Chapter Ten: Kelsey

My hands shook as I held the test in my hand. I was standing in the middle of the bathroom after contemplating my decision for the last two hours. Andrew had long ago finished his shower and was out in the backyard, tossing a baseball with his young neighbor, Roman.

When I first saw the package in the bag, I thought his sister had been nuts. There was absolutely no way I could’ve been pregnant. But then, the longer I thought about it, I knew the possibility was there.

My period was always irregular. Most of the year, it would skip multiple months. It was “scheduled” to start in a few days, but it was never a given. Then after Andrew walked out of the bathroom shirtless, things clicked in place.

Caleb’s birthday had been a little over two months ago, and I’d gone to Vegas with him and a few of his friends. We’d been careful, but even condoms weren’t 100 percent, and we’d been so drunk there was a chance one had broken, and we wouldn’t have known.

“Damn,” I said, as I decided I needed to bite the bullet and pee on the stick.

Tearing open the foil wrapper, I glanced around the bathroom with wide eyes, expecting someone to walk in and start shouting at me.

The queasiness I felt this morning increased tenfold as I followed the directions and set the timer on my phone, the test resting on the back of the toilet.

It was the longest three minutes of my life, and I refused to take a sneak peek. Instead, I scrolled through social media, and despite my best efforts to avoid him without actually blocking him, Caleb’s photo popped up on my feed. His arm was wrapped around a bikini-clad model as they walked down a beach with a glowing sunset in the background. But it wasn’t just the new girlfriend who surprised me, since it wasn’t the one he was cheating on when he was with me, it was the caption.

Not only our smiles are sparkling.

It was the corniest thing I’d ever read, but even that didn’t distract from the sizeable rock on her ring finger.

Scrolling to learn more, I nearly dropped my phone to the floor as the timer went off with a loud buzzing sound.

“Oh fuck,” I mumbled, now afraid to look at the results.

It was going to be negative. It had to be.

But as I shuffled closer to the test, it was clear as day.

Pregnant with a capital P. And the baby daddy was engaged to another woman after only three weeks.

Whatever food I had left in my system chose that moment to reappear as I clutched the test in one hand and my phone in the other. Thankfully, my hair was already pulled back into a messy bun at the top of my head.

I felt like I was sinking into an abyss of darkness. It had taken all my strength to put on this happy facade I showed the world. Through most people’s eyes, I was a young woman with the world at her feet. But in reality, I was barely hanging on. No job. No boyfriend. No parents. Unless you considered my mooch of a mother as one. I felt more like the parent in our relationship.

Still in shock, I walked out of the bathroom like a zombie. The entire house could have been on fire, and I wouldn’t have noticed.

Making a pit stop in the kitchen, I downed a glass of water. I wanted something stronger, but that was clearly out of the question.

Tucking the positive test into the pocket of my shorts, I started to leave the kitchen, then thought better of it and grabbed a sleeve of crackers. Munching on the buttery goodness, I made my way outside and took a seat on one of the steps, watching Andrew throw the ball. He kept a crutch tucked under his arm on the same side as his injured leg.

It was nice to take my mind off of… everything. The monotonous back and forth of the ball was enough to calm my nerves. For as long as they threw the ball, it was clear neither Andrew nor Roman noticed I had come outside.

For a moment, I wished I had my basket of fabrics I left back at my apartment. Over the years, I’d taken up the old-lady hobby of quilting. I wasn’t very good at it, but I enjoyed using my hands for something other than massaging muscles.

Quilting was something I fell into by accident. When I was sitting in the hospital, before watching my dad take his last breaths after the car accident, a nice woman stepped into the room and laid a handmade quilt over my body while I slept in the tiny chair in the corner.

To this day, I kept the quilt in a fireproof safe on one of the shelves in my closet. It was one of the most special things ever given to me.

I hated thinking about leaving Ashfield, but I was excited about getting back to my things, even though I hadn’t missed my stuff even once since I’d been staying with Andrew. If I ever needed anything, Andrew made sure I had a way to get it.

My heart fluttered, thinking about the shirtless man standing at the other end of the yard. I didn’t want to be attracted to him. I didn’t want to like him. But my heart and brain didn’t care. I was invested.

Stupidly invested.

And I’d noticed over the last couple of days that he’d been coming around to my presence. He wasn’t as grumpy, wasn’t as brusque, wasn’t as Andrew as he was when we first met.

They tossed the ball for another five minutes, and I focused on Roman mostly, loving how much his little face lit up every time he caught the ball Andrew threw. I couldn’t fight back the smile as I watched the two of them together.

Stomach growling, I finished my crackers and went back inside to find another snack that wouldn’t upset my stomach.

I was ignoring the fact that I had about a hundred things to do, now that the test had thrown my future into a whirlwind.

Just as I shoved a second slice of Swiss cheese into my mouth, Andrew limped inside the house. Sometimes I wished I had the power to freeze time, because with the light sheen of sweat coating his body, I wouldn’t mind looking at it every day.

“What are you up to over there?” he asked.

Smiling, I showed him the package of cheese. “I wanted a snack.” I pulled out one last slice. “You… uh… played really well with the kid next door.”

“Roman? Yeah, he’s a good kid. Owen worked with him a lot when he lived here. The boy has some real talent.”

“I could tell, but I meant that you’re really good with kids in general. Your nieces rave about you all the time.”

“I had a lot of practice with my sisters.”

Nodding, I placed the package of cheese back in the fridge and took a deep breath. I was scared to tell him about the test. Saying the words out loud would make it all the more real. And if it was real, I had to accept the fact that I was carrying a baby.

“Hey, Andrew,” I called out his name as he headed toward the couch.

“Yeah?”

“It was positive.” I swallowed thickly, my heart thumping with the words out in the universe now.

“What was?” he asked absentmindedly as he turned the television on and chose a football game.

“The test.”

My words still must not have registered right away, but I could tell when they did. He stiffened and jerked his head around to face me.

“You…? You’re pregnant?”

Inhaling, then letting out the deep breath, I said, “Yeah.”

“Fuck,” he squawked as he stood. “I want to go over there and congratulate you, but I’m not sure how you’re feeling about it.”

“Honestly, I’m not really sure it’s sank in yet.” Glancing down, I ran my hand across my flat stomach. “I’m still not 100 percent sure how it even happened.”

