His curvy craving, p.13
His Curvy Craving, page 13
A loud bark followed by a whimper echoed across the room. I looked over at my pitiful, left-out, spoiled dog and shook my head. “Come on, you wild thing.”
Kenny jumped up from his bed and bounded across the room. He leaped onto the couch and licked each of us in turn, then settled on top of our laps.
“I guess that means Kenny feels the same way,” J said.
I nodded and kissed the side of her head. “Definitely. You two aren’t going anywhere.”
J nodded and settled in to watch the show on TV. X met my gaze and mouthed thank you. I nodded back. My family was not going anywhere. Not this year, not next, not ever.
14
Finley
I didn’t see Trent again during our trip. When we checked out of the hotel, everything had been paid for already. I wanted to reach out to him to thank him, but I didn’t have his number. When we got home, Karissa suggested reaching out through her app, so I did that.
MustLoveBooks: You did not have to pay for our stay at your hotel. I told you we would pay.
NotALocal: I wanted to.
MLB: We both really appreciate it, but it wasn’t necessary.
NAL: I owe you so much more than that for the way I’ve treated you. I meant it when I said I want to get to know you better.
MLB: I would like that.
NAL: I’ll be in town the middle of next month. Can I see you then?
MLB: Yes.
I was still cautious about him. Sure, our chemistry was off the charts hot, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t playing me to get what he wanted. He had more money than me times a thousand or more and all he had to do was play nice and get me to drop my guard and he could swoop in and take my baby away.
I couldn’t let that happen, so I would get to know him, play along, but keep my distance and keep my defenses up. Just in case.
Karissa and I settled back into our routines after we got home. It wasn’t long before it was the middle of January and we were heading to my ultrasound with Hudson.
“How are you feeling?” Hudson asked as he drove north out of town.
Karissa and I looked at each other, unsure which of us he was talking to.
“Both of you,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m doing good,” I told him.
“She’s been talking to Trent,” Karissa informed him.
“What?” Hudson blurted. “Why the hell would you talk to him?”
I sighed. I knew Hudson was going to be upset. He made it clear how he felt about Trent. “He owned the hotel we stayed at. We…settled a few things.”
“Like him being a piece of shit who thinks he can say whatever he wants about you?”
“Hudson,” I said with a sigh.
“Fin, I don’t trust the guy. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt for a long time, but I can’t turn the other way after this. Why the hell would you give him another chance?”
I picked at my nail and chewed on my lip. I couldn’t tell him I’d lost my mind and Trent fucked me into submission. Or that I was painfully horny and Trent helped alleviate some of that. Both were true, but that wasn’t why I gave Trent another chance.
“They slept together,” Karissa answered for me.
“I’m aware. That’s why we’re heading to see a midwife.”
Karissa shook her head. “When we were in Niagara Falls.”
“You what?” Hudson bellowed.
I curled into myself, huddling against the door.
Hudson glanced over at me and sighed. “I’m sorry, Fin. But really? Why?”
I shook my head and fought the urge to cry. If I wasn’t thinking about sex, I was fighting back tears. Pregnancy sucked sometimes.
“She talked about him for weeks after they met. She likes him, Hud.” Karissa’s voice was soft and soothing. The peacemaker.
“And he showed her he’s not a good guy when he called her a whore and stormed out of O’Kelley’s after she told him she was pregnant.”
He wasn’t wrong. Trent did that, and he told all my friends I was pregnant before I was ready to announce it, and he insisted on a paternity test because he thought I was lying.
But the man I met the night I got pregnant, the man I shared an elevator ride with, the man who made me come over and over again in his office… He wasn’t the rich heir Trent MacKellar. He was NotALocal.
“I told him I wanted him to sign over his rights to the baby. That I would get a paternity test, but he had to give up all access and rights to the baby. He refused.”
“Because he’s a selfish asshole,” Hudson said.
“Maybe,” I admitted. “But I think it’s because family is important to him.”
“And?”
I shrugged. “He’s different with me. When it’s just the two of us.” I shifted in my seat. “He felt the baby kick.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Karissa said. She leaned forward, positioning herself between Hudson and my seats.
“It was weird. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about it. Trent cornered me in the elevator. He wanted to talk. The baby kicked, and I gasped because it was a good solid kick. Like he knew Trent or something.”
“Or he picked up on your anxiety being trapped by him,” Hudson mumbled.
“He doesn’t scare me.”
Hudson snorted.
“Anyway, Trent asked if I was okay. When I told him it was the baby, everything else fell away. He put his hand on my belly and the baby kicked again. Then he crouched down and said hi to him. Said he was the baby’s daddy and he would always be there for him.”
“What an ass,” Hudson muttered.
“What did you do?” Karissa asked.
“I panicked. I pulled away from him, and as soon as the doors opened, I ran. It felt too real, too good. Like he was actually involved.”
“Why isn’t he here if he wants to be involved?” Hudson asked.
“Because I didn’t tell him about the appointment,” I confessed.
“Because you still don’t trust him,” Hudson said.
