The Truest Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 4)

Right all over her designer wedding gown.

“No fucking way,” Vaughn bit out. He held out his glass to Bailey. “Hold this.”

Bailey took it and before anyone could blink, Vaughn punched Jack.

“Oh my God!” I rushed to intervene as Jack reeled. It took him mere seconds to get over the sucker punch before he straightened. His face darkened with fury as he lunged at Vaughn.

“Why does my husband keep punching people at weddings?” Bailey cried.

“Jack! Vaughn!” I reached them just as Cooper restrained Jack and Michael pushed Vaughn away.

“You son of a bitch,” Vaughn growled. “I knew it. I knew you couldn’t be trusted.”

“He doesn’t know.” I pressed my hands to Vaughn’s chest to hold him back. I sagged, exhausted as I turned to Jack whose expression clouded with a mixture of anger, incredulity, and accusation. “I mean … he didn’t know.”

“You’re pregnant?” Jack growled, pushing Cooper away so he could come to me.

I nodded, mortified. Now everyone would know. The whole town. “I just found out.”

Jack hesitated, as if he didn’t know what to say.

“If you even think about asking her if it’s yours, I’ll kill you,” Vaughn warned.

“Of course it’s mine.” Jack bared his teeth at Vaughn like he was thinking of preempting the groom’s threat. He turned to me, his expression dark and foreboding … and worryingly satisfied. He held out his hand. “We need to talk. Now.”

Eyes wet with tears, I turned to Bailey, trying to ignore the hush beneath the band’s music. Everyone was watching us. “I’m so sorry, Bails.”

“Don’t be silly.” She pulled me into her embrace. “I’m sorry I outed you.” I shook my head and Bailey released me. “Are you going to be okay?”

Before I could answer, Jack’s strong hand wrapped around my wrist, gently pulling me away. “I’ll make damn sure of it,” he vowed.

It was as I’d feared.

On the one hand, Jack seemed awfully calm about the news of his impending fatherhood, which was a relief. On the other hand, he also seemed to have assumed that this baby meant he now had an in with me.

And I was not looking forward to dispelling him of the idea.

27

Jack

Emery was pregnant.

Em. His Em. With his kid.

Pregnant.

Jack didn’t know what emotion to grasp on to first. For the first time in his life, he was feeling a rush of many. It was overwhelming.

He was worried about Emery.

He was scared shitless.

He was strangely satisfied.

And grateful that an accidental pregnancy happened between him and the woman he loved and not some woman passing through town.

Angry at fucking Vaughn Tremaine for sticking his nose in, acting like he was Em’s protective big brother.