Forever (Always & Forever 2)

“Great. Thank you for considering me. I’m excited to work with you two.” Scarlett gave them both an excited smile—Landon loved her genuineness—before she reached for her purse and jacket. They had some talking to do, but it sure appeared as if they’d found their surrogate.

When she handed over cash to pay her portion of the tab, Landon was sold right there. Literally everyone expected Robert to pay. Of course, his husband did so happily. Just like he refused Scarlett’s money. Robert understood his good fortune, but it helped Landon’s heart to see the effort she made to not take advantage.

Once Scarlett left, neither he nor Robert made a move to follow her out. They watched her through the front window all the way to her car. Landon broke the spell by saying, “I like her.”

“Me too. The feather was a nice touch.” Robert’s casual demeanor showed none of the intensity of the stare pinning Landon in his seat.

“You noticed that? I had to force myself not to tell her she was hired on the spot,” Landon said with a chuckle.

“Me too. I think she’s our woman.” Robert reached for the tab and signaled the single waitress working the small area. “Let’s meet her family next time you’re here. Until then, I’ll have Autumn’s firm reach out to them. I’ll get her an attorney too.”

When the check and the credit card were handed to the waitress, Landon said another thing he’d been considering while trying to decide how good a father he’d actually be. “We’re gonna be parents. It’s a good thing I’ve settled down since I met you. I used to be pretty hot-headed. I think I’m close to ready to do this.”

“Used to be?” Robert blurted pointedly, showing his serious doubt in Landon’s words.

“You didn’t know me before,” he said and lifted his arm off the back of Robert’s chair. Since the accusation in Robert’s words didn’t go unnoticed, Landon eased his hand up to mess that perfect model swoosh thing his hair did naturally. His husband didn’t like that move one bit, never did. Within two seconds, Robert finger-combed his hair back in place as he ducked away to sit on Scarlett’s side, knowing Landon would do it again. “At least I’ll be a parent before I’m forty.” Another teasing point. Robert turned forty next year. Landon wasn’t far behind him, but like Kylie had schooled them, Robert was always going to be the oldest no matter what.

“Stop talking about being forty. You’re such a killjoy.” Robert rose from his seat, reaching for his jacket, looking disgruntled as hell. It made Landon insanely happy, and he promised himself only twenty-five more age digs before their big day. Robert’s phone rang as he scribbled his name at the bottom of the tab. Landon reached for the cell, seeing Kennedy’s name flash on the screen.

“It’s your grandmother,” he said, sliding the phone over.

“Answer for me.” Robert stepped away, bringing both hands to his hair again, quickly smoothing it into place. Only because they were this far into their relationship did Landon not roast Robert, teasing him for worrying so much about his hair.

“Hi, Nonnie,” he answered, getting to his feet. “It’s me, Landon.”

“Honey, how did it go today? Did you like her?” Nonnie’s age could be heard in her voice, her tone a little lower and softer, but her mind was still sharp as a tack. Her timing was so on point that he looked over his shoulder to see if she had a surveillance crew monitoring their activities.

“We just finished meeting her. How do you know these things?”

“It’s a skill you’ll learn once you have children.” She laughed, a sinister sounding chuckle, making him believe he might someday have her skill. “What did you think?”

“I think we liked her. Right, Robert?”

Robert agreed then nodded them to the door.

“We want to meet her family, but we think she’s the one unless something major happens.”

“Good, I was afraid you were being too picky with the first two.” Kennedy held nothing back. She spoke her mind a lot more freely these days. “Now, remember, I’m not coming there for Robert’s television debut tomorrow.” She insisted YouTube was television because it was on a screen. “You wish him good luck for me. I’m sending flowers. Put them in the kitchen somewhere so I can see them.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, following Robert out the door.

“You know I don’t like ma’am. It makes me feel old.”

Landon laughed at her serious scolding.

“You be safe going home on Sunday. Tell Robert to call me Monday morning and not to forget. I want to catch up.”

She disconnected the call and he handed the phone to Robert once inside the car.

“I’m to put the flowers she’s sending over in the camera’s range tomorrow. She’s something else.”

“You’re just now seeing that?” Robert asked, looking at him as if he were crazy. Landon just shook his head and prayed he and his husband made it to her age.