Reckless (Nashville Nights)

by Cheryl , Douglas

  J.T. was five years his junior and according to J.T. himself, the sexiest of the McCall brothers. When he wasn’t helping his parents run the ranch, he was, according to their mother, trying to get himself killed on the professional bull-riding circuit.

  J.T. popped a muffin top in his mouth and chewed. “Ma did some baking last night. She told me to bring this down to her favorite son.”

  Ty rolled his eyes. It had been a long-standing joke in the family that he was their mama’s favorite, though they all knew she would lay down her life for any of her children. “I’m not hungry.”

  J.T. grinned. “Good thing since I plan on eatin’ it all myself.”

  “Shouldn’t you be mendin’ fences or something?”

  Ike, who sat at the table waiting for scraps, rested his chin on J.T.’s knee, looking forlorn. Ty knew exactly how he felt. He checked his watch: 7:30. Avery would be getting ready for her doctor’s appointment. He couldn’t believe he could have been so careless with her last night. He had never forgotten to use protection before.

  “Been out there since five, but I gotta get back at it soon. You look like hell this mornin’,” J.T. said, getting up to pour himself a cup of coffee. “What’s up?”

  Ty rubbed his eyes, knowing the photographer would be less than thrilled when he showed up for his photo shoot sporting red-rimmed eyes and dark circles. “What else? A woman,” Ty said, shaking his head in disgust.

  J.T. laughed. “Isn’t it always? Though I can’t say I’ve seen you bent out shape about a chick since that one you met on New Year’s Eve a few years back.”

  Ty sighed. “Yeah, well she’s one in the same.”

  J.T. grinned, revealing white teeth amidst the dark stubble marring his chiseled face. “No shit? How’d you hook up with her again?”

  “She was at Luc’s party the other night. Would you believe she works for him? She’s my publicist.”

  J.T. leaned up against the counter, sipping the steaming cup of coffee. “Hey, that should make it easy for you two to pick up where you left off, right?”

  Ty had been so distraught after Avery left his house that night that he’d broken down and told his brother the whole sordid story. “Not exactly. She knows about Abby and Mel.”

  J.T. shook his head. “Tell me you didn’t tell her, dumbass.”

  Ty got up to refill his coffee cup, elbowing his brother out of the way. “It’s not like I had a choice. She was gonna find out sooner or later. I thought it’d be better coming from me.”

  “So, how’d she react to that little bombshell, genius?”

  Ty rolled his eyes. His brother’s policy of don’t ask, don’t tell with women was wearing thin. Eventually he would have to grow up and learn that relationships required hard work, honesty, and compromise. Not that Ty was an expert on the subject, but he knew enough to make Avery happy, if she wasn’t so hell bent on making herself miserable.

  “She was pissed at first. But once I explained the situation, I think she understood.”

  J.T. grinned. “So, have you banged her yet or what?”

  For a split second, Ty thought about throwing the hot pot of coffee at him, but he knew that would result in one of their infamous brawls, and given the way he was feeling this morning, his kid brother would probably wipe the floor with his sorry ass. “We slept together last night.”

  J.T. chuckled. “So that’s why you look like shit this morning. Nice.” He bowed dramatically. “I bow to the reigning king.”

  “Shut up, asshole.”

  “You sure don’t sound like a guy who got laid last night. What happened? Not as good as you remembered?”

  He recalled the sight of Avery throwing her head back and moaning as she rode him hard and fast. “Believe me, that wasn’t the problem.”

  “What happened?” J.T. laughed. “She didn’t bail on you again, did she? ‘Cause if she did, you must be doin’ something wrong, bro.”

  Ty clenched his jaw, knowing that taking a swing at his brother would do little to ease his tension. “Not that it’s any of your goddamn business, but I forgot to wear a rubber, alright.”

  J.T. set his mug down on the counter and stared at him. “Okay, but she’s on the pill, right?”

  Ty shook his head.

