Thank You guys so much for the support and the great compliments. I finished writing out the story and I am here to tell you that sadly we only have 3 more chapter left. So hope you enjoy this chapter. Lurkers feel free to leave a review.

Chapter Seventeen

Cameron sat between Elizabeth and Jason at the table. He was so clearly delighted to have his parents together that it made Elizabeth's heart ache. As a result, she was barely able to swallow more than a few bites of the delicious meal that Emily had prepared.

Afterward, Emily plopped the baby on her lap into his playpen and began tidying up the dishes. She pushed a stack of plates into her husband's hands and looking rather amused, he followed her into the kitchen.

Leaving Elizabeth and Jason alone.

Cameron had already been excused and was fiddling with some new high-tech gadget of Nikolas' in the great room just a bit beyond the dining room.

Elizabeth stifled a sigh and looked down at little Eric in the playpen, smoothing her fingers over his soft cheek. About six months old now, he was a happy baby with his mother's eyes and his father's striking features. He grabbed her finger and chattered nonsensically.

She couldn't help but wonder what traits her child would carry. How would her and Jason's genes combine together in the life they'd created? Would the baby have Jason's beautiful blue eyes? Her naturally curly hair? Or would their child resemble his brother Cameron, who — except for his brown eyes — looked so much like Jason that people often remarked on the striking resemblance?

"You always did look good with a baby in your arms."

Jason's voice startled her. He'd sounded positively pained.

"You make that sound like a bad thing," she said.

His lean jaw was so tight it looked white beneath the permanent bronzing caused by hours and hours spent beneath the Pine Valley sun.

His thumb was working the edge of the label free from the bottle of beer he'd barely touched.

"Just a fact."

Had he figured out that she was pregnant with his child?

"Jason — "

He suddenly pushed to his feet.

"At least you'll be able to have more when you and A.J. get married."

Her jaw dropped. She very nearly shook her head to shake loose the buzzing that followed hard on the heels of his words. She rose and settled Eric on his colorful quilt that was spread on the floor. Painfully aware of Cameron who was still within earshot, she pushed an angry finger against Jason's hard chest. "

You may not want me any longer," she hissed, "but coming up with that stupid statement is really low, Jason."

He circled her wrist with one hand, easily pulling her finger away from drilling a hole right through his gray shirt.

"And denying it serves no purpose, either," he said flatly.

"He came out to the house, today, Elizabeth. I know all about it."

Her fingers curled and she twisted her hand, but he held her fast.

"Know all about what?"

"He told me all about the wedding plans. Don't pretend you don't know."

If A.J. was up to mischief, Elizabeth didn't know what she'd do to him. But she promised herself it would be slow and very, very painful. What hurt, however, was the evidence that Jason could so easily discard her.

"If he's making wedding plans," she said thickly, "they're not with me."

Then she called to Cameron and told him it was time for them to leave. It should have come as no surprise that he didn't want to go.

She stood there, looking at those two males — one young and defensive, one mature and intense and utterly, impossibly unreadable — and felt all her self-defenses crumble . . .

To be continued...

That all for today...

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