Shock had his mouth opening, but no sound came out.
“I didn’t—it wasn’t me that told her to come here,” Blue said quickly.
“I know.” He squeezed her gently. “It’s okay, Blue. I told her where to find me.”
“You did?” He felt her eyes on his face, but his were on his sister. “When?”
“A few days ago, but I hadn’t thought she’d arrive so fast. Hello, Hazel.” Releasing Blue, he held out his hand to the woman who shared his blood but until now had been a stranger.
She was tall, with long dark hair and his smile. She even had his eyes.His little sister.
“Hello, brother,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I’m so pleased to finally meet you.”
She hugged him then—put her arms around him, pulling him close, and in that moment, Jay thought, this is the first time someone from my family has held me like this. The emotion he’dkept locked away flooded his veins. Relief, love, happiness, and shock, it was all there. Jay embraced it, and let the tears fall.
Hazel introduced him to her husband Geoff, but she’d left her young son at home with his grandparents.
The day took on a dreamlike quality for Jay after that. Blue was close, and his sister was here, as were all the other people in his life he cared about.
He drank shots in a race and talked to Hazel about her life and the mother neither of them knew and didn’t want to.
“You look different,” Dan said to him when he got Jay alone briefly. “Less uptight, like you’re unraveling.”
He couldn’t lie. “I feel it.”
“I’m happy for you, bud.”
“Me too,” Jay said, and for the first time in his life, he really was happy all the way through. His heart was full.
Hazel was a hit with everyone she met, especially the Dukes, and when the evening finally wound down, they arranged to meet here for breakfast tomorrow.
Jay took Blue’s hand in his as Hazel and Geoff left, and they said their goodbyes.
Finch and Lynx didn’t glare at Jay as he shook their hands, but he knew that he’d have to prove himself to them before they trusted him fully.
“My things are at the cottage,” Blue said after Dan and Leah had dropped them at Jay’s house.
“I’ll lend you a shirt, and I have a spare toothbrush. Do you need anything else until the morning?”
“No.”
He shot her a look. “Should I not presume and ask if you want to stay with me, Blue Jay?” He felt nervous again.
She was silent for a while, and then she turned and met his gaze. “I want to be here with you.”
It was enough for now, so he led her inside. When the door was closed, Jay pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly.
“I’m sorry for being a cold-hearted bastard and walking away when I should have stayed and talked—well, at least settled things between us before I left.” He held up a hand when her mouth opened. “Not finished. You hear me out, then it’s your turn, okay?”
She nodded.
“I’ve only ever lived alone, and I’ve never cared for anyone, so when you stormed into my life, I was blindsided. I’m not now, and I know what I want.”
“What do you want, Jay?”
“You, sweet Blue. I want all of you and our baby. I love you. Please say you’ll stay here with me and help me build our life together.”
She started to cry, and he ran his thumb under her lashes as the tears fell.