“Hud,” Karissa said softly.
He glanced back at her in the mirror and scowled in my direction.
No one spoke for several long minutes. I stared out the window, watching the snowy landscape fly past us and wondered why I didn’t tell Trent. Maybe I should have, but the truth was, I still wasn’t sure. Was he playing me? Was he willing to try? Was he the rich asshole or the kind, ordinary guy? Who was Trent MacKellar?
“I’m sorry, Fin,” Hudson said after a few minutes. “I’m not trying to upset you. I’m worried, that’s all.”
I nodded. “I know. You’re not saying anything I haven’t wondered myself. I have no idea if he’s going to steal the baby from me as soon as he’s born. I don’t know if he’s really changed. All I know is I’m not going to keep my child away from his father. If Trent wants to be involved, I will not keep him away, but this is my baby. He will live with me full time. Trent will not ever get full custody.”
Hudson reached over and set his hand on top of my white-knuckled clenched fists. “We will never let him take the baby from you. Ever, Fin.”
I nodded again and released my clenched fists to hold his hand. He kept his hand on mine until we arrived at the birthing center and went in.
We were led to an exam room after I weighed in and gave a urine sample. I settled on the bed and answered all the questions asked of me, with some help from Karissa and Hudson. Julie knocked on the door and walked in shortly after the nurse left.
“Good morning, everyone. Nice to meet you,” she said, offering her hand to Hudson.
“You, too. I’m Hudson Grant.”
“He’s a very good friend and a second support person. Is it okay if he stays?” I asked.
“Of course. Who you want in here is up to you.” Julie took her seat and read through the nurse’s notes before she asked how I was feeling.
“Pretty good,” I told her. “The morning sickness is gone and I’m eating better. Still small meals frequently because when I eat a full meal I feel sick, but I feel good.”
“That’s the most important part right now. Your body knows what it needs so make sure you give it what it’s asking for. Your measurements look good, so how about we take a look at the little one. Does that sound okay to everyone?”
Karissa and Hudson nodded and took positions next to me so they could see the monitor. I lifted my shirt and Julie squirted gel on my stomach. She pressed the wand against my belly, and the whooshing sound of his heartbeat filled the room.
“Wow,” Hudson breathed. He reached for my hand and squeezed it.
I looked up at him, but his gaze was locked on the monitor. I ached for him that he never got to experience this with Hillary. He would have been an amazing father.
“The heartbeat sounds good. I’m going to check the baby’s heart and brain and organ development. Do you want to find out the gender today?”
I nodded. “If it’s possible, I would like to.”
“I think the baby is in a good position to do so. We’ll see.” Julie moved the wand and clicked around. I didn’t know what she was doing, but I didn’t care. I was watching my baby move.
At one point, the baby turned and looked at the ultrasound and I swore he looked right at me. Obviously, I knew he wasn’t since he couldn’t see me, but it felt like I locked eyes with my baby. Tears filled my eyes and emotion welled right up to the top of my throat.
Karissa put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed, and Hudson tightened his grip on my hand. I couldn’t look away from the monitor, staring at my baby as he moved around inside me.
“Okay, everything looks great. Nothing of concern at all. So far, you have a perfectly healthy baby.”
“Good,” I whispered.
Hudson and Karissa rubbed my hand and shoulder. Their support meant the world to me.
“All right. I think we can get a peek right here. And it looks like…” She laughed. “He is happily showing off for us.”
“He?” I breathed.
Julie nodded. “Yep. Obviously I can’t guarantee that, but I’ve done enough of these that if I could, I’d say you’re definitely having a boy.”
“A boy,” Hudson whispered. “Ah, Fin.” He rubbed his thumb over my knuckles and held my hand tightly.
Karissa leaned closer and stared at the screen. “Congratulations, Fin.”
I nodded, unable to say anything else.
Julie finished the ultrasound and printed off a picture for each of us, then handed me the stick with all the pictures and video. “Back in four weeks. You’re more than halfway through now, Finley. He’s going to be growing a lot more, and you should have more energy for the next month or so. When you come back, you’ll be into your third trimester and getting ready for the baby to arrive.”
“Wow, arrive?” Karissa said. “We need to do some shopping.”
Julie nodded. “There are tons of products out there and some of them you’ll find are not worthwhile to you. Do you have any other mom friends?”
Karissa and I looked at each other and shook our heads. “Not with young kids,” Karissa said.
“Go online. Mommy blogs are great sources of info. They’ll have product reviews and recommendations and you’ll get an idea of what you want to try.”
I nodded. “Thank you. I’ll do that.”
“All right. Enjoy the next month. I’ll see you all around Valentine’s Day.”
My breath hitched. That was when Trent said he might be back. Should I tell him?
I pushed the question away and thanked Julie. I scheduled my next appointment, and we headed back toward home.
“Thank you for letting me come,” Hudson said. “That was amazing.”
I took his hand and smiled. “Thank you for being here. You, too, Rissa.”
