Chapter 34

34

Dakota

T he guys have been calling and texting every other hour. I reject the calls and text them back with the blandest of replies: I'm busy, sorry. I need some time. I'm okay, don't worry about me. I'll call you back when I'm up to it. They do worry about me, though, and it is the sweetest thing. It pains me that I'm unable to cope with this entire mess. All I can do is enjoy a cup of decaf and watch the sunrise over the hills of Napa Valley this morning.

Chelsea joins me up on the terrace of a lovely bed they love you."

That hurts because it's true.

"I don't know what to do, Chelsea. In three days, it'll be Christmas. The deadline will expire, and I will have lost my only shot at instant salvation," I say, my voice trembling with despair. "I will lose the house. I'll never afford Prescott Academy for my girl. And on top of that—"

"You were publicly humiliated, and Keith is still out there, threatening to sue for Maisie's custody. It's a nightmare. I completely understand why you're frozen like this."

I can't help but let a bitter smile stretch across my face. "That's not even the worst part."

"Oh?"

"I'm pregnant, remember?"

"You're not alone."

"I know. I have you and Maisie."

"And the guys. You have to tell them, Dakota."

Tears roll down my cheeks. "I feel terrible."

"I get it, babe, I do. You weren't planning any of this, but you have to let them know. You have to let them help you."

"What if they don't want it?"

"Well, I'm sorry, honey, but it takes two to make a baby," she scoffs. "Or, in this case, one of three plus you to make a baby." That gets a chuckle out of me. "Point is, one of them is the baby's father. And they won't let you struggle on your own. You know they won't."

I take a deep breath, staring out into the great wide open for a while. "It's all just so complicated. And if I have to fight Keith in court on top of everything else..."

"Do you really think Keith wants Maisie? He's just threatening custody to hurt you. And a judge would see he's walked away from her before. I don't think you need to worry about that."

Chelsea's phone buzzes. I notice her subtle frown before she responds, then slides the phone back into her jeans pocket. "You know, you can still get married. We'll find another officiant."

"I think that ship has already sailed, and I need to move on."

"Talk to the guys."

"I need to figure out what to do next."

"Talk to the guys."

"You sound like a broken record," I snap.

Chelsea pins me with a stern gaze. "This is the worst possible time for you to be so goddamn stubborn when you clearly need all the help in the world. Put your fucking ego aside for once. If the Faulkner brothers can help, why not let them? Maybe the relationship will evolve; maybe things will get better between the four of you. And if not, you can reach an agreement. Work for that money until you can pay it back. Come on, Dakota, it's not the end of the world if you let them help you. Maisie deserves better."

And that's where I am compelled to draw a line with myself because Chelsea is right. My girl deserves better, and so does the little one currently growing in my womb. "You make a fair point," I mumble. "I just need to come to terms with myself, I guess."

"Screw the inheritance if you don't want to give that another shot, fine. But don't lose sight of everything else. Life, as you know it, doesn't have to be over. You're not a quitter, Dakota. You never were." Chelsea gets up. I hear her phone buzzing again. "I am really sorry; I need to take this call."

"It's okay," I tell her. "I'll hang out here for a little while longer. Then I'll wake Maisie up, and the three of us can go downstairs for breakfast."

I give her one last smile before she walks away, then continue to stew in my own juices for a while. There have been times when my pride and strength kept me afloat. This, however, is not one of them. I have backed myself into a corner. I lost enough in my marriage to Keith, and the fact that I'm about to lose my grandmother's house stems precisely from poor decisions made during that time.

But it's too late for hindsight thinking.

It's done.

From here, I will need to find a way forward. I just need the courage to accept that I can't do it alone. All I can hope for is that Reed, Archer, and Maddox will come through if I ask them.