Page 97 of The Stranger

“How do you think she’ll take it?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know.” His eyes briefly leave the road to meet mine. “If things don’t go well, would you mind if I told her about us? That might help soften the blow.”

A small smile tugs at my lips as I imagine her reaction. “I’m okay with that.” She’s going to find out eventually anyway. “You know she’s going to put pressure on us to get married and give her grandbabies.”

The look of horror he gives me in return makes me laugh. “Please don’t tell me you’d be on board with that.”

“God no. We’ve only been dating for five minutes.”

“It’s been longer than five minutes,” he growls as he reaches for my hand and brings it to his mouth. “I’m not opposed to that in the future, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I have a girlfriend. I haven’t been in a committed relationship since college.”

“Wow. That long. How many decades ago was that?”

“One, smartarse. I haven’t exactly been celibate during that time, but in my defence, I’ve been busy running an empire.”

I turn my face to stare out the window. His priorconquests are another subject I’m not comfortable talking about. We all have pasts, and I can’t be jealous of the things he did with others before knowing me, but I still don’t want to hear about them. You’ve only got to look at him to know he’s had hordes of women beating down his door for a chance to be with him.

Does that worry me, given what I now know about Kayne?

Kind of.

Chapter 31

Spencer

My mother hasn’t stopped smiling since we arrived. I’m not sure if she’s just happy for the company, or something else is going on. Either way, I’m dreading having to burst her bubble and tell her about the impending birth of my half-sibling.

I wait until the last course is consumed before I broach the subject. There’s no point ruining her appetite as well as her night.

Once Judy, my mother’s housekeeper, clears the table, I bite the bullet. “I have some news,” I tell her, making eye contact across the table.

“I know,” my mother replies as that grin she’s been sporting all night grows. “And I couldn’t be happier.”

“What?”

“I’ve been rooting for the two of you since the very beginning.”

“Hold on,” I say, holding up my hand. “What are you talking about?”

“That you two have finally opened your eyes and saw what I’ve been seeing all along.”

“I’m not following.”

“Are you and Delilah a couple?”

My head snaps in Delilah’s direction. “Did you tell her?”

“Of course not.”

I move my attention back to my mother. “How did you know?”

“I’m your mother. I know everything.”

“Really, did you know Dad’s new wife is pregnant?”

“Yes.”

“How?”