Baby Mine: A Hudson Family Series- Book Two- Lucas and Sara

by Chontelle Brison

  “Yeah, yeah,” Synclair replied.

  “Is she coming to the wedding?” Rachel asked without thinking.

  Synclair froze, all traces of laughter left her face. Was there even going to be a wedding? Her cousin Cami had been calling her non-stop about arrangements. Finally, she had shut her up by telling Cami she could plan the whole thing, all she asked was for it to have colors of spring and for it to be outdoors. Of course, Cami had to lecture her on the probability of rain; it was Ireland after all. Synclair didn’t really care about the wedding, she would have married Reece in the drive through chapel in Vegas, but everyone seemed to think it would be an experience she would miss having so she had gone along with it. It was also hard to argue with her since her Uncle Jack or UJ as she called him, had insisted on paying for the wedding and insisted that it be Dublin, Ireland, where her mother’s family was from.

  After what had happened today, would Reece even want to marry her? Was it possible she wasn’t the marrying kind?

  A flick of her ear brought her back from her doubts. Rubbing her ear, she flipped off a smirking Sara.

  “I gave her address to Cami for an invitation, I texted her last week and told her to come visit me here in Carson City, but I haven’t heard back yet.” Synclair didn’t add the fact that not hearing back in twenty-four hours was odd for Taylor but she didn’t want to overreact.

  Wanting to change the subject Synclair threw a pillow at Sara, who had luckily already put down her cup of cocoa.

  “I want to hear the details on you and Lucas.” Synclair wagged her eyebrows up and down.

  “No. No, you don’t, it’s disturbing, it’s too much, things can’t be unseen.” Rachel babbled shaking her head.

  Sara blushed as she remembered Rachel walking in on her and Lucas as they were about to have sex.

  “Okay, now I have to know, fess up Sara.”

  “He wants me to forgive him; he seems to want a second chance at a life together, one that includes Logan.” She blurted out.

  Synclair could sense a but coming, she waved her hand in a motion for Sara to continue.

  “It’s not the sex, that’s always been off the chart, sorry Rachel.” She mumbled as Rachel lay with a pillow over her head singing a song off key.

  “I’m afraid it won’t last, I’m afraid he’ll take me for granted again, or if I let him he’ll hurt me. Then there’s Logan, he already thinks you guys are his family, if one day Lucas looked at him and resented him for being Travis’s son, it would kill him. I’m not strong enough to get past it a second time, and I won’t risk Logan’s heart either.”

  Sara was surprised by how level her voice was. She hadn’t spoken these fears aloud but now that she had it only strengthened her resolve to protect Logan. Especially after what had happened today. Lucas should have known better or, at least, have raised the question to Synclair, he should have asked if she had attacked Amber’s car. However, he had chosen to back his brother, and it felt like five years ago all over again. The idea that Amber got more benefit of the doubt than Synclair or herself made her blood boil all over again.

  “Men suck.” Rachel spat as she pulled the pillow from her face.

  Sara and Synclair looked at each other and then at Rachel.

  “Only if they’re doing it right.” Synclair snorted. After a round of giggles, Rachel leaned in.

  “Why do they have to over complicate things, they always think their right, they always act like cavemen and then blame it on how much they can’t control themselves around you.” Came Rachel’s exasperated reply.

  “Sounds like you have first-hand experience with the douchebaggery that makes up the psyche of the male species,” Sara told her. She had no idea Rachel was even seeing anybody.

  “Did he suck in bed?” Came Synclair’s blunt question. Sara looked at her sharply, and Synclair just rolled her eyes.

  “No, he was fantastic in bed, each time he pounded into me my eyes crossed.”

  Oh, this was getting good; girls’ night was definitely a good idea.

  *********

  “Bad idea,” Lucas whispered throwing his headset down.

  “The worst,” Dalton complained his headset joining his brothers.

  “Oh my god, we have to kill the guy, right? That’s our baby sister.” Matt stuttered, still keeping his headset on but looking like he wanted to puke.

  Reece shook his head, “Rachel’s an adult, guys, and we have to start treating her like one. Now put your damn headsets back on, Lucas has a woman to woo, and I need to find out how to win back the mother of my child.” His tone commanded more than asked.