  “Shit, how could you be so stupid? You finally got this sweet record deal and you fuck everything up by getting some chick knocked up?”

  “Maybe I wanted to get her pregnant,” Ty said, sinking into a kitchen chair.

  “Come again. Why the hell would you wanna do that?”

  Ty sighed. “You know how much I love Mel, how much I wished she were mine.”

  “Yeah, I know, but this doesn’t seem like the ideal time to be startin’ a family, man.”

  “That’s what Avery said.”

  “What’re you gonna do if she is pregnant?”

  Ty rubbed his eyes, wishing he could go back to bed and sleep for a week. “That’s not gonna be a problem.”

  “How do you know because she told you? Look man, I don’t mean to sound cynical, but how do you know she’s not trying to trap you like Abby did? You’ve got this record deal now...”

  “Avery’s nothing like Abby. Trust me on that one, J.T. She doesn’t want a kid right now, at least not with me.”

  J.T. scowled and folded his arms across his chest. “Why the hell not? Has she ever seen you with Mel? You’re great with her.”

  Ty smiled, appreciating his brother’s indignation on his behalf. “She doesn’t think I’m ready to be a father. Besides, she has her career to think about.”

  “Yeah, well she may not have a choice, right?”

  Ty walked over to the kitchen cabinet and reached for a bottle of pain reliever. He popped two of the little pills in his mouth and swallowed without benefit of water. “Oh, she has a choice. She’s already made it.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “She’s going to see her doctor this morning. Apparently they have some goddamn morning after pill a woman can take now.”

  J.T. nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard about that.” He slapped Ty on the back. “It’s probably for the best.”

  “Like hell it is.”

  Avery sat across the desk from her gynecologist, trying to conceal her embarrassment. She was an intelligent, well-educated woman who’d built a successful business, yet she didn’t have the good sense to engage in protected sex to avoid an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. At least she thought it was unwanted last night. Today, she wasn’t so sure.

  “So you see, Dr. Anderson, my partner and I made the mistake of engaging in unprotected sex,” she said, trying to avoid his careful scrutiny.

  Dr. Anderson had been her doctor since she moved to Nashville six years ago. His age, wisdom, and experience always put her at ease during routine examinations, but today he made her feel guilty and ashamed of her actions. Or maybe it was her conscience working overtime.

  “I see,” he said quietly, clasping his hands on the desk as he leaned forward. “How does this correspond with your cycle?”

  She swallowed nervously, trying to find her voice. Dr. Anderson reminded her of her late grandfather, who was also a doctor. Perhaps it was the white hair, wire-rimmed glasses, or the white lab coat he always wore when he saw patients that prompted her to draw the comparison. Whatever it was, she felt her papa was looking down on her now, shaking his head in disappointment.

  “I was ovulating last night.”

  The doctor set his pen down on top of the file. “You know the optimal time to conceive would be the day before, during, or after ovulation. There’s a forty-eight to seventy-two hour window.”

  She cleared her throat as she shook her head. “Yes, sir. I understand.”

  He frowned, removing his glasses. “Forgive me for asking, Avery. But are you sure you want to exercise this option?”

  “Why would you ask me that?”

  “You seem a little uncertain, unsettled perhaps. Is that because you’re questioning whether a pregna
ncy is in fact something you might want?” He opened her file. “I see here that you’re thirty-five, which is not as much of a factor as it once was. It does increase your risk of complications marginally, but a much higher percentage of women are having children well past the age of forty now.”

  She had never considered the fact that she’d passed the age where a low-risk pregnancy would be a given. How was it even possible that her optimal childbearing years were already behind her? “I see,” she said quietly. “I guess I’d never really considered that.”

  “It is something to think about,” Dr. Anderson said, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t want to sway you either way, Avery. But it’s my job to make sure that you’re able to make an informed decision. That being said, there’s a very small window of opportunity if we want this pill to be effective at preventing an unwanted pregnancy.”

