while catching a peek at Noah walking in my direction. It’s moments like this that I see glimpses of the rebellious teen who I first fell for all those years ago. That sexy swagger, those dark eyes set on me, and finally his touch as he puts a hand on my waist.
“S’up, Echo,” he says in a deep, sensual voice that causes my blood to tingle.
I giggle with the reminder from our past. “Hello, Noah.”
Noah leans down and kisses me. It’s brief, but it’s a promise of events to come later this evening when the kids are tucked away into bed. He pulls away and watches as our children use Tyler as a jungle gym. “How’s Alexander?”
“Seventeen, falling in love and thinks he’s the first one to have ever experienced it.”
Noah snorts. “Sounds about right.”
Because we felt the same way at his age. While all of those moments we shared as teens were new, fresh and exciting, I wouldn’t trade what I have now to experience any of that again. There’s something comforting and peaceful in the love and life we have now. A comfortableness in every simple touch, word and action.
Do we argue? Yes, definitely, yes. But even in the arguments, there’s a deep understanding and love that keeps us from going too far. As the years go by, the apologizing comes faster, the need to see the other’s side more apparent. Adulting is hard, but growing in a relationship with the man I’ve married is one of the greatest joys of my life.
“What’s going on with Jacob?” I ask.
“Do you really want to know?”
Flipping fantastic. Where Tyler is driven and focused, Jacob has been using his twenties to find himself, hopping from job to job and girl to girl. Not that he has to have everything figured out right now, but Jacob has a tendency to create drama with his choices.
“When you put it that way, not really, but tell me anyhow.”
Noah rubs the back of his neck then drops the bomb. “You’re going to be an aunt.”
I blink repeatedly and try to process the words. “Jacob’s having a baby?”
“Technically the girl he slept with is having a baby, but yeah, that’s the gist. She’s four months along, and she’s keeping the baby regardless of what Jacob decides to do. Jacob doesn’t want me to tell you who it is yet, but I’ll give you three good guesses and the first two don’t count.”
Crap. Just crap. “It’s Sylvia, isn’t it?”
“Give the woman a prize.”
My stomach sinks. Sylvia is in the middle of law school. She and Jacob have been best friends since high school. I’ve suspected she’s always been in love with him, but Jacob has been too free of a spirit to notice.
Just… “Wow.”
“Yeah. Wow.”
“What’s he going to do?”
“Be involved. Help in any way possible. He said he intends on being a full-time dad. He asked if he could move in with us, so he can save money and focus on getting his life on track. I told him I would have to talk to you.”
My mind swirls. Jacob moving in with us, probably in the basement. I nibble on my bottom lip, not very thrilled with the idea of someone else in our house and less thrilled with the idea that if he moves in, he might never leave. But being that this is Noah’s brother, there’s no way I can turn him away.
“Has he told his parents?” I ask.
“Not yet. He wants me to go with him tomorrow night when he tells them. He thinks they’ll be mad, but I think once they get over the shock, they’ll be okay. Jacob’s pride is keeping him from asking them for help, just like it kept him from telling me for the past month, but I’m hoping he’ll come to his senses soon. There’s no room for pride as a parent.”
Noah and I learned that lesson quickly. “If Jacob needs to move in with us, then he moves in with us, but I think we all need to sit down and discuss his objectives for the future before making any big decisions.”
“Agreed.” Noah places an arm around me, and I wrap my arms around him in need of his comforting hug. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
“Yes, but you can tell me again.”
“I love you more than you can imagine.”
I can imagine pretty big, but I believe him. “I love you, too.”
We stand there, hugging each other then turn our heads to watch as