A baby?
He raised the whiskey bottle to his lips again when he realized he wasn’t alone. He didn’t bother looking up from the fire, knowing exactly who’d come. The only person who would show up tonight to demand answers and put Rhett firmly in his place.
“Brought out the good stuff, huh?” Boone asked, pulling the other chair closer to Rhett before taking a seat.
“Just preparing myself for either the punch or the lecture coming my way,” Rhett replied. He deserved both, and worse. For years, he’d kept his control. He never slipped up with Kinsley, knowing she was off limits. And now his one moment of weakness had cost Kinsley her very happiness. He deserved to rot in hell.
Rhett offered Boone the bottle. He took a big swig then handed it back. “Hate to break it to you, but neither of those things are going to happen tonight,” Boone said quietly.
Rhett slowly looked at his longtime childhood friend. He couldn’t find a hint of anger in Boone’s expression.
The orange hues from the fire flickered across Boone’s face, showing only warmth on his expression. “How about just stating the truth.”
“What truth?” Rhett asked.
“This isn’t some chick you don’t care about. It’s Kinsley.”
Rhett dropped his head back against the chair and stared up at the stars, the Milky Way visible tonight. Caring for her was precisely the problem. She deserved better and he knew it. Had always known it.
Boone added gently, “I stayed out of whatever’s been going on with you two when I knew you’d been together at the wedding.”
That was news to Rhett. “Did Kinsley tell you?” he asked.
Boone snorted. “Yeah, right. She’s loyal to her bones. You know that.” He gave Rhett a knowing look. “I’d be a shit detective if I didn’t notice that you two came back from the tropics barely able to look at each other.”
But Boone knowing he’d slept with Kinsley wasn’t a problem. Rhett never thought it would be. As long as Rhett’s intentions were good, Boone would support him, as much as he’d support Kinsley. It had always been in Boone’s nature to stand by those he cared about. But Kinsley deserved a man who had his feet firmly planted on the ground. Rhett was barely treading water lately, nearly drowning in this civilian life he’d returned to after the Army. He dropped his head and threaded his fingers in his hair, stating his truth. “I can’t fucking do this. I’m not good for her.”
Boone hesitated a moment before he said, his voice firm, “What you can, and can’t, do isn’t really up for debate anymore. Kinsley’s pregnant. You can’t run from this.” He turned to Rhett fully, looking him right in the eyes. “I’ve got one thing to say on this, and then that’ll be the end of my involvement.” His gaze went steely, coiled frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “Whatever you’ve gotta do from now until you see her next to pull your shit together, that’s exactly what you’re gonna do. You won’t make this harder for her. Do you hear me?”
The point was clear enough. The fire crackled, drawing Rhett’s attention again. He considered what either Boone or Asher would do in this situation. Finally, he got his answer. “I’ll do right by her, if that’s what she wants,” he finally said.
There was along pause. Then Boone burst out laughing.
Rhett frowned. “This is somehow funny to you?”
“Oh, shit, yeah, that’s hilarious,” Boone said with another booming laugh. “We’re talking about Kinsley here. Do you really think she’s going to let you”—he made quotation marks with his fingers—“make an honest woman of her?”
Rhett considered this then shook his head. “No, she won’t.” Kinsley was tough as hell. She didn’t need him and, apparently, didn’t want him as she so proved tonight. But she wanted to tell him the truth, and that was Kinsley. She always gave it straight. Never played games.
Rhett was her polar opposite. It occurred to him then that he was a gigantic asshole. She’d called him, and he’d dodged her call, thinking she was chasing his tail. He should have known she’d never come running after him. That wasn’t her style.
Whatever Boone saw on his face couldn’t have been good. He cupped Rhett’s shoulder, offering the warm comfort he always gave when things got bad. “All of this, whatever happens between you and Kinsley, it’s gonna be all right, man.” With a friendship that spanned thirty years, they’d seen each other at their worst.
