Chapter Sixteen

Max

A mother’s guilt is a heady thing. Mine pulled no punches when I called her after getting back from Miami. She promptly ripped me a new one because I hadn’t seen her in months. Just as she often did when my brothers and I hadn’t visited her in a while, she took matters into her own hands. Through that same phone call, I learned she and my stepfather were heading into the city that Saturday, and we all better be available for dinner that night.

Besides the guilt I felt over being too busy for my own mother, not having had the chance to tell her about Jade made it monumentally worse. In a perfect world, I would’ve taken Jade out to Long Island to meet my parents. However, I was walking proof my world was far from perfect.

Jade had mentioned she wanted to be with me when I broke the news, so I invited her to come along. After agreeing to meet at the restaurant that my mom favored, I hopped out of the cab to see Jade waiting out front for me. Always beautiful, tonight she looked stunning with her silky brown locks caressing her shoulders in soft waves. Slim black slacks and a cream sleeveless blouse showed off her perfect figure. At twelve weeks, her bump was slight, but I could see a subtle change in the fullness of her breasts.

Ironically, since we decided to officially date, going slow hadn’t been a problem. It was hard to have sex when you barely saw each other. Christ, I ached for her. Was it normal to intensely miss something you’d only experienced once?

She gave me a sexy smile as I approached, but the way she fidgeted with the strap of her purse told me she was nervous. “Jade, stop stressing,” I said when I stepped directly in front of her.

“You of all people should sympathize,” she countered.

“I do. But you have it easier.”

A perfectly arched brow rose in question. “And how do you figure that?”

“We had to tell four members of your family. Tonight, we only need to tell two.”

“Why only two? Did your brothers cancel?”

“No…my brothers already know.” I searched her eyes for a moment. “Are you mad?”

“Of course not.” Her response came quickly. “You had every right to tell them.”

“Okay, good.” I blew out a breath. “So, that should make you feel better, no?”

“No…” she admitted. “But thanks for trying. What did they say?”

“Brad reacted in his typical go-with-the-flow attitude. Nate was a bit more…”

“Suspicious?” she interjected at my pause, pegging him perfectly.

“Only at first.”

“He’s a lawyer, Max. I’m sure he advised you to protect your rights. I would’ve. You know I’ll have a paternity test.” After a pause, she opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then decided to say what was on her mind. “We also need to discuss custody details and finances; every burden will be shared between us fifty-fifty.”

I got she was also a lawyer, and like my brother, she believed protecting legal rights should always come first and foremost, but…for some reason hearing her tick off the list bothered me.

Instantly, she picked up on the shift in my mood. “Are you okay?”

Needing to ignore the way she so casually turned this into a business partnership, I nodded and said, “Absolutely.” When I gave her a genuine smile, her reciprocating one took my breath away, and in an instant all my ire dissipated. That was the Jade I craved. The unguarded version that, when making an appearance, could bring me to my knees.

Unable to resist her, I pulled her closer for a long and hard kiss until a familiar voice barked, “Get a room.” Knowing who it was, I had no intention of stopping. But that proved difficult when Jade jerked away. “Hello, Jade.”

At the sight of my jackass brother, along with a few passersby staring at us, Jade’s cheeks tinged pink, but her eyes feistily narrowed.

“Hey, don’t stop on my account. That was a solid performance, impressive tongue action. Jade, your lean-in was well executed.”

Jade folded her arms defiantly. “Is creeping a side job for you?”

He ignored her. “I especially appreciate the two-handed hold my brother had on your ass, although the lack of gripping could cost him some points. He didn’t commit to the move.” Brad then raised his hands, pretending to hold up a sign. “The American judge gives a 9.0 for originality but an 8.6 for technique.”

“I keep warning you the jury will have pity on me after they’re briefed on all the crap you pulled over the years,” I warned, bringing Jade to my side. “And now you’re making her an accomplice.”

“And I’ll make sure the charges don’t stick,” she said flippantly. “Judges love me.”

“Well played.” Brad maneuvered Jade out of my hold and into his arms. “It’s nice to see you again, Jade.”

“Nice to see you, too.”

