I Knew It Was You (Shae+Noah) Sample

 

The sun was settling in for its shift when I pulled into the long, winding driveway once mine ended. I placed my car in Park and rested my head against the headrest. A long sigh pushed through my lips. Working overnight was how I preferred putting in my twelve hours but doing it five nights in a row took its toll. I was looking forward to being off for the next ten days. 

The large front door opened before I could ring the doorbell. It wasn’t surprising because my brother didn’t take security lightly. I was sure he’d been tipped off of my arrival before my car turned into his driveway. 

“What’s up, Shae?” 

I stepped inside. My eyes swept the large room. “Hey, Dee.”

“Work was straight?”

I leaned into his side hug. “Busy night. Helped the time pass.”

The light shaking of my shoulder pulled my attention up to his face. His head tilted, and his gaze slightly narrowed. “Everything straight with Mason? I don’t need to whoop that bitch nigga’s ass, do I?”

I focused on my expression to make sure nothing gave away my truth. “No. Something came up, and he couldn’t make it, that’s all. Thanks for keeping Gray for me.”

His focus on me intensified, and I fought not to waver beneath his stare. He could always sniff out problems before I was ready to talk about them. 

I didn’t know if I would ever be ready to tell him the truth. 

My soon-to-be sister-in-law took the last stair with my bright-eyed son trailing behind her. “Don’t talk about him in front of Grayson.”

Thankfully, that interrupted his inspection. Desmend unwrapped his arm from my shoulders and walked further into the house with me behind him. 

“Grayson knows his daddy ain’t shit. The kids are the first ones to know. Trust me.”

My focus swung to my son, holding my breath as I waited for his response. I breathed easier when he shrugged and came to stand beside me. 

Leila’s eyes tightened at my brother. “Keep on, LaDesmend. You’re already on my shit list.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, shifting my gaze between them. My nerves were on alert, knowing what was planned for the upcoming weekend. 

Desmend rubbed his hands together. “Lei just mad that your big bro is so irresistible, and I keep dropping these babies in her.”

I looked at her. My brows flew up over my stretched eyes. “You’re pregnant?”

Taking a deep breath, Leila answered, “Yes.”

The word was hardly audible, making me question if it was good news. Still, my excitement was obvious when I squealed and pulled her to me. “Congratulations, sis!” 

She was rigid when I hugged her, and her pats on my back were unconvincing.

“No! I wasn’t supposed to get pregnant again until after the wedding. We waited until Daelyn was two so she could be a flower girl with Desti. Now I have to pray I don’t have morning sickness during our big day.”

Desmend took up the space I’d just vacated in front of his fiancée. Using the bend in his pointer, he lifted her chin for her to meet his eyes. “Do you have morning sickness now?” 

Her frown didn’t budge when she answered my brother. “Luckily, no.”

“Then you should be good for another couple of days. Besides, the wedding is on our time. Whatever we have to change to accommodate you and our baby, we will change, a’ight?”

He wrapped his arms around her, making her melt in his embrace. The frown on Leila’s face loosened when she repeated, “A’ight.”

I loved seeing my brother so vulnerable and in love. He risked and sacrificed so much to make up for our mom’s shortcomings. He deserved all the love and happiness, even though he almost sabotaged it. 

It was no secret that my sole sibling had a reputation for changing women like he did clothes. Being six years younger than him didn’t allow us to go to school together, but news traveled, painting the picture I had seen many times for myself. I didn’t think he would ever settle down, but things have a way of finding those who weren’t looking for them. I don’t think he saw it coming when he fell in love with Leila while she worked as a live-in nanny while her mom went to help her mom, who was recovering from a knee replacement.

“Good.” Pinching her chin, he placed a kiss on her lips. “Don’t stress out my son.”

Leila’s brow lifted. “It may be another daughter.”

Desmend took a hand from her waist to rub her stomach. “Nah. Me and God made a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” I asked, intrigued.

“I’ll get my junior if I don’t pull my pistol on anyone.”

I let out a whistle. “You should have come up with easier terms Glock Daddy Dee.”

“I’m a conqueror,” he returned confidently with a shrug of his lips.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” I replied, extending a hand to Grayson. “I’m going to get home and rest for the weekend. I’ll see you at the rehearsal. Congrats on the baby girl!”

I shut the door behind me, laughing at my brother, who fussed at me.