31. Sabrina

“Not here.” I tucked Keith in close, and the fact that he didn’t complain worried me. He was appropriately affectionate but had reached that stage where hugs from Mom were borderline gross. “Please, Russell. Not right now.”

He must have read the need in my expression because he backed down. Where Chase or Garrett would have pushed, Russell gave me room to breathe and I took it. “When?” Quiet concern made me ache to reassure him. Anything else I might have said disappeared with the look in his eyes. It hooked deep and asked me to have faith in him. In them. I didn’t know if I had any left to spare. “Tonight.” I risked squeezing his arm. “Call me once they’re ready to talk.”

He nodded once, a short, clipped motion. “We’ll meet up at your house. You’ll feel more comfortable there.”

Yes. Home field advantage. It had been a long time since I’d felt the need to employ that tactic, but I used it here without remorse. “I’ll answer any questions then.” I forced my feet to move.

Keith stayed close by my side through the entire walk from the office, the ride in the elevator, and the drive. Until I stopped at a nearby pharmacy. “I need to pick up a few things. Why don’t you pick us out some snacks for a movie.”

Grinning and finally coming out of the shell he’d wrapped himself in during the tense meeting, Keith raced to the candy aisle, leaving me to pick up a pregnancy test and a few other necessities to hide it from Keith’s keen eye. I hoped the candy and promise of a movie would distract him. The cashier rang us up and we were out the door within minutes, the tenseness dissipating the further we drove.

Keith released a sigh as we pulled into our driveway. “Will I get to stay up and see Mr. Russell tonight?”

So he had overheard that part of our chat. “Yes. You can stay up and say hello.” It might be the last time he spoke to the men he’d attached himself to after a single trip to the zoo where they charmed him into being friends. “Here.” I handed him the bag of candy and snacks while I unlocked the door and pocketed the pregnancy test. “Go ahead and set up the table. We’ll have a movie day.” Why not? I had nothing else to do except take the test. I slipped off to the bathroom once Keith raced into the kitchen to grab our snack bowls.

A quick read of the directions proved the tests hadn’t changed much since the last time I needed one. The minutes between peeing on the stick and waiting for the results slowed to a crawl. I paced the bathroom, then began picking up discarded clothes and tossing them into the hamper. My bedroom floor looked like something from a college dorm. Clothes littered every surface thanks to my inability to decide what to wear to work each morning. I found Russell’s undershirt, the crisp evergreen scent a dead giveaway, and held it to my nose. Tears threatened. I might lose them tonight. No matter what the test said, I might never see them again.

Russell might not even be able to convince them to see me now that they knew the truth. Or, what Chase considered his version of the truth. My frenetic pace had the room clean and the bed made seconds before my phone alarm announced the test was finished. Heart in my throat, I approached the bathroom, Russell’s shirt fisted tight in both hands beneath my chin. “Please.”

I didn’t know which result I prayed for, but when I focused on the test and the bold PREGNANT glared back at me, my legs collapsed, dumping me onto the floor. Cold tiles pressed into my legs, the chill invading my bones. The soft blue walls faded in and out of focus, and I locked my gaze on the frosted shower door where we’d spent so much time together last night. How did things change in the blink of an eye? I’d been prepared to agree to forever, and now I might be saying goodbye. It wasn’t fair.

“Mom? I have the table ready.” Keith knocked on the bedroom door, his voice muffled.

I tried to answer him, choked, and tried again. “Be right there.” My knees shook, but I gripped the edge of the sink and pulled my body upright. “You can do this.” I pointed at myself in the mirror. “You are a strong, capable woman. No matter what happens tonight, you can do this.” My pale complexion and the waxy sheen of my skin argued back. I pushed my dark hair over my shoulders and lifted my chin while trailing a hand over the flat plane of my stomach. I’d need to schedule a doctor’s appointment soon.

“Hurry up. The drinks are getting sweaty.” Keith’s shadow moved back and forth in front of my door. “Can I pick the movie?”

“Sure.” I changed out of my dress and slid into my favorite pair of jeans and a purple crop top. “Nothing scary.”

Keith made a groaning noise and stomped off with an aggravated huff. “It was just the one movie. I’m not afraid anymore.”

I rolled my eyes and tugged on my favorite socks. Right. Just the one movie that scared him for a solid month and still gave him the occasional nightmare. I’d learned my lesson that night too. No taking anyone else’s word about the appropriate age range for a movie. “Okay. What are we watching?” I scooped up Keith’s shoes and tossed them into the bin by the front door on my way to the couch.

Keith had been busy in my absence. He’d opened every snack and dumped them into bowls, adding canned drinks from the refrigerator and a stack of napkins between the two remotes. He hopped onto the couch and pressed the play button. “This one sounds awesome. It’s about monster trucks.”

