Page 64 of The Exception

“How are you feeling?” I asked, concerned for her well-being. It didn’t matter how old she was or the fact that she was married to an incredible man; Sloan would always be my baby sister. It was my job to look out for her.

“Good. I’m about ten weeks along, and the doctor says everything looks really good.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling well,” Jasper chimed in. “But you’ll tell us if you need anything, right? Shorter days. Less travel. Whatever. We’ll make it happen.”

“Thanks.” Sloan leaned into him. “I will. But for now, I’m good.”

I glanced to Jackson for confirmation. He gave a curt lift of his chin, indicating what she said was true. I had no doubts he’d take good care of my sister and their child.

“Are you going to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl?” Lily asked, probably as relieved as I was to have everyone’s attention off us.

After everything my family had said, Lily’s attempt to engage with my siblings and celebrate Sloan’s news showed me how gracious she truly was.

Sloan’s news also helped me reframe and understand my sister’s earlier response. Yes, she was understandably upset about my secret wedding. But I could see now that her pregnancy hormones might have caused her tears. It was a relief to think that maybe I hadn’t fucked up as badly as I’d feared.

“We’re going to wait until the birth.”

“Wow.” Lily shook her head. “I don’t think I could do that.”

Sloan laughed, and it was nice to see her making an effort to interact with Lily. I tried to have faith that, given time, she would welcome Lily with open arms.

“Graham definitely couldn’t, so I guess you’re a good match on that. I mean, assuming you want children. Sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed…” Sloan trailed off.

“I mean, yeah, maybe someday.” Lily gulped down the rest of her champagne.

Jasper clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Oh, I can’t wait for that. Graham as a father. That will be the day.”

“Why do you say that?” Lily asked, frowning.

Jasper scrunched up his face. “He’s so particular. I don’t think he could handle the unpredictability that comes with raising a child.”

“And you could?” I shot back.

Jasper said nothing, but he looked almost pained. “Hey.” I nudged him. “I’m sorry. I know how good you are with Brooklyn. And how you were with Jude when he was little.”

“And with me,” Sloan said, smiling.

“Thanks,” Jasper said, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d upset him somehow. Not just with the wedding announcement and the secrets, but with my comment about being a parent.

“Looks like we have several things to celebrate,” Knox said, his arm draped over Nate’s shoulder. He was the peacemaker of the group, always smoothing things over. “Lily, welcome to the family. As you can see, we’re a little crazy. Now, does anyone else have anything they want to share?”

Nate chuckled. “Don’t you think we’ve had enough excitement for one evening?” But as he said that, the boat slowed and then came to an unexpected stop.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

“Istill can’t believe Graham is married.” Emerson shook her head. “Can you?” she asked Kendall.

We were sitting on the top deck of Knox’s yacht, drinking and talking on one of the outdoor sofas. Everyone else was scattered throughout the space, though Knox had gone to speak with the captain to try to discover the reason the boat had stopped. The engine had cut off, so we remained in place, bobbing on the water.

Kendall smiled apologetically at me. “Emerson,” she gritted out, “has a tendency to say whatever she thinks.”

“Sorry.” Emerson cringed. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I’m just surprised. I think we all are.”

“Knox swore he’d never marry again, and…” Kendall held up her hand, showcasing her ring. It was a huge emerald-cut diamond that shimmered and sparkled.

“True,” Emerson said, admiring her own wedding ring, a stunning red diamond. “I guess you never know. And with Graham, it’s hard to know.” She laughed. “I think the longest conversation I’ve ever had with him, apart from pitching the in-room exercise content, was about the Huxley Grand Abu Dhabi.”

“Oh, that location is amazing, isn’t it?” I asked, latching on to the change of subject. My anger was simmering beneath the surface. And every time they mentioned Graham, it flared again. I still couldn’t believe my husband had hacked my blog.

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