Nick couldn’t look her in the eye. It felt invasive, like he’d violated their privacy by seeing the brochure. But he couldn’t unsee it and what they needed to talk about was more important that any feelings of embarrassment this conversation was sure to bring.
“Well, it’s pretty well-known that the Alexander men have… you know… no issues fathering kids.” Nick wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he blushed for the first time in two decades.
“Um, I guess so,” Jackson replied. “I mean, there’s four of us and then, well I guess Auntie Maria’s kids don’t count in this case, but Uncle Stewart has six kids, right? Or he could have more by now and we wouldn’t even know. I wish he and Dad would let their feud go. It’s ridiculous that they’re still at odds for something that happened years ago. In fact—”
“Jackson, focus.” Nick clapped his hands. “I’m trying to talk to you about something serious.”
Jackson frowned. “Okay. Let’s take a little walk. You know you can talk to me about anything.”
They stepped down off the patio into the yard. Nick pushed one of Jase’s tricycles to the side with his foot.
“Well, I know that. But I want to make sure that you know you can talk to me about anything. Ridley, you’re family now and I’d do anything to help you, too. Even if it’s weird to ask or awkward to talk about. I know reproductive stuff is not exactly dinner conversation, but if you guys are thinking about having more kids and are having trouble, I hope you know that you can ask me for help. I’d literally give the shirt off my back for any of my brothers, so what’s a little DNA on the side, right?” He laughed weakly at his own joke.
“Nick, what are you saying?” Ridley asked gently.
Nick’s heart stuttered to a stop. He supposed he wasn’t being too clear but hell, did he have to spell it out? Dammit, what if they thought he was trying to hit on Ridley in a weird way? He had kissed her once and even though it was a case of mistaken identity, he knew his brother hadn’t forgotten. He didn’t want to just flat-out offer to impregnate his brother’s future wife, but what was the alternative? It wasn’t like there was a proper way to offer stud services.
Jackson wasn’t trying to bail him out, either. He looked like he was on the point of bursting into laughter.
“Jackson, this is serious.” Exasperated, he finally pulled the brochure he’d found from his suit pocket. “I found this and I was trying to find a discreet way to let you know that if you guys were having issues, I’d be willing to help out.”
At that point, Jackson did laugh. “I was wondering what the hell you were getting at. Nick, are you offering to be our sperm donor?”
Nick flushed again. He was trying to do what was right for his family and his brother was just making him feel like an idiot. “Yes, dammit. But you don’t have to put it like that. I’m just saying, you know, if you’re shooting blanks or something, you don’t have to buy it from a sperm bank. I’m your brother. I’d do anything for you.”
He broke off then because it suddenly looked like both Ridley and Jackson were struggling to hide smiles.
“What? Okay, never mind. I was trying to do the right thing and you two are not taking me seriously at all.”
Ridley finally recovered and came over to him. She stood silently and watched him for a moment before enfolding him in a warm hug. Nick wasn’t sure what to do so he looked up to Jackson for help. His brother just shrugged.
“Um, Ridley. Is everything okay? Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up but I just wanted—”
Ridley shook her head. “No, that’s not it. I’m just amazed that you would do that for us. Really amazed and really happy.” She glanced back at Jackson with a soft smile. “I am truly the luckiest girl in the world. I’ve gone from having almost no family at all to being a part of the most supportive family ever.”
Nick relaxed. As long as she wasn’t going to cry, he was okay. “We’re the lucky ones. Just seeing how happy you’ve made my brother is a miracle in itself.”
A smile broke out on Ridley’s face and when Jackson held his arms open to her she raced into them. Nick watched them, not even surprised by the small pang of envy he felt. There was a time when he couldn’t think of anything worse than chaining himself to one woman at his age. But observing how close his brother was to Ridley, how supportive they were of each other’s dreams, he found himself wondering what it would be like to have that for himself.
What would it be like to have someone miss him when he worked late? Someone there to hold him when he was stressed or worried about things? Someone to confide in when the burdens he carried seemed too great? Something made him look back at the house. Even from this distance, he could see the bright color of Raina’s shirt as she moved around the kitchen. As if she could feel his gaze on her, she turned and their eyes met through the glass.
What would it be like to know she loved me?
He turned around, shocked to see Ridley grinning at him openly. “Should I assume that you aren’t offended by my offer then?”
Ridley nodded. “I’m not offended at all. I almost hate to ruin this warm, squishy moment by telling you we don’t need your, um, services. That brochure wasn’t for us.”
Nick pulled the brochure out and looked at it. The title read The Tidewater Sperm Bank: Is Artificial Insemination Right for You?
“But it was next to your chair? If it’s not yours, then…”
Ridley just watched him, her large, dark eyes holding his until he thought back to earlier. Earlier when she’d been sitting on the patio, eating lunch with her sister.
Ridley crossed her arms. “I can’t talk about this with you. I shouldn’t have even said this much. But Nick, please keep whatever you’re thinking or think you know about it to yourself. I know you guys don’t get along, but this cannot be ammunition in your battle. You need to forget about ever seeing that brochure. Please. For me.”
He nodded, but he knew he wouldn’t be forgetting about it any time soon.
Why the hell would Raina need a sperm bank?