“Well, crazy things happen when we least expect it.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want me to ask my sister for the doctor’s number, so you can schedule an appointment? I mean, I guess you need an appointment. That’s all they talk about when they’re expecting.” He was rambling, and for a second, it took my mind off the elephant in the room, because Andrew Keyes was fucking handsome as hell when he was anxious.

“That would be great. Thank you. I don’t really want to have to travel back to Nashville to see my gynecologist just for a confirmation.”

Before I finished my sentence, he was already typing away on his phone. The responses pinged almost immediately.

“I just texted you the number,” he said as he stood and tucked the single crutch back under his arm. Slowly, he approached the kitchen. Once he was standing in front of me, his breath hitched and fingers flexed.

“I’m following your lead on this, Kelsey, okay? I can be excited for you, worried, indifferent—however you need me to be. But, regardless of the outcome, I’ll be here for you.”

Licking my lips, I noticed his eyes darken as my tongue peeked out.

“Why?” I whispered.

“Because you’re… important to me. And I always take care of those who are important to me.”

“I wonder though,” I began. “Who takes care of you?” Reaching out, I let my finger brush against the back of his hand resting on the crutch.

His jaw ticked at my touch. “Seems to me, so far, you have been.”

Our eyes locked, and the air shifted, electrified. Andrew’s head bent toward mine, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest as the butterflies in my stomach came to life. This gorgeous man was going to kiss me.

He inched closer, so agonizingly slow, then a noise like a fire alarm went off in the bedroom.

I startled and took a step back.

“Sorry. I… uh… need to get that. It’s my mom. If she’s calling, she won’t stop until I answer,” I tried to explain, but Andrew’s warm smile had already slipped away.

“It’s fine, Kelsey.” I couldn’t tell if he was angry and disappointed like I was, or if he now considered what had been about to happen a mistake, but I sure as hell hoped he’d try again later. Andrew was so hard to get a read on sometimes that I prayed the interruption hadn’t put him off of kissing me all together.

The shrill sound started up again, and I hesitated, our eyes locking once more, before I spun around and scurried toward the bedroom.

I answered the call just before it ended and started up again. The woman was relentless.

“Hi, Mom,” I greeted as I yanked the phone, and the charging cord pulled from the wall, falling on the floor with a light thump .

“Finally. I thought you were ignoring me.”

“No, I was just in the middle of something.”

“And what’s so important that you couldn’t answer your mother the first time?”

Inhaling deeply, it took all my strength to refrain from telling her what I really thought about her importance.

“Just busy.”

“I see. Anyway. I was calling because I’m in Nashville and hoped we could go out to dinner tonight.”

That was code for she was hungry and had no money to buy food and probably needed a place to stay too.

“I can’t tonight. I’m sorry.”

“How about tomorrow?” she asked quickly. Her desperation was clear.

“Mom, I’m off on a project for work,” I stretched the truth, hoping she didn’t start asking questions. If she knew I lost my job, she would somehow blame me… or my father, since the Bears had been his favorite team. And there would definitely be no sympathy coming from her, but she’d probably weasel money out of me at the same time.

“Oh, wonderful. I’ll just stay at your place while you’re out.”

I’d been worried about this before, when she called a couple of days ago. I couldn’t remember for the life of me then if she knew where I lived, but to my utter glee, the man working the desk when I called to add Jackson to my approved list—so he could check on my place—reminded me she was on the Do Not Allow Entrance List with security. And the funny part was that she got herself added to the list without any requests from me.

She had, in fact, been to visit me right after I moved in two years ago. Security found her propositioning men in the elevators and mailroom the one and only time I allowed her to come see my new place. She’d thrown an exasperated fit, demanding to be taken to her daughter’s apartment, but instead, they called me down to let me know she was no longer allowed to roam the property alone.

So now I knew she couldn’t go into the building without me escorting her.

If she was ever found wandering around the building again, they were going to call the police and fine her.

My glee simmered down when I realized too late that meant I would be the one who’d end up paying the fine.

“Mom, you know you can’t,” I murmured, rubbing my forehead to stave off the pounding that was starting inside my skull.

“Don’t you think you could call security and let them know I’m watching your place while you’re out of town? I’m sure they’d understand.”

There was no chance in hell of that happening.

“Um… I’m actually subletting my apartment while I’m away for this job,” I lied.

“Oh. Well, where are you? Maybe I could meet up with you there.”

I was absolutely not letting her anywhere near Andrew. She’d be obsessing over the man the moment I introduced them. Or worse, she’d hit on his dad.

Talk about embarrassing.

My mom was a hopeless romantic, always immediately in love with whoever she was sleeping with at the time. Could be one night; could be one month—it didn’t matter. If there was a man in the picture, her heart told her he was the one. And when the man ended things, she would go through a depressive state that usually lasted days on end, with her in bed rewatching classic romance movies. But not a week later, she’d doll herself up and go out to find her next conquest.

It was a vicious cycle I memorized at a young age. She didn’t even have to tell me what was going on in her personal life when she decided to call, in order for me to know where she was in the sequence. It was how she asked for a large sum of money, which meant she wanted to impress the guy. Or if she asked to stay with me, which meant she was past that part and had already been dumped. And I knew when we were in the starting-over process, because she’d ask if I wanted to join her for some shopping—my treat, of course.

“Mom, what’s this really about?” I asked, though I already suspected her last relationship had fizzled out, and she was about to embark on her movie-watching journey.

“Why does it have to be about anything? Can’t I want to spend time with my daughter?”

I wanted to chime in and say, “Since when?” but I refrained.

Tilting my head forward, I rubbed my temples now, a full-on headache now forming with each passing second I spent on the phone with my mom.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” I responded.

“But since you must know, I had to leave that complex I was living in. Do you know they barged into my apartment unannounced and kicked me out?”

“Mom. You were evicted ?”

“Kicked out, my dear. They wouldn’t even let me explain why I couldn’t pay my rent.”

“You weren’t paying your rent?” I asked, my voice rising with each word. “How far behind were you?”

“Just four months. I had a deal with the previous manager, but then they got this new guy, and he and I just weren’t a good fit.”

“Why wasn’t he a good fit, Mom?” I asked, but I suspected I already knew the answer. She used her body and good looks to get away with things most people would never even attempt.