  Lucas grudgingly put his headset back on. He was sure this was a mistake. So far, all he had learned was that Sara didn’t trust him and that he was a jackass. Yep, he could’ve figured that out without all the G.I. Joe equipment Dalton had set them up with. It sounded like a good idea back at the bar.

  Lucas wished they had stayed back at Jake’s bar, Instead, one idiotic idea later found him and his three giant brothers, two of them ex-SEALS, crouched down being stabbed by bushes that he swore had thorns in them. This was definitely not what he had imagined back at the bar when Dalton was suggesting they do a little reconnaissance mission.

  The idea had been to listen in on what the girls were saying so that tomorrow he and Reece would have a chance of smoothing things over. Even though the evidence against Synclair was pretty damning, they still wanted to protect her at all cost.

  Matt motioned for Lucas to put his headphones back on and Dalton quickly did the same.

  “Did he hurt you, Rachel?” Came Synclair’s concerned voice.

  “No, not if taking my V- card, rocking my world and then patting me on the head, handing me a donut and telling me ‘thanks but I don’t do relationships’ is considered hurtful. Nope, I’m not hurt at all.” Lucas heard Rachel explain, he didn’t miss the pain in her voice when she said it. Oh yeah, they would find the little twit and introduce him to their fists.

  “Ah, Rachel I’m sorry, men really do suck, and not the right way.” That was Synclair.

  “Can I ask who he was; was he someone from the University of Las Vegas?” That was Sara.

  “Tell me we can find this guy and kick his ass,” Matt begged.

  Reece shook his head, “Matt we can’t beat up every guy that Rachel hooks up with, we’re better than that.” Reece was always the subtle one.

  “It was Jake, you know the guy that owns the bar,” Rachel said so softly that Lucas thought he’d heard wrong.

  Lucas didn’t even need to look around to know that his brothers had the same, ‘what the fuck?' look that he had on his face right now.

  Jake? Jake was about Dalton’s age or a just a bit younger, way too old for his baby sister and knowing how he had treated her the man had still served them drinks! Anger flared, and Lucas began to see red.

  “Fuck what I said before, we kill the bastard at dawn,” Reece growled.

  Lucas groaned as his brothers all nodded their heads in agreement. Of course, he wanted nothing more than to beat Jake’s face into a wall, but first, they needed something they could use to get them back in their women’s’ good graces.

  “Okay, enough about me and Jake the mistake, I want to know what’s gonna happen with you and Reece.”

  “I don’t know Rachel, I’ve never been someone’s wife, much less someone’s mother, God knows I didn’t have any examples.” The misery was so thick in Synclair’s tone that Lucas shoved Reece on the shoulder.

  “I know we grew up differently, but I didn’t realize I was such an embarrassment, I don’t know what I could have done to make him doubt me, it’s like he expects the worst from me.”

  Now all the brothers were shoving Reece, their faces clearly pissed at what they were discovering. Reece for his part looked like he was about to be sick.

  “I know he didn’t mean it Synclair, my brother may have a temper, but he loves you, getting you back and now having a baby is making him so t
hrilled, I think he just worries about you.” Baby sister to the rescue.

  “I think Rachel’s right Syn, he doesn’t know how to handle you, your independent, resourceful and could probably raise this baby and run this new restaurant without him, I guess it scares the hell out of him.”

  A heavy sigh filled the headsets. “Come on, I haven’t worn my combat boots since I got here, mainly because he loathes them. Instead, I’m wearing these god awful New Balance sneakers because he felt they had better arch support.” Giggles came through loud and clear.

  “I’m serious bitches, I used to wear short skirts and tank tops, and now I’m wearing leggings and maternity tops with an arrow pointing down as if there’s any question that the beach ball I have for a belly is where the baby is," Synclair complained.

  “That’s a lot of changes,” Sara declared.

  “I wanted to fit in out here, I know where I come from, I realize what everyone thinks when they find out I grew up in Las Vegas, I can’t help it if my eyes cross when Amber comes around. Just the fact that she and Reece had sex makes me gag, not to mention he married the viper. I just don’t understand why I am not enough, that’s all I wanted, I just wanted to be enough, just me. Shit, if he’s exhausted now and we aren’t even married yet, then maybe this is not a good idea.”

