Page 91 of Her Always Choice

“We want it to be a surprise. All of the current grandbabies are boys so if it’s a boy we don’t want them to go ‘oh yay a boy.’ If it’s a girl, we don’t want the ‘YAY, finally a girl.’ This way no matter what it is everyone will instantly fall in love with him or her because of who they are not what they’re going to be,” she told him.

“Okay, I get it.” He sighed shooting her a wink as Jordan hugged her to him a little too thrilled that she was the one who wanted to keep the initial pregnancy news and their baby’s gender between just them rather than share it with Tate the instant it happened. He knew he was her always choice, but he loved that this part of their life she wanted to be theirs for as long as possible despite her love for Tate.

They were getting ready to go when she heard someone call out to her. She turned her head and stifled a laugh when she saw the owner of it.

“Mel, wow it’s great to see you,” Brent said coming over. “You look…”

“Pregnant,” she filled in as his eyes drifted lower to her stomach and stopped.

“Congratulations, I heard you’d gotten married. I’ve got to say I was surprised.”

“Why’s that?” she asked as Jordan tensed.

“You were known around school as the impossible one to get.”

“You never did tell me what the bet was,” she said and Tate looked amused.

“No bet.”

“Really? So you seriously just out of the blue came up to me in the library that day to ask me out all on your own?”

“Well…”

“What does it matter now? Jordan won it after all,” she added.

“Guess he did, alright the bet was a pool, everyone who wanted a shot had to chip in a twenty and the winner got the pot and the keys to Peter Arnold’s dad’s place up at the lake.”

“And how was the winner supposed to be decided? A date, a kiss, more?”

“Somewhere between a kiss and more, that’s where the lake house was supposed to come in; we were stupid guys.”

“I’d say,” Tate stated.

“Whatever happened with the pool?” she asked trying to cool Tate and Jordan’s ire.

“You know, I have no clue, but I’ll look into it and if it’s still around how about we make a donation with it for your baby?” Brent said well aware that she didn’t need the money.

“I think that’d be nice, don’t you Jordan?”

“I agree,” he admitted. “Here’s the number to the office; our assistant Joelle or our office manager Ricki will be happy to help you if you all manage it.”

“Will do, it was good seeing you Mel, Jordan, congratulations on the baby and for getting Mel. Tate, see you all around maybe.”

“Maybe,” she replied laughing as they headed out towards the car.

“Say it,” Tate told her.

“I told you so,” she teased.

“What?” Jordan asked.

“Brent started a campaign to get Mel to go out with him. He wasn’t the first guy to try something with her, but he was the most persistent,” Tate explained.

“And I maintained there was a bet, but he denied it and Tate told me I was crazy, butI was right,” she said with a happy singsong voice at the end.

“You always were the smartest girl in the world,” Jordan said pulling her towards him with a kiss. “The most gorgeous too.”

“Even like this?” she asked, loving the way she looked and felt carrying this piece of them.