“Because he’s married to a wretched woman, Kelsey. She even carried a knock-off handbag. Can you believe it?”

I could, because not every woman wanted to splurge their entire paycheck on a designer-label accessory to only use it once and then let it collect dust in a closet until they were scraping by, then try to sell it for their next hit. My mom’s drug of choice being herself, of course.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Mom. I really am,” I told her as I ran my hand across my stomach. If ever there was a time to put my foot down, it was now. Though, my mother had a miraculous way of gaslighting me until she got what she wanted, and always at my expense. “But I can’t help you.”

In a split second, her entire demeanor changed. She went from sad and woeful to downright mean.

“What do you mean, you can’t help?”

“Again, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you this time. I have… my own stuff going on. I’m sure you’ll figure things out. You always do.”

“I can’t believe this. My own daughter is leaving me destitute to die hungry and on the streets.”

I wanted to shake her when she said shit like that. She had a damn good job. She just blew her paycheck as soon as it hit her account.

“That’s not it at all. I’m sure you’ll find a place to stay.”

“With what? I have no money.”

I inhaled deeply and held my breath, then let it release slowly. “That’s something you’re going to have to figure out for yourself.”

“Fine,” she snarled, and I imagined her lip curled up in disgust. “I’ll be at the Airport Motel if you need me.”

Before I could say anything else, she abruptly ended the call.

As much as I wished it was the last time I’d hear from her, I knew it wasn’t. The moment I let her into my life again, she knew exactly which buttons to push to keep me complacent. One good call or meeting would make up for months of the narcissistic gaslighting I had become all too familiar with, and the cycle would start all over again.

I just didn’t think I had the strength to keep her in my life anymore, now that I potentially had someone who was going to need me more, who was truly my responsibility, unlike my own mom. Immediately, my eyes popped up to the door, remembering I’d left Andrew standing in the kitchen. I wondered how much of the one-sided conversation he heard.

Leaning down, I grabbed the charger off the floor and plugged it back into the wall. Remembering Andrew had texted me the number for his sisters’ doctor’s office, I decided to go ahead and rip off the Band-Aid and schedule an appointment.

It was late in the afternoon, and I secretly hoped no one answered. My palms were sweaty as the phone rang, and I wiped them on my shorts as I wedged the phone between my ear and shoulder.

“Hello, Women’s Clinic, how may I help you?”

“Uh… yes, I need to make an appointment.”

“Who is your doctor?”

“Oh, I… um… don’t have one here. I’ll be a new patient. I’m only here temporarily for a job.”

“Okay, let me see what I have available for new patients.”

The sound of the woman clicking her mouse and typing on her keyboard filled the silence between us.

“For an annual exam, we have an opening in two weeks. Will you need a pap smear as well?”

“Uh… no… actually, I’m not calling about an annual visit. I need a pregnancy confirmation.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry about the misunderstanding. Let me switch the appointment filters. How far along are you?”

“Um, one sec.” Pulling the phone away, I brought up my calendar app and counted the weeks since I last had a period.

“Ten weeks,” I told the receptionist, and her clicking continued.

“Have you had a positive over-the-counter pregnancy test?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Okay, I have an opening next Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m.”

“I’ll take it, please.”

“Sure, I’ll need your name and some other information, and we’ll get you squared away.”

After giving her my name and date of birth, then answering a few personal questions, she confirmed the appointment.

“Well, see you next Tuesday at eight, dear. Please bring your insurance card. If you can call your current doctor’s office and have them fax your records over, we can be sure to make a complete file for you. Do you have a pen and paper to write down the fax number?”

Searching around the room, nothing popped out at me, so I opened the nightstand drawer. I recognized the thick envelope from the mail a few weeks ago, and an invitation was visible beneath the fold. I moved it aside and found a stack of Post-its and a pen, realizing too late I could’ve just put her on speaker and typed it into my Notes app.

I rolled my eyes at myself. “Yes, I’m ready.”

She called out a number, and I jotted it down before thanking her and ending the call. It was going to be a pain in the ass to get the records transferred, but I figured it would be easier in the long run to keep everything together while I was here. Andrew was still going to need a couple more weeks of therapy before he was able to remove the brace.

I pulled off the sticky note and tossed the stack and pen back in the nightstand. The desire to snoop was strong, and I found myself pulling the envelope out of the nightstand and tugging the invitation free.

It was for Colton’s sister, Sadie’s, wedding. I’d met her once when I was visiting Rory, and she was around my age.

Why did Andrew have this hidden away?

Plugging my phone back into the charger, I then held the invitation behind my back while carrying the sticky note with the other. I was going to add the number and my appointment time to the calendar that hung on the pantry door.

“Appointment is for next Tuesday,” I said as I walked out to the living room, where Andrew was slouching back on the couch with his legs propped up on the coffee table.

“Good. I’ll go with you,” he said as he muted the television, turning his full attention toward me.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.” His eyes softened, and I knew he would be joining me, regardless of if I wanted him to or not. And truthfully, I was terrified of going alone. It would be comforting to have him there.

“Fine.”

Behind my back, the invitation was burning my skin like a branding iron. I had no idea how to bring it up.

“So, um…”

“How was the call with your mom?” we said at the same time, and we both chuckled.

“It was a typical conversation with my mom. She calls wanting something, and when I don’t give it to her, she gets angry. My therapist friends say I should cut her out of my life completely.”

His eyes searched mine. “I would have to agree.”

“It’s just… she’s all I have.”

“Is she though?”

Shrugging, I tapped the invitation against my back.

“Seems like the baby will be someone you have too. And will need you more than she does.”

He was right. I knew he was, but I still found it impossible to consider cutting ties with my mom after we’d been working on what we did have.

“And no offense, but your mom sounds like a grade-A narcissist.”

That was something I’d heard many times before and a conclusion I started coming to myself.

“What makes you say that?” I asked curiously.

“I’ve met my fair share in the past. I can usually pick them out of a crowd now.”

“Hm….”

“Something on your mind?” he asked as he moved to stand.

“No… well, yes. I was snooping when I was looking for something to write a fax number on, and I found this,” I explained, holding up the invitation.

