daughter in his arms. It seemed too good to be true. "Just catching up," he said in a casual tone, tucking a loose curl behind her ear and cupping her chin. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine,” Eden said. “Sore as all hell, but fine."
Trent moved behind her and began to knead at her shoulders, smiling as appreciative groans escaped her mouth. "What about the girls?" he questioned. "They treating you alright?"
"They're great," Eden said as she glanced over at them. "I've gotten so much cute stuff. Useful things too, items I hadn't even thought to put on my registry. Even Gina got me something, granted it was only a $5.99 onesie. Still…it’s the thought that counts right? And besides, I have a feeling she’s starting to warm up to me.”
Trent started to laugh but a worried expression surfaced on his face when Eden hissed and gripped the counter. "Ouch," she exclaimed, caressing the bottom of her stomach. Trent's heart started to beat harder, but he relaxed some when the look of pain on Eden's face broke into a smile. "Watch out. This one's going to be a fighter like her daddy. Here, feel."
Still standing behind her, Trent slid his hands over her stomach and rested them on top of her own. There was a few seconds of nothing, but then he felt it, and his heart damn near caught in his throat. His baby girl was kicking again. He exhaled a deep breath as an elated grin broke across his face. With every kick, he could feel himself falling even deeper in love. For the first time in a long time, he felt at peace.
Word From Lana
Hello reader!
I hope you enjoyed Stepbrother Outlaw. If you did, I’d so appreciate if you’d leave me a review on Amazon letting me know! Receiving feedback from my readers is invaluable to me. I also do a monthly Kindle Unlimited membership giveaway (a value of $9.99), where I draw a winner from my pool of reviewers. If you would like a shot at this prize, please leave me a review and email me at [email protected] letting me know what name you left it under.
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— Lana
About the Author
Lana is a preacher's daughter but you'd hardly know it. She's been getting into trouble since she was old enough to pick up a pen. Whether she's straddling the seat of a motorcycle or traveling to remote locations with her hunky husband, she loves doing anything with a thrill attached.
When she's not flirting with danger, Lana enjoys cooking, learning new makeup application techniques, and daydreaming up her next book idea. Dry martinis and cheesy reality TV shows are two of her favorite things, but writing is her biggest passion. Stepbrother Outlaw is Lana’s first series. You can find all of her books on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
Lana loves hearing from her readers! If you would like to reach out to her for any reason, you can do so by emailing her at [email protected]. She is also in the market for a few beta readers, so if you would be interested in receiving a free copy of her future books in exchange for your thoughts and feedback, please let her know and she’ll get back to you right away.