Page 41 of Back to Me
“Fine, I will just ask him when we get there.”
“Go right ahead but watch your tone when you do. Don’t be all macho and accuse him of something. Pick your moment. We don’t need to start another argument.”
“I’ll pick my moment, don’t worry.” I narrowed my eyes at him, not believing that for a second, but I didn’t have time to push him on it, because he pulled into his parents’ driveway and by the looks of it, we were the last to arrive. He opened the door for me and took the box as I got out of his truck. I took the box back from him and linked my fingers with his as he took my hand. Austin didn’t bother knocking; he just let himself into the house, figuring they would all be out the back anyway.
ChapterTwenty
Austin
We gotto Ma and Pops’s place and let ourselves in, heading for the back garden. That’s where everyone else would be. Sliding the door across, I let Ally walk out before me. We said hello to everyone, but I could see the eyes going from Cash to Ally. None of us could keep the surprise off our faces when he moved over to give her a hug. Savannah was next, wearing a big grin. I had to bite down on my lip at the look on Beau’s face. I honestly thought he was about to fall out of his chair.
I shrugged my shoulders as he looked at me. “He used his words, apparently.” I looked over at the two of them and Cash raised his brow at Ally.
“Apparently… you didn’t tell him?”
“I told him you said sorry and thank you for dessert. He didn’t need to hear the rest.” She had a smug grin on her face when she looked over at me. He just laughed.
“Fair call,” he said, patting me on the shoulder as he passed by to take his seat again. Muttering under my breath that I needed a drink, I went to say hello to Ma with a hug and went to get one for each of us before taking my seat. Once Ally had put the cupcakes down, she hugged Ma and Belle, then joined me. Everyone was seated except for Savannah who was standing beside Cash’s chair. She looked down at him and he nodded.
“So, we asked to get everyone together for a few reasons. Firstly, we wanted to apologize to Ally for the way we acted the last time we were here. There are no excuses for treating her like that and we are very grateful that she has not only accepted apologies but helped us here today. Welcome home, Ally, it is good to have you back and to see Austin genuinely happy again. The next reason…” She pulled off the baggy jumper she had been wearing that showed her baby belly. “We are having a baby!”
There was a chorus of congratulations and everyone moved to hug them. Beau stepped back after his turn and looked over at us.
“Wait… you two knew?” We both nodded before standing to join the gathered group.
“Yep! Although one of us knows more than the other but we have known for a couple of days now.”
“What the hell?” He turned toward Cash and Savannah. “Why did they get to know first?!”
“Well, I needed Ally’s help and gave her the go-ahead to let Austin know too. We asked her to help us reveal the gender.” By now, Beau’s head honestly looked like it was about to explode at Savannah’s revelation.
“What alternate reality did I step into today! My God! Anything else you want to tell us?”
“Give us a minute.” Savannah went to get the cupcakes and moved them to the table. She opened the box and was surprised to see what was inside.
“They are plain?”
“On the outside. You need to take a bite of them to see the answer. You didn’t think I was going to make it that easy, did you?” Ally moved to take the box and gave one to the pair of them before passing one to us all. “On the count of three, you can take a bite. Ready?” They nodded and she counted backwards. When she got to one, Savannah and Cash both took a bite. They turned it around and we saw pink on the inside.
“It’s a girl!” Everyone cheered and we all took a bite from our cupcakes. Ally came back to join me as Pops picked up his drink.
“Good Lord help her with a dad like hers.” He held up his drink. “To Cash, Savannah and the next generation of Jameses. May they bring half as much chaos as the six of you have brought to our lives!”
I looked at Cash before looking over to Beau. Baby girl was going to be the most spoilt princess among us, because she was sure as hell going to have the three of us wrapped around her little finger, but she was also going to be the most protected. With Cash for a dad and uncles like us, good luck to anything that came her way… Well except for Savannah, not even we could save her from that. We wouldn’t change it for the world though.
ChapterTwenty-One
Grady
Sitting in the bar,I was enjoying a few beers with the boys from work. Beau had a family thing but said they might come down and join us later. Austin came and spoke to me earlier in the week and asked me if they could postpone my tattoo. He wasn’t so forthcoming with Gabby on what the design was, and he had been watching her struggle over the last couple of days over it. I told him that was fine, and I would check my schedule next week when we were back at the station. I really wanted her to do it, but if she couldn’t I understood why. It would take her back to a point in her life when everything changed, and not for the best.
Rubbing my chest at the thought of it, I let out a breath. “You okay, G?” I nodded at Tanner and took a drink from my beer. Before I could speak though, something caught my attention in the corner of my eye, and I looked to see the pretty little brunette that had taken up permanent residence in my head since I first saw her in this very bar a few weeks ago. She stopped dead in front of me, her hands on her hips.
“What did you say to him, Grady?”
“Say to who, Gabriella?” There was a flash of pain across her face at the name. I never called her that, not even when we were fighting. She hated it from anyone but her parents.
“Austin! He canceled my appointment with you. What did you say to him?”
