Chapter 29

TWENTY-NINE

I escaped the trailer before I did something stupid, like try and convince her to let me back there with her.

A freaking baby.

My baby.

Our baby.

I didn't stop until I hit the waterline and I dropped my head back. The late day sun bounced off the water and the warmth was welcome. Not the blistering heat we'd had for the last few weeks, but the steady summer warmth that soaked into your bones and healed.

Maybe this town had been exactly what I needed.

"What's going on, man?"Archer called from the beach.

"So much." I drank deeply from the can. It seemed as if I'd never quench my thirst. Like I needed to refill everything to be ready for this crazy ride.

Archer headed down to the shoreline and mirrored my spread apart legs. "What are we doing? Manfully looking out on the water for some reason?"

I laughed. "You're such an ass."

He bumped me with his shoulder. "Aww, you're such a sweet talker. Makes all the backbreaking work worth it."

"Fuck you. You love it."

"Alas, you are correct. There must be something wrong with both of us." He flipped his cap around backwards, which made a lock of his fluffy lemon-colored hair pop out like a bird. Just like Berry had said. "So, why did you kick me out? Did you finally get the fair Dahlia under you once more? Crab-ass."

"Not exactly. And talk like that about her again, and I'll break your pinky."

He whistled. "Wow. Serious business. Has the mighty Nolan Devereaux finally fallen victim to the love-wasting disease?"

"Love-wasting? Wait until it happens to you."

"Bite your tongue. So, it's true."

"Worse."

"Worse than love?" He whipped off his sunglasses. "Oh, God did you buy a ring?"

"She'd probably toss it at my head right now."

"She's a hard woman." He grinned. "I like her. I mean, if you gotta do the forever thing, at least she's a cool chick."

"More than forever. I'm having a kid."

"I'm sorry?" The sunglasses fell to the stony beach.

"Kid. She's gonna give me a kid. How about that?"

Archer stumbled back and fell on his ass in the sand.

I glanced over my shoulder. "What the hell, Archer?"

"And you're fine with this?" He dug his heels into the sand and propped his forearms on his knees. "For real?"

"I mean, this isn't the best timing, but this house damn well better be done before the kid comes. We have until February—I think. Something like that. The math is weird with babies."

"The math...What. Is. Happening?"

I laughed. "I love her, man. At least I think this hole in my chest has to be love. Like someone blew a cannonball right into my chest and it didn't exit the other side. It's just sitting in there, and I have to make room for it, no matter what I want."

"Well, shit."

I lowered myself to the beach beside him. "Yeah. I am so fucking scared I'll mess it up. She doesn't deserve my bullshit, but I can't let her down. And I can't let down my kid."

"You sure it isn't just responsibility. Your dad was a piece of shit, so you might just be feeling like you can't?—"

"No." I linked my hands between my knees. "Some of it is that, I'm not going to lie. The kid just made me get my head out of my ass. And she still doesn't believe me."

"Approachable isn't exactly your MO, Dev." He nodded to my hair. "You growl and hide all the time." He held up a hand. "I know you've got scars, man. Haven't you ever heard that chicks dig scars?"

"They never bothered her. I can't figure out why."

"Because women are the superior race. They're far better than we are, that's for damn sure." Archer reached for his sunglasses and put them back on. "A dad. Ain't that a bitch."

"How bad do you think I'll fuck him or her up?" I hated that I needed to ask, but it weighed on me the most.

"The fact that you're asking means you won't. Or at least no more than any other parent out there in the world. You're a good guy, Dev. You just refuse to believe it for some goddamn reason."

"I gotta figure it out somehow because I'm not letting her go."

Archer clamped a hand on my shoulder. "Shit just got exceptionally real."

"That's for sure."

"Oh, one more thing."

"My heart can't take it, man."

I laughed. "You gotta find a different place to sleep tonight."

"Man." He extended the word. "Well, I guess I could lay my head down at that swanky bed and breakfast tonight. Hummingbird, maybe? Is that the name? On your dime, of course."

"Of course."

Archer grinned. "I really do like this place. Sure you can't build me a mini goth mansion on one of those acres you got there?"

"Not a chance."

"Damn."

We watched the lapping water for a few minutes in silence. One nice thing about Archer was as chatty as he was, he did know when to shut up.

"So, you really should build a studio."

But he didn't shut up for long. "For what?"

"You honestly think you're never going to weld again?"

"I haven't had an idea since well before the accident." I was ready to throw the storage unit into the damn lake just so I didn't have to think about it.

"If this place doesn't bring it back, nothing will."

I was quite sure that nothing would.

I got to my feet and dusted off the sand. "Just use the card you've been using for supplies for your room. I hear they feed you well there too."

"Think a little surf and turf is calling my name."

I shook my head. Archer had no problem spending my money. The kicker was, he had plenty, but the asshole was forever busting my balls.

The crew had broken down for the day, and it was quiet. I took a few minutes to walk around and check in on the basement pour. It would take quite a while to cure, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about critters trying to get into my damn house. The front porch was just about done.

Archer had been working on the domed archway. He'd matched it to the Gothic style and modernized it just a little. Streamlined a few elements since the lake effect battered the house with both snow and ice in the winters. Not to mention the ever-present humidity.

The door was on order and would be in around the same time as the windows, so the front of the house would be done before September.

After the roof was done, then we'd build out the Widow's Walk so it was safe to look out at night.

I wondered if Harriette had spent time up there. If Archer hadn't been fucking with me, it sounded as if he'd found one of the journals like Dahlia had. Seemed like there was more story to tell when it came to our resident ghost.

I caught a shadow in the window of the tower room. Would she be happy with a baby in the house finally?

I guess we'd find out.

Satisfied that things were as in order as possible, I headed back to the Airstream. This whole chaotic renovation thing made me itchy as hell, but I knew it would be worth it in the end.

I climbed the few stairs inside, and Gizmo scampered out to meet me. "Where's your mama?"

Gizmo chirped at me and wound around my ankles.

"Still sleeping?"

He sat down and pawed at the air with another series of chirps. And that would be the feed me language. Then again, Gizmo was always looking for food.

I opened up his preferred can of the week. Ever-changing diet for this one, but at the moment, he seemed to be happy with Chicken Delight or whatever it was called. I scooped out a full can since we'd been distracted, and I wasn't sure he'd gotten a full helping today.

Not that the tubby cat was starving in any way.

I gave him a long stroke down his back, then I checked on Dahlia. She was curled onto her side, her dark hair spread out on my gray sheets, out for the count. She probably needed to eat, but I didn't want to wake her. I stopped in for a shower, then I climbed in beside her.

She might still be mad at me, but her body knew what it wanted. She turned in her sleep and found me, laying her head on my bare chest.

For now, that was enough.