He’d had his home modernized. In fact, he and the Dukes had done most of the work. They’d taken out a wall and made the living, dining, and kitchen all a single free-flowing space.
The colors were neutral except for a wall of emerald-green wood paneling. Feature wall, Zoe had called it when she’d come in here and advised him on the interior.
Whenever Jay stepped inside this house, he felt something inside him ease, a tightness he was fairly sure he’d always carried and likely always would, deep inside him.
He headed into the kitchen, where he lowered the box onto the counter and flipped the lid open. The scent of sugary sweetness wafted up his nostrils. He took a bite of the lemon meringue scone.
“Damn it,” Jay muttered. This would be a favorite now too.
The knock on his door had him wiping his hands and moving to answer it. The welcoming smile on his face turned to surprise as he saw who stood there.
“Hi, Jay.”
“Hi, Blue.”
She wore a pair of jeans and a blue-and-white-striped button-up shirt. Hot, he thought. The woman could wear anything and it would look like the latest fashion. Her hair was in a messy bun on her head. But it was her face that held his gaze.
She was pale, and there were still dark smudges under her eyes.
“Are you okay, Blue?”
“Not really. Can I come in, Jay? I need to tell you something.”
Even her voice was subdued, which nothing about her ever was. Blue was strong and always in control. They might not have been close friends, growing up, but he’d spent plenty of time observing her.
He held the door open wider and stepped aside.
Blue entered and then stopped. “It’s nice in here.”
“Thanks. Zoe helped because apparently I have zero interior design skills, and she wasn’t willing to risk me living in neon colors, with rugs from the sixties.”
Her smile was small and nervous.
“Do you want coffee?”
“No, thank you.”
“How about a seat, or are you going to tell me what you came for from the doorway?”
She pressed a hand to her mouth.
“Blue?”
Jay headed back to the kitchen, where he picked up his coffee. Not because he wanted it, but he needed something to do. When he returned, she was still standing where he’d left her.
“Blue, sit.”
She did, moving to the seat farthest away from him and onto it. She then sat perched on the edge, hands clenched.
“Blue, what’s?—”
“Jay, I’m pregnant.”
He hadn’t expected that. In fact, he wasn’t sure what he expected, but definitely not the words that had come out of her mouth.
“I know it’s a shock—I’m in shock.”
“When did you find out?” he managed to get out.
