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“You’re not alone, sweet Jenny.” Parker reached out and stroked the side of her face.
“We came here for a vacation, and that’s all we thought there would be,” Dale said. “But we wanted and needed so much more. We were wounded, I guess, when we left Montana.”
She understood. “Of course, you were. But you had to go through that. Just as I had to go through the trials I did. Everything that’s happened in our lives, to date, has brought us right here.”
“When you look at it that way,” Parker said, “you have no choice but to let go of any grudges. How could we resent this miracle we’ve been given? There’s only one way to feel, and that’s grateful.”
“That’s it exactly,” Dale said.
Jenny knew they had plenty of reasons to be bitter about the way they’d been treated by those who were supposed to have had their backs. But no bitterness lingered in either one of these men.
“You stepped up and did the right thing, even knowing doing so would not be received well by so many of your family. You’ve told me you’re proud of me? Well, I’m proud of you. I’m proud of you both. And I just know you’re both going to make wonderful husbands—and awesome fathers.”
Unshed tears glistened in their eyes as they looked down at her.
“You humble me, Jenny. Thank you.” Dale kissed her, his love flavoring the moment.
“Thank you, baby. I just realized, staring down at you, that I’m looking at the mother of all our babies. And I realized something else, too.”
His smile drew her, his heart held her. “And that was?”
“Our happy ever after began today.”
“It did. It truly did.” Jenny could think of nothing better than that.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“This tradition began shortly after Kelsey opened Lusty Appetites,” Chase Benedict said. “We were still in New York at the time.”
Jenny didn’t have to ask how he felt about leaving the Big Apple. She’d heard from Carrie how the twins had languished in that city until they finally made the decision to come back to Lusty and follow their dreams.
“We tend to like to have traditions in this family,” Carrie said. There were only a couple of months left until Carrie gave birth. She’d already scaled back working here at Lusty Appetites. Jenny knew Carrie’s husbands would prefer to wrap her up in cotton and pamper her. But they knew Carrie enjoyed working, and because she did, her men bore the burden of biting their tongues while keeping a very close eye on her.
Of course, they weren’t alone in that endeavor. The town was so full of family that there was never a lack of someone able to be close by the expectant mother, just in case.
Then Chase frowned at his two cousins. It was such an exaggerated gesture that Parker and Dale snickered.
“Don’t laugh. This is serious business. Remember, traditions!” Chase looked at Brian, who nodded, and then they assumed their versions of a threatening stance. Arms akimbo, a stern look on their faces—or in Brian Benedict’s case as stern a look as he could muster—they focused on Jenny’s men.
“Sons, you best be treating this little lady right, or you’ll be hearing from us.” Chase intoned those words with a mock gravitas that nearly broke her up.
Jenny watched as Parker struggled to look serious. “Yes, sir, Mr. Benedict, sir. Does that mean if we treat her right, we won’t be hearing from you?”
“Because we have to tell you, sir, if that’s the case, it’s going to make working together very difficult,” Dale said. “Unless of course, we all learn sign language.”
Carrie and Jenny both giggled, and all semblance of dignity was lost when the men joined in with their own laughter.
Jenny thought that cousin-speak was generally hilarious.
“Seriously, we’re glad you’re staying. And very glad you had the good sense to fall in love with this angel.”
Jenny felt her cheeks heat at the compliment.
“We’re happy to be here. And falling in love with our Jenny was the smartest thing we’ve ever done, along with being the best.” Parker slid his left arm around her, pulling her in closer to his side.
