“Of course,” Nash replied, wondering what the man would want to discuss in private. Had he found out the rest of the truth? Doubtful, but the possibility was always there.
“You’re not seriously going to talk work are you?” Tessa asked.
“Not at all.” Damon came to his feet and handed his plate to Linda who had just come into the dining room. “Ah, thank you. But I would’ve taken my own plate in.”
Linda, the house cook and all around amazing lady to the family, laughed. “Of course you would’ve. I trained you years ago.”
“Go on,” Lily gestured to Damon and Nash. “I’ll help clean up.”
Both Tessa and Cassie both chimed in their refusal for Lily’s help, but Lily stood and started gathering dishes anyway.
“I think we should pitch in, too, Ian,” Grant spoke up as he scooted his chair back. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to face the wrath of my wife if I let Lily do all of this.”
Reaching into the high chair, Ian pulled Emily out and tucked her firmly against his hip. “Actually, there’s a smell coming from our section over here and I’m pretty sure I’m on diaper patrol. You enjoy wrapping up the leftovers, though.”
Lily couldn’t help but get a bit choked up at the easy way this dynamic family all meshed together so beautifully. What would it be like to live here, to have that connection every day? She had her mother and they were extremely close, but Lily wondered how raising a child in LA and bouncing him or her around from film set to film set would affect the outcome of her child’s life.
“Lily?”
Nash’s soft tone, his easy grip on her elbow had her turning. “I’m sorry, what?”
She realized the entire room was now staring at her. Great. She’d thought they’d all scurried out, apparently not.
She’d given off the image of a professional actress when she’d been filming on set here for months, but now they were all looking at her as if she’d sprouted another head.
“I asked if you were okay.” Ian stared across the table at her and seeing him holding his stepdaughter had Lily smiling and nodding.
“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out.
Nash laughed. “Way to break the news, sweetheart.”
Inwardly cringing, she turned to him. “Sorry. I’m botching things up here.”
He took the stack of plates from her hands and kissed her cheek. “You’re fine.”
Lily glanced around the room to the stunned faces. Only Ian was smiling and threw her a wink and a nod of encouragement.
“It’s okay,” she told them with a smile as she blinked back the tears. “Nash and I are both excited about this. While we certainly weren’t planning on a baby, we are thrilled.”
“A son and a new grandbaby on the way all in one week?” Damon asked as he puffed out his chest and grinned. “This calls for a major celebration.”
“How about Wednesday?” Cassie suggested with clasped hands and a wide smile. “That’s the fourth. We could have fireworks, grill out and make a big night of it.”