Tryst - Forbidden Hearts Series Book 4

42| Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Moe

Her brown eyes met mine and the pain in them told me she already knew the answer to the question she was going to ask. "I take it by you not telling me sooner that it didn't go well?"

"No, princess. I'm sorry." It went fucking horribly. 

Her eyes teared up and it killed me. "What did she say?"

Yeahhhhh. I might have decided to be smart and tell her the truth, but I wasn't going to go that far. "It doesn't matter. Nothing she said or didn't say matters, do you hear me?"

"Jackson—"

"No," I said sternly. A tear slid down her cheek as I cupped her face. "Whatever she said doesn't matter. Like I told you before, she doesn't deserve you." 

That's when it dawned on me—the hidden truth that nagged at her. Even though she never really voiced it. Not in this way. "Princess, look at me." She did. "You are not without a family. You have me. I am your family. And Lanie, Nate, Ayden...all of us. We aren't going anywhere. Do you hear me? You will never lose them. Or me." 

I pulled her body flush against mine and tried to whisper comforting words to her. I hated when she was in pain. More so, I hated when I was the one who caused it. As she cried softly against me, I had to contain the urge I felt to go back to her parents' house and convince them to come to the wedding. But I wasn't going to. Not this time. They needed to grow up. Hopefully one day they would. 

"Thank you," she said and took a step back. "Yes, I'm still pissed that you went behind my back and didn't tell me, but I know why you did it."

I sighed with frustration. "I just want to make you happy."

"I know, Jackson, and I love you for it." With a shuttering breath, she wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. "We really should get going. Gwen's going to be waiting on us. Ready?"

She stood there with her hand outstretched to me. Goddamn, I loved this woman. I laced my fingers with hers and brought them to my lips. 

"I'm more than ready, princess." 

As we all sat around the dinner table, I knew that my dinner idea was a good one. The five of us sat in a large booth at one of Harper's favorite restaurants. After we picked Gwen up and went home for a few hours, I had Ryan and Danielle meet us. Gwen was more than surprised and loved it. 

"Danielle dear, how are you feeling?" 

Danielle wiped at her mouth with a napkin and swallowed her food. "I'm actually feeling really good today. "I'm just out of my first trimester, so my morning sickness is almost completely gone. I woke up today with so much more energy, too."

"That's great," Gwen beamed. "I was so excited when Ryan called me with the blessed news." She arched a brow at her nephew. "However, I am still cross with him about not coming to visit me more." 

We all laughed at that and Ryan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. 

"I'm sorry about that, Aunt Gwen. I promise that Danielle and I will come to visit you more. Before the baby gets here and after." 

"That's what I wanted to hear," she said with a smile. She glanced over at me and Harper. "And you two should plan to come at the same time. That way the five of us, soon-to-be six, can all spend time together." 

"That's a great idea," Harper exclaimed. "And this time it will be longer than a few days." She tugged on my arm playfully. "Jackson promised to show me more of the sights next time." 

"Yes, I did. But there are other places I want to take you, too. Other places in Europe."

Harper raised her brows. "Are you talking about...backpacking through Europe?" 

I shrugged a shoulder before glancing to my brother who nodded at me with a knowing smile. "Sort of. Ryan and I talked and we would like the five of us to travel through Europe and see places like Greece, Paris, Italy...And we want to do it before the baby comes." 

Harper was so surprised, she couldn't even speak. Danielle's eyes teared up. And Gwen, well...she was already crying. 

"That sounds so amazing you guys," my aunt said through choked sobs. "I've always wanted to see those places." 

Ryan grinned before he kissed his wife on the head. "Consider it an apology, Aunt Gwen. I've missed you and this is a great way that we can all spend time together. You can get to know Harper and Danielle more, too."

"I can't believe this," Danielle whispered. "When would we go?"

Ryan tucked her hair behind her ear. "After Jackson and Harper's honeymoon. We'll meet in London and go from there." 

"Wait," Harper interjected, "this trip through Europe isn't our honeymoon?" 

I knew she was going to ask that. When I first talked to Ryan about this trip through Europe, he asked me the same question: was this Harper's and my honeymoon? The answer to that was simple...

"No," I answered and reached into my pocket. "For our honeymoon, princess, I wanted to go somewhere just the two of us—somewhere that I know you've been wanting to go."

I handed her the paper I printed before we came here and I watched nervously as she opened it. As her eyes scanned the page, they first went wide with surprise. Then they started to water. When she finally looked over at me, her smile was worth...everything. 

Harper's voice came out barely louder than a whisper. "Really?"

I took her hand in mine. "Really, princess. I know how much you wanted to go back after the wedding. I thought two weeks would be perfect. Just you and me."

Danielle and Ryan smiled as the watched us. Gwen was...still crying. Thank God they were tears of joy. And Harper...

She leaned into me and pressed her lips against mine. "Bora Bora...here we come."