“I see,” he said, and I flinched as he walked forward without his crutch, immediately regretting my decision. It was none of my business, and here I was, putting myself in the middle of the situation. “I was just wondering why you never mentioned anything about it. It’s not even on the calendar. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“You’re right,” he said as he snatched the invitation out of my hand. “It wasn’t. But it is now.”

My eyes narrowed as I tilted my head in confusion.

“Would you want to go with me to the wedding?”

I don’t think I could have been more surprised if my favorite band walked through the front door and invited me to go on tour with them.

“What?” I squeaked.

“Do you want to go to Sadie’s wedding with me?” he asked, his eyes hopeful.

“Like… as your date?” I clarified.

“Yes. Unless you just want to go as friends.”

“Um….” I was dumbstruck as he leaned closer, then, as if in a dream, his lips lightly brushed against mine.

“Say yes, Kelsey,” he murmured there, his breath teasing me into compliance.

“Yes,” I whispered. I wasn’t certain if I was saying yes to the date or the kiss. It was both, if I was being honest with myself.

His lips pressed to mine, and for a second, all of my worries in life completely fell away.

Because the most gorgeous man I knew was kissing me.

Andrew freaking Keyes was kissing me.

If I was dreaming, I never wanted to wake up.

Chapter Eleven – Andrew

I wasn’t sure what possessed me to kiss Kelsey, but I wasn’t regretting it. I’d never felt so intoxicated by a woman before. In the kitchen earlier, I had an overwhelming need to taste her, to hold her. If her mother hadn’t called, I would have taken her against the kitchen counter, bum leg and all.

“Fuck,” I groaned against her mouth as I blindly tossed the invitation behind me.

My hands were itching to touch her and reached for her waist.

“Is that the only word you know?” she mumbled, her eyes still closed as if she didn’t want to know if this wasn’t reality.

I felt exactly the same way.

Chuckling, I shook my head and said, “No,” before devouring her mouth again. My tongue slipped between her lips, and my cock jumped in excitement when she moaned as our tongues brushed against each other.

The skin along her waist felt like the smoothest silk beneath my fingers. I took another step toward her, forgetting about my knee and wincing as I put too much weight on it.

I groaned in pain and instantly regretted it as Kelsey pulled back, but my fingers latched onto her hips to keep her from moving too far.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her gaze lowering to my braced knee.

Replying, “Yeah. Just this damn leg,” I knew instantly my fun was over for the time being, because her expression went into full-on medical professional mode. But it was endearing as hell.

Kelsey tried to get me to complete some new exercises for my knee, while I ignored her and tried to watch the football game. She gave up after ten minutes—clearly still weak from her battle with morning sickness, or she would’ve pestered me for much longer—and sat next to me on the couch, reading a book.

It all felt domestic, but my typical need to run from this feeling was nowhere to be found. Even with the kiss, things weren’t awkward at all with Kelsey. Other women would have tried to immediately throw a label on us after that, but not Kelsey. She was acting as if it hadn’t happened, and for some reason, that bothered me more than if she’d been awkward about it.

Those were thoughts I was going to have to examine another day, because she was dozing off beside me, her body curling up on the couch cushions as the book she was reading rested on her chest.

With a swift glance at the clock, I saw it was late enough to put her in bed. I was hoping to head to the farm for a few hours the next day and then do something special for the woman who had swiftly taken over my whole life.

Something that was going to force me into a situation I’d been avoiding for twenty years.

“Hey,” I said as I nudged her gently. The corners of her sleep-filled eyes crinkled as she grinned.

“Hey.”

“Game’s over. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Oh. Did we win?” she asked, and the innocent joke made my chest feel funny.

“Yeah.” I smiled.

She sat up, looked at the clock, then over at the spot where she used to store her inflatable bed. “I forgot all about the air mattress. I’ll just get the blankets, sleep on the couch, and figure it out tomorrow.”

“Yeah… no. That’s not happening. You’re sleeping in the bed,” I declared.

“But you can’t sleep out here.” She shook her head.

I rolled my eyes. “Clearly. We can share the bed again, Kelsey. It’ll be fine.”

I could sense she wanted to argue with me, as her eyes narrowed, but then she wisely thought better of it. There was no reason for her to fight me anyway, because I would have carried her to that bed to sleep—with or without the injury. She and the baby needed it.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she brushed past me and headed to the bathroom, while I stripped down to my boxer briefs and tugged on a pair of fresh basketball shorts. I typically slept in the nude, since I ran hot at night, but I was trying to be a gentleman. Something that was new for me.

When she exited, we switched places. By the time I came back to the bedroom, she was cuddled up under the blankets as close to the edge as possible.

This time, I actually remembered to turn the ceiling fan on high, since I wanted nothing more than to slip under those same blankets with her, and I did just that. Then I reached across the bed and tugged her closer.

“You’ll fall off if you sleep like that.”

She exhaled a puff of air through her nose and glared at me over her shoulder. “I would not. I barely move when I sleep.”

“Sweetheart, you can keep thinking that.” I had it on good authority, as in myself the night before, that she twisted and turned through most of the night. Luckily, once her tossing landed her in the middle of my chest, all it took was my arm around her back to still her movements, and I was able to catch a bit of shuteye.

The room was bathed in darkness from the closed curtains, and only a little light came into the room from a nightlight she put in the bathroom.

“Hey, Andrew,” she mumbled as I laid on my back, staring up at the ceiling fan as it whirled.

“Yeah?”

She turned to peek up at me from her pillow. “I wanted to ask you about the wedding. It seemed like, before I found the invitation, you weren’t going to go. Why?”

“That’s a loaded question, Kelsey.”

“You don’t have to answer it. Like I said, it’s none of my business. I’m just curious, and… your voice is comforting.”

Well, if that didn’t just make me want to reach inside my chest, pull out my heart, and place it right into her hands.

I rolled on the bed to face her and lifted my hand, running my fingers over her hair.

“Sadie reminds me of someone I knew in my past. Someone I’d rather forget.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I was really protective of Sadie when she came into our lives. I wanted to protect her from the hurt I’d been through.”

“Rory says her fiancé is a nice guy.”

“Mmhmm.”

She yawned then, and I stroked my hand from her hair, across her cheek, to her jaw, where I tilted her face up toward mine. I pressed my lips against hers but pulled away quickly, before things could go any further.

