Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 142976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 477(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 477(@300wpm)
Shit. Because Nox had left shortly after doing just that to Gideon and Beth’s relationship, the two men had never really had the opportunity to talk it out and resolve the hurt feelings between them.
Kenny
C’mon guys. We haven’t spoken in a while. And I know you’ve missed each other, right?
Cade, his stomach roiling with tension—he’d always hated it when his siblings fought—lifted his phone and, as usual, typed the first dumb thing that came to mind.
Fern’s cooking breakfast.
Wow. That was ridiculous even for him. But he’d just wanted the fucking bickering to stop.
Nox
She can cook? What a catch
Kenny
Shut up, Nox. And congratulations on the nuptials, big brother.
Gideon
What’s for breakfast, bro?
Cade’s lips lifted. Well, at least when they were mocking him, they weren’t fighting each other. He could deal with that.
She said something about French toast? Possibly flapjacks? I’m not sure.
Nox
Sounds like wedded bliss
Cade smiled at the screen.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Nox. It all happened really quickly.
Gideon
And we didn’t think you’d care.
Kenny
Gideon, come on, man
Gideon
I don’t mean that maliciously. I’m just being honest. You’ve been so completely gone, man. You didn’t even come to my wedding. Beth and I are thinking of starting a family. You could be an uncle soon.
An uncle twice over.
Cade’s heart stuttered as that reality abruptly hit him. God. Suddenly he wanted to tell his siblings about Fern’s pregnancy. They’d each come running to him so many times over the years to tell him their secret hopes and fears. But he’d never been one to confide in them. And now he felt himself desperately needing to speak to them about Fern and the baby.
Fern had made Cade feel like the pregnancy was something that was happening to her and that he was just incidental to the entire event. As a result, he wasn’t even sure if he was entitled to have feelings about it. Conflicted and ambivalent though those feelings may be.
He still had Fern’s ultrasound picture. He’d smoothed out the creases as best he could, before neatly folding it and slotting it into his credit card holder. She hadn’t asked for it back and he assumed she probably had a copy somewhere. An older cousin to Gideon and Beth’s future child. If things were normal, they’d grow up together, play together, probably be as close as siblings. But he wasn’t certain if they would ever have that opportunity.
He realized that the sibling chat had moved on without him and he felt like he’d missed his opportunity to bring up Fern’s pregnancy.
Gideon and Nox, after their prickly start, were having the semblance of a real conversation. Kenny was teasing them, happy to have her big brothers all talking again—for however long it lasted. Cade, even though his marriage had been the catalyst to Nox finally reaching out again, was once more relegated to the sidelines. But he was happy to merely watch them chat.
Gideon
@Niall and @Kenny my very, very bossy wife insists we cook lunch for you sods and your spouses tomorrow A welcome to the family to Fern. Do NOT disappoint her by flaking
Kenny
I’ll be there. Not sure Smith can make it Will ask.
Thanks, Gid. Fern and I will be there.
Nox
So is there space at the table for one more do you think?
The question must have surprised his siblings as much as it did Cade because for a very long moment the screen remained blank. He blinked back moisture and swallowed down a surge of emotion at the thought of seeing Nox again after such a long absence—as soon as tomorrow. They’d known he was in the province, of course, but Cade hadn’t even considered that he could be just a short drive away, for God’s sake. Cade was about to reply when Gideon beat him to it.
Gideon
Always, brother. Always.
None of them said anything after that—as if they were all as afraid as Cade that the fragile peace would shatter if they dared type another word—and the conversation ended on that note.
Cade pocketed his phone and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes.
“Cade?” The soft voice coming from behind him, startled him and he jumped a little before jerking his head around to meet his wife’s concerned gaze. She’d changed into another one of those unimaginative skirt and blouse combos, and he recalled her admitting that she hadn’t even been allowed to choose her own clothes.
“Are you okay?” she asked, her lovely eyes soft with concern.
“Uh… yes. I’m fine.”
“You should come in and change into some dry clothes, it’s freezing and damp out here. Breakfast will be done in about ten minutes.”
“Right.” He nodded curtly, impatient with himself for having retreated to the wet patio in the first place. He had a perfectly serviceable—dry and warm—study. It was only day one and it already felt like this damned marriage was starting to strip him of his common-sense.