Over her shoulder, he wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Off the record, did Max ever tell you about the time I—”

“For fuck’s sake. Shut up.” I pulled her right back into my hold. “And don’t touch my girlfriend.”

“He’s afraid you’ll fall in love with me,” Brad goaded. He reached for the door and opened it with a flourish. “After you, gorgeous.” As she walked through shaking her head, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, turning Jade into a human yo-yo. “Once she gets to know me, you’re toast, big brother. We’ll let you visit the baby, though.”

Jade looked back at me and with a smile and a wink made me wish we could ditch my family. “You and my friend Amy would get along great.” Like a magic trick, her statement stopped him in his tracks.

“Oh yeah?” Brad looked down at Jade, his heavy arm still holding her hostage as we waited for the hostess to get off the phone. “Maybe I need to meet this friend of yours.” He suddenly widened his eyes. “Wait, is this friend the hottie you were with at my bar?”

“That’s Amy. Actually, on second thought, she’d probably chew you up and spit you out.”

“Is that a challenge? What does she do? Wait, let me guess…professional wrestler, cop, catholic school principal?”

“Books.”

“Books? Like a sexy librarian?” The excitement in his voice mimicked the expression on his face. “Please tell me she wears tight white blouses, tighter black skirts, and glasses.”

“No, not a librarian. An author…of erotica.”

Like a magic trick, Brad’s arm fell from Jade’s shoulders, and his mouth fell open.

“May I help you?” the hostess asked.

Brad looked at her and blinked just as I pushed him aside and said, “Navarro.”

“The rest of your party is seated, Mr. Navarro. Please, follow me.”

Jade and I followed the hostess to a table where my parents and Nate sat staring at us as we approached. Brad had yet to move.

“Max, darling.” My mother stood to embrace me. “You look tired. Are you getting enough sleep?”

Here we go. “Yes, Mom.”

Nate and Mitch stood as well but remained silent as my mom continued to fret to the point where I had to pry her wrists from around my waist.

“Hey, Max.” Mitch gave me his typical handshake-hug combo. “Why is your brother standing there staring into space?”

“Because he’s a jackass.” I greeted Nate before moving aside to introduce Jade. “There’s someone I want you to meet.” She gifted them with that gorgeous smile as I took her hand. “This is Jade Easton.”

Nate was the first to hug her. “We haven’t officially met, but I feel like we have.” When he pulled away, he offered a comforting smile of his own. “I’m Nate, the lawyer…but I was warned not to talk shop with you.”

Jade glanced at me with a teasing smirk. “We don’t have to listen to him.”

“A woman after my own heart.”

Mom nudged Nate aside to hug Jade. “I’m Monica Hoover. It’s such a pleasure to meet you.”

“Same here, Mrs. Hoover.”

“Oh, please call me Monica, darling.” My mother then introduced Mitch, who also gave Jade a warm hug.

It was only after we all took our seats that Brad finally joined us, giving no explanation for his impromptu comatose state. Funny, no one even asked.

My family engaged Jade in the conversation, asking her questions here and there. My mom offered funny stories of our escapades as teenagers. Mitch griped that we were brutal on him when he first started dating our mom. “Even though Mike had died a few years earlier, they weren’t ready to accept that it was time for Monica to move on,” he admitted with a shrug.

“But you won them over, darling,” Mom said, holding a palm to his cheek.

“It wasn’t easy.” Mitch then looked at Jade. “I don’t have kids of my own, so you can imagine how intimidating three grown men can be when they want to protect their mother. Not surprisingly, it was Max who was first to warm toward me and talked his brothers into doing the same.”

Both Brad and Nate groaned at the same time.

“Well, I’m not the least bit surprised it was Max who welcomed you first,” Jade said, instigating my brothers to now gag. They took the opportunity to try and tease her over being partial, and she argued her case like the professional she was.

As dinner went on, my heart swelled with pride at how perfectly she fit into my family.

The waiter came by to clear our plates, and for the first time all night, we were met with silence. At the very same time, Jade and I remembered the objective for the evening when our eyes met and held.

Brad cleared his throat. “So, Max, what’s new?” he asked, smirking at my scowl.