“Get some sleep, Kelsey,” I murmured, my arm going to rest along her hip—both so I could touch her and to keep her still.

“Goodnight, Andrew.”

***

“This is it?” Kelsey asked as she looked out the window.

I’d driven again, because I demanded it. “Yeah. I checked the address before we left.”

The clinic was tucked away in a nondescript building behind the new recreational center. Thankfully, there was a sign near the door that pointed out the Women’s Clinic was inside on the second floor. A pediatric office took over the entire first floor. I guessed it was good to have both places in the same building. Very convenient.

Pulling the truck into a parking spot, I was worried for the first time since I agreed—again, demanded —to join Kelsey. About 90 percent of the people in Ashfield knew who I was and would automatically assume that I’d been the one to get Kelsey pregnant.

Not that I didn’t wish the baby was mine.

It was all I thought about during the night. Along with trying to figure out where that feeling was coming from.

But her baby wasn’t mine, and at some point, we’d have to explain the situation to others.

Kelsey had shut down my suggestion to call Caleb and let him know. I was willing to have him join her at the appointment, though the thought left a nasty taste in my mouth. But she wanted to wait until the pregnancy was confirmed by the doctor, along with a signed statement of how far along she was, in order to have proof—in case he pulled the typical asshole card and tried to deny the baby was his.

Plus, she wanted to hold off until she was sure she was out of the woods. Apparently, many women didn’t tell a soul about a pregnancy until after the ten-week mark, in case there was a miscarriage. At that time, the chance of losing the baby that way significantly dropped. And Kelsey said she wanted to be 100 percent sure her math was correct by getting the doctor to check her work.

It was driving me crazy.

He or she wasn’t my baby, but I was ready to tell the world.

Because Kelsey was beginnin to mean more to me than I ever thought possible as each day passed. A single kiss and I was a pawn in her hand, ready for her next move. And the sweet little thing had no idea.

I followed behind Kelsey, using a single crutch to take the weight off my knee. It had been almost a month since the accident at the rodeo, and I was itching to get fully back on my feet. And back on a horse. I didn’t feel like myself without the rodeo. But as I held the door to the clinic open for Kelsey, and she smiled up at me warmly, I couldn’t help but consider that maybe my priorities were changing.

Except I had no idea if she would still leave when I was healed. We hadn’t talked about it, and I almost feared her response.

Because I’d already decided—Kelsey and this baby were mine.

We took the elevator to the second floor, and once the doors opened, we saw where a few women waited in line at the reception desk.

“I’ll get checked in if you want to sit down,” Kelsey suggested as a couple of the women turned around, eyed her, and then eyed me with heated stares. They weren’t even trying to hide their nosiness or ogling, and for the first time, being eyed that way made me… angry.

“Sure, sweetheart,” I said, and I leaned down and kissed her thoroughly, prolonging the kiss just to show the other women they didn’t stand a chance next to my girl, then walked away, leaving a shocked look on Kelsey’s face. I didn’t bother checking the others’ reactions. Hers was the only one that mattered to me.

Ten minutes later, she joined me in the waiting area, a smug smile on her lips, as she whispered, “Showing off?”

“Always.” I grinned up at her, then winked as she sat beside me.

Many of the people scrolled through their phones or read a magazine while they waited to be called back. Some even eyed us over their timewaster of choice. But we spent the time chatting about the farm and what I planned to do in the spring. She’d joined me at the farm yesterday, and instead of just sitting on the back deck sipping lemonade, she joined me as I checked over the property. Nash drove us in the four-seater UTV, and Kelsey smiled the entire time.

I introduced her to Thunderbolt, who became instantly smitten with Kelsey when she snuck the horse a few sugar cubes.

The saying “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” apparently crossed species.

Mom cooked us dinner—my request of her chicken alfredo, since it was delicious and because I thought it’d be light enough on Kelsey’s stomach—and demanded that since I was out and about now, we needed to attend the Sunday family dinners. I wasn’t sure Kelsey was ready for that crowd yet, but she accepted the invitation and narrowed her eyes at me when I tried to decline.

Kelsey seemed at home on the farm, more than I did when I first decided to come back, relieve Aspen, and take over running things.

“I love your mom,” Kelsey said as another couple was called back to an exam room. This couple were clearly expecting a child any day now, as the woman struggled to walk, wincing with each step.

“I know she feels the same about you.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“I’m so envious of your family. You have no idea how lucky you are, Andrew.”

Leaning toward her, I let my nose brush against the shell of her ear, as I whispered, “I know that I’m lucky I get to take you home later.”

Her cheeks flushed as she tilted her head down. “Yeah?”

“Mmhmm…” I purred, letting my whiskers tease her soft flesh.

“Andrew,” she whimpered, and I was suddenly regretting my choices as my cock pushed against the zipper of my jeans.

Thankfully, I had time to readjust, just before the door opened once again.

“Ms. Davis?” a gentle voice called out. Kelsey nearly jumped out of her chair when her name was called, and I chuckled under my breath as I stood.

“Follow me, please.”

We were led back to a room with two large screens and an ultrasound machine. I’d been reading up on what would happen at this appointment since she took the pregnancy test. I vaguely remembered going with Mom on the special occasions when we’d find out if I was having another sister or if I’d get a brother that time. They all seemed to think I’d be sad each time the result was the same—a little girl—but really, I loved being the only boy.

Suddenly, a memory unlocked.

Nash sitting me down after we found out we were having Autumn—a baby sister for me, and his very first daughter.

Him saying that over and over—his first daughter , not his first child .

Him calling me “son,” which became his nickname of choice for me after that appointment, when before, he always affectionally called me “kid.”

Him telling me I’d now have a very important job, one I’d have for the rest of my life. My job as a big brother, to be his righthand man in keeping the little munchkin on her way to us safe.

Me hanging on his every word, because I loved the idea of being this big, strong, but infinitely kind man’s second in command.

The proud look in his eyes each time I kept Autumn from getting hurt as she learned to roll over… crawl… walk… run… climb….

And it was the same with all my little sisters.

I snapped out of the memory as the nurse asked Kelsey to verify her information. “Also, since you’ve already gotten a positive pregnancy test, we verify by doing an ultrasound, so just remove everything from the waist down and place the sheet over your lap.” She gave a couple more instructions, then turned to leave.

