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Blake had mentioned that Jace was smarter, maybe she meant more analytical.
“Luck.” Jasper grinned, draining his beer and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Jace let it go, humming in response. “Why are my grades being sent to you in the first place?”
“They aren’t. Hehacked the system.” Riley popped a piece of steak into his mouth, chewing politely. “I’m assuming.”
Jace nodded with a small shrug, like hacking into the university’s computer system was no big deal.
The table got quiet for the first time since they sat down. The clatter of a fork as it hit a porcelain plate was loudanddisruptive. The dark haired tattooed and pierced man sitting across from her and next to Jasper gasped, a shocked expression on his face. He stared at her, eyes narrowed, then he shifted his gaze to her right where Blake sat. “Riley, Blake, is there something you two want to tell us?”
“Nope.” Riley grinned from his place next to his girlfriend. “There surely isnot. And maybe youshouldread through the group text before you show up to family dinner, yeah?”
“I hate the group text.I have it silenced on my phone.” He was balancing Oliver, their baby boy,on his lap.
Callahan hadn’t been able to stop watching him, or any of the other babies. Would they have a boy? Would she be holdinghimthroughout a big family dinner? Did she want to be? In an ideal world, yeah, she did. She wanted to have money and support. Shewanted to have everything she needed to provide her baby with a great life.
Her stomach clenched with the truth. Itwas the first time she’d admitted it to herself.
The tattooed man’s wife raised her hand in the air. “That’s my bad.Ishould’verelayed the message.”
What message? She wanted to ask, but she assumed it was most likely none of her business. She wasn’t part of this large,loud,chaotic family, and chances were,she never would be. Her child could be though. There were babies scattered in laps all over the place, and these were the children her baby could grow up with.
“Jasper, take your sister. Shekeeps trying to crawl out of my arms to get to you anyway.” Maddi passed the baby across the table, holding her high in the air until Jasper grabbed her. He blew a raspberry on her round belly before settling herontohis lap.
Callahan couldn’t look away. Jasper with a sweet baby, smiling down at her as he fed her small pieces of steamed broccoli. He was a natural, and it was incredibly sexy.
There was that word again. Theone she couldn’t help thinking when it came to the guy who’d knocked her up.
Jasper’s gaze darted up to meet hers, almost like he’d been able to feel her attention on him. His smile was small, kind. He knew what she was seeing, what she was thinking. There was no way he didn’t.
“I’m pregnant.” She spoke the words softly, yet all conversation stopped again. “My family doesn’t know, and I, uh, well, you guys are all so nice. I didn’t want to lie to you all summer.”
Blake pulled her in for a hug and Axie winked at her from across the table.
Callahanrefused to meet Jasper’sgaze.
Shewas too afraid of what she would find.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jasper
Callahan was sitting by Blake, talking with Axie, the two of them bringing her into the fold of their friendship. It warmed his heart seeing his family take to Callie like that. He knew telling them about the pregnancy was hard for her to do. He hated that she was alone. He hated he didn’t reach across the table and take her hand, telling his pack that he was the father. He knew in the long run things would be easier on Callahan this way, but he loathed himself at the moment. As soon as they decided what they were going to do with their future, he’d tell everyone the truth. He made a silent vow, trying to ease the odd ache in his chest.
Jasper glanced up, pulling his attention away from Allison to gauge how his pack was reacting to the news. Baze knew, he’d heard the baby as soon as there was a lull in conversation, although he’d assumed it was Riley and Blake who were expecting. Thank god,he hadn’t pushed for answers and instead had taken his cell out of his pocket and covertly read through all the missed text messages hehabitually ignored.
Jasper could feel his twin’s glare on the side of his face, the heat from his pack beta’s gaze almost searing with intensity. He turned to meet hisgaze, trying his best to hold strong. Jace had alreadyfigured outJasper had to know Callahan. They’d shared a class, and she was supposedly one of his roommate’snewbest friends.
He sighed, hisgazemoving to his lap.Jace was powerful, and pack dynamics demanded he submit when Jace willed it.
“Dammit,Jasper.” Jace cursed so low Jasper was pretty sure he was the only shifter at the tablewhocould hear him since they were seated so close.
Jasper kept his gaze in his lap, not wanting to see the disappointment in his twin’s face.He’d beenstupid to think Jace wouldn’t figure it out. It was one of his best skill sets:seeing the problems coming, putting clues together to keep them all safe. Of course,he flushed it out. Of course,he knew that Jasper was the baby’s father.
“Have the three of you been having a good time in Greenly?” Coreywasfeeding Hadley and herself at the same time, never missing a beat. The pack was moving past the pregnancy announcement, taking pity on Callahan by removing the scrutiny from her.
“Living with two boys isn’t as annoying as I assumed it would be.” Blake grinned, scraping mashed potatoes off her fork.
“Out of the three of us, you’rehands downthe messiest.” Jasper didn’t feel at all like joking around, but he had a part to play. Jace may have things all figured out, but the rest of the pack was still in the dark,and that was where they needed to remain. So joke he would. “I found half of a Hot Pocket in the couch last week.”