“I’m not as sure about that as you are,” Rhett admitted before taking another swig of the whiskey.
Boone accept the bottle again and drank back a shot. “Just let this storm ride out and settle. Not all surprises are bad. And a baby can’t ever be a bad thing.”
Rhett’s gut churned as he set his gaze on the water. It was barely moving tonight, almost as if the world knew Rhett needed everything to be still. Before the military, he might’ve been able to give Kinsley everything she needed and more, but once he’d joined, his priorties changed, he changed, and he couldn’t ever go back. And he didn’t think he wanted to. Besides, he couldn’t even picture himself as a father. He worked, all the time. That was his life. Boone and Asher gave him a life outside that, but without them, he’d spend his time either at the station or at a bar to find himself a woman for the night. But Rhett couldn’t run from the blame that he’d caused all this. He turned to Boone. “I never meant to—”
Boone raised his hand, giving Rhett a hard look. “Passion is passion. Let’s not have that conversation. Kinsley is her own person. She’s been that way since she was two years old. I know you would have done your best to avoid her out of respect for me, but I also have no doubt in my mind that if Kinsley wished it, she would have made it near impossible for you to ignore her.” He gave a kind smile. “You’re as close as a brother to me, Rhett. I trust you.”
Rhett envied Boone’s solidness. He had it all together and then some. Rhett knew how to fuck, how to hunt, how to kill, and even how to protect. Beyond that, he was a ghost, floating through life, unsure exactly how to interact with his world. And that wasn’t fair to someone like Kinsley.
Again, Boone frowned at Rhett’s expression. “You don’t need to be perfect for her. You don’t need to be anything you’re not. She knows who you are. She won’t expect anything from you that you can’t give.”
God. All these people were so fucking good. Rhett never should have come back to Stoney Creek.
The flames danced around the logs in the firepit. The warm alcohol coursed through his veins, stealing the weight on his chest. With every ember that sparked up into the air, the reality of the situation sank in. He needed to take this one step at a time, until he managed to pull his way through it, like he’d done with every mission. And with that settled, the truth hit him. Hard. “I’m going to be a father,” Rhett finally said aloud.
Boone grinned. “Let’s hope it’s a girl. Another Rhett running around town is the very last thing anyone needs.”
Rhett laughed. A full belly laugh.
* * *
The sugary icing melted on Kinsley’s tongue as she dug into the cake. It was a banana cake, her absolute favorite. She sat on her queen-size bed with fluffy pillows at her back and vintage linen wrapped around her. Her room wasn’t anything special. She had a bed, an oak dresser beneath a window that was covered in long white curtains, and an old cedar blanket chest at the foot of the bed. But this room had been her home since her mother left them and her father moved them all into her grandparents’ house. That time in their lives had been confusing for everyone, but there was so much love in this house, it eased the absence of her mother.
She wondered what her grandmother would say about all this. The thought had her reaching into her bedside drawer and taking out the box there. She opened the lid, revealing her grandmother’s handmade cards. She passed over a birthday and a Christmas card and found the one she was looking for. The card had a drawing of a wineglass in the rain. She flipped the card open and brushed her fingers over her grandmother’s handwriting that read: L
ife isn’t fun if it isn’t messy, my darling. Some days are terrible, but those days are few and far between. Chin up. Tomorrow will be a brand-new day. Love you dearly, Grams.
Kinsley couldn’t remember what happened for her grandmother to write that card, but it seemed fitting for today. Her grandmother always seemed to know what to do and what to say, to make everything that seemed bad so much better. She’d been the mom when her mother left them. She’d kissed the scratches, read the stories at night when her dad had to work, and tucked her in tight.
She missed her grandparents and their love terribly. She shoved another bite of cake into her mouth, nearly purring at how delicious it was, and slowly, she began to feel better. Her twenty-ninth birthday…sucked.
