The Truest Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 4)

Jack leaned in, hoping proximity would somehow make the words sink in. “Every. Single. One. Every appointment. Every scan. And I’m going to be around, Em. I’m going to make you dinner. We’re going to hang out. We’re going to become the bestest fucking friends during your pregnancy, so help me God.”

To his surprise, her lips twitched with amusement. “The bestest fucking friends?”

As cute as her amusement was, Jack was deadly serious. “We’re going to raise a kid together, and you said you don’t trust me. I’m going to be the father of your child, Emery. I know you don’t want me the way I want you, but I have to earn your trust either way. For my kid. If you don’t trust me, you do realize our kid will eventually sense that. Do you want that? Because I don’t.”

Her eyes grew adorably round, her skin flushing a gorgeous pink. “I … you’re right. I don’t want that.”

Jack relaxed a little. “I can’t snap my fingers and say ‘Em, trust me.’ It doesn’t work like that. I get it. I get that I screwed up with you. But for the sake of co-parenting, please give me the chance to earn your trust. The only way I can do that is to spend time with you.”

She studied him before she asked, “Just friends?”

It took everything within him. In fact, Jack had to swallow down a growl of indignation at the mere thought. And then, for the first time, he intentionally lied to Emery. “Just friends.”

After contemplating him a moment, Emery gave him a small, tentative smile. “My prenatal visit is at Hartwell County General on Thursday at two o’clock.”

Jack mentally noted it so he could make sure his schedule was clear. “Where will I pick you up? Here or at your place?”

“Oh, we can just meet there.”

He glared at her.

Her lips twitched again. “Here. One thirty.”

“Good.” Jack flashed her a pleased smile. “Thank you.”

The pink staining her cheeks turned a delightful strawberry. Jack’s body reacted to her blushing. Seemed like a good time to get gone. “I’ll take two Americanos to go.”

While she busied herself making the coffees, Jack couldn’t help but watch her. She wasn’t showing. Not yet. But she had their baby growing in her belly. Tied to him forever through the beautiful kid they’d made. Jack was going to be a father. She would be his kid’s mom. The possession that was becoming so familiar roared through him. Heat built in his blood, traveling south with dangerous speed.

Trying to divert his thoughts, he said, “Don’t worry about the gossips. They’ll find something new to talk about it.”

“I’m not worried about the gossip.” She slid the coffees toward him. “I’m worried that people are so judgmental about this pregnancy that they don’t want to come through my doors.”

That was the part Jack didn’t get. He knew Cat was treated like shit when she got pregnant with Joey out of wedlock, but only by a small pocket of the most conservative members of the community. Hartwell, in general, was not a conservative place. It was strange that no one would venture into Em’s store because of this.

Concern niggled at him.

“I’ll look into it.”

“You think there’s something more going on?” She worried her bottom lip, drawing his attention to her mouth.

He needed to get out of there before he did something stupid, like kiss the anxieties right out of her. “We’ll see. Stop worrying. I’ll take care of it.”

“If someone is trying to sabotage me, Jack, I want to know. They think they can walk all over me because I’m quiet, but they can’t. And they should know that.”

Jack knew that for a fact. “When I find out what’s going on, I’ll let you know. And we’ll take care of it the way you want to take care of it.”

Em’s expression softened and she gave him a small nod of thanks. “Coffee is on the house.”

His chest ached with the urge to kiss her. The ache traveled into his throat and choked a response right out of him. Instead, he lifted his cups to her in thanks and got the hell ou

t of there before he ruined his stealthy plan of attack.

And even though Jack was running late for a meeting with his hotel manager, and that wasn’t exactly the impression he wanted to give his staff first week in, Jack knocked on Cooper’s door. The bar wasn’t open yet, but Coop was sometimes there early doing inventory and cleaning up.

It was Jack’s lucky morning that Coop was the one who opened the door.

He held out the second Americano to his friend. “Got a quick minute?”