I chuckled as I looked at him and rolled my eyes with a smile. "The baby's kicking." I saw his face turn completely love sick. "That's the first time it's happened."
I was surprised when Jayden suddenly whipped around and look to the twins that stared at him, slightly startled. "Ashley, Archer!" When the twins looked to me with worry and saw my large, happy smile, they calmed down slightly. "Hurry, come over and feel!" Jayden insisted as they hesitated.
"The baby is moving," I stated and they both seemed to perk up before rushing over and kneeling in front of me.
I saw Jayden begin to reach out to grab Archer's hand, likely to guide him to the right spot to feel the baby. I felt fear as I knew this would scare them. But I quickly felt relief as I saw him hold up his hand and then place it on the right spot.
"Put your hands right here. You'll feel a little bit of movement. It's your baby sister saying hello," he said in a sweet tone I had never heard him use before.
My heart suddenly skipped a beat and then skipped another as I saw Archer and Ashley smile towards him before putting their hand where he had suggested. The sensation hit me again as both twins squealed out in excitement.
I was surprised when Ashley looked to Jayden with a slight smile, "you made the baby happy!"
I quickly looked up to the umbrella above us and choked up. Damn these hormone swings. I took a hard breath before looking back to the twins with a smile, "I think so!" I said with kindness, "she must love her family."
Archer looked to Jayden as I felt my emotions trying to flood my eyes, "do you love the baby?"
I heard a small choking noise from Jayden, but could not look to him. If I saw him becoming emotional, I would lose it.
"I do love the baby," he replied as the twins looked to him with smiles but also a hint of something else. Almost anticipation. "I love the baby, Archer, Ashley, and..." he took my hand again, "your Momma."
Archer blushed before standing and Ashley followed. They went back over to Chase as I pulled my knees against my chest, wrapped my arms around myself, and placed my head on my knees. This is too much. They like him. They like him and they are seemingly okay with him being near me. Did I make a mistake?
Jayden wrapped his arm around me and leaned into me, "I love you," he whispered and my body heated up. "You and only you." Jayden kissed my cheek, then my jaw, then my neck, and then my ear. "Please," he said in a nearly desperate tone, "come live with me. We can be a family."
This is too much! We are going too fast! I can't get swept away by his words! He has hurt me too much! He has to make up for what he's done.
"Jay," I whispered as he squeezed me slightly, "you have to slow down. This is too much, too fast. I can't handle this much right now. And I haven't figured out my feelings for you. I have to figure out my feelings for Elijah too. Please, please just give us time."
He sighed before kissing my cheek again, "I will try but I can't hold back my feelings. I want to clearly express how I feel and convey it to you. I'm not going to mess this up again. I am not the same cocky young guy like I was when we met. I am more than that now."
I looked to him slightly to see a gentle look. Wow. We can actually have physical contact without screwing? Since when? My pheromones are completely fine. Is it because we have been doing it so much? Or is it because we have been around each other so much?
"You have done a good job," I said as I turned my head so that we looked to each other fully. "They aren't scared of you." I smirked, "that's the first time they were not terrified of an Alpha during their first meeting."
He quickly looked away and I saw his ears turning red. I fell back as I laughed harder than I expected to. He turned and gave me a sour look, "shut up."
I sat up when I heard Chase and the twins coming closer. Ashley quickly handed me a sandwich that I could tell she had put her own effort into it.
I gave her a broad smile before thanking her. I was surprised when Chase leaned forward and handed a sandwich to Jayden. Jayden seem just as surprised, then quickly took it and thanked him.
Chase's eyes narrowed as he watched Jayden look over to me. "I wasn't sure what you would like, so I just did my best guessing."
Jayden inspected the sandwich before smirking. "I don't think I've had PB and J since I was the twin's age."
Chase's face twisted with anger, "because you're a priviledged Alpha ass..." I quickly kicked Chase and he flinched before looking up to me.
Our eyes met and he immediately knew that he had slipped up. When Chase began to open his mouth again, I gave him a deadly glare.
"So Jayden," he said before taking a bite of his sandwich. All of us looked to him with curiosity. "You are going to be Hunter's bone marrow donor?" Jayden nodded as he began eating. "Do you even know Hunter?"
Jayden gave me a glance, "yeah, from a long time ago."
"You know Uncle Hunter?!" Ashley gasped with excitement after swallowing a bite of her sandwich. "Do you know Cam?"
Jayden looked to me through the corner of his eye before nodding.
Archer swallowed his bite quickly, "and Asher?!"
Jayden twitched at the word and I automatically tried to grab at my necklace. Once again, my heart dropped. He's not mine. He won't ever be mine. I tried to play off my movement by moving to my shoulder and pretending to brush sand off.
"Yeah," Jayden said with a big pause. "I used to live near your Momma before you were born, so I know a lot of the same people."
My mind became muddled from just his name. I looked to the water and just thought. How am I going to face him? Oh god, I can't face him. Not now. I'm not even worth his glance. But... when Hunter is going through the treatment process, how can I avoid him?
I went through the motions of playing with the kids in the water and cleaning up our stuff to go home. I did not get pulled back to full consciousness in the moment until Jayden took my hand in his.
I looked to him and was startled when he placed his hand on the spot I kept touching on my chest near my neck. The place Asher's ring used to live.
"Are you injured?"
I looked to him with confusion and shook my head. I realized the kids and Chase were in the car, our stuff was in the trunk, and Jayden was about to leave.
"You keep touching that spot."
I looked down and saw his hand. I fought to keep a slight smile on my face. "Sorry, it's an unconscious habit. I'm fine."
He looked at me with more concern, "maybe I should follow you back. You seem pretty worn out."
I shook my head, "I'm fine. Just a bit tired. I just want to go home and rest. I will be fine. Thanks for today," I whispered with a smile that made him pause. "It's been a time since I've seen them so happy."
His face turned into a soft, love sick smile. "I have not had this much fun in a long time too."
I stood on my toes, placed my hands gently on his shoulders to stabilize myself, and kissed his cheek.
"I'll see you Tuesday," I stated with a smile before letting him go and getting into the car.
I was in a haze as Asher came to my mind again while driving home. Whenever Chase or the twins talked to me, I made sure to respond in order not to worry them.The twins and Chase fell asleep very early, likely from exhaustion from the day. I tried to go to bed early, but sat in the bed, unable to sleep as my mind ran in circles. At some point, I finally drifted to sleep.
In the morning, I woke up hours before my alarm. I decided to go for a run but this time, without Bridget. I made sure to get home before the kids would wake up. I took a shower and got ready for work. As I came out of my bedroom, I saw that the 3 kids were eating breakfast as Bridget cleaned up the kitchen. I was surprised when my phone began vibrating and I saw Kat come across the screen. He wanted to see if the twins would like a play date Tuesday afternoon with his niece and nephew.