I scanned the title and typed it into my phone for a quick review. “Yep. Sounds cool.” The soaring opening score boded well for the movie’s theatrics, and I settled into the couch cushions with a bowl of gummy worms that I knew I’d never be able to eat thanks to the constant churning in my stomach and racing heart. I hadn’t given Russell a time to come over. He could knock on the door any minute, though I expected it would take him a few hours to get Chase and Garrett calmed down enough to look at my face, much less talk.

Keith prattled on about the movie, making speculations about what he thought would happen next and eating enough junk food for both of us.

My stomach fluttered and even though I knew it was way too early to feel the baby moving, I couldn’t stop myself from splaying a hand over my abdomen and imagining what it would be like to have another baby around.

Music blared from my phone, and I swiped it up with a hitching breath. Miranda’s name on the screen calmed my thundering pulse and I answered with a grin. “Hey, girl. What’s up?”

Silence lasted long enough to set off my internal alarm, then Miranda’s voice ratcheted up the tension. “Are you busy? Can you come by the office?”

“Why? What’s wrong?” Had Chase taken his anger out on Miranda? My feet hit the floor with a thud that sent shocks up my legs.

“I don’t know.” Miranda’s voice rose and fell in a wave. “Something’s not right.”

Okay. That could mean anything. “What’s going on?”

“That’s just it.” Miranda’s steps clacked, her heels striking hard. “It might be nothing, but I have a weird feeling, and I need you to come. Can you?”

Miranda almost never asked for anything. I motioned for Keith to pause the movie. “I’ll have to bring Keith with me. Is Chase there?”

“I haven’t seen Mr. Grady or the others since yesterday.” Censure coated Miranda’s tone, and I flinched at having used his first name.

Seriously though, it wasn’t like we were in Regency England and I’d have to marry the guy because I used his first name. “Do you want me to call one of them to come in?” Russell, in particular, but Miranda didn’t need to know that. “They’d know if something was wrong.”

“But if I’m wrong, they’ve come in for nothing. I don’t want that kind of attention.” Miranda’s steps increased, the sound echoing like she’d entered a large space. Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I think I found something related to the theft.”

My heart froze in my chest. “Keith, put everything away and get ready to leave.” I turned off the TV amid his protests. “We’ll finish it later.” I tried to sound enthusiastic. “I’m taking you to my work.”

“You’ll come?”

The relief in Miranda’s voice spurred me to shove my feet into my sneakers and grab my keys. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Where can I meet you?”

“I’m outside right now, but I’ll meet you in the lounge. See you soon.”

She ended the call, and I stared at my phone for several seconds while waiting on Keith. Should I call Russell? He’d want to know. So would Chase and Garrett, but I didn’t trust they’d listen to me without Russell there. Whatever Miranda had found might be exactly what I needed to clear my name once and for all. Russell acted like he trusted me. He’d been the only one who didn’t accuse me today. But he might have his doubts after Chase and Garrett got him alone. This was my chance to prove myself once and for all. Not to Dad, but to the men I loved with all my heart. I’d do anything for them, give anything.

A quick look at Keith and my belly and I amended the thought. Almost anything. My children were my first priority. Children. Holy shit. The reality of the pregnancy test almost knocked me down again. I palmed the wall to stay upright. Which man was the father? Would it matter to them?

“Why are we going to your work?” Keith slung a plastic bat around his head before pulling on his shoes and tying the laces. “Are we going to spy?” His eyes lit up briefly before the glow faded. “Are we the bad guys?”

How much of the conversation in Dad’s office had he understood? Obviously not all of it.

I hunkered down in front of him and cupped his face between my hands. “We are not the bad guys. We’re going to try and catch the bad guys who have been stealing from Grandpa Leon and Mr. Russell.”

“Really? Do I need to bring my computer? Uncle Markus showed me a cool hacking trick today.” He raced to his room for his laptop and came back with his backpack bouncing on one shoulder. “Let’s go.” Grabbing my hand, he dragged me toward the front door. “I can’t wait to tell everyone at school.”

Oh boy. Poor Mr. Chandler. I’d better expect a call from him next week when word spread. No one would believe Keith, and with his current track record of fighting, I’m sure the principal would want to talk to me again. This time about Keith lying for attention. “Slow down, buddy.” I hooked the strap of his backpack and pulled him to a stop so I could close and lock the door. “I hope we find out who the thief is. That’s the whole reason I went to work for Mr. Grady.” And I had the added desire now to prove my innocence from the whole debacle.

“Is it going to be dangerous? Should I bring my bat?” Keith made a mock swinging motion with his arms. “Will the police be there?”

“So many questions.” I managed a laugh. “We’re going to talk to Miranda. That’s all.”

His expression fell. “That sucks. I wanted to catch a bad guy.”

“Me too, buddy. Me too. But maybe we can have a look around while we’re there. You can show me that cool hacking trick.” Nothing appeased a computer kid like Keith more than the chance to show off. He brightened and ran for the car, leaving me staring after him with all his questions swirling around in my head.

What had Miranda found, and what exactly was I about to walk into?