A part of her lit up at the idea that she would have a baby before she turned thirty. She’d long ago given up on that idea, considering she’d fallen for Rhett, a man who had become entirely unavailable. The truth was, she wanted it all—the guy who adored her, the hot romance, and the happily-ever-after. And she wanted Rhett to be that guy.
A hopeless wish. Nonetheless, it was one she couldn’t ignore.
Right as she shoved another large bite of cake into her mouth, there was a knock on her closed bedroom door. She hurried to put the box of cards away then called out with a full mouth, “Come in.”
It came as no surprise when Remy and Peyton hurried inside and shut the door behind them.
“I gotta give it to you, Kins,” said Remy, plopping down at the end of the bed, “that was one spectacular way of breaking the news.”
“Well, had I known that everyone was waiting in my living room, I wouldn’t have said anything.” Kinsley finished her bite then added, “But he just pissed me off so much.”
“That was pretty clear. What did he do?” Peyton asked.
“Oh, well, you both know he’s been refusing to answer my calls, and tonight he told me that apparently he’s been avoiding me because he was trying to ensure nothing further happens between us. You know, because I just can’t control myself and keep my hands off him.”
Peyton’s mouth dropped open. “He seriously said that?”
“He seriously said that.” Kinsley stuck her fork back into the cake.
Remy rolled her eyes. “What an idiot.”
Kinsley shoved another huge bite into her mouth. “He’s Rhett. I shouldn’t have expected anything different. But I just got so…”
“Ragey?” Remy offered.
Kinsley nodded. “Exactly. His level of prick went to new heights tonight.”
She handed Peyton the fork. As Peyton stabbed a piece, she said, “Boone and your dad seemed okay about it all, though.”
“I can guarantee neither are okay with this, but they love me,” Kinsley countered. “They’ll support me, no matter what.” That’s what her brother and father did for her. Probably since they’d had to band together after her mom left. She knew she and the baby would be okay, with or without Rhett. It was only her heart that needed to get that memo.
After Peyton ate a small bite of the cake, she handed the fork to Remy, who dug in and said, “I’m sure they’ll have some words for Rhett when they see him next.”
Kinsley accepted the fork back and cut off an even bigger bite for herself. “They’re not talking to him now?”
There was a long pause. Then, “He just took off,” Peyton said solemnly. “Your dad told Boone to go find him.”
Of course her father would want someone to go after Rhett. Everyone knew that Rhett didn’t want the family, the kids, or the happily-ever-after. He wanted the military and his life as a soldier that had been stripped from him. It didn’t take much to know that this would affect Rhett; the only lingering question was how he would respond to it. Truth was, as a teenager, Kinsley had thought that she and Rhett were a possibility. But once he came back from the Army, Kinsley knew Rhett couldn’t love her, not in the way she needed or deserved. Being a soldier had changed him, and he came back distant and noncommittal. In the tropics, she just wanted one taste. This, having his child, was never part of the plan.
But one thing was certain—she hoped this news wouldn’t send him to the dark place he’d been in when he first came home. That day she’d looked into his vacant eyes, and her heart shattered at the emptiness there. It took months for Rhett to even spend time with anyone. Slowly, he’d come back to them, piece by piece, but she still missed the old Rhett. The guy with the cute smile, the bright eyes, and all the charm in the world. The one she’d fallen in love with during high school. The guy she could still see sometimes…even now.
Silence again settled in the room as they shared the cake, until a good dent had been made.
Remy finally groaned, waving off another bite, and said, “If I can put in my two cents, I just hope Rhett does the right thing and thinks of you and the baby in all this before himself.”
Kinsley’s stomach churned and she placed the cake on her bedside table. “We’ll see what happens.” Because that was all she could hope for. This was complicated. Rhett didn’t do serious anything. In fact, since he’d come home, she’d never seen him with a girlfriend, only lovers. And those lovers never lasted longer than a night.
Peyton slowly cocked her head, seeing the certainty on Kinsley’s face. “What do you think he’ll do next?”
