chapter 4
1385 Words
"You didn't mention where you're from," Zane asked as he passed the bowl of salad.
There was something about the directness of his gaze that made her a bit unsettling. Tara was right. Now that Tess had spent a little time around him, she couldn't imagine how she'd initially thought to be the man that fathered her boys.
The man she was with at the wedding had been fun, daring and flirty with this wildness in his blue eyes. The man sitting opposite her at this moment looked harder and tougher. His eyes were midnight blue. He looks like he'd never lose control and his alcohol tolerance to drink too much, let alone bed a stranger.
"Dallas," She replied.
"Nice place," Shane said he tried to deshell Crab for his wife. "What do you do there?"
"I'm a fashion magazine editor."
Tess was grateful when the conversation changed from her to the work going on at Shane and Tara's place. As the meal and talk progressed, it became evident to Tess that Jared was trying to gain the attention of Tara.
Tara laughed. "Looks like I have found myself a new admirer." Jared clapped his hands in happiness, his cute nose button wrinkling as he smiled at Tara, then he fluttered this eyes, making his long dark lashes look like they were dancing. Everyone present thought it was cute and adorable except for Zane he just focused on his plate as if it was something important, and that moment Tess was grateful he wasn't the father of her sons. He obviously had no intention or interest in kids and didn't appear to have any softness in him. She wished and wanted his brother to be someone more than him who would be part of her boys' lives.
she wanted a man who would be unable to resist Jared's flutter lashes, the sweetness of Jeremy's smile and the infectious giggle of Jason. she wanted a man who would be able to love the boys with all his heart.
The food was good, and the conversation was light and easy, thanks to Tara filling most of the awkward silence with friendly chatter. Still, Tess decided if Kane hadn't shown up by the time lunch was over and she was done with cleaning up the kids, she'd return back to the hotel and settle there for the night.
She'd intruded enough on these people. Sure enough, they are Jared, Jeremy, Jason's uncles, and aunt, but there's no way what part they'd play in each other lives till she'd talked with Kane.
In the best of worlds, no matter what happens with Kane, these people may want to stay involved with the boys. But Tess was realistic enough to know that life didn't always work like that. In fact, in her experience, life rarely worked out the way we want it to.
The maids had just begun to clear the table when Tess's phone rang. It was in the opposite pocket from the gun in her blazer. She recognised the caller and quickly excused herself from the table.
"Jayden," she said as she answered. "I'm so sorry I forgot to call you as soon as I got here."
"So what's happening? Are you at the right place? Are you OK? Is he a p*****t?"
Tess laughed. "Yes, yes, and no. Yes, I am OK and at the right place, but I have yet to meet Kane. Hey, when did u become such a talkative?"
"Why wouldn't I be when you made me grow grey in a day, and you are the only family I have with the boys. I can't afford to lose you guys." Jayden replied.
Tess feels all good inside, and she quickly explains about him being triplets himself and that she is currently waiting for him to show up. Promising to stay in touch, she ended the call and hurried back to the dining.
"I'm so sorry," She said to the others who were still seated at the table. "That was my brother. I'd promised to call him thw every minute I arrived here and then promptly forgot to do so. He was worried."
"You have other siblings?" Tara asked.
Tess sat back down on her chair. "Thankfully, yes," She said with a touch of humour. "Jayden is twenty-three and am almost 5 minutes younger than me, though we are twins some days it feels like I have four sons instead of three."
"Wow!! twins, what about your parents?" Shane asked.
"Our parents died when we were five, so we were single raised by our grandmother, but she is late now," Tess replied. She was so aware of how acute Zane's gaze was on her. Dark and unreadable, the intensity made her uncomfortable.
"Hey fam, what's up? A familiar deep male voice called from the living room.
Tess's stomach clenched tight as she realised Kane had just arrived. Certainly, the friendliness towards her and her children by the people around the table had given her hope, and that hope now surged up inside her.
She wasn't expecting instant happiness from Kane, but she hoped for some sort of acceptance of the situation, and maybe the happiness would come later.
He walked into the dining room. In that first instance of seeing Kane again, Tess couldn't imagine how she'd mistaken Zane for him. Kane looked younger, and his hair was longer, and wild curls.
His blue eyes widened at the sight of her, and then he looked at the three boys in the high chairs. "Hell no!" He exclaimed and turned and ran out of the room.
Zane watched Tess's lovely face turn pale as she jumped up from the chair. "Please excuse me," she said, her voice trembling as she left the kitchen, obviously in pursuit of Kane.
They was a long moment of silence around the table.
"Mama?" Jared said but didn't seem upset by Tess's absence.
"She seems really nice and lovable," Tara said.
"Yeah, she does," Zane agreed reluctantly. Tess Matthew looks lovely and seems nice, and she is probably in for a world of hurt all thanks to Cane.
"Hopefully, Kane will step up for once in his life." Shane looked at the little boys still in their high chairs happily finishing up their meal. "What a mess," he muttered under his breath.
What a mess, indeed. Zane's stomach knotted as he thought of the moment of realisation on his brother's face and his ensuing race out of the dining.
He shouldn't be surprised. That's what Kane does best, make trouble and then run away from the consequences. Even though there were thirty minutes of differences in ages, sometimes it feels like thirty years instead.
All his life, he had cleaned up plenty of Kane's mess, but not this time. He wasn't running to his rescue as always. He won't.
Kane was just going to have to suck it up and deal with the fact that his now a father of three little boys.
"I should go check on her and know if she is okay," Tara said as she got out of her seat.
"No, you stay here with the kids. I'll go check on her." Wearily, Zane dragged himself up his seat.
"Bye-bye," Jeremy said as Zane walked out of the room.
For a moment, he paused and stared at the three consequences of two adults' carelessness. It had to be difficult for Tess to be single-handedly raising triplets. it would definitely be difficult for any woman to raise just one child, let alone triplets.
Zane had no idea if Tess needed financial aid or not. Surely, just buying diapers, milk, and other essentials for the triplets would be a hardship for a single mother.
"Boys need fathers in their live." That's what she'd said to when she'd thought he was the father. He didn't know what the kids needed, but he'd always believed that he and his brothers would have been better off with a father in their lives.
"Bye-bye," all three boys said, snapping him out of his momentary reverie.
He muttered a goodbye in return and left the dining. Time would tell exactly what Tess needed from Kane and how his brother would step up to provide what she needed and be the father the boys needed.
- Writer
