Unexpected Lovers Box Set by J.B. Heller
The wedding isten days away, and I haven’t seen Emory in person since we met for coffee last week. It’s time to change that, so I shoot her a text.
SEBASTIAN: Hey, you free today?
EMORY: Umm, yeah, I guess.
My brows furrow. What does that mean?
SEBASTIAN: So, you’re free or you’re not?
EMORY: I can be. Depends what you have in mind.
SEBASTIAN: Shopping…
EMORY: You have my attention.
I grin. Bitches love shopping.
“What’s that face about?” Storm asks, a brow arched in my direction as she fills her to-go mug with coffee.
“Careful. You’re about to spill,” I say, making her snap her focus back to her hands.
“Shit,” she mutters as hot liquid laps at the lip of her cup.
I shake my head at her then scoop Hazel from around Storm’s legs up into my arms. “Careful, baby. Momma’s got a hot drink,” I tell her then, looking back to my sister, I say, “Me and the girls are going shopping today.”
Storm frowns. “Since when do you go shopping? Especially with the girls—and on your own, no less.”
“I won’t be on my own.” I smirk. “Emory is coming with us.”
“Oh,” she says, interest lighting her eyes. “Do tell.”
I shrug. “I figure the least I should do is buy her a dress for the wedding. She is doing me a solid, after all.”
“I see,” Storm murmurs.
“You see what?”
“You hate shopping, and you’re a tightass, yet you’re willing to not only brave a big, bad department store for her, you’re also going to part with your precious money,” she says. And when I nod, she continues, “You really like her.”
“I told you I do,” I say. “You didn’t believe me?”
She shakes her head. “It’s not that I didn’t believe you. I just…” She sighs. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve only seen you with Jayla for the last seven years.”
All I can do is nod.
“It will be weird to see you with someone else. I think I had it in the back of my head that you two would get back together,” she says.
“That’s never going to happen, Storm,” I tell her. Maybe now is the time to tell her the real reason we broke up, but before I can open my mouth, Everly comes running into the kitchen, fully dressed, little boots and all.
“I’m weddy,” she exclaims.
I chuckle. “For what?”
She rolls her eyes at me, the little diva. “For shopping!”
Storm throws her head back, laughing. “That’s my girl,” she says, dropping a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. “Did you hear Mommy and Bash talking?”
Ever nods vigorously. “Yep. And I dot dwessed all by myself.”
“I see,” Storm says. “Do you have your purse?”
“Yep. But I need some moneys.”
Jake walks into the kitchen, swooping Ever up in his arms from behind. “I got you, baby girl,” he says to her then drops a kiss on her cheek.
She giggles and squeals when he tickles her ribs. “Dop it, Daddy!”
For all intents and purposes, Jacob is her father. He’s not her biological dad, but Ever doesn’t know that. Jake has been in her life since she was a baby, and he loves her with the same fierceness that he loves my sister and his bio daughter, Hazel.
He places Ever back on her feet then pulls his wallet from his pocket and gives her a twenty. “Spend it wisely, princess.”
Her eyes widen, and she nods up at him. “I will, Daddy,” she says in such a grave tone that I can’t help but chuckle. This girl takes her shopping very seriously.
“Okay, I’ve gotta run,” Storm says, squatting down in front of Ever. “Be good for Bash today, and no playing hide-and-seek in the store, okay?”
Ever heaves a dramatic sigh. “Otay.”
“Love you, baby,” Storm says and presses a kiss to Ever’s temple, then she stands and does the same to Hazel in my arms. My twin’s eyes meet mine, and she smiles then messes up my hair.
I swat her away, and she laughs. “Have fun shopping,” she calls on her way out with Jake hot on her heels.
My phone chimes with a new text, and I can’t help my smile when I see it’s another message from Emory.
EMORY: You’re just going to leave me hanging after you bait me with shopping? Not cool, dude. Not. Cool.
Grinning, I shoot off a quick reply.
SEBASTIAN: Sorry, got distracted with my sister. I’ll pick you up at 10?
Ten gives me enough time to get the girls properly organized—and myself. It is a mission and a half leaving the house with two little people in tow.
EMORY: Okay, I can do 10. I’ll meet you in the lobby.
She sends another text with her building details, then I slide my cell into my pocket and take Hazel to her room to get her ready. Ever trails behind, singing softly to herself.
An hour later, we’re finally ready to leave the house. I glance down at Ever. “You got your purse?”