After she stepped out, I managed to keep from peeking at Kelsey by waiting by the door, so I could flip the switch that would turn on the light outside the exam room to let them know she was ready.

Almost immediately, leaving no time for things to get awkward between the two of us, the nurse came back into the room with an ultrasound tech, who introduced herself. While she set up the machine, the nurse helped Kelsey get in the best position for the scan, and she directed me to a chair by Kelsey’s head.

The tech prepped the wand, and my girl startled when the woman squirted lubrication on the plastic-covered tip.

Her legs snapped closed, even while her feet stayed propped in the stirrups, as she asked, “What’s that for?”

“They do the first one as an internal exam,” I explained. “Just because the baby may be too small to see.”

“Oh,” she replied as she relaxed. “How did you know that?”

“I’ve been reading up.”

“You have?” she asked, surprise filling her tone.

“Yeah, you can find everything online. Maybe we can stop by the bookstore on the way home, and you can grab a couple.”

She twisted her head and looked over at me, her eyes shining. “I’d like that.”

“All right, just relax for me, and we’ll get started,” the technician said as the nurse slipped out of the room.

A moment later, without the need for much searching, the room suddenly filled with the sound of those unlocked memories.

The baby’s heartbeat.

And to my happy surprise, Kelsey’s nervous and subdued demeanor of the past few days gave way to the overly excitable chipmunk I begrudgingly grew to adore. She peppered the tech with questions in a language only medical professionals knew, finding roundabout ways to get her to answer things after the first couple of times of being given “I’m only the sonographer. The doctor is the one who had to read the photos I take” as a response.

The entire exam took only a few minutes, and then Kelsey redressed and sat next to me in the padded chairs up against the wall. While we waited for the doctor to come to the room, we looked over the pictures the machine had printed.

I wasn’t sure what I expected, but seeing the shape of a distinguishable head and body in the black-and-white image was not it.

But it was the most beautiful set of pictures I’d ever seen.

“Hi, Ms. Davis, I’m Dr. Heller. I hear we have a baby on the way. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Her response was genuine, a smile on her face.

“And you must be the boyfriend,” she pointed out as she extended her hand toward me.

Kelsey and I hadn’t defined anything between us yet. It was too new, but I knew it was easier to just go with the title while I was here.

And the more I said boyfriend in my head, the more I liked it.

“Andrew. Nice to meet you. My little sister, Alex Easterly, had nothing but great things to say about you,” I told her, hoping the praise and referral—the Easterly name carried a lot of weight in Ashfield—would ensure Kelsey got the best care available.

Her eyes lit up. “Wonderful! Alex is quite the character. All of your sisters are. I’m glad to finally meet the big brother they always talk about. And it looks like y’all are expanding the family even more!” She gestured toward the photos in my other hand as she turned to smile at Kelsey, and then she seemed to catch herself. “But I’m getting ahead of myself here.”

I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but I leaned back in the seat and placed my arm along the back of Kelsey’s chair, feeling her relax against my side.

“I looked over your paperwork, Ms. Davis—”

“Please, call me Kelsey.”

She smiled warmly. “I see you’re measuring about ten weeks, Kelsey. Does that sound right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Dr. Heller pulled her eyes from the chart in her hand and looked pointedly at her. “And we’re happy about that?”

“Yes.” Kelsey’s voiced pitched up at the question, then realization dawned on me and her at the same time, and I understood what Dr. Heller meant about getting ahead of herself. “Oh, yes! Yes. I’m keeping the baby.” She ran her hand across her stomach. Something I noticed her do more than once since she took the test at home.

“Good.” The doctor’s smile could have warmed a refrigerator. “Let’s go over a few things, and I’ll write you a prescription for some prenatal vitamins. Your bloodwork from your previous doctor showed you have occasional low iron. So, we want something that will fix that.”

“Okay.”

The doctor threw out a bunch of information, and at one point, Kelsey grabbed my hand as it all overwhelmed her. I tried my best to absorb what information I could, but it was a lot for even me.

“Now, do you have any questions?”

“Lots,” Kelsey replied.

We all laughed, and Dr. Heller gave Kelsey a phone number she could call or text anytime if she had concerns. “It’s like a personal phone but for my patients. I understand how scary this all can be, especially for a first-time mom. I’m a mom of five myself. I try to make myself available whenever I can.”

“Thank you.” There was no denying the relief in her voice.

“I’m excited to be on this pregnancy journey with you, Kelsey. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need something.” With that, Dr. Heller left us to gather ourselves. Kelsey was quiet as we left the exam room, then the building, so quiet I started to worry.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” I asked as I opened the passenger door of my truck for her.

“Good. Just… overwhelmed, I think,” she assured, and I nodded, closing the door and making my way to the driver side.

When I was settled in my seat, I turned to look at her before starting the engine. “I get it.” Reaching across the center console, I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I’m here for you, Kelsey. And not just you. I’m here for anything the baby needs as well.”

Her eyes shimmered with tears as they met mine. “What are you saying?”

“You’re… special to me. I care about you. And I know this has all happened extremely fast, but… the fact still remains. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Her watery smile was the only response I needed as she said, “I care about you too, Andrew.”

I kissed her knuckles. “Now, let’s head to the bookstore to get you something else to read besides those thrillers you love so much, and I have a surprise for you.”

Her eyes lit up like a kid at a carnival. “Really?”

I nodded as I pulled away from the clinic and headed toward the center of town, but not before I snuck a message to my mom and sisters. I was going to need reinforcements for what I had planned.

Kelsey walked through every aisle of the bookstore as if each was a new cave of buried treasure for her to explore. I’d never been much into reading, a side effect from forced reading in high school, but even I found myself interested in a few autobiographies from World War II veterans.

After selecting my two novels, I went in search of Kelsey. It wasn’t until I made my way to the back corner of the shop that I found her surrounded by stacks of erotic romance novels.

The dichotomy was evident. Kelsey came across as a sweet and innocent woman, with her hair in loose curls that hung down her back, and wearing a dark-orange T-shirt dress topped with in an oversized white-and-brown floral cardigan, and white Converse sneakers on her feet. Yet around her were books that depicted all sorts of sexual exploration within a relationship.

It left me wondering how much of Kelsey was innocent, and how much of her was willing to try new things.