Kinsley didn’t even have to consider her words. “He’ll sleep his way through every pretty tourist in a miniskirt that crosses into Stoney Creek like he always does.”
Remy reached for Kinsley’s hand. “And you’re okay with that?”
She paused to mull it over then shrugged. “Rhett is who he is. I knew that the night I slept with him. I knew waking up after that night, everything would be different. I knew we would never be a couple. I was perfectly fine with just a fling.”
Both her friends just stared at her.
Until Remy said, “Okay, I’m gonna say it. If you’re good with Rhett being Rhett, then why do you look so sad?”
Peyton took Kinsley’s other hand. Kinsley stared down at their entwined fingers. “Having a baby this way, it’s just not the dream, you know.” She swallowed the emotions rising in her throat, making her voice squeaky. “With my mother…the way she was and how she left us…I wanted to do everything right when I became a mom.” Her voice hitched on the last word.
Remy’s arms wrapped around her tightly, followed very quickly by Peyton’s. “Just stop that right now,” Remy said sternly, her head resting on Kinsley’s shoulder. “You’re going to make an amazing mother, whether Rhett steps up or not.”
Peyton squeezed tighter, with emotion raw in her voice. “She’s right. Your baby is going to be so lucky to have you.”
“And,” Remy added, holding on just a bit tighter, “you’ve got us, Kins. That’s like having two nannies around to help you whenever you need it.”
“Plus, you have Boone and your dad too,” Peyton added.
Remy finally let go and took Kinsley’s face in her hands. “You’ve got this.”
Peyton gave a firm nod. “One hundred percent got this.”
Kinsley smiled, and the smile felt more honest now. “You say that now, but will you both have my back like this if I murder Rhett and bury him in the backyard?”
“I’ll bring the shovel.” Peyton grinned.
“You know I’m really good with gardens,” Remy added. “We can make it so no one will suspect anything.”
Kinsley laughed and sank back against her pillows, Remy and Peyton snuggling into her. “Well, if that’s the case, I do totally have this.”
Chapter 4
The next morning, Kinsley exited her house to start her day, wishing she had a hangover. That would have at least dulled her runaway emotions. Rhett stayed heavily on her mind all night and she barely slept. Part of her still wanted to throttle him for being such an arrogant idiot. The other part of her wanted to see him to make sure he was okay. None of this could have been easy. Rhett…wasn’t an easy guy. And coming to terms with both
those sides of herself left her head spinning and her heart bleeding. Because her problem now wasn’t that she loved a guy she shouldn’t love. Her problem was that that guy was the father of her baby.
She sighed heavily, her breath a fog in front of her, as she locked her front door.
“Morning, kiddo.”
She whirled around, warmth instantly touching the tension in her chest. Dad stood at the bottom of the steps, wearing jeans and his dark leather winter coat. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’re here this morning,” she mused, even though Dad never showed up unannounced. Or hardly ever.
He gave his comforting smile and gestured at the road behind him. “Thought I could walk you to work this morning.”
“Sure, I’d love that.” She carefully headed down the porch steps and fell into step next to him.
The sunny day was most welcome, considering lately gray winter skies had taken over. The heat against her face was in full contrast to the crisp air biting her cheeks.
She grabbed her chunky mittens from her pockets and slid into them as Dad asked, “Is today a better day than yesterday?”
She shrugged, looking down at the sidewalk, as they passed by the biggest oak tree in the neighborhood. “I’m not sure what I am today other than happy that everyone knows.” That was the simple answer.
Dad laughed softly. “That was a grand way to tell everyone. Very much your style.”
She gave him a sidelong glance, staring into the sparkling pride in his eyes, and she laughed too. “I suppose you’re right. I can’t do anything small, can I?”
“Nope,” Dad said.
She took note of her father’s easy gait, both hands shoved into his pockets. It didn’t add up. “Okay, what gives. Why are you not surprised about me and Rhett?”
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