  The last words got Reece’s attention. His gaze snapped to Lucas and Lucas mouthed his brotherly words of support, ‘YOU FUCKED UP’. Pissed, Reece turned back to the window.

  “Don’t say that Syn, but if it doesn’t work out you still have Logan and I and the rest of the Hudsons, we don’t need bossy men telling us what to do and how to be, we deserve to be admired for who and what we are.”

  Lucas groaned at Sara’s remarks. He glanced up to see Reece smiling at him. ‘YOU FUCKED UP TOO.’ Reece mouthed to Lucas. Lucas promptly flipped him off.

  “Seriously there are times when I swear becoming a lesbian sounds good.” Sara moaned.

  “I’d fuck you, you are totally doable Sara, not that I swing that way, but if I did, I would totally hit that,” Synclair said laughing.

  Four pairs of headsets crashed against the ground, and the brothers moaned and groaned no one wanting to imagine women that they saw as sisters, getting it on, and Reece and Lucas hated the idea of being thrown over for not just another man but another woman, how did one compete with that?

  Lucas had heard enough, they needed to regroup and strategize.

  “Dalt, let’s wrap this up and head out.” Lucas directed.

  The others nodded and quietly made their way back to Lucas’s truck. When Reece hesitated to get in, Lucas knew exactly what would get his attention.

  “Come on Reece, we have to see a man about a V-card.”

  That did the trick, Reece turned his head toward Lucas, a harsh, feral grin showed on his lips.

  “Lead on brother.” Reece sat down in the vehicle and peered one more time at Sara’s window. His woman and his child were in there, no matter what it took, he was going to prove to her that he loved her as is. He just had to figure out how.

  **********

  “Mama look pancakes!” Logan announced cheerfully digging into a heaping pile of chocolate chip pancakes.

  Sara smiled gratefully as Rachel handed her a cup of coffee. Usually, Sara preferred to sleep in on Sundays and since she had tossed and turned last night she was thankful that the girls had picked up the slack.

  “So how is everyone this morning?” Sara asked as she gulped down her morning wake up juice.

  Synclair smiled and shrugged as she placed a plate with pancakes and sausage in front of her. Rachel took the chair next to her, and the women waited until Synclair had filled her own plate and sat next to Logan.

  “I want to get to the station as soon as breakfast is over, Reece called and texted me so often last night that I eventually just turned my cell off. I don’t want they guys there anyways.”

  “Are you coming back home after the station, Syn?” Rachel asked not looking up from her meal.

  Synclair sighed and threw a pancake at Rachel. Rachel and Logan laughed as it smacked Rachel in the head and tumbled to the ground.

  “Of course hon, I’m going to get this police station visit out of the way and later Sara, and I are going to go to the Diner and see to any last minute closure details, then I’ll be home,” Synclair told her, discounting the scowl from Sara, who was plucking the fallen pancake off the kitchen floor.

  “And then what?” Rachel asked making goofy faces at Logan.

  “Then I’ll go back to the house, and either Reece is going to understand just who he’s marrying, that I don’t fit into a little stereotypical box, or we will raise this child together and I’ll get my own place here in town near the restaurant and Sara.” Synclair finished ignoring the shocked expression on Rachel’s face.

  Sara could feel that Rachel wanted to object, but anyone could see how hard Synclair was struggling to keep her features composed.

  “Let’s get washed up and get going, my dad will be here in an hour, so Logan can stay with him, it’s their fishing day anyhow,” Sara said as she grabbed Logan’s empty plate.

  Synclair flashed her a grateful grin and winked at Rachel as she started filling the sink.

  By the time the women had cleaned up, gotten dressed and turned up at the Sherrif Station, it was almost noon. Sara could tell Synclair was just pretending she was relaxed by the way she kept nervously rubbing her swelling tummy. Sara didn’t know what was going to take place once Synclair gave her statement, or if Synclair would actually leave Reece, but no matter what Sara would make certain she didn’t feel alone, she would hold her hand every step of the way and then some. No one should go through a pregnancy alone.

