Page 70 of Wild Card (Men of Action #4)
There was a malfunction in the testing system used to tabulate my exam results. What would have been a five-day waiting period has drawn out to twelve days. Having the wedding to plan and the house to concentrate on was the only thing keeping me sane.
Well, and Talon’s overbearing attention.
“Your results should be in your email,” Chase goes on.
I scan around at the party happening. Kids everywhere, Ford at the grill, Shayla, Harley, and Jewls behind the bar, while Tom is sitting with all the babies.
“It’s not the time. This is Max’s homecoming.”
“You honestly aren’t looking?” Bex taps her foot.
“I can’t. Today is going perfectly. I can’t risk ruining it.”
“Princess, it’s your call, but I think you should consider it.”
“What if I failed?”
“Then you will be surrounded by people who love you,” Mom offers softly. “But I agree that it’s your call.”
“We’ll wait until tomorrow. Let’s get a beer.” Chase takes a step forward and I yank on his arm.
“That’s it? No argument?”
“Nope, you obviously don’t think you passed. If that’s the case, no need to sour the mood. I’m here for a party.”
My blood pressure skyrockets. “This is my future and you’re worried about a party?”
“Sure.” He shrugs, taking Bex’s hand. “I’m thirsty.”
“You’re thirsty?!”
“I’ve been craving one of Shayla’s margaritas.” Bex moves with him to the stairs.
“Are you serious?” I screech.
“What’s the problem, Wills? You don’t want to know, we can wait until tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait until tomorrow knowing it’s sitting in my inbox!”
Chase and Bex both smile triumphantly, and I want to scratch the self-satisfied smirks off their faces.
Dad chuckles under his breath and Mom turns her head.
Talon has the decency to remain straight-faced, leading me to my laptop, which mysteriously is sitting on the kitchen counter, open to my email.
I notice the address immediately, my nerves spiking as it taunts me on the screen.
“Want me to open it?” he offers, and I nod, burying my face in his shoulder.
After a few seconds, his lips brush my earlobe. “Take a look, beautiful.”
I crack one eye, scanning over the words until I zone in on the most important one.
Passed.
My breath catches and I choke on a little sob.
“Proud of you, baby.” Talon threads his fingers through my hair, bending closer. Before his lips touch mine, I’m ripped away and jostled into a shrieking Bex.
“I knew you could do it!”
I’m numb at the moment, being passed around to everyone. Their words are a jumbled mess in my head as I struggle to believe them.
I did it…
The excitement dies down, Dad’s mouth forming a hard line. “Willow?”
Talon reclaims me, ducking into my line of sight. His gorgeous face brings it all back into perspective.
“I did it.”
He crushes me to him. “I never had any doubt.”
There’s something in his voice and my Spidey senses perk up. “Did you already know?”
His non-answer says it all. I pinch his side and he flinches.
“You did know! How? “
Earlier today flashes in my head, him taking a call and walking outside with Wolf.
“What did you do?”
“I was sick of their bullshit system-wide crash, so I called in a favor.”
“A favor? Did you hack into their system?”
“I didn’t, but I got what I was after.” He doesn’t have an ounce of guilt.
Of course he doesn’t. This is Talon.
The man who has promised to give me everything in his power. Even if it includes questionable methods.
“I’m too happy to be mad at you.”
“Now can we get a beer?” Chase grouses.
“Yes! You can all get a drink and I can sit by drowning my jealousy because I’m incubating a human.”
“Sounds good to me.” Bex winks.
Talon takes my hand, leading us all back outside.
The roar of catcalls, whistles, and cheers stops me in my tracks.
Silver and blue balloons are tied everywhere. Tinsel and swirl streamers hang from the cabana, reflecting across the patio deck. A huge ‘congratulations’ banner is hung across the roofline. And right in the center of the bar is a picture of Talon and me.
The crowd has grown. Abe, Maddie, and Lucas stand together, all smiling wide. The band has arrived, all the parents, Drake, Sam, Addie, Carson, and in the middle is April and Mark.
I’m too stunned to move.
“W-w-what? How? When?” I stutter, taking it all in. “We were only inside for five minutes.”
“Guess you know what was in those bags and boxes.”
I glance at Talon, who again isn’t surprised. “You knew about this, too?”
“Babe.”
That’s all he says as if it’s the universal answer.
“I can’t believe you! This is supposed to be a party for Max.”
“No, this is a party for you. Just because you are getting married quicker than the speed of light, doesn’t mean you don’t get a proper celebration.”
I stare at Bex, realizing she is the mastermind behind this.
“I am such a ditz. How did I miss this?”
“Because we are a team of stealth experts. And it’s called pregnancy brain— you are incubating a human.” She throws my words back at me.
“Are we celebrating the engagement or the baby?”
“We have many months ahead for the babe. This is for the engagement. And you better enjoy it because this may be the only one we can plan.”
I throw myself at her. “This is all I ever could want. Thank you.”
She squeezes and pulls back with a sheen in her eyes.
Talon tucks me to his side. “Ready?”
“I hate being the center of attention.”
“You can handle it.”
He’s right, I can handle it.