“There you are,” I said, and her eyes lifted from where she was reading the back cover of a book that had a man’s bare, tattooed torso taking up the entire front. Squinting, I read the title as Before the Lie by KD Robichaux. I set my selections on a nearby chair and wished I didn’t have my crutch as I moved toward her, being forced to hobble rather than prowl like I wanted to. Once she was within reach, I wrapped my arm around her waist. It seemed that since the other day, when we shared our first kiss, I hadn’t been able to keep my hands off her, always needing to touch her somehow.

“Here I am. You found me,” she whispered, reaching high to wrap her arms around my neck.

She met my lips in a subtle kiss before pulling back slightly.

“Did you find what you needed?” I asked her as I moved my lips to her jaw, trailing kisses across her soft skin.

“Mmhm.…”

“Good. You know, ever since I was in eighth grade, I’ve always had a fantasy about making out in the dark stacks of a library.”

“Well, we’re in a bookstore,” she pointed out teasingly as she pressed her hips against me. And I knew she could feel my stiffening cock against her belly.

“Same difference.”

“ And in front of a window,” she added with a giggle.

“Fine.” I faked being put out, and she used her hand to pull me down for another kiss, this one more heated than the last.

Her tongue dueled with mine as my arm around her waist held her tightly against me. Kelsey’s moans of desire wrapped around us like a blanket until I could hardly hear anything but her and my own heart pounding.

I wasn’t sure how long we stood in the middle of the erotic romance section, kissing like a couple of teenagers, when a cough sounded, and a gruff female voice called out, “Excuse me. Can I help either of you find anything?”

Kelsey jumped back and used my body as a shield, while I turned to face the old bookstore worker.

“No, ma’am, we’re all good,” I assured.

With narrowed eyes, she replied, “It seems that way. We can ring you up at the counter.”

“Great. We’ll be there shortly.”

As she shuffled away, I heard her say, “Kids these days,” before she disappeared around the corner, making me laugh at the idea of someone still seeing me as a kid.

When I turned back around to check on Kelsey, her face was the same shade as the shelf of red-colored spines behind her.

“Oh my gosh, that was so embarrassing.”

“Calm down, it’s fine,” I told her as she mumbled to herself, fidgeting with the bottom of her cardigan.

“Everyone is going to know me as the woman who made out with an Easterly in the naughty-book section of the bookstore,” she whined, like it was the worst thing possible.

“Thanks.”

“Ugh. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that the Ashfield grapevine is legendary, and I didn’t want my first impression to be so… carnal.”

“Oh, sweetheart. I can guarantee it won’t be the first time you’ll be mentioned. If you haven’t been already.”

“What?” she said, shocked, like she didn’t know every mother with a single son had been scoping her out since she first visited, and now that she was single, she was the newest eligible bachelorette in town.

Well, until we made things official between us. Neither of us had denied the title when Dr. Heller called me her boyfriend, and she hadn’t made a joke about it afterward. But it was still something that needed to be clarified, so there was no question about what we wanted.

“Gossip isn’t really my thing. You’ll have to ask Rory about it. Or my mom. She’s the first to know everything.”

Suddenly, her demeanor changed, and she gripped my forearm. “Do you think she knows about the baby?” she whispered.

Probably. Not just because one of my sisters added a pregnancy test to my shopping basket, and another gave me the number to her OBGYN, but because anyone who saw Kelsey walking into the clinic this morning probably said something to someone. Especially by walking in with “Marisol’s boy.”

News traveled fast, but in Ashfield, it was at lightning speed.

I leaned against my crutch and let my hand cover hers. “If she knows, I can guarantee she won’t say anything to you or anyone else without you mentioning it first.”

“Okay,” she breathed, no more questions asked, fully trusting me at my word.

As he checked out her books, I snuck a quick peek at my phone and saw my sisters and mother replied to my earlier text. Grinning, I helped Kelsey carry our books to the truck. Her five pregnancy-and-delivery books were stacked underneath two romances and one thriller. With how much she read, I knew she’d go through those in a week.

We walked a bit downtown and stepped into a newer restaurant that served different types of ramen bowls for lunch. Kelsey and I talked about her life in Nashville and her previous job, and the more I learned about why she had been let go, the more furious I grew. I understood from the team’s perspective, but her asshole of an ex deserved to pay for what he did. And when she disclosed that he was already engaged to a model, not even a full month after their breakup, I wondered if he had planned to throw her under the bus all along.

Beneath the table, I inched my leg closer to hers until our calves were touching. “Where do you think you’ll look for a job… you know, once I’m healed and can go back to working on the farm?”

“I don’t know,” she said, biting her lip as she glanced down at her empty bowl. She reached for her water and took a small sip. I wanted nothing more than to be the straw when her lips pursed around the plastic. “I’d like to stay in Tennessee. It keeps me close to my dad, you know?” she prompted, and I wasn’t sure if she was referring to his grave or his memory in general. Either way, I nodded, and she continued. “But if I had my choice, I’d stay here. I love this town. There just isn’t anything available for my line of work.”

I wanted to tell her there were options. The school. The small family medicine office. Or that she could open up her own clinic. With all the farmers and ranchers in the area, someone was always sustaining some sort of injury. Her expertise would be helpful in Ashfield.

But we were still new, and technically unofficially anything, regardless of the physical and emotional closeness we now shared, and I didn’t want to pressure her into anything.

“I’m sure something will come along. You’re welcome to stay at the house as long as you need to.”

“Is this your slick way of having me share your bed for the foreseeable future?” she asked with a smirk.

Laughing, I sipped my own drink and nudged her leg with mine, then said, “You caught me.”

My phone pinged on the table, and I glanced down to find the message I had been waiting for.

“All right, let’s go. I have somewhere to take you.”

“Really?” she asked excitedly as she jumped out of the booth and stood at the end of the table, bouncing on her toes and waiting for me to slide out.

“Yep.”

I walked past her, exiting the small restaurant while she followed closely behind. Not looking over my shoulder as I crossed the street and turned left down the sidewalk, I imagined she was anxiously waiting for me to tell her where we were headed.

“You’re not going to give me a hint or anything ?”

“Nope. Just another block,” I explained as we walked past the movie theater and town hall. I made a right down a small side street, where we passed the salon and made it to Second Street, which held a shop with a bright-pink-and-white awning.

