“I can see that,” and I hate that it’s this way. Hopefully with time he can accept that she and I are together, considering I’m not going anywhere.

  “I do have to second his words though,” He hands me the paper. “Don’t hurt my first born, she’s got me wrapped around her finger and if she cries I get a little angry.” He steps back and holds my stare. “Treat her right son.”

  “I will,” I leave Amara’s parents exhausted from only a thirty-minute interaction with her dad and brother. But determined to make things right I make a stop at my place, call my parents to bring them up to speed and hit the road toward Tennessee to find my girl.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-TWO

  Amara

  “Leah, will you go outside and get the iPhone charger?” Lauren asks from the table, hiding her smile with her hand. “It’s still plugged into the front port.”

  “Um, what?” Leah pauses in the living room, mid step.

  “Outside in Mar’s car,” Lauren adds, doing all she can to hold back her laughter.

  “You can,” she finally responds, “you’re the one that wants it.”

  “It’s your charger,” Lauren looks in my direction and I arch a brow. “Mine is fully charged but yours is going dead so I figured you’d want to charge your phone.”

  Leah hurries into the kitchen and picks up her phone, waking it she groans. “I’ll just use yours,” she shrugs and of course Lauren has an argument for that too.

  “Can’t, remember how mine had a short in the cord?”

  Leah nods.

  “It finally snapped, severed in two.”

  Leah then looks around in a panic, first at me. “I have an Android.” Then she seeks out Claire, “Me too kid, sorry.”

  We all watch the scene play out. Leah looks at the door, worries her lip, then looks back to us, and quickly toward the door once more. “I mean, I don’t really need my phone, we’re trying to get away for a girls trip right?” The look on her face isn’t even close to being convincing. She lives on her phone, and she is already feeling its absence.

  “It’s in the car,” Lauren adds, “like twenty feet away from the front door.”

  “I know, but I really don’t need it.”

  Lauren snickers and Leah looks at her. “What?”

  “You pretend to be all badass, nothing scares Leah Bennett, but you’re practically pissing yourself thinking about stepping outside of this cabin.”

  “I am not,” she argues.

  “Are,” Lauren retorts.

  Leah squares her shoulders marching across the living room and swings open the door. She steps outside, hits the unlock button on the keys and makes her way to the car.

  Opening the door, she reaches inside, then comes back out, holding the charger in the air. We are all standing in the still open door watching her.

  She starts sauntering back with a smirk on her face and Lauren points off toward the woods, her mouth falling open in horror and then she screams ‘oh shit Leah, run!’

  My normally brave sister screams so loud I swear it could’ve broken glass and runs so fast she almost trips over her feet. She barrels past the three of us, jumping onto a kitchen chair holding a broom, like that will fend off a bear. Her eyes are wide in horror and all the three of us can do, is laugh.

  I’m hunched over, holding my ribs, feeling the burn and Claire is on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Lauren has fallen back against the door frame, her head thrown back, practically hyperventilating with her own laughter and this is the best I have felt in days.

  “You’re all dicks.” Leah drops the broom and steps down off the chair.

  “I have one question,” Claire speaks from her current position on the floor. “Why on God’s green earth did you climb onto a chair and grab a broom? If a bear is chasing you honey you’d be dinner, because even the babies are taller than that chair and would chew the broom like a toothpick.”

  “It was instinct,” she sasses.

  “Oh sweetheart, this weekend is so much more than a girls getaway, Amara and I need to sharpen up your instinct, double time.”

  “I won’t be running from any bears back home.”

  We all step inside, closing the door behind us. “It’s okay Leah, I won’t tell anyone back home that you ran like a little bitch, and screamed like those idiots in all the dumb scary movies we laugh at.” Leah says giggling.

  “Keep it up and I’ll shave off your eyebrows when you fall asleep.” Leah deadpans.

  “I just roar,” Lauren’s laughs. “You’ll piss yourself and hide under the covers. I’m not scared.”

  Our entire day was filled with Lauren hassling Leah, because there are very few opportunities she ever gets to do so. Leah finally found the humor in it and joined in on the laughter.

  All four of us made dinner, each taking on a task.

  With dinner finished, and fresh popcorn made we all settled onto the big comfy couch and broke out the board games.

  “Did you and Tyler break up?” Lauren looks to me from across the coffee table, and I am at a loss for words. “Because he sent several messages through messenger that went to my spam asking me to tell you to turn on your phone.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Leah looks up from her phone.

  I glance at Claire, and she offers me a nod and I know I can’t ignore their curiosities any longer.

  “I’m not sure what Ty and I are right now.”

  “What does that even mean?” Lauren wastes no time. “You either are or aren’t together.”

  “It’s a little more complicated than that.”

  “Oh my God this is why I stay away from boys,” Lauren rolls her eyes. “Everything gets so weird, and no one admits what they want, or one person wants something the other doesn’t, it's a nuisance.”

  Claire laughs, then covers her mouth. “I am sorry, but these two are hilarious.”

