From Temptation to Twins(67)
“Okay,” she said.
“We have a deal? No negotiation? No caveat?”
“We have a deal,” she said.
He kissed her then. Finally, it was the kiss he’d been waiting for. The complete and utterly honest kiss that told him she’d be in his life forever.
* * *
Jules gazed around the Crab Shack three weeks later, loving every single thing she saw.
Noah had added a crew of three to help him finish, and he was getting ready to move to the Neo site and start work there. The decorators had also finished their work, and new dishes, tablecloths and accessories were being delivered every day.
She leaned into Caleb who was standing next to her.
“It’s perfect,” she said.
“You’re perfect,” he responded, his hand coming to rest on her stomach. “Have you decided?”
“On names?” They didn’t even know if they were boys or girls.
Caleb gave a low chuckle. “On a wedding date. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“I know.” She didn’t want to wait any longer either. She wanted to be married to Caleb.
“We need to tell him.”
Jules knew that Caleb’s offer to partner on the Whiskey Bay Neo location and the Crab Shack had gone a long way toward mollifying her father. But becoming business partners with Caleb was a whole lot different than having him as a son-in-law. Not to mention the idea of Caleb as the father of his grandchildren.
“Could we do it here?” she asked.
“Tell your dad about us?”
“No. I mean the wedding. I know the court house makes sense. But it would be nice to do it here before we open.”
His hold on her tightened. “That’s a great idea. We can fly to Portland and tell Roland in person.”
“Okay,” she said with a nod. “I’m ready to tell him.”
Caleb gave her a tender kiss, and she turned into his arms.
Roland unexpectedly spoke from the doorway. “I thought that’s what had to be going on.”
Jules sprang guiltily back from Caleb.
Roland kept talking. “No guy makes a deal that bad without a woman involved.”
“Dad,” Jules said, her heart racing. “We were going to tell you.”
“I imagine you’d have to at some point,” Roland said strolling inside.
“I’m in love with your daughter,” Caleb said.
Jules elbowed him. Could they not take this one step at a time?
“What?” Caleb asked. “It’s better that he knows that, instead of thinking that I’m randomly kissing you.”
To her surprise, her father smiled. “I guessed that when you came to Portland.”
“You’re not upset?” she asked.
“Do you love him?” Roland asked.
“I do.”
He seemed to take Caleb’s measure. “He showed me what he was made of when he came to see me.” He spoke directly to Caleb. “You’re not like your father.”
“I’m not.”
“There’s some irony in this,” Roland said. “I suppose some kind of justice, too. What with the Watfords sharing their wealth with the Parkers. Your grandfather would roll over in his grave.”
“I’ve proposed to her,” Caleb said. “She said yes. We’re getting married.”
“That’s even better.”
Jules was astonished by the conversation. “You’re truly not upset?” she asked her father.
“I want you to be happy,” he told her. “I thought Whiskey Bay would make you miserable, like it made me. I thought Caleb would hurt you, probably cheat you. I thought he was cut from the same cloth as his father and grandfather. I’m happy to be proven wrong.”
Jules found herself moving to her father.
She gave him a hug.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d hugged him. It felt slightly stiff and awkward, but it still felt good. “I’m pregnant,” she told him.
The words seemed to take him completely by surprise.
“You’re going to be a grandfather.” She couldn’t hold back the smile.
Melissa spoke from the doorway. “Hello? You told him?” She looked worried.
“A Parker-Watford baby?” Roland seemed to test the idea inside his head.
Jules tensed, waiting for his reaction.
“Dad?” Melissa asked, concern in her tone.
“That’s astonishing news.” Then Roland smiled again. “Congratulations. To both of you.”
“You don’t mind?” Melissa asked, moving into the restaurant, followed by Noah.
“They are getting married,” Roland said.
Caleb moved to put an arm around Jules. “We are definitely getting married. We thought we’d do it here,” he told the group. “Before the grand opening.”