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“Good morning, beautiful,” Seth says in that delicious morning voice that makes prickles pop up on my freshly shaved legs. I’d say it’s annoying because I just took a quick bath while he entertained the kids, but it’s not. He lifts me onto the counter, hands on either side of my hips, and presses a kiss to my mouth. “We should probably make those pancakes, huh?”
I allow myself to grin as I plant my palms on his chest, the material of his shirt silky against my fingertips. “Probably. But I kinda like taking risks, so we couldnotmake them and hope the kids aren’t too disappointed.”
His chest rumbles with low laughter under my hands and he kisses me once more before sliding me over on the island. “You’re a terrible influence, Jenna Johnson.”
“Yeah, well, I learned from the best,” I say, all wide eyes and innocence. “It’s not my fault my mind is easily corruptible.”
Seth rolls his eyes as he lifts a scoop of batter and drizzles twoEs onto the griddle, followed by a J and an S. Then rounds it out with four nearly perfect little circles. Our favorite way to do it is to put our initials on top of the round one, and I can’t tell you why, other than that we just do. These days I try not to wonderwhyso much as trying to soak up every little moment.
I’m just about to say something flirty because I can when Seth’s phone rings. He wipes his hands on a yellow dish towel, slings it over his shoulder, and answers the phone, but not before I seeJesson the Caller ID. I grin.Part two of the plan, check!He leans against the counter next to me, resting his right hand on my leg, and makes goofy faces at me that force me to smother my laughter because otherwise he’d burst out laughing too. Then Jess would tease him that he’s being a flirt and the purpose of the conversation would be completely derailed.
“Uh-huh,” he says. “Um, yes. I think we could do that. Hang on a sec.” He presses his phone to his chest. “Are we good to have supper at the inn tomorrow night?”
I only manage a nod because I hear little feet on the stairs, and suddenly, I feel a swarm of butterflies in my tummy.
“Yeah, that works,” Seth says, oblivious to my nerves. Good. I don’t need my overly perceptive husband’s perceptiveness to come out right now. “How’s Alex?”
Jess had a baby boy in October only two days after Marshall’s birthday, and little Alex is named after his uncle. Well, both uncles, I guess. Seth’s full name is Seth Alexander Johnson, so Jess and Marshall named their son Alexander Jacob Bryant. There were tears in Seth’s eyes when he met his nephew and godson for the first time, not unlike the first time he met Jake last year. Jess and Seth only see their brother once a month right now, but it seems to be best for everyone involved. Jude is responsible for making the arrangements and driving Jake here, and they spend a weekend together.
In time, I trust that whatever’s meant to happen between father and son and daughter will happen. For now, this is the best everyone can do.
Alex wasn’t the only baby to join the Bryant family recently. Wynn and Noelle’s baby girl, Estelle, was born the week before Christmas and she’s an absolute doll. It’s safe to say Ella is in heaven getting to have figurative cousins (who cares about how we’re family, right?) to play with, and Alice has recently been babysitting more than just my two kids. I doubt she has much time for reading anymore, but she doesn’t seem to mind.
Pete and Sierra’s baby was born in January, a healthy baby boy, who they named Jasper in honor of Pete’s late father. We don’t see each other, but he did send each of the kids a Christmas card with money, and he’s called them a couple times. It’s not perfect, but at least it’s not chaotic either. We’ve both moved on with our lives and families, and I feel like everything has happened how it was supposed to.
A smile tugs at Seth’s lips as he turns to flip the pancakes, shifting the phone to his other hand. “Tell Marsh to remember what it felt like to hold his baby for the first time. I’m sure that’ll do the trick.” He pauses just as Ella and Eli come back into the kitchen. “Hey, I gotta go, J. Yeah, I love you too.”
“Daddy, look at my shirt!” Eli yells as he holds his arms out to Seth. Ever since he discovered hehasa voice last fall, he decided said voice only has one volume: loud. We’re working on that, but mainly, Seth and I just love that he talks now.
“And mine,” Ella says, proudly puffing out her chest. “We’re matching!”
Rather than lifting one or the other, Seth squats down to examine their shirts. Unprepared for this part, I grab his phone and start recording just in time.
“Let’s see here,” Seth says studiously. “I’m gonna be a…”
Disbelief is etched into the handsome angles of his face when he spins around to look at me. “Jenna?”
I grin. “Yes?”
“Are you…?”
“Going to be a big sister or brother?” I shake my head. “No, but Ella and Eli are, and you’re going to be a daddy and yeah, I’m gonna be a—”
I don’t have the chance to finish my sentence before Alice bursts through the door and yells“Congratulations!”at the top of her lungs. Okay, so maybe I know where Eli’s volume deficit came from.
Also, yes, I did have her lined up to do that right at this time so I wouldn’t chicken out from telling Seth. The timing was, to say the least, the most important aspect of everything. It’s why Ella and Eli each get a lollipop after breakfast for working with this timeline so seamlessly. Jess’s phone call? Planned. In fact, they were sitting in our driveway during it, because she and Marshall and baby Alex are walking through our front door right this very minute.
We’re so caught up in exclamations and congratulations and laughter that Seth doesn’t have time to interrogate me further. He keeps glancing at me every few minutes, though, and when Alice finally demands we take a picture (thanks for giving me my hubby back, Alice) Seth doesn’t hesitate. He walks straight up to me, rests his big hand on my flat stomach, and leans down to kiss me.
Well, that’s about the best reaction I could get to my surprise.
His hand still resting protectively on my abdomen, he moves his mouth to my ear, blocking everyone from seeing with his body. His whisper sends a shiver down my spine. “I love our family, Jenna Elizabeth Johnson. I loveyou. And, also…”
I raise a brow.
“I’myours,” he murmurs, wrapping both of his arms around me, firmly anchoring my body against his. “I’ll always be yours.”
Ella and Eli wiggle into join our hug, and I smile as I look into the clear blue depths of my husband’s eyes. “That’s good, Seth Alexander Johnson, because I plan to be yours for the rest of my life.”