  She shook her head numbly, trying to process the gravity of his words. “I understand.”

  “I have other patients to see. Why don’t I leave you here to think about it for a little while? I’ll be back to find out what you’ve decided.”

  She watched the doctor stand and collect her file. “Yes, I think I’d like a bit more time. Thank you.”

  She waited for him to leave before sinking back in the upholstered armchair, trying to come to terms with an impossible decision. She’d always assumed she would be a mother one day, but she wasn’t twenty-two years old anymore. How many more opportunities would she have to fulfill that wish? But did she want to have a child now, with a man who was only passing through her life?

  She had no doubt Ty was a good man and he would be a wonderful father to their child, but she couldn’t help but feel it was unfair of her to even ask him to accept that kind of responsibility when he was on the verge of realizing his lifelong dream of becoming a best-selling recording artist.

  She had no doubt his success was imminent; he had the best team in the business working hard to making him a household name. It was only a matter of time before that happened. And where did that leave her? It left her alone, with a newborn baby to care for and a business to run. She thought about what kind of commitment that would entail. The lifestyle changes, the domestic help she would require, the stress, the sleepless nights.

  She glanced at the doctor’s credenza. It was filled to overflowing with framed family photos. She got up to take a closer look. There were photos of the doctor and his wife, his children on their wedding day, his grandchildren at various stages of development. She picked up a candid shot of a baby giggling. It looked like she was throwing her arms and squealing in delight at some unknown stimuli.

  Avery’s heart melted and in that moment, she made her decision. She didn’t want to live the rest of her life without rocking a baby to sleep in her arms or taking pride in her son or daughter’s first steps or first words. With startling clarity, she realized she was finally ready to be somebody’s mommy.

  Regardless of what happened with Ty, if God saw fit to bless her with a baby, she would do everything in her power to guide, nurture, and protect that baby. She would learn from her parents’ mistakes, seek out help and advice when she needed it, and she would find a way to manage her fear so her baby didn’t grow up to be as neurotic and fearful of relationships as she was.

  She turned the doorknob and walked down the short hallway to the doctor’s waiting area. She paused at the nurses’ station. “Please tell Dr. Anderson I won’t need that medication after all. I may be calling to book another appointment in a few weeks. Please send me the bill.”

  The young nurse smiled. “Of course, Ms. Collins. Have a nice day.”

  Avery walked into Ty’s photo shoot feeling anxious about her decision. His reaction last night told her that he wouldn’t mind if they had conceived a baby, but after taking some time to think about it, he may have been grateful she decided to take the necessary action to undo their mistake. Only she hadn’t. She had made a decision that may well affect the rest of his life without even consulting him about it.

  She stood in the doorway, watching him. He looked sexy, pensive, every woman’s fantasy. She had no doubt women would rush out in droves to buy his music and watch his videos. He had that unique quality that separated the millions of hopefuls from the handful of superstars.

  She had been so engrossed in watching Ty that she hadn’t realized someone was standing behind her until she felt his hand on the small of her back. She jumped back, startled by the unexpected caress.

  “You must be Avery.”

  She looked up into the piercing blue eyes of one of the sexiest cowboys she had ever laid eyes on in the flesh. His black hair was peeking out under the brim of a black cowboy hat, which he tipped, flashing a wicked grin that told her awestruck reaction was par for the course.

  She extended her hand, knowing without a doubt the cowboy in question was Ty’s younger brother. The resemblance was uncanny. The most notable difference was Ty’s clean-shaven appearance in contrast to the scruffier look his brother seemed to favor. “You must be Ty’s brother?”

  “Sure am, J.T. McCall.” He took the hand she offered. “You’re even prettier than Ty said you were.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Does that line usually work for you, cowboy?”

  He chuckled. “Smart too. I can see why he’s got a thing for you.”

  Her heart sped up at his innocuous comment. She was dying to ask his brother what he had said about her, but pride stopped her short of asking the question. “You just here to offer your brother a little moral support?” she asked, leaning her hip against the wall as she watched Andrew work his magic with his subject.