  “Synclair Hudson?” The desk sergeant inquired.

  Synclair squared her shoulders and got up from the small plastic chair she had been perched in, “Actually it’s Synclair Patrick, Reece and I aren’t married.” She corrected.

  “Yet.” Rachel chimed in, earning an eye roll from both Sara and Synclair.

  “Sherrif Jones said to be expecting Ms. Patrick, who are the two of you?” He stated in a commanding tone that made Sara want to poke his eyes out.

  Sara spoke first, “I’m Sara Wilmington, Craig Dennis, as you rightly know, I serve you coffee and cinnamon rolls almost every morning.” She scolded the blushing officer.

  “Synclair is my business associate, she was maliciously accused of vandalizing Amber Donaldson’s car, she’s pregnant, and both Rachel and I are here for support. Don’t even consider trying to take Synclair back there without us.” Sara told him, she grinned when Rachel flanked Synclair’s left as she remained on Synclair’s right. The troops have rallied and circled the wagons!

  Synclair reached out and clutched the hands of the women who had her back. She squeezed them both and gave them a grateful smile.

  “Ugh, it’s just too much for one Sunday.” Officer Dennis groaned.

  Sara and Synclair exchanged puzzled looks as they followed him through a wide door and down a drab corridor. He was about to knock on a brown, metal door when it suddenly flew open.

  Sara tried unsuccessfully to suppress the chuckle that left her lips as the Deputy jumped about ten feet high. When Sherriff Jones came into view, she immediately stiffened.

  The Sheriff gave the women a vexed expression and gestured them to follow him. She had no idea what was going on or why Sheriff Jones was leading them toward a door that was marked for intake of prisoners. For a minute she panicked, he wouldn’t be about to arrest Synclair would he? Sara asked Sherriff Jones repeatedly where they were going but so far he had just ignored her. When they approached another wide door with the word “Booking” on it, she all out panicked.

  “Wait, I’m sorry Sheriff, I’m not letting you lock up a pregnant woman, especially with no proof, there’s no way those fingerprints could have come back this quick and everything else you have is circumstantial.” When everyone just gawked at her, she ge
stured to the door called “Booking.”

  “I watch plenty of CSI so I know what happens in a booking room, I know there are holding cells in there, and I won’t let you put Synclair in some orange jumpsuit because Amber Donaldson finally got a little of what is due her,” Sara told him.

  “Yeah and orange is a terrible color on Syn. Orange is absolutely not the new black” Rachel chimed in looking quite disgusted at the notion of Synclair wearing the ugly citrus colored uniform.

  Synclair shook her head and laughed. “Listen, I think what my well-meaning and Netflix watching friends are asking is, why are we going to booking and not an interrogation room?” God, she loved these women!

  Sheriff Jones looked at Synclair in confusion. “Didn’t you get the message I left you?”

  Now Synclair looked confused then her eyes widened, and she pulled her cell from her back pocket. “I turned it off last night, too many telemarketers.”

  Sheriff Jones shook his head, “Coach’s wife, confessed to the whole thing this morning, apparently her Christian sensibilities couldn’t allow an innocent woman to be charged for her sin.” He explained looking agitated.

  “What about the bat and the little stakes?” Sara asked, wondering how Coach’s wife Linda, could have heard the argument that Synclair and Amber had. How else would one explain the presence of Vampire stakes?

  “The bat was an extra piece of equipment that Coach Finn kept in his minivan, and those weren’t stakes. They were crosses that Coach’s wife Linda puts in her yard to demonstrate her love of Jesus.”

  “Not to sound ungrateful, I mean I already knew there was no way Syn did this.” Rachel began completely ignoring Synclair’s raised eyebrows. “But then why are we still here?”

  “I thought you were here for them.” Sheriff Jones explained pushing through another door.

  “Here for w-WHOA! What the hell happened?” Synclair asked as a holding cell containing Reece, his three brothers, and some other guy came into view.

  Sara and Rachel pushed in behind her and openly gaped at the scene. “Were they in an accident?” Sara asked, staring at bruised cheeks, split lips, and torn clothing.