Sin (Just This Once 3)

1 Year Later

Linny

“I think our spaghetti gets better every week.” I push my plate back. “I ate it all.”

Zach looks over at where I’m sitting. “I still ate more than you, Linz.”

He’s grown at least four inches since I met him a year ago and his voice has deepened. He’s not a child anymore. He’s a young man with his sights set on becoming a doctor.

I know he’ll do it.

I look at Jeremy. He’s sitting next to me. He’s nervous. His bare foot is tapping on the floor. I reach over and squeeze his hand to soothe him.

“Give me a few more months and I’ll eat more than all of you combined.” I chuckle.

Athena’s head pops up. Breccans’s too.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Zach fires back. “You’ve been living here for six months now, and you eat less than any of us.”

“I can’t include Athena in that,” he goes on, pointing at his sister. “She’s at school most of the time.”

She is. She’ll graduate in just a year with a business degree and a bonus certificate. She’s been spending her evenings and Saturdays studying floral design.

Jeremy and Rocco are both eager to invest in her first venture. She’s going to open a flower shop that serves specialty coffee and tea. She’ll offer floral design courses as well.

My firm, Lincoln Dawn Communications, will handle the marketing.

I’ve spent the past year building my business from an office in Chelsea with Hal as my second-in-command. I had a boost after the Rizon vanilla vodka launch party. I picked up two new clients. Jeremy sent them my way when they asked him who handled the marketing campaign.

I’m still doing work for Whispers of Grace and Rizon when they need it.

“Linny, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Athena jumps to her feet. “Oh my god.”

“What?” Breccan looks at her. “I don’t get it.”

His entire world is football at the moment. He’s got a difficult choice to make and regardless of what it is, he’ll be moving when it’s time for him to start college.

He’s been offered full scholarships at several of the best schools in the country.

Jeremy clears his throat. I look over at him.

Since he told his siblings about our engagement three months ago, we decided that I’d be the one to tell them about this.

About our baby.

“We’re having a baby,” I say as I stare at the man that I love.

Zach jumps to his feet. “A baby? Are you serious? We’re having a baby?”

“No shit?” Tears well in Breccan’s eyes. “We’re really going to have a baby?”

I slide to my feet when Athena rushes toward me. I hug her tightly.

Zach is next, and then Breccan.

I savor each embrace before I feel Jeremy’s arms circle me from behind.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Zach asks. “Do you know?”