Invade My Heart

Chapter 23

Six years later

“Hey cutie,” I cooed to the one year old in Jade’s arms. She looked up at me with adorable crystal blue eyes. I held out my hands. “Come to Auntie Danny.”

“Come on, honey,” Jade encouraged her daughter. “She won’t hurt you.”

Baby Jasmine looked away, burying her face in the crook of her mother’s neck. Jade sighed, bouncing up and down. I just chuckled, tickling Jasmine’s small back.

“She’s too attached to Jarred and I,” Jade rolled her eyes. “The only other person she’d go to is Weston.”

“She’s too cute,” I cooed.

“Just like her father,” Jarred said cockily, slinging his arm around Jade. He took Jasmine in his hands and smiled at her. “Did Aunt Danny scare you again? She is scary, huh?”

I smacked Jarred’s shoulder. He poked his tongue out at me before taking Jasmine into the kitchen to feed her. Jade rolled her eyes once more.

“Jarred is spoiling her way too much,” Jade said with a slight smile on her face.

“Well, that is his very first princess,” I laughed.

“Danny,” A female voice yelled. My eyes widened when Abigail came running into the dining room. She wrapped her arms around me. It was somewhat hard to hug her back with the round belly she was sporting. “Congrats, college grad! You could finally be a teacher.”

“Thanks,” I replied, smiling at the accomplishment.

“Abs,” Eli entered the room with a panicked expression. “You’re squishing my baby!”

“Shush,” Abigail pulled away, rubbing her belly. “He’s my baby too.”

“It’s going to be a girl,” Eli argued.

“It’ll be a boy. I want a boy first,” Abigail said angrily. “So Jasmine and him could be together.”

“Jasmine is going to be two years older than our baby,” Eli cried. “Women are so confu – “

“Eli,” Warren called from the living room. “You’re missing the football game, man. Where have you been?”

Before Abigail could say anything, Eli dashed off into the room with the other men. A few seconds later, Stacey joined us in the kitchen. We all stared at the living room door when the men screamed and shouted. We simply shook our heads.

“Hey pretty ladies,” Stacey greeted. “How are my best friends?”

“Lacking sleep,” Jade replied. “Be warned, Abs. Once your baby is born, she or he will keep you awake.”

We laughed, knowing how much Abigail cherished her sleep. “I’ll let Eli take care of the night shift,” Abigail joked. She turned to Stacey with waggling eyebrows. “How was your first anniversary with your husband?”

Stacey blushed. She winked. “I’m afraid that is confidential information.” We laughed.

Abigail and Eli were the first to get married. They got married two years ago. Months after, Jade and Jarred vowed their love to each other. Last year, Stacey and Warren got married. Even Beau married his spunky, red head mate about a year and a half ago.

Beau moved back to his home with his mate. I decided to stay here. Occasionally, I’d drive down to visit Beau. I was extremely ecstatic that he found himself a mate. She was everything Beau was looking for.

“What about you?” Abigail scolded, pointing her finger at me. “Woman, you’re already twenty-five. You found Weston about nine years ago. He needs to fertilize the soil or glue a ring to your finger. What the hell are you guys waiting for?”