“I’ll always be here for my little nephew. Have you thought about any names?”
I shook my head. “In a way, he wasn’t real until today. I knew him and loved him, but looking at his face today was…”
“Yeah,” they both said.
“Do I need to talk to Trent about baby names?” I asked them.
“No,” Hudson said immediately.
“You can,” Karissa said over him. “But you need to decide what your relationship is going to look like and if he gets a say in something like that.”
I drew a breath and let it out slowly. “I just don’t know yet. Like I don’t know if I should tell him about the next appointment. He might be in town.”
“Be careful, Fin. Whatever you do, be careful.”
I nodded. I had no choice. If I was going to keep my baby, I had to be careful.
The weekend after my ultrasound, book club was all about babies. Karissa announced to everyone that I was having a boy, and we found out Zoe was pregnant, too.
“Damn, you guys work fast,” Melody teased her. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” Zoe said. “Sebastian wants kids, said he always has, and I want to give him everything he wants. We spent too many years apart.”
“But you’re excited about the baby, too, right?” Sofia asked.
“So happy,” Zoe said with a smile that lit up the room.
There was a big part of me that was jealous of her. Bringing a baby into the world should be a happy occasion. Something that you could share with a partner. And so far, I hadn’t had that. Karissa and Hudson were amazing, but neither of them laid in bed at night and talked to the baby. They weren’t consumed all the time with how hard it would be to raise him. And they wouldn’t be paying for day care or college or diapers. I knew they both would give me anything and everything if I asked, but I refused to take money from my family or friends.
Or from Trent.
“Have you told the kids about the baby?” Blake asked.
“I told all of them on Christmas morning. Sebastian had no idea,” Zoe said.
“That’s such a sweet way to tell them,” Karissa said.
“I had my first ultrasound last week, and Julie said it was okay to start sharing the news,” Zoe said.
“We’re so happy you did,” Melody said. “How did you keep the kids quiet that long?”
“I knew,” Piper said. “They told us on Christmas.”
Sofia nodded. She spent Christmas with them, too. “Alexis couldn’t wait to share the news.”
“She is not very good at secrets, but that’s okay. She’s been telling all of our guests. Probably all her classmates, too,” Zoe said with a laugh.
“She’s excited to be a big sister,” Melody said. “Is that why you guys couldn’t come over last weekend?”
Zoe chuckled and shook her head. “No. Sebastian really was working on the house and needed my help. We’re trying to get the kids’ bathroom redone before the baby comes. We know we won’t have any time after.”
“Derek said to tell you both hello,” Melody said.
“We need to have you guys all over sometime soon,” Zoe said. “Okay, enough about our baby. Finley, how are you feeling?”
“Good,” I said. “I have energy for now, so I’m happy.”
“What are you going to do with the shop?” Goldie asked. “Will you be able to do the events next summer?”
I nodded. “I’m only going to take a week or two off. Maybe less.”
“What?” they all blurted.
I shrugged. “I don’t have anyone who can run the place for me.”
“We can all help,” Blake said.
I shook my head. “It’s too much. You guys all have your own jobs.”
“Yes, but you need a break. You can’t go back to work that quickly, Fin,” Goldie said. “When I had Paul, I was so exhausted that even six weeks didn’t feel like enough time. You’re going to need that time to rest and bond with him.”
“Do we know anyone who’s looking for a job?” Karissa asked.
Everyone exchanged glances and shook their heads.
“I think that’s the only way we can convince her. I said I’d work from here and help out. You are all offering. But Finley has this place running like clockwork. For all of us to take over would be madness. If one person handled all of it, I think she’d consider giving up control. At least all the work would be centralized.”
I couldn’t argue with Karissa because it was true. I hated the idea of just getting by. I’d worked too long and too hard to half-ass it. Shutting the place down for a few weeks felt less risky to me than hoping it would stay running the way I needed it to for a month or two. I would take a hit, but it was temporary. I knew it would be difficult to go back to work so quickly, but it was my best option without someone to turn the place over to, someone I trusted.
“I could do it,” Melody offered. “I can take some time off.”
“You are not going to put your business at risk for mine,” I told her.
“She’s not going to go for it,” Karissa said. “I’ve been trying. Her mom offered to watch the baby once he arrives, but work isn’t something Fin will give up.”
“This place is my baby,” I confessed. “I’ve poured everything into it. And after last year and finally getting it in the black…”
The emotions welled up again. They all saw it, and I couldn’t do anything to hold them back. I rolled my lips in and shook my head.
“I have some events planned for next summer. We will keep you in the black. We will not let you lose your first baby, Finley,” Goldie said.
The rest of them murmured their agreement. I forced a smile and nodded, thanking them. Again, they reminded me I wasn’t alone. And I never would be.
15
Trent
Since the day Finley left my hotel, I was waiting until I could see her again. We talked and texted occasionally, but it wasn’t the same as being together. X told me I was losing it, but she was the only thing keeping me sane. Between X and J fighting more and more and things with my father continuing to go downhill, I had one and only one solace in my life.
