“Emery?” a deep, masculine voice said before Jack could reply.
They looked up to find the chef who’d been watching them behind the glass now standing by their table, gazing down at Em with a smile on his face. The chef was tall, though not as tall as Jack, and broad-shouldered. Jack would go out on a limb and say he was also a handsome guy.
And he was smiling the whitest smile Jack had ever seen at Emery.
Like he knew her.
Like he liked what he knew.
What the hell?
“Sebastian.” Emery grinned back at him in familiarity. “How are you? I’m so sorry it’s taken me this long to come to your restaurant.”
Sebastian.
Sebastian Mercier.
The guy who owned The Boardwalk.
How did he know Em?
Jack watched as the chef put his hand on the back of Emery’s chair and leaned into her a little. He watched, and he didn’t like what he was seeing.
“Well, you seem to have an excellent excuse.” His dark eyes dipped to her belly. “Congratulations.”
She blushed prettily.
Like how she blushed for Jack.
Jealousy roared through Jack before he could stop it. “I’m the father,” he bit out.
They both looked at him in surprise, as if finally remembering he was there.
Sebastian caught the ominous look in Jack’s eyes and pushed away from Emery. He held out a hand to Jack. “Sebastian Mercier. Head chef and owner of The Boardwalk.”
Reluctantly, Jack shook his hand. “Jack Devlin.”
The chef raised an eyebrow. “No relation to Ian Devlin?”
“Yeah, what of it?” he snapped.
“Jack,” Emery reprimanded.
“Oh, I meant no offense,” Sebastian said casually, as if unaffected by Jack’s sharp tone. “Can I help you with the menu? Recommendations?”
Before Jack could politely tell him to fuck off back to his kitchen, a voice cut through the restaurant.
“Emery, Jack!”
Seeing Em’s eyes widen to a spot over his shoulder, Jack turned to watch Cat Lawson hurrying through the restaurant, her cheeks flushed, her hair wild with the wind, her eyes filled with worry.
“Are you all right?” Sebastian stepped into her path as she approached. Jack was already rising from his seat.
Cat threw Sebastian a startled look, her eyes growing round as she took him in. She seemed struck mute for a second before she said, “And who are you, handsome?”
Sebastian grinned and opened his mouth to respond, but Jack cut him off. “Cat.” He took hold of her arm. “What’s wrong?”
Cat jerked her blue gaze from the chef to Jack. “I was hurrying to my car and I saw you guys in here. Quick, we gotta go. Jess’s water broke!”
Jesus Christ.
Jack immediately moved the three of them into action. They created a bit of hubbub getting out of the restaurant, Jack wanting to hurry but not wanting to hurry Em. As they strode quickly down the boards to Main Street, Em asked Cat where Joey was.
“Piano lessons. I was at Antonio’s when Coop called. I’ll pick up Joey first and meet you at the hospital.” She hurried to the opposite side of the street where Jack’s truck was parked. Stopping at her Ford, she yelled across, “Hey, Em!”
“Yeah?” Em called back as Jack yanked open the passenger side door for her.
“Who was the tall drink of sexy back there?”
Emery grinned. “Sebastian Mercier!”
“The chef?”
“Ladies,” Jack growled impatiently.
“Yeah!” Em ignored him. “You like?”
“I’d have to be dead not to!” Cat called before she hopped into her car.
Jack rolled his eyes, even though he enjoyed hearing Em’s laughter. Once he’d helped her up into the truck, he rounded it and slammed into the vehicle.
“You’re jealous,” Em observed as he pulled out onto the street.
“How do you know him?” Did they have a past Jack didn’t know about?
“Iris invited him over for dinner a few months ago. She was trying to set him up with either Ivy or me. Clearly that didn’t go well.”
His hands tightened around the wheel. “Didn’t it? He was flirting with you.”
“No. He smiled at me.”
“You blushed.”
“I always blush when a good-looking man smiles at me. You know that.”
“Guess I thought that was just for me,” he muttered, feeling weirdly hurt.
She didn’t reply.
That was beginning to sting like a motherfucker when she whispered, “Your smile does more than make me blush, Jack.”
He liked that. A lot. He would’ve liked it a lot more if Emery hadn’t sounded heartbroken when she said it.
* * *
Cooper called him on the way to the hospital and seemed relieved to hear Jack was already on route. It soothed his agitation, knowing he and Coop were in such a good place again that he wanted Jack by his side for this big moment.
When they arrived, they discovered Bailey, Vaughn, and Dahlia already there.
“Cat’s picking up Joey first,” Emery explained to Bailey. “Where are Michael and Ivy?”
“Michael’s working,” Dahlia replied.
“And Ivy is having dinner with her parents and Jeff tonight.” Bailey ran a nervous hand through her hair. “It’s a big deal and I didn’t want to interrupt that, but more than that, if I tell Ivy, she’ll tell Iris and Iris will turn up and …” Bailey shrugged, looking uncertain. “Jess doesn’t seem like she wants a lot of people crowding in.”