The thought made him jerk in surprise. Where the hell had that come from?
He’d assigned all thoughts of possible offspring to a very distant part of his imagination after the whole baby scare. Yet the image of Eve with their child? Yeah, not so scary. Not scary at all.
Perhaps the only scary part was that the child did not have red hair or green eyes. Because that was what he’d always naturally assumed his children would look like.
It took a while for Zachary to realize the general conversation around him had ceased. The children still squealed and laughed, but all adult voices had suspiciously died.
The gazes of thirty-odd women prickled into his side, and Zachary was forced to turn and acknowledge them.
Some woman gaped openly, their jaws hanging down, their eyes wide. Some tried not to look at him so candidly but kept glancing his way nevertheless. Others blinked too fast, as though they couldn’t believe what they saw. Two women clung to each other and pointed at him.
Yeah, subtle, ladies.
A few mothers, standing by the table, seemed oblivious to his presence.
And then someone was marching towards him. Someone he recognized instantly. She wasn’t a dead ringer for Eve. Not by a long shot, but the similarity was still striking. Her hair was cut shorter, while Eve’s swung past her shoulders. This woman was older by a few years and a little heavier, although her body was still attractive.
The biggest difference though, was how cleanly scrubbed her face was.
Try though he might, Zachary couldn’t remember seeing Eve without makeup. Her sister had on none. Not even a hint of lipstick or mascara.
“Jonah Speed in my garden. Who’d have ever thunk it?” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Bree. Eve’s sister. And may I say, your pictures do you no justice whatsoever?”
He shook her hand tentatively. Last time he’d taken an Andrews sister’s hand in his, she’d zoned out on him. Or rather, zoned in on him. Very accurately. “Uh…thanks?”
“Of course thanks. I just complimented you. And don’t mind my hand. I won’t be seeing into your head. Just don’t possess the skill, I’m afraid.” She looked at the parcel he held under his other arm. “I’m guessing that’s not for me?”
“Nope, sorry.” Zachary offered the parcel to her nevertheless. It was wrapped in pink and purple paper with a matching pink and purple bow. At Zachary’s request, Brayden had stopped at a toy store on the way here, run inside empty-handed and run out with the gift, all prettily wrapped.
Neither Zachary nor Brayden had any idea what a Lalaloopsy was, but the store owner had assured Brayden it was perfect for a little girl.
He smiled at Bree. “Figured it would be rude to crash a party without a gift. Would you pass that on to your daughter for me?”
“Indeed I will. Thank you. I’m sure Hannah will love it.” She narrowed her eyes and peered carefully at him. “You falling for my little sister, Jonah?”
Jesus.
Just like her sibling, she headed straight for the jugular.
He swiped a hand through his hair. “Er…” What the fuck did he say to that? “Well, yes, ma’am. I believe I am.”
Ma’am? Seriously? The woman was the same age as him.
Behind Bree, whispers were starting, voices picking up, snippets of conversation drifting towards him.
“Jonah Speed!”
“Photos—and a video.”
“Briana’s sister.”
“Eve and Jonah…”
“Pashing on camera.”
“That’s nice,” Bree said with a smile. “Very nice indeed.” Then her smile disappeared and she leaned forward, looked up at him and said, “But if you hurt her, I promise to hunt you down and kill you. Slowly and painfully. Got it?”
Zachary almost snorted out loud. The idea that this diminutive woman could threaten him so openly was both amusing and sobering.
Amusing because she was the same size as Eve and, reasonably speaking, didn’t stand a chance against him in open combat, and sobering because it reinforced just how badly Eve had been hurt before.
Her sister simply would not allow it to happen again.
That did it for Zachary. He instantly liked Bree. “Got it. Loud and clear.”
She peered at him through narrowed eyes for a few more seconds, then nodded. “Good. Now, would you like some birthday cake?”
From fierce protector to charming hostess in a heartbeat. Zachary wondered if he’d ever understand women.
“I’d love some, thank you.” If it was chocolate, he’d save the piece for Eve. Okay, even if it wasn’t, he’d save it for Eve.
Bree turned and walked towards the table obviously expecting him to join her. He did, walking at her side. “Uh, is Eve around?”
“Sure.” She gestured over her shoulder. “Last time I looked she was busy with the kids.”
Zachary looked over Bree’s shoulder—and froze.
He blinked, then blinked again. Then sure he was hallucinating, blinked one more time.
Jesus, fuck.
He scrubbed his hand over his eyes, clearing the haze from them. But God help him, when he opened them again the very same sight greeted him.
“Holy shit! Jonah Speed?” A woman standing beside the birthday cake gasped. “Is it really you?”
Zachary nodded instinctively, only half aware of the question.
His attention was fully focused on the last thing he’d expected to see in Eve’s sister’s garden.
“Cripes. Can I have a photograph with you? Please? My niece is going to freak out when she discovers I met you.”
He should respond, should answer. Should even acknowledge the question, but his head just wasn’t in the game. How could it be? His whole world, his whole future had just been turned upside down.
“Oooh. Me too,” another voice squealed. “A piccie with you, and one of you alone? Please?”
And then his view was blocked as a small group of women surrounded him.
Again, Zachary acted on instinct, smiling when told to smile and placing his arm around one woman’s shoulder after the next. It hardly registered in his awareness.
Someone placed a pen in his hand, and he was signing his name to shirts and papers and napkins, trying his damn best not to let the tremor that shook his hand affect his handwriting.
He scrambled to act normal, tried frantically to behave as if his life threw him a massive curveball every day.
“What do you think of Australia?”
“Is it true, then, Jonah? You and Bree’s sister are an item?”
Hell, yeah, it was true. He and Eve were an item, and if he had anything to say about it, he’d make them a permanent item.
Or so he’d thought two minutes ago. But that was before. Before he’d seen what he still couldn’t believe he’d seen.
“Is Jamie coming to the party too?”
“And Jordan?”
“Have you met Hannah before? Does she know who you are?”
Shit, couldn’t these people move away, give him space? Let him confirm what he’d seen?
“Ladies. Let’s let Jonah catch his breath. He’s looking a little shell-shocked from all your attention.”
Thank you, Bree.
Not that Jonah was shocked from the attention. He was used to it. Thirty women clambering around him hardly featured as a blip on his radar.
But there was no denying he was shell-shocked. No denying his heart pounded like a fucking freight train. No doubt that his life had just changed forever.
Jesus, fate was a bitch.
Either that, or she had a seriously sick sense of humor.