Page 36 of Discretion

“It’s been a while for me too, but we can go through it together.”

After we ordered, I held out my hand. “Show me what you’ve got so far.”

She handed me her phone. I scrolled through the registry website. “Okay, so this—” I pointed to the screen where an item was displayed “—total gimmick.”

“Really?” Sloan scrunched up her nose.

“Definitely. A waste of money.”

“It’s gone. Delete it. Next.”

I deleted it and offered a few more suggestions.

“I feel silly even having a registry,” she admitted after a while. “I don’t want to ask people to buy things for us when we can more than afford to get them ourselves. But Greer insisted on it, and she’s throwing the shower with Kendall and Emerson.”

“Let them have their fun. People love buying stuff for babies.”

Sloan laughed. “That’s what Jackson’s mom said too. I just want to have a party to celebrate, but everyone keeps insisting on gifts.”

“At least you know your baby is very loved.”

She smiled, her features softening. “Yes. They are. And the baby loved being on the water this past weekend. What about Kai? I hope he had fun on Knox’s yacht.”

“A blast,” I said. “And your family was so wonderful to make him feel welcome and let him explore.”

Everyone had gone out of their way to include my son. I knew I wasn’t part of their family, but they’d certainly welcomed me into their fold. Kendall and Emerson had invited me to join them for yoga. And Jasper had continually surprised me—holding Ezra, his great nephew, and making him laugh. Watching out for Kai and keeping him entertained. Answering every one of my son’s endless questions about his helicopter or the yacht or whatever else popped into his head.

“We loved having him there,” Sloan said.

“Thanks. He thought it was beyond cool, but he’s obsessed with Lego and transportation. I showed him a picture of me with Jasper’s helicopter, and now he won’t stop asking to fly in it.”

“Jasper took you in the helicopter?” she asked, surprise lighting her tone. “When?”

“Oh, um—” I smoothed my napkin over my lap. “The day we went art shopping. Traffic was awful, so Jasper suggested it.”

“Having a brother who’s a helicopter pilot definitely comes in handy sometimes.”

I nodded. “We would never have made it on time otherwise.”

“I can’t wait to see the new pieces once they arrive.”

I was so excited, I felt as if I might burst. I only hoped Sloan and everyone else would like them as much as I did. “They’re supposed to deliver them later this week.”

“Excellent. And thank you again for handling everything.”

“Absolutely.”

Her expression turned more contemplative. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“You worked with Jasper in the past when he was still an SVP. How do you think he’s handling his new role?”

I, uh…I hadn’t expected that question. It felt as if it had come out of left field.

“Why do you ask?” Maybe I was stalling, but I was also curious.

“He hasn’t been acting like himself lately.”