“Yep.” She nods, holding up the little pink bag that’s strapped across her body. “Dot my moneys, too.”
“Thatta girl.” I wink then pick up the fully loaded diaper bag and lead the way to the garage. Jake and Storm insisted on buying me a car since I ferry the girls around so often, and it’s really the only time I need a vehicle. If I were on my own, I’d happily use public transport.
After strapping the girls into their seats, I double-check that I’ve packed everything I could possibly need, then I slide into the driver’s seat. “Ready to roll, ladies?”
Hazel claps her hands excitedly, and Ever hoots, “Yessssss, Bash, let’s dow!”
By the time I find a parking garage close to Emory’s building, it’s ten minutes to ten. I assemble the double stroller, secure the girls inside it, then hot-foot it to Emory’s building. She’s sitting at a table in a small coffee shop in the lobby when we walk in, and her eyes sparkle with humor when they land on me.
My heart pounds against my ribs at the sight of her. She’s so wildly beautiful. “Hey,” I say as we approach.
“Hi.” She smiles at me then shifts her focus to the girls in the stroller. “Nice to see you again, Everly. And you too, Hazel.”
Ever beams at her. “Hey, Emwee, we dowing shopping!”
Emory’s smile widens at my niece, and she feigns surprise. “Really? Can I come?”
“Otay!” Ever chirps. “Bash, Emwee is dowing shopping wit us!”
“Cool,” I say. “Should we take Emory in the car then?”
Ever nods. “Yep. Wet’s dow!”
Walking back to the parking garage, Emory asks, “You have a car?”
“Yeah, Storm and Jacob aren’t fans of the subway,” I explain. “Not for the girls, anyway—not at this age. Maybe when they’re older.”
“Hmm, fair enough, I guess. I don’t think I took public transport until I was twelve or thirteen. And even then, my parents preferred we used our driver.”
I arch a brow. “Your driver?”
“Yeah, Harrison was assigned to me and my closest brother since we had a lot of the same extracurricular activities. The older three boys shared one too, as did my parents,” she says.
Three drivers for one family? I side-eye her as we wait for my car to be brought up. “And you accused us of being the Kennedys,” I joke.
A pretty blush tints her cheeks as she averts her gaze. “We’re not Kennedy level,” she mumbles then licks her lips and glances at me from beneath her lashes. “I thought you knew who I was?”
“I do,” I say. “You’re Emory Moss, book blogger extraordinaire.”
She nods, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip for a brief moment before she says, “I am, but I’m also Emory Moss of Moss Publications Incorporated.”
My jaw drops. How did I not make that connection myself? What a fucking moron.
“My brothers all work for the company, but I couldn’t. I love words. They’re in my blood, but...” She pauses, seemingly thinking over how to explain herself.
Placing my hand on her arm, I tell her, “You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Emory.”
She looks down at what she’s wearing: a pair of fitted, dark-blue jeans, a long-sleeved gray shirt that says Bookish, and a scarf that matches her jeans. “Thanks,” she says just as my car pulls up at our side.
I help Ever into the back seat and secure her belt, then I turn to retrieve Hazel, but Emory already has. She’s smiling as Hazel clutches fists full of her vibrant red hair, examining it.
“Careful,” I warn. “She’s liable to give it a good yank when you’re least expecting it.”
Untangling Emory’s hair from my niece’s tiny fist, I take her then transfer her into her car seat. But not before I hear Emory mutter something along the lines of, “I might like a little hair pulling.”
I’m glad I have a few minutes to myself as I collapse the stroller to get the semi that her comment spurred to life under control. Then, we’re on the road. The companionable silence lasts only a moment before Ever breaks it, singing at the top of her little lungs.
“God, she’s adorable.” Emory chuckles.
“Shh,” I hiss. “You’ll give her a big head.”
“Whatever you do, don’t let her lose that confidence,” Emory says, her expression belying the seriousness of her words.
Since I’m paused at a stop light, I can meet her gaze. “I won’t,” I assure her, and when she smiles softly, I get the distinct impression she was talking from experience. “You don’t strike me as a woman with confidence issues.”
“Not me. One of my girlfriends. She’s the most beautiful person on the planet—inside and out—but her family?” She takes a breath, shakes her head, and looks out the window. “They’re demeaning assholes.”
I like the way she’s so protective of her friend. It speaks volumes about her. Not that I needed any more convincing of Emory Moss’s character. The way she instantly understood my breakup with Jayla and getting that family has and always will come first for me told me everything I needed to know.