Seeing my not-so-subtle glare and hearing Nate’s chuckle tipped my mom off. “What are you boys up to?” she asked, her eyes bouncing between my brothers and me.

I grabbed Jade’s hand beneath the table and squeezed. “Jade and I do have some news.”

“Oh?”

I suddenly abandoned her hand to instead bring a comforting arm up and around her shoulders. After dragging in a deep breath, I then said, “We’re having a baby.”

Mom and Mitch’s shocked gapes met my announcement, followed by silence, followed by, Brad raising his arms exclaiming, “Surprise!”

My mom recovered from the shock with an automatic, “Congratulations,” all while a myriad of emotions played on her face. But in the tone of her voice, along with that expression, meant she wasn’t thrilled with this news.

After losing my dad without warning, my mother had become much more, for lack of a better word, meddling. She simply couldn’t help it and worried about us more than ever.

After an awkward silence, Nate stood, gripped Brad’s shoulder, and said, “Brad and I will be right back.”

“We will?”

Nate narrowed his eyes and thumbed toward the bar. “Take a hint.” Once they both scurried away, I focused on my mom. “I know this is hard to wrap your head around. Just as Tracey’s pregnancy wasn’t planned, neither was ours. But, as much as I’ll be there for whatever Tracey or the baby needs…” I glanced at Jade and continued, “I’m all in with Jade.”

“We take it you know about Tracey?” Mitch asked her, surprise registering on his face.

“Yes.”

“And you know about Miami?”

Jade met my mom’s eyes and nodded. “I do.” On the outside, Jade remained calm, but the way she fiddled with a ring under the table clued me in to her nerves.

“Does your family?” my mother asked out of the blue.

“Not yet.” Jade’s voice suddenly became quieter. I hated how her father reacted, and once he learned of Tracey, it would only get worse.

“Well, as a parent, I know yours would be concerned. He’s my son, and I feel having two babies coming at once is a bit troubling.”

“I can handle it,” I argued.

Mom shook her head and sighed while focusing on Jade. “My Max always went above and beyond to be there for those he loved. When his father died, he abandoned his plans to live in Miami and came back home to be there for us.” My mother glanced at me before admitting, “And as busy as he was with his own life, he also took on handling my finances by himself.”

“Mom.”

“I’m sorry. It just proves my point.” She refocused on Jade. “Max is so much like his father. He tries to carry the world on his shoulders to ease the load for someone he loves. He’s my real-life superhero, to a fault…and sometimes his need to be there for everyone only ends up hurting them and himself. I’m afraid he’ll sacrifice all he worked for.”

“Mom,” I repeated.

“It’s okay, Max,” Jade said as she squeezed my thigh beneath the table. “I completely understand your concerns,” she then said to my mom. “I myself have been working toward a promotion. That comes with many disadvantages when trying to juggle everything.” Without saying it out loud, Jade clued my mother in that financially she expected nothing from me. “Truth be told, because I work long hours and put in many days to reach that accomplishment, obviously I’m nervous how this baby will affect the very ambitious goals I had set for myself.”

“That only adds to my concerns, dear,” my mother said with a sad smile. “This child now connects you, whether you want it to or not. Babies are very demanding little things. I come from a different generation. I stayed home, raised my kids, and still that was very difficult to manage. I simply can’t see how this situation is going to work.”

“We’ll make it work,” I said firmly.

Jade glanced up at me with a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes before refocusing on my mother. “You’re correct that this baby now connects us in a very profound way. I’m grateful Max will be there to support me emotionally. I also will do my best to support him as much as I can during his own professional goals and the birth of his other child. More than that, I can’t promise right now.”

My mom processed her words before glancing at me, with concern, love, and a fuck-ton of fear battling within her expression. “You’re about to understand how severely your entire world tilts when a baby is born…in my case three at once. In your case, two separated by many miles. It will be difficult for Jade juggling work and baby. But it will be most difficult for you, Max.”

Needing to say my piece, I took Jade’s hand and kissed her knuckles sweetly. “I can handle it,” I said with pure conviction while hoping I could.