The Truest Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 4)

“He won’t get mad at me right now, so your timing is actually kind of perfect.”

“Should I be worried about you?” Jack frowned as he passed by her and into the house.

It looked different.

Back when Coop was married to Dana, the furniture was sparse and modern. There wasn’t clutter.

The house was earthy and cozy now, filled with photographs from Coop and Jessica’s wedding. There were a lot of books lying around.

Jack smiled to himself.

This was definitely the kind of home Jack imagined for his best friend.

“Would you be worried about me if something was wrong?” Jessica asked as she closed the door.

“Jess! Who’s here?” Cooper’s voice called from upstairs.

“A visitor for you!” she called back.

“I’d be worried,” Jack answered honestly when her gaze came back to his.

She smiled slightly. “I think I already knew that about you. But the evidence has been conflicting.”

Jack nodded. “That’s why I’m here.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Well then … I think I’ll go take that bath and give you some privacy. Louis, come with me.”

The dog followed the doc to the staircase, and that’s when Jack noticed the slight swell of her belly in the tight pajama tee she wore.

“Doc …”

She looked back at him. “Yeah?”

He swallowed thickly, feeling a ton of emotions for his ex-best friend. “Congratulations.”

Her eyes widened ever so slightly and she glanced down at her belly. “Shit.” She gave a huff of laughter. “I’ve been wearing looser fitting clothes when I’m in public.” Her expression turned wary. “We didn’t want anyone but close friends to know. Until we’re past the twenty-three-week mark.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

“It better fucking be,” Cooper growled from the stairwell.

Jack had been so busy looking at Jess, he hadn’t even noticed Cooper appear.

“Uh … I’m going to take that bath.” Jess hurried past her husband, giving his arm a squeeze as she went.

Cooper offered her a frustrated but loving look. “You call if you need me.”

As soon as the doc and Louis were gone, Cooper walked down the remaining stairs and strode toward Jack.

Jack braced himself.

His stomach was a riot of nerves.

“You want to tell me what the fuck you’re doing in my house?” Cooper asked casually. But his expression was anything but casual.

Jack exhaled slowly, forcing himself to hold Coop’s steely gaze. “Rebecca has been charged with aiding and abetting in the murder of a man named Caruthers.”

Cooper flinched back in surprise. “What?”