  “You could say that.” He looked at her carefully. “Truth is, he was feelin’ a little down this morning. But I guess you’d know all about that now wouldn’t you, Avery?” His good ole’ boy charm faded in the blink of an eye. In its place was palpable resentment.

  She took a step back when he moved in to crowd her personal space. “I don’t know what Ty told you, but...”

  J.T. watched his brother carefully. “He told me enough.” J.T. waited for the photographer to call for a break before walking toward Ty. They exchanged a few words when Ty glanced in her direction, his expression unreadable.

  J.T. walked toward her and seized her elbow. “I offered to run out and grab some food. Why don’t you come with me?”

  She didn’t appreciate J.T.’s high-handed approach. “I think I’d rather stay.”

  “Too bad,” he whispered, gripping her upper arm as he led her toward the bank of elevators.

  She shook him loose and turned on him. “Who the hell do you think you are, man-handling me like that?”

  He punched the button for the elevator. “I think I’m the guy who’s gonna prevent my brother from hooking up with another opportunist who is dumb enough to think she can use an innocent baby to trap him.”

  Avery’s mouth dropped open. “What are you talking about?” She felt the bile rising in the back of her throat. “Did Ty say that he thought I tricked him into...”

  He ushered her onto the elevator and punched the button for the lobby. “Ty’s a good guy; he likes to believe the best about people.” He leaned against the wall and set one booted foot over the other. “Me… not so much.”

  She pretended to be unaffected by his words. “You’re too young to be so cynical, J.T.”

  “I was just a kid when that bitch railroaded my brother, but I remember what it did to him, finding out Mel wasn’t his.” He gripped the railing behind him until his knuckles turned white. “It damn near destroyed him.”

  She was struck by the unconcealed fury in his eyes and for the first time felt fear in the face of his rage. This was a man with a lot of suppressed anger where women were concerned, or maybe just one woman, his sister-in-law. And now she seemed to have earned membership in that elite club. “He told me about what happened with his wife.”

  J.T. scowled. “She was never a wife to him. He was her one chance to secur
e her fifteen minutes of fame. When his record deal fell apart, she was gone. But not before she told him she’d been bangin’ his buddy for years.”

  “I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like for him,” she said quietly.

  “He was young. She was his first love. Then when he found out that this little girl he’d given his heart to wasn’t his, it damn near killed him. He was a mess for months after that, didn’t even wanna get outta bed in the morning.” The elevator opened and he gestured for her to step out ahead of him.

  They were silent as they walked down the street to a small cafe that served sandwiches and pastries to the lunch crowd.

  He held the door as she walked through. When she walked to the counter to place an order, J.T. placed his hand on her shoulder. “How ‘bout I get us a couple of coffees while you grab us a table. I’d like to talk a bit longer, if that’s okay with you?”

  She hesitated, unsure she wanted to continue this conversation.

  He sighed. “Look, I know I came on strong back there. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just overprotective after what I saw him go through with Abby.”

  “Okay, but I’ve only got a few minutes. I need to get back.”

  He nodded. “Fair enough.”

  She claimed a vacant table in a rear corner of the crowded cafe and waited for J.T. to bring their beverages. She was a caffeine addict, but for the first time, she considered whether that may have to be one of the small sacrifices she would have to make to ensure a healthy pregnancy. She raised her hand to get J.T.’s attention.

  He took a few steps toward her.

  “Can you make mine herbal tea?”

  “You got it. Can I get you anything else?”

  “No thanks. I’ll just grab a sandwich to go when we’re ready to leave.”

  “Okay.”

  She watched him collect the foam cups, wink at the smitten waitress, and capture the attention of every female in the room without appearing to realize his effect on the female patrons. Avery couldn’t help but smile when he finally claimed the seat across from her. “Tell me, have you got a girlfriend, J.T.?”