Page 94 of The Betrayal
“Chef’s down in the kitchen,” I tease as Kaleb begins walking forward, Connie next to me.
“Why does it feel like it's been forever since I last saw you?” She asks, her brown eyes on mine and my heart drums in my chest. She is wearing her long brown hair down, straight. Her skin is glowing, cheeks pink and rosy and as always, dressed a little edgy. Oversized tee, cycling shorts, fishnet tights and her platform Dr Martens.
“Because it has, I suppose?”
And then she swats me on the top of the arm just as we join Keaton and Kaleb in the kitchen.
“Ow,” I half laugh, half groan. “What was that for?”
“For getting married without us,” she hisses, placing a brown paper bag on the set table.
“Look, it wasn't planned,” I sigh as I walk to the glass cabinet and grab four glasses. “It just kind of...” I pause and Keaton looks at me, a beautiful smile on his face.
“We both wouldn't back down,” he takes over the conversation.
“Shock,” Kaleb smirks, a chuckle leaving him.
“It was kind of a ‘last one standing’ thing I suppose, like who was going to back down first but then... well, neither of us did and hey, here we are.”
“Husband and Wife, never had that on this year’s bingo card, maybe a wild card many years down the line but you always vowed after Satan that you would never marry again,” Kaleb continues and my stomach flips, heart pounding.
“Things change, so do people...” he hums, checking on the steaks, his brow raising as he looks over at me, his gorgeous eyes sweeping over me, and I feel myself burn.
“So, it seems,” Kaleb smirks just as Connie pulls out a bottle of wine.
Damn, and it's my favorite.
Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Let me pop that in the fridge for fifteen while dinner finishes,” I smile widely, wrapping my fingers around the neck of the bottle and walking it towards Keaton's fridge. I know one glass probably wouldn't hurt, hell, I was intoxicated the night before I found out I was pregnant and spent most of the afternoon searching for stuff on the internet to make me feel better.
It didn't.
But now I know the twinnies are safe and sound inside of me, it's made me feel better, but not completely. I still feel guilty.
Connie sits at the table, Kaleb helping himself and Keaton to a glass of scotch on the rocks from Keaton's cabinet.
“Thanks man,” Keaton takes the glass from his brother’s hand and takes a sip, groaning in appreciation. Fun fact, Keaton hasn't drunk since I found out I was pregnant, and I love him a little bit more for that.
Plating the steaks up, he checks on the Mac 'n' cheese, cobs and baked potatoes in the oven before turning off the stove for the string beans.
“I hope you guys are hungry, this was always a favorite when me and my brother were growing up. A simple but delicious dinner in my opinion,” he smiles as he dishes out the food he has cooked and I help him walk it over to the table, placing it on the place settings.
Connie jumps up and grabs the wine from the fridge and I swallow the large lump. We discussed telling Kaleb and Connie, but now it was getting closer, I was nervous.
I'm sat next to Keaton; Kaleb and Connie are opposite us. She sat back down, popping the cork then hovering it above my glass but I covered it with my hand then shook my head, just as Keaton's hand slipped between my thighs.
“But it's your favorite?” She chimes, confusion evident as her brows furrow.
“I know,” I smile weakly, swallowing down the bile that is threatening to spill.
Connie looks at Kaleb, and he shrugs his shoulders up softly before their eyes are back on me.
“I'm...” I pause for a moment and ignore the burn that radiates through my chest, “we...” I swallow. Just rip the band aid off; Sage's words echo through my head, and I lick my lips, “we're having a baby, well... two actually.”
And I watch as their eyes widen, mouths a gape and Kaleb can't stop the burst of laughter that echoes around the room.
“You're so fucking screwed,” he shakes his head from side to side, “Titus is going to kill you.”