  I ignore her, knowing she is no help. “When the two of you kept asking me on the way here if something was up I told you there wasn’t, but that was a lie.”

  “No shit,” Leah mumbles.

  “You both need to watch your mouths,” and of course almost simultaneously they pucker out their lips and look down like they are in fact trying to watch their mouths. “Remind me why I brought them?” I ask Claire.

  “Because you love us,” they singsong, and I laugh, because I do, so much it's sickening.

  “So who ended it?” Leah is the first one to ask and my chest aches.

  “I found out a few days ago that I’m pregnant.” The room grows silent, and the twins widen their eyes, and their mouths fall open in shock.

  “And that my friend is how you silence a room,” Claire says and it's my turn to roll my eyes.

  “I’m just saying,” she says, holding up her hands and then waving to me to continue on.

  “I wanted to tell him, but I was nervous. Tyler isn’t the type to settle down and though these last several weeks since the wedding we’ve been dancing around each other, both saying things and feeling things I was scared that this would freak him out to the point of no return.”

  “So what did he say when you told him?” Lauren leans forward placing her elbows on the coffee table.

  “I didn’t actually tell him."

  “What?” Leah wrinkled her brows in confusion.

  “He had the accident, and then stayed with me during his recovery and I won’t lie and say that there weren’t several times that I should have told him. I know I messed up, because he deserved to know.

  “So does he know now?” Leah asks.

  “He found the test I took under my bathroom sink the morning we left to come here, and he was upset that I didn’t tell him.”

  “He had the right to be upset,” Lauren, my logical sister says, and I can’t even argue.

  “He did, and then he said that we’d been moving fast and that it was overwhelming, and he needed some time. So I’m giving him time.”

  “Time to what? Figure out if he wants to be a dad?”

  I could let my sisters think bad of Tyler but that would be wrong of me. “I think it was more, that he needed time for it all to hit him. I’d known for a week, and he wasn’t given the opportunity for it to sink in, he was blindsided which wasn’t right. Tyler is a great guy, but he also has never been the kind that thought long term. And this, is as long term as it gets.”

  “You should have told him.” Lauren is a big fan of Tyler, ever since their exchange at the salon.

  “I know,” I take a deep breath.

  “So we’re going to be aunts,” Leah finally adds, and I smile at the two of them.

  “You are,” and I see lots of havoc in my future, because what this baby may learn from them frightens me.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-THREE

  Tyler

  The GPS shows I’ll arrive in less than ten minutes, and I’m both nervous and excited. The drive was hell, getting calls from my parents, Fitz and even Liam. Of course Liam heard where I was going from no other than Tucker that showed up at his place bitching and complaining about how I would only screw up Amara’s life.

  I got the third degree for close to an hour, first he wanted to know what happened and there was no way that I could hold back so I told him everything. He then proceeded to tell me over and over again that he’d be first in line to kick my ass if I fucked this up.

  By the time I turned up the long lane that should lead me to the cabin where Amara is staying, it is well after midnight and I’m dragging ass, both physically and emotionally.

  Through the clearing in the trees my headlights reflect off two cars, one being hers parked beside another near the front of the cabin.

  It's a small cozy place tucked back in a cluster of trees. A flashing light flickers in the one front window and I assume it's from a television. Other than that, the only light on is the porch light.

  Climbing out of my truck I push the locks on the door, to keep it from honking and start up the gravel drive. Stepping onto the porch I step up to the door and lean in, listening for any movement.

  Lifting my hand I lightly tap on the door and wait, again hearing nothing inside. Applying more pressure, I knock louder and that’s when I hear something fall making a loud boom.

  “Amara,” I say loud enough that maybe they can hear me, followed by another knock.

  Then there is silence.

  Stepping back I walk over to the front window and peek inside, seeing a television lighting the room. Tapping the glass saying Amara’s name again just before every single light inside the small cabin comes on.

  Taking a step back I stare through the glass to see not one but four ladies, all huddled together. In the middle is Claire, Amara’s friend from the bar on the night she first kissed me. She is holding a shotgun in her hands.

  “It’s Tyler,” I yell, my voice echoing over the trees.

  Amara steps forward and one of the twins grabs her arm, trying to pull her back. I know she’s figured it out, she is staring right ahead at me, her brows furrowed.

  “Let me in,” I point toward the door.

  When I see her moving in the direction of the door, I walk back and listen as she unlocks it. One flip after another and then what sounds like a chain before she finally opens it, and we are standing face to face.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I came here for you,” taking a step over the threshold I lift my hand and cup her cheek. “You left me no other choice but to drive more than eight hours so that I can tell you that I’m in love with you.”

  She swallows hard, her throat bobbing, and her eyes widen in surprise. “Always thought you would be the first one to hear me say that, but your brother holds that honor, sorry.” I shrug and her face wrinkles up in complete confusion. “And your dad.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Moving inside I close the door behind me to keep out the bugs flying around the light outside. I am aware that the twins and her friend Claire are still close, observing everything taking place, but I drove all this way to make a point so I’m not going to stop now.

