Beneath Your Beautiful: A Neighbors to Lovers Romance [COMPLETED]

45 - OK

When Noah arrived at his parents' house the next day, his family was sitting outside, enjoying the sunny afternoon. Nico, Elena, and Gus had made it too. They gave him a warm welcome before they fought over who was going to hold Jesse first. Because she started crying, that person turned out to be him.

"You really know how to pick 'em," Nico joked. "First the puppy, then Jaya, now this little diva. You're like the horse whisperer for skittish females."

Noah smoothed his brow with his middle finger to flip him the bird.

"Speaking of your baby mama, here she comes." Elena nodded toward the side of the house.

Jaya and her parents were quite the sight. Her mother wore a curve-hugging red and black dress, while her dad sported washed-out jeans and a snug white suit jacket over a gray V-neck shirt. Talk about a power couple.

Jaya looked every bit the rock star daughter in her black, faux leather leggings and loose yet revealing red blouse. The three of them wore Aviator shades, and all that was missing was the right background music, like "Hit 'Em High," the ringtone Gus had chosen for Jaya, or the "Theme from Rocky."

"Those are your parents?" his mom asked Gus. "I saw them at the hospital, but I thought they were your older cousins. I wonder what they put in their food."

Gus winced. "Yup, that's our parents. Usually, they aren't this dressed up though. We're more of a sweatpants and hoodie kind of family."

"All right, here they come." Noah handed the baby to Dani. "Everyone on their best behavior, please."

"Oh my God, she's so beautiful! She looks like you," his sister squealed at the exact moment Jaya and her parents joined them. Noah kicked his sister under the table.

"What?" Dani shrugged. "I'm just admiring your daughter, bro."

After greeting Jaya and her parents, his mom held her arms out in Dani's direction. "Okay, I want to hold her now. Pass her over."

"I've only had her for like five seconds," Dani complained. Nuzzling Jesse's head, she said, "God, she smells so good."

Noah reached for Jaya's hand to make sure she sat next to him, and her parents took a seat on her other side. Hoping to ease her tension, he held her hand under the table.

"She's definitely yours." Rita stroked a finger over Jesse's tiny arm. "She has your eyes and your lips, but other than that, she totally looks like Jaya."

"You thought the baby wasn't his?" Jaya tilted her head to the side and pursed her lips. "Did you think that too?"

Everyone averted their eyes, and Jaya pulled her hand away.

"Only for a minute after I found out you were pregnant. I was in shock. But I know you, and I know you wouldn't lie about something like that. Also, a lot of shit to go through if the baby isn't mine."

Jaya lowered her head but then drew her shoulders back. The strength that woman could summon impressed him every time. He hoped Jesse would get her strength—but maybe a tad less of her stubbornness.

"I know I messed up, okay?" Jaya turned to him. "I'm trying to make this work, but if you want the perfect little wife with the perfect house and the perfect babies, you should've listened to me when I warned you repeatedly that I'm a mess. You knew what you were getting yourself into the moment we met."

"Well, you're my perfect little mess now, and I want to keep you." He didn't care who was watching; he kissed her with gusto.

The others whooped and cheered.