Nicole’s Boutique was written in fancy lettering across the large front windows, and I peeked inside as I approached the door.

“This is where we’re going?” Kelsey asked apprehensively. “I realize we’re getting to know each other and everything, but you should know that I am not a big shopper.”

“I kind of already realized that,” I said as we stepped inside.

“You did?”

“Mmhm. That’s why I called for some help.”

I didn’t see my sisters or mom right away, so I took a moment to scan the store. What Nicole had done with the huge space was incredible. It used to be an old printing warehouse that went defunct when I was in elementary school. A few businesses came and went in the space, but it was vacant for a long time until about ten years ago, when Nicole took it over.

Word from my sisters was that she had the most beautiful clothing—both high-end and casual. Things for every price point.

“I’m just not sure what we're doing here, Andrew. I have enough clothes,” Kelsey said, pulling me out of my musings.

Reaching out, I tugged at a soft curl of her hair and watched it bounce up to her shoulder before falling back in place.

“Since you’re my date for Sadie’s wedding, I figured you’d need a proper dress.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened in astonishment just as the owner of the store came over to greet us.

“Hi, can I help you find something today?” she asked, her eyes glued to Kelsey before they peeped up at me. It was almost comical when Nicole did a double take. “Andrew?” She gasped, and I wanted nothing more than to run from the building and wait in the truck for Kelsey to finish, but my mother sidled up behind me and blocked me from moving.

Bashfully, I responded, “Hi, Nicole.”

I could feel Kelsey’s eyes darting between Nicole and me. Thankfully, Mom broke any tension as she moved around me and hugged the woman wearing designer clothes. “Hello, Nicole,” she said, giving her a warm hug. Nicole returned it without moving her eyes from me. “I’ve been meaning to call to see if that jacket ever came in. With the weather getting chillier, I’d love to have it.”

The mention of clothing broke Nicole free from her stare, and she immediately apologized to my mother for not calling sooner, but the jacket had just arrived that morning.

“Wonderful. Now, I see you’ve met my son’s girlfriend, Kelsey. She’ll be attending a wedding as his date and needs a dress for the occasion.”

Seems everyone was on the same page as the doctor, assuming Kelsey and I were an item. I looked over at her at the mention of her name and found her frowning as our eyes met.

“Mom,” I said as I started pulling Kelsey aside. “Why don’t you go see where the girls are? Alex was coming straight from her shop, but everyone else is meeting us here.”

“Of course, dear.”

I didn’t care about Nicole’s reaction as I tugged Kelsey toward the exposed brick wall with a gentle hand on her arm.

“Look, I’m sure you have questions,” I said immediately once we were out of anyone’s earshot. There were a few other shoppers in the store, who I didn’t want to overhear our conversation.

“Clearly. I mean, her reaction said enough.” Kelsey tried pulling away, but I wasn’t letting her go anywhere. Even though I released her arm, I stepped into her space.

“Look, I’ll make this short, and we can talk about it in more detail later, but Nicole is… complicated. We dated in high school, and then she dumped me the night of our graduation. I didn’t take it well and had sworn off relationships ever since.” I swallowed thickly. “Until you.”

She seemed too agitated to take in the significance of the last part I said and focused on the part where Nicole was my ex. “And what? We’re shopping at her store now?”

“Yes. I know none of it makes sense. Hell, nothing in my life made sense over the last year. Not until you came into my life. I promise I will tell you the entire sordid, embarrassing story tonight, but I promise you that I would not bring you here if I didn’t believe she has the best clothing in town. She works with actual fashion designers, Kelsey. I want you to wear the best dress money can buy, and that’s here.”

“It just… feels weird. That’s all.”

“I know. I get it. But that’s why I recruited backup,” I said as I glimpsed over my shoulder to see my sisters waltzing in like they owned the place. They probably did, considering how often they shopped here. Alex had her arm looped through Autumn’s, walking with a bit of a waddle even though she still had ten weeks left to go in her own pregnancy. They waved when they noticed us. “I want you to enjoy yourself today. My sisters are dying to play dress up with you.”

“Oh God. You’re throwing me to the wolves.”

I chuckled. “Pretty much. And just remember, you’re the one coming home with me.”

Kelsey’s hazel eyes disappeared behind her lids as they rolled. “That’s because I live there.”

Leaning closer, I brought our lips within inches of each other. “Is that the only reason?”

Just before I could kiss her again, Rory stepped into our bubble. “Break it up, you two. Ready to get started?” she asked her best friend, but her eyes were on me. I had a feeling she could tell there was something more happening between me and Kelsey than we wanted people to know.

“I suppose,” Kelsey answered through a sigh as I released her arm. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m meeting Nate at the bar down the block while the twins are in school.”

“What? Why can’t I go with you? This will be torture.”

Ignoring her statement, I took a step back and headed for the door. “Have fun,” I said, but Rory was already pulling her away.

Just as I tugged on the cold metal door handle, a soft voice I would have recognized in my sleep called out, “Andrew?”

I closed my eyes in an attempt to shut out any memories that sprang forth. Everything Nicole and I had was rocky at best, but I had a severe case of puppy love back then. She had been all my firsts. First kiss, first round of bases, first homerun, and first heartbreak. It took me years to get over the betrayal. So coming face-to-face with her was not something I would have done for anyone by choice. But Kelsey deserved it.

“Nicole.”

“How are you?” she asked hesitantly, probably just as nervous as I was.

“I’m good,” I replied with a quick peek down at my leg as I held the crutch under my arm. “The store looks nice.”

“Thanks. It’s… everything I ever wanted.”

“I’m glad. Sorry to run out, but I have plans with my brother-in-law. Let that woman get whatever she wants. She’ll try to pay, but Mom has my card.”

Nicole looked across the store, where Kelsey stood wide-eyed as my sisters held up dresses against her front and then threw them into her arms to try on.

“You got it. She’s special, huh?”

“Definitely.”

“Well, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.”

“Thanks,” I replied as I made an effort to push open the door and leave the Pandora’s Box of memories that were exploding in front of me.

“Hey, Andrew, it was really good to see you.”

Nodding, I left the boutique, sending Nate a message that I was on my way and to have a beer ready. Because after today, I was pretty sure I deserved a few.