Be with Me (Return to Haven 2)

Tanner dropped his hands to her shoulders and tipped his head. “This is my baby, too. I’m not going anywhere.”

“What the hell?”

Melanie jerked from Tanner’s hold as he muttered a curse beneath his breath. She didn’t need to turn around to know Cash stood behind her. His shocked question was all the evidence she needed that he had overheard Tanner’s comment.

“You two are having a baby?” he shouted.

Tanner stepped around Melanie. “Cash—”

“We are.” She turned, ready to face Tanner’s cousin. But when she turned around, Jax stood there, too. “Um, we didn’t exactly plan on announcing the news just yet, but yeah.”

The glow from the porch wasn’t the best, bu

t it was more than enough to see their dazed faces. Of course the silence added to the shocking moment.

“You two are having a baby,” Jax muttered beneath his breath as if fully processing everything.

“We already established that,” Tanner growled. “But we’re keeping it a secret for now, so—”

“Jade and Olivia know.”

Tanner jolted next to her. “They know? You said you didn’t want anyone to know yet.”

“We knew she was pregnant, but not who the father was,” Olivia stated.

Great. Livie and Jade came into view. Their faces matched the guys’, and Melanie suddenly found herself even more tired than she’d been moments ago. Guess this took the worry out of when and how to tell everyone.

“Tanner is the father?” Jade exclaimed. “Well, well, well. Things just got more interesting.”

Melanie threw her arms in the air. Exhausted, exasperated, more than ready to be done with this impromptu announcement. This was definitely not how she wanted to tell her friends who the father was, and she certainly wasn’t ready for Cash and Jax to know.

“I’m taking Melanie home,” Tanner stated. “She’s tired, but for now let’s keep this between us. Okay?”

“I can take myself home.”

Tanner shot a glare her way. “You can, but you look exhausted, so stop arguing.”

“Maybe you should let him take you,” Livie stated. “You’ve been so tired lately.”

“I’m pregnant, you guys. I’m not dying. I can drive a car.”

“But when a sexy man wants to help, you should just let him,” Jade added with a grin, shooting Tanner a wink.

Cash snorted. “You’re one to give advice about a man helping you out. I tried to give you valid advice and you slapped me.”

Jade waved her hand to dismiss him. “I wasn’t talking to you, Flex.”

Melanie couldn’t help but laugh. Those two definitely had some issues. Personally, Melanie found Cash charming, but she could see where Jade would find that inflated ego off-putting.

But she had her own issues to deal with, and it wasn’t the dynamics of whatever the hell was going on with Cash and Jade.

“I think I need another beer,” Jax said, wrapping an arm around Livie’s waist. “Is Piper asleep?”

“She is.” Livie leaned her head against Jax’s shoulder. “Maybe we should go back to the fire and leave Melanie and Tanner alone.”

She didn’t want to be alone with Tanner. Well, her body did. Her mind was telling her to get in her car and get home. The more she was around him, the stronger her attraction became, and she was starting to wonder if that was just baby hormones talking.

“I could use another beer, too.” Cash stepped toward Melanie and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We’re all here for you. I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re shocked, but we’re a damn loyal bunch. Except ol’ Red over there.”