“No problem. We can get started since we’re all here,” Jace said, breaking into Dalton’s thoughts. “If we can get you away from the cookie platter and the punch bowl. And, Caden?”
Caden glanced up upon hearing his name. “Yes?”
“We’re ready for the meeting to start.”
“Oh, all right.” He then strolled over to sit on the sofa beside Hannah.
Jace glanced over at Dalton, who merely shrugged and sent a silent message. Don’t know what’s going on with Caden, so don’t ask me.
“Jace, has something bad happened?” Hannah asked in a soft, concerned voice, gently rubbing her hands together. Caden reached out and took them in his.
“No, Hannah, nothing bad has happened,” Jace said in a reassuring tone. “In fact, I called this meeting to share some good news for a change.”
He smiled up at Shana, who was standing beside him. “As you know, Shana was hired to fix the problems at Granger Aeronautics. Well, she’s done a lot more than that. She’s fixed things with me, too—namely, my heart. I’ve fallen in love with her, and Shana and I are getting married.”
“Married?”
“Married?”
“Married?”
All three—Hannah, Dalton and Caden—echoed one another at once.
Jace chuckled at the three shocked faces. He and Shana had evidently hidden the depth of their relationship pretty well. “Yes, married. But that’s not all.”
“Damn, what else is there?” Dalton asked, walking over to the liquor cabinet. He needed a drink. When had things gotten this serious between them? He’d figured they were probably sleeping together, although around the office they were decorously discreet. But marriage? Who in his right mind still did that these days?
“We’re expecting a baby in the spring.”
“Holy shit!” Dalton swung around so quickly that he dropped the whiskey decanter from his hand. He had to act fast to keep it from crashing to the floor.
Hannah let out a huge, joyous cheer, and Caden just sat there, staring at his brother, a surprised smile on his face.
* * *
“It’s a little late to ask, but do you have a problem using condoms?” Dalton asked Jace, when he was able to pull him aside for a little private conversation. Shana and Hannah were across the room sitting on the sofa while Hannah showed her pictures of Jace as a child that were in one of the family albums. Caden had excused himself to step outside to take a phone call from his agent.
Jace lifted a brow. “Why would you think that?”
Dalton rolled his eyes. “Wonder Woman is pregnant. There are ways to prevent such things, and the use of a condom is one of them. Don’t you know it’s like an American Express card? You should never leave home without one.”
Jace fought hard to keep from grinning because he knew Dalton was so damned serious. There was no need to explain their birth-control methods to his baby brother. The fact was that he and Shana had decided not to use condoms since she was on the pill. However, she’d gotten pregnant at some point during the two weeks she’d been on antibiotics for flulike symptoms, which had rendered the pill less effective.
“It was an accident, Dalton. It happens sometimes.”
“But it shouldn’t. Not to a Granger. We don’t get women pregnant. We enjoy them and move on to the next.”
“That’s your way, not mine.”
“Haven’t you learned anything after being married to Evil Eve? Getting married is bad enough, and now a baby. Jeez. I offered to give you pointers when I first detected you were hot for Wonder Woman, but you claimed you had your shit together.”
“I did, and I do. I fell in love, Dalton. The thought of doing something like that might seem foreign to you, but to some people, it’s a natural way of life.”
“But you haven’t known her long enough. People have hidden secrets and hidden agendas. I figured you were rusty, out of touch with how to handle your business. I should have—”
“Done nothing.” Jace reached out and placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, leaning in to stare into his eyes, and in a serious tone, he said, “I love her. She loves me. We’re getting married. We’re having a baby. We’re both happy about it. Simply ecstatic. And just think, you’re going to be an uncle. Uncle Dalton.”
Dalton didn’t say anything for a minute, and Jace watched the way his brother’s eyes lit up when Dalton finally pushed all the bullshit from his mind about condoms and his dislike of marriage. A slow smile touched Dalton’s lips. “Uncle Dalton...” he said, as if testing the sound of it.
“The one and only,” Jace said. Thank God. He didn’t know what he’d do if he had another brother like Dalton.
“Private party?” Caden asked, walking over to join them.
“I’m going to be an uncle, man,” Dalton said, sticking his chest out and grinning from ear to ear.
Caden rolled his eyes. “You aren’t the only one.”
Dalton frowned as if just realizing that fact. “But I’m going to be the favorite.” And with that said, he walked off.
Caden shook his head. “You sure he’s really our brother?”
Jace chuckled. “You wonder about that at times, too?”
“Yeah, but there is the undisputed fact that he looks more like the old man than either one of us,” Caden pointed out.
“True,” Jace agreed, glancing over at Shana. He could tell that Hannah liked her already, and he felt good about that because she had disliked his ex-wife, Eve, on sight.
“And speaking of our father, have you told him?”
“Not yet. We’ll talk with the fathers by the end of the week—both hers and mine. Shana’s dad is an ex-cop, so wish me luck. I haven’t met him yet.”
“Fathers can get kind of crazy when you get their daughters pregnant.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Jace paused a moment and then asked, “How did things go today with Shiloh?”
Caden lifted a brow. “How did you know about that?”
“I didn’t really. Just figured you would find her or die trying.”
Caden looked down at the carpeted floor, remembering his meeting with Shiloh. He looked back at his brother. “She’s not as forgiving as I’d hoped, which means I’m going to have to work hard to regain her trust and love.”
“And you will.”
“You sound so sure of that.”
Jace smiled. “I am. You’re a Granger, and our motto is to never give up.”
* * *
Shep waited in one of the private rooms off the prison library. It was a huge room without windows, and he knew meetings were often held in here to determine the fate of inmates, to decide whether they were ready to become productive citizens on the outside.
He drew in a deep breath. Ambrose had told him a few moments ago that his attorney would be arriving any minute and had brought him here to wait. A few years ago, the warden had given permission for Shep to be alone for any meetings with his attorney. That privilege wasn’t given to all prisoners, just those considered trustworthy. Truth be told, since Shep had found favor with both the warden and the governor, a lot of rights and privileges had been extended to him, and he appreciated each and every one of them.
There was a knock on the door, and Shep stood when Ambrose