your kid for five minutes.”
Jasper grinned. “Yeah, I know it’s coming and I don’t mind. For so long I never thought I’d have kids, but since marrying Renee, it’s been on my mind. We’re currently dealing with logistics. Renee loves her work too much to want to give it up, and I feel the same about what I do.” He shrugged. “We’re talking about getting in some full-time help. We have enough land where we can build a good-sized cabin right here on the property.”
The plan made sense, Garrick thought, looking around at the surrounding forest. He wasn’t sure how big Jasper’s lot was, but it was at least a dozen or so acres. Adding a cabin wouldn’t be a problem. As for paying for it all—the new building, the full-time nanny—that wouldn’t be an issue, either. Jasper was a successful author whose books sold around the world. When combined with what Renee made at Weddings Out of the Box, he would guess they weren’t ever going to have money problems.
A different situation from when Joylyn was born, he thought. Back then his mom and Alisha’s mom had pitched in to cover a lot of the baby duty, and both families had taken care of the expenses. He and Alisha had still been in high school. Even when they’d graduated and gone to college, Alisha’s mother had been a big part of the caretaking.
“Verity, Renee’s mom, has told us she wants to come stay for at least the first month,” Jasper added.
“You’re the only one holding up the program,” Cade teased.
“Renee’s not quite there, either,” Jasper said. “But in the next few months we’ll be ready.” He looked at Garrick. “What about you?”
“Me? I have my kid, and she’s about to give me my first grandchild.”
“Sure, but you’re still in your thirties. Don’t you think about having another family?”
“I haven’t been.” It had been on his mind when he’d been married to Sandy, but not since then. He would want to find the right woman—someone who had the same set of values he did. Someone he loved and who could be a great mom.
“We want more children,” Cade said. “I just wish they could all be girls.”
“Afraid what the king will do when he has a grandson?” Jasper asked with a chuckle.
“You have no idea how intense that man can be.”
Bethany had grown up with American sensibilities and royal protocol. Despite living on a ranch in Happily Inc, she and Cade still had to deal with royal trappings, including very involved and excited grandparents to their daughter.
“Didn’t the king declare a national holiday when your daughter was born?” Garrick asked.
“There was a parade, not a holiday.”
“So he’s saving that for the boy?” Jasper asked.
“Don’t even joke about it.”
Garrick and Jasper exchanged a high five.
“Laugh all you want,” Cade told them. “But one day the two of you will have more kids, and you’ll know it’s never easy. Even if your father-in-law isn’t royal.”
* * *
WYNN SAT ON her front porch. It was nearly ten in the evening. She was tired, but wasn’t sure she was going to be able to sleep—not with everything on her mind.
A familiar SUV pulled in next door. Garrick got out and walked over to sit next to her.
“How was the man-fest?” she asked.
“Good. The Seahawks won and Jasper made ribs with his new smoker.”
“He’s cooking? Good for Renee. She’s training him well.”
He looked at her. “How are you holding together?”
“By strings that are fraying as we speak.” She pulled her knees to her chest. “I haven’t said anything to Hunter yet. I just can’t figure out how to start the conversation. Once I get my thoughts together, I’ll talk to him. In the meantime I called back the lady at Junior ROTC and answered the rest of her questions.”
He put his arm around her. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”
She shook her head. “I feel trapped. It’s what I said before. If I tell them what he did, which is the right thing to do, he’ll be thrown out of the program. If I don’t tell them, he can stay in but I’m teaching him a lousy life lesson.”
She looked at him. “I spent some time online, reading about the program. It’s really great. The main focus is leadership. They emphasize helping young women and minority students. He would be exposed to excellent ideals and learn a lot. There are Facebook groups for parents. It’s a wonderful program.”
“So why didn’t he just talk