33. Tilly

Chapter thirty-three

Tilly

L ying on the couch, absorbed in a baby book with my feet resting on Tommy's lap, I feel his hands gently massaging my legs while he watches TV. The tranquility of the moment is interrupted when Henrietta, Mack, and Miranda enter the living room, their expressions somber, prompting Tommy to switch off the TV. My curiosity piqued, I set my book aside.

"Everything okay?" I ask, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

Miranda glances at Henrietta, who gives a subtle nod. "We have an idea," Henrietta announces.

Tommy shifts uncomfortably. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to hate it?"

Right then, the doorbell rings, and Mack heads off to answer it. Moments later, he returns with Sam, Greg, and their baby, TJ, in tow. I can't contain my excitement; springing to my feet, I rush over to greet them. Sam entrusts TJ to Greg and wraps me in a tight hug.

Pulling back, Sam's gaze drops to my stomach. "Hi momma, how you doing?"

My smile is unstoppable. "I'm perfect. Could maybe use a beer but can't complain." She's got a goofy grin on her face too, and I know we're both thinking it. Having kids around the same time is some sort of dream come true. My earlier freakout with Tommy seems silly now. Of course, Sam will help me out if I need it too. She seems like she has this mom stuff in the bag. She raises a brow at me as if to say, ‘You sure you're okay?'

I nod and hold out my hands, like I'm saying, ‘I'm fine, shut up and let me hold that baby.'

"Greg, let Tilly hold Teej," she says.

"Okay, then," Greg says. I love that about him. He's pretty much a well-trained dog at this point.

He steps forward, offering TJ to me like a precious gift. Holding him in my arms, so light it feels like holding air, I'm struck by how much he looks like his mom. "God, he's your twin."

"Lucky guy," Greg says, wrapping an arm around Sam and kissing her forehead.

"So what're you doing here?" I ask, still staring down at the little bundle of red hair and hazel eyes.

"Miranda called us, said it was important. Told us everything, and we just started driving," Sam says. That's my girl, hearing I'm in trouble and zooming to the rescue. Someone get this woman a cape.

"It's an eight-hour drive!" I say, looking at her with surprise.

"TJ loves the car," Sam chuckles, but while she's talking, TJ begins to squirm in my arms. His face is all scrunched up like he's about to let me have it. Shit. I don't know what to do when one of these things gets upset. Just as I'm about to insist someone save me, Greg seems to read my mind and offers to take him back.

But when I hand him over, my arms feel strangely empty. Maybe next time he cries, I'll suck it up and try to figure it out.

I don't have time to think about it for long, because Henrietta suggests we all sit, and the room shifts to accommodate everyone. Miranda is the first to speak up. "I think we should give the family the surf shack."

The room falls silent. Miranda continues, "I want to help take down the family businesses. Me and Tommy have been talking about it for a while. But there's nothing nefarious about the shipping company I run anymore. The DEA agent wants access to the accounts, and I don't have enough."

"And she'll let you run the surf shack?" I ask, skeptical.

Miranda shakes her head. "But, she'll let you," she says to me.

"So what? Like a sting?" I'm trying to grasp the idea.

Greg and Miranda look at each other. So they've been talking too. It's oddly comforting. Seeing Miranda fit in with my friends, my real family. I've missed my sister. How could I not? She's my twin, and despite our odd upbringing, we always had each other's backs growing up. "It could take months, but that's kind of the idea. Get Tia to run money through the shack, then turn the info over to the DEA."

Greg clears his throat. "But here's the thing, you'll have to go to Tia and beg forgiveness."

Tommy tenses beside me, but Miranda doesn't seem to notice. "It's not that big of a deal. Just tell her the truth: you found out you're pregnant and can't run anymore. You need money to take care of your kid."

The thought of going to Tia, of lying like that, twists my stomach into knots. "That's not the truth. I was doing fine in Kansas," I say, my voice firm.

Greg tries to reason with me, leaning forward on the dark couch. "Tilly, I know you're an independent person, but this is hardly the time for pride."

Everyone is silently agreeing with him, but I cross my arms against my chest. "I can go with you to apologize," Miranda says.

The room remains quiet, the only noise coming from Murphy near the fireplace. He must be dreaming because he's whimpering in his sleep in the most adorable way. I try to digest their proposed plan as I watch the cute dog chase sleep rabbits.

It's a risk. And really, most of it isn't even mine. Sam would be handing over Sanderson Surf to the Cardenas family. It is Greg and Sam's one source of income for their family.

But it could also finally mean freedom. If the family could get busted for their role in money laundering, I might actually be rid of their threats and pressure for good.

I look to Tommy. My life is now tangled with his, and I can't ignore how this affects him as well. "What do you think?"

"I don't want to wake and find you gone. If this is how, then I'm all for it."

"And you?" I ask Sam.

She sighs and gives me a hopeful smile. "Oh sure. I don't want you running anymore either. After my whole thing, Til, it felt so good to set down roots. Start my family." She gives a dreamy look to her husband, who's still holding their son. I can tell she has more to say, so I remain quiet. "Without the worry of what will happen looming over me, I could love Greg and TJ like they deserve. If you don't do this, I think you'll be burdened forever."

Looking at Tommy again, he grabs my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. With him by my side, I feel a surge of courage, almost invincible.

"Okay, let's do it." Even getting those words out makes me feel better. This is going to work. It has to work.

Greg stands, handing TJ back to Sam. "I'm gonna call Detective Parker at the LAPD. We'll get this set up," he says.

Miranda rises as well. "I'll call Grayson and plan a meeting with Tia."

As Henrietta and Mack linger for a moment, Tommy's mom stands up decisively. "Come help me with lunch, Mack," she says, leaving Tommy and me alone in the room. But something is radiating off Tommy in full force. Something akin to panic.

"So…" I attempt to ease the tension.

Tommy's gaze fixes on the fireplace. "Where are we gonna live?"

"Uh, what?" His question catches me off guard, completely unrelated to our immediate concerns.

"I've been in San Diego the past two months, and you were living there, and Sam's there. Should we stay there or go back to Costa Rica... after the baby's born, of course. Hospitals here are better. And should I get a real job? I mean, I have my trust fund, but it won't last forever. Maybe sales, or surf lessons like you—" His words are tumbling out in a rush, obviously having some sort of meltdown.

"Whoa, Tommy! We don't have to figure out everything today."

"But we have a baby!" His breathing is quick. Too quick. The poor guy is going to pass out if he doesn't calm down.

"Yes, and we have months to prepare. You just told me that Ma will help out and Sam won't let us end up without a roof over our heads, and we can figure out the rest as we go along."

"Should we get married?" His question is so sudden it makes me laugh.

"Is that a proposal?" I tease.

He buries his face in his hands, groaning. "I don't know! It's all so... unexpected. I mean we slept together twice and got pregnant."

Lifting his chin so he's looking at me, I search his eyes. "But you're happy?"

His smile broadens, his ears turning red. "So happy, Tilly."

"Then I'm good right here. I don't need a wedding or a big house. I'm not that kind of girl. As long as our little man has a room and a comfortable life, we'll be fine."

"But Tilly, we have to decide something. We'd be stupid not to."

Taking a deep breath, I voice my true desire though everything in me is saying it's going to mess up what I've built with him over the last two days. "I want to live near Sam. I want our little man and TJ to be best friends, to surf and get into trouble together. But if you prefer Costa Rica, we'll make it work."

"No way. I'm not missing a second of this. I'll move to San Diego."

Leaning into him, relieved and content with his decision, he wraps an arm around me. If only we could resolve the issue with my family, I could almost consider my life perfect.