“Some shooting stars and Jett’s initials on her wrist.”
“Oh, wow. Right out in the open like that.” She presses her lips together and nods, and it takes me a second to realize she’s holding back. And why.
“J-A-E.”
“J-A… Shut the hell up. Seriously?” Her eyes go as wide as her grin.
“Yeah.” I’m still shocked myself. And elated as hell. “She already started the process of changing his name. I just need to sign the paperwork and get everything sent in, so they can set up a court date and make it happen.”
“You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
“Yeah, me, too. Hayden and I are going to tell Jett later today.”
“Mom and Dad are going to flip their shit.”
“I know. I can’t wait.” Dad will be especially excited, knowing there’s at least one grandkid carrying on the Enders name. Biology matters more, obviously, but there’s an element of pride in sharing a name, as well.
“So, things are going well, then? With you and Hayden, I mean. You’re not just hooking up?” Amelia lifts an eyebrow, and I shake my head.
“Nah, this has been a long time coming.” I run a hand around the back of my neck. “Seems fast, though, right?”
“Not really. You’ve been co-parenting Jett for years. In a way, it’s like you two have been in a relationship just as long.”
That’s exactly how it feels. “Except now I can kiss her.”
“Big brother, you’re doing a hell of a lot more than kissing her.” My sister gives a knowing smirk and then suddenly her eyes narrow. “Oh, my God, you have a hickey.”
“Shit, really?” My hand flies to my neck and she throws her head back and laughs.
“Sucker!”
“I hate you.”
“You love me. And without me, you wouldn’t have been able to spend the night bangin’ your baby mama. You’re welcome, by the way. And this officially means I’ve earned a free pass from the overbearing brother crap.”
“I don’t think so, but nice try.”
“Next time I’m seeing someone or maybe just wanna do ’em, you can’t say a word.”
“That’s not how this works, Lee.”
She lifts a shoulder and takes another sip of coffee, as footsteps sound on the landing upstairs.
“Daddy?” Jett calls down.
“Yep, little man. Hold on a sec. I’ll be right there.” He can handle the stairs just fine by himself, but I’m always cautious about those morning trips down. Sleepy eyes and clumsy feet and all that.
“I’m going to pour this cup of life into a travel mug and scoot. I need to get home and showered before Theo gets there.”
“Theo?”
“The guy from last night.”
“The friend?”
“Or so we pretended.”
“Seriously?”
She waggles those damn eyebrows again. “I’ll be cashing in that free pass today, thank you very much.”
That conniving little witch. “Does he actually get paid for these alleged pictures he takes, or he is one of those starving artists who lives in his mom’s basement?”
“He’s nationally renowned, smart-ass. With a mountain home in Colorado and a loft in Chicago.”
“No shit.” If she’s telling the truth, that is.
“Uh huh. So, zip it.” She makes a smarmy face and I glower.
“Daddy!” Jett calls again. “I want pancakes!”
Of course, he does. “I’m coming, little man.”
“Hopefully, I will be, too,” Amelia adds, and I groan.
“Get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”
She waggles her eyebrows and heads to the cupboard for a travel mug. “Consider it done.”
HAYDEN
“Time for pj’s and snuggles, little man.” Jesse swats Jett’s butt as they wrap up a memory matching game at the breakfast nook while I clean up after dinner. “Do you need me to help you change or can I help your mom with dishes instead so we can all sit down and snuggle together?”
“I can do it!” Jett hops down from his chair and takes off for the stairs.
“Is it silly that I’m sad about how fast he’s growing up?” I ask from across the room as I rinse a plate and stick it in dishwasher.
“Not at all, but I’m not going to lie—there are lots of times when it’s damn nice.” Jesse gets to his feet, stretches his arms above his head, revealing a sliver of sexy abs, and then comes my way. “Like right now.”
“Right now?” I glance over my shoulder as he slides his arms around my waist and lays his lips on the back of my neck. Delicious shivers run down my spine and my nipples tighten instantly from that simple touch. “Mmm, definitely nice.”
He chuckles. “So, what’s our plan? What are we telling him?”
We decided this morning that we would sit down with Jett this evening and at least approach “the talk”. We aren’t going to start making out in front of him or anything, but if he should happen to catch us in a moment like this, it might help him understand. Also, I kind of want him to know how I feel about his dad.
“Well,” I begin. “I was thinking earlier and I do have one idea.”
“Lay it on me.”
“What if we used the princess story?”
“The…” He stands upright and, when I glance back, his eyes are wide and a little panicked. “What princess story are we talking about exactly?”
God, he’s cute. “The one about us. Or so I think it’s about us.”
He gulps. “Damn.”
“I do believe you’re blushing, frat boy.” And it’s adorable as heck. “He told me about it a couple weeks ago when we didn’t have a book to read before bed.”
“That little shit.”
“Baby, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” I quickly dry my hands, turn in his arms and loop mine around his neck. “You’ve done a lot of really awesome things as a father, but that little fairy tale might possibly be my favorite.”
The slightest bit of pink seeps into his cheeks. “It’s just a story.”
“Except it’s not.” Toeing up, I place a slow, sweet kiss on his lips. “I think I fell in love with you ten times harder hearing it.”
“Really?” His eyebrows lift as his forehead creases. This man has no idea what he does to me and it makes me want him even more.
“Yes. My heart went out to that lonely prince and his little boy.”
His hands slide around to my lower back, tugging me close. “What about the princess?”
“Something about her seemed familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.” I tap a finger against my lips and a crooked smile turns up one corner of his.
“She’s fucking hot,” he says huskily. “The lonely prince was more than happy to make that baby with her.”
I laugh as Jett hollers over the railing. “Daddy, all done!”
“Okay, little man, come on down.”