  “I went to your parents, because I thought you were hiding out there. I figured it was the only way I’d get you to listen to what I had to say. Found your dad there, who wasn’t willing to give up any information, so as I was leaving, your brother came barreling down the drive and blocked me in. He gave me hell, I gave it back and when your dad observed it all, he put a stop to it.”

  “There weren’t any fists involved?”

  “No, babe, nothing physical,” I drag my thumb over her jaw.

  “A lot of talking, but in the end I guess your dad understood or maybe he took pity on me, he gave me this address and here I am.”

  “Here you are,” she mumbles.

  “You gave me no choice, but to follow you.”

  “I was only trying to give you the time you wanted,” Amara shrugs.

  “I didn’t want time away from you.”

  “But you said—,”

  Interrupting her I clarify that memory in her mind. “You only heard what you allowed me to say before you cut me off. I just wanted a little time to let it sink in, time for us to process and figure out what happens next. But not once did I want to do that apart. I’m in love with you,” her eyes widen in surprise, but I don't stop. “It is something I’ve never experienced with any woman, that isn’t going to change because I found out that I’m going to be a dad by accident. It's not going to change because I was upset that you didn’t tell me, and I had to find out on my own. Loving you isn’t something I can get rid of or even want to. You being pregnant is a shock yes, but damn it Mar it only makes me love you more. I may not know a thing about being a father and I may fear that I’ll be terrible at it, but I want it. I want this with you, all of it. You running away from me isn’t making it easy.”

  “I wasn’t running,” she argues, making me smile.

  “It was a ‘girls' getaway.” Her sister Leah offers her own sassiness, with her hands on her hips. These Bennett women carry the same attitude, even quiet Lauren who is watching me close. Almost like she is looking for a break or a fault that gives away some secret. But there are no secrets.

  Glancing back at Leah I hold her stare. “Well, I hate to tell you, but I’m crashing your ‘girls' getaway.”

  “Figures,” she huffs, rolling her eyes and making me laugh.

  I look back at Amara leaning in closer, trying my best to get a little more privacy because three sets of eyes are still watching us, I press my forehead to hers. “I don’t need time to know that I love you, and that I’ll love this baby. But I will need your patience because I am pretty sure I’m going to suck at this.”

  “No you won’t,” she whispers, and I lean in to press a soft kiss to her lips.

  “Not the loving you part, because that’s easy.”

  “Tell me about it, I’ve loved you since I was an annoying twelve-year-old tagging along with you and Liam.”

  “So many years wasted,” I smile when she leans back and looks up at me. “You should have told me sweetheart. Would have saved me so many mistakes.” I chuckle lightly.

  “Does it make you feel better to know that I’m already in too deep? That I was before the first kiss and now it's only a one hundred times more real.”

  “It does,” she shakes her head at me, pushing against my chest but I don’t step back.

  “But, only because now I truly know without a doubt that I’m not alone in this.”

  “Of course you’re not alone,” sliding her hand over my chest, and up the side of my neck, resting her palm against my cheek. “Tyler if you would have been paying attention all these years you could have figured it all out. I’ve been in love with you for years. I’ve watched you, hating that any other woman had you when I wanted you so badly.”

  “I’m yours,” the hold she has on me is still shocking. The panic, can’t eat, can’t sleep, fear of it all being taken away in an instant, feeling, I’ve got it all. “Only yours.”

  She kisses me, and I hook her waist with my good arm.

  “I hated walking away from you the other morning,” I had to force myself to take every step. “And you should know that no matter if you want me to or not, I will never do that again.”

  “Good,” Amara takes a deep breath. “Because watching you leave was excruciating.”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Amara

  “How’s the elbow?” I ask Tyler and I step into the bedroom.

  “It’s fine,” he wouldn’t complain even if it does hurt.

  Closing the door behind us, I walk over to the bed and pull down the covers.

  “You’re sleeping in here too, right?”

  “Do you want me to?” He steps in behind me and wraps his arm around my waist with his palm over my stomach. Leaning in he presses his lips to the side of my neck, giving me the sweetest kiss.

  “You’re either sleeping in here with me, or I’m sleeping out there with you.”

  I smile at his words.

  “I’m sure that Lauren and Leah would have a lot to say about that.” I feel his chest vibrate against my back and know he’s chucking.

  “So here it is,” I turn around to face him and he still holds me close. Our eyes lock, and my heart races. The fear and the worry, slowly starting to fade. I’ll admit I was terrified that he’d decided that he and I were moving too fast and that he’d be a part of the baby's life, but he and I would come to an end. It had been laying on my mind heavily, making me nauseous. The last couple of days being here with Claire and the girls has been nice, but there was still something missing. A void I couldn’t fill.

  “Maybe I shouldn’t confess this because it's going to make me feel like a crazy basket case, but now that you are right here in front of me, I don’t feel empty anymore.”

  Tears fill my eyes and instantly Tyler is cupping my face and kissing me. His mouth moving with mine, his tongue teasing the seam of my lips.