Hard To Say No: A Nick Jonas Love Story

Chapter 4: Do you have a favorite Jonas?

“You never told him why we actually got married. Why not?”

“I didn’t think it was any of his business,” Joe sulked. He wasn’t brave enough to admit the real reason why he had never told anyone. He was afraid that if they knew they would wonder the same thing he did almost every day. They would wonder if Jane had really married him out of love. He knew she felt safe with him, but he was never quite sure if she really was in love with him. Sure, she said it, but did she actually mean it?

That day when she had appeared at his door to tell him that she was pregnant he hadn’t hesitated. He had proposed partially because it was the right thing to do, but also because he had already fallen head over heels for her. Then a few days before their wedding she had returned to tell him that she had never been pregnant. There was a mix up of the charts or something. All he remembered was the sound of the blood rushing to his ears. She gave him an out. She would disappear, and he could go back to his previous life without her. He couldn’t imagine a life without her so he proposed again. He remembered the fear and shock that had crossed her face. Did she accept because she loved him or because she was afraid of being alone?

“I know we don’t really want the press to know about it, but I just always assumed you would tell your brothers. I told Kelli,” Jane said. He looked over to see her watching the ceiling as she stretched out on her back.

“That’s different. You went to Kelli for advice back then.”

“It’s not different. Kelli is the closest thing that I have to a sister.” Joe opened his mouth to say something, anything when their argument was cut off by cries coming through the baby monitor.

“I’ll go get him,” Joe said getting up from the bed. He raced to the nursery and picked up his crying son. The cries stopped as Joe held him close. He smiled down at his son. “You have your mother’s eyes don’t you?” Nate merely gurgled happily at him. “Wide awake, huh?” Joe asked his infant son. “Should I tell you a story? Hmmm…how about I tell you how I met your mom.”

Nate blew a raspberry.

“It’s a good story I promise. Just listen. I had just released my new solo album, and my producers wanted to get my face out everywhere. So they signed me up for a bunch of charity events including this one where I was supposed to read to a group of kids.”

[FLASHBACK, OVER TWO YEARS AGO]

“Do I even get to choose what book I read?” Joe asked looking apprehensively at the group of children congregated around his feet.

“Stop whining and just read something,” Nick whispered thrusting a book into his hands.

“Remind me again why you’re here?” Joe asked studying the book Nick had handed him. “Is this book covered in pink glitter?”

“I’m here to support you,” Nick said.

“You’re here to laugh at me,” Joe snapped angrily. He loved his brother, but Nick loved seeing him in awkward situations.

“What exactly is he going to laugh at?” a soft voice asked from behind Joe. “Do you not know how to read or something?” That’s when Joe first saw her. She had dark curly hair that fell to her shoulders with brown eyes that matched her hair. He was immediately drawn into her wide smile surrounded by voluptuous lips. [AN: I wish I was as pretty as I seem to describe myself in this story.]

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Nick,” his brother said holding out a hand to the brunette.

“I’m Jane,” she replied. She looked at Joe who sat there stock still as if her words had frozen him. “Is he going to be okay?”