Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I look at the schedule for the next couple of weeks. We’re in the process of buying Stone Records, our current label, and the next two weeks are packed with meetings. I don’t see a time to get back to Ohio before the shower. I’ll just have to make sure she knows that I’ll respect whatever it is she wants to keep telling our friends, as long as I get to see her.

  Pulling up our last message. I type out a quick text.

  Me: Good night, my beautiful Ren.

  Her reply comes immediately.

  Lauren: Good night.

  “I’m not going to stop, baby.” I’ve resorted to talking to myself. I’m glad there are no witnesses.

  Unable to sleep just yet, I head to the work-out room, which is really the spare bedroom. I need to wear myself the fuck out so I can sleep.

  “You have to come,” Logan says into the phone.

  We’ve had this same conversation for the last two weeks. She’s insisting that I come to the shower this weekend. Just two days from now. I insist that I’m too busy.

  “Logan, I’ve just got a lot going on right now. I don’t think I can get away.”

  “Bullshit. You love Stacy and the guys. What’s really going on?”

  “Nothing. You’re looking for something that’s not there,” I lie.

  “Do you have to work this weekend?”

  “No,” I reply honestly, trying to keep my lies to a minimum.

  “Then I’m buying you a plane ticket. The flight is just a little over an hour. Like ninety minutes. You won’t be stuck in the car half the time, and you can get home even sooner. Come on, Lauren. Stacy really wants you here.”

  “She’s going to have a ton of people around her. She won’t even notice.”

  “Not really. She didn’t want a big deal. It’s me, you, Cassidy, Stacy of course, and her mom. Just small and intimate. You have to come.”

  Tristan asks me daily if I’m going to be there. He wants to see me. I want to see him too, but I know that when I do, what we have will be over—at least I fear that’s what will happen. But I have to tell him, no matter the consequences. I’m officially thirteen weeks pregnant today. The risk of miscarriage is lessened tremendously, and I’m allowed to fly, if I choose. My ob-gyn actually said flying is better than sitting in a car for five hours in the same spot for risk of blood clots. My pregnancy is good, and the baby is strong and healthy, as am I.

  “Where are the guys going to be?” I ask. I hope it sounds nonchalant.

  “They’ll be around. We’ve given them strict orders to leave us be, so I think they’re going to be over at my place. Kace insists on keeping Drew, says he needs to learn male bonding,” she laughs.

  “How is sweet baby Drew?”

  “Perfect.” She sighs. “Lauren, come on. I really want to see you, and so does Stacy. Please say you’ll come.”

  It’s time to tell Tristan and let the cards fall where they may. Just get it over with, in person. He deserves that much.

  “Okay,” I agree. Resolve set. I just hope Logan doesn’t hate me for keeping this from her. Both the baby and my… involvement with Tristan.

  “Eeep! Okay, I already have your flight booked. You fly out tomorrow morning.”

  “What?” I laugh, not really surprised by her antics.

  “I wanted to make sure you had a seat. I called the restaurant and they said you were off. I was ready to pull the ‘I know you’re lying’ card if you didn’t give in.”

  “I should’ve known.”

  “So go get packed. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I’ll be at the airport to pick you up.”

  “Thanks, Logan.” I’m getting a little choked up, the fear of what’s to come taking hold.

  “See you soon,” she replies and ends the call.

  I realize what I’ve agreed to as soon as I hear silence on the other end of the line.

  My phone pings with an email, and I open it to find the flight details. I fly out at nine tomorrow morning, which is Thursday, and fly home on Sunday at one in the afternoon.

  Maybe I can avoid Tristan until Sunday morning.

  Yeah, I know that’s not happening.

  Speak of the devil, a new message highlights my screen.

  Tristan: Please tell me you’re coming this weekend. I miss you.

  My fingers hover over the screen. If he only knew what he was asking. He might be a rock star, but I’m about to rock his world on its axis.

  Me: I’ll be there.

  Tristan: Let me book you a flight.

  Me: Logan has it taken care of.

  Tristan: Good. It’s been too long since I’ve laid eyes on you.

  Tristan: Send me your flight info.

  Me: Logan has me covered. I’ll be there tomorrow midmorning.

  I expect another text, but my phone rings instead. Taking a deep breath, I slowly exhale before answering. “Hello.”

  “Do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me? These past two weeks have been hell. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “How’s the buyout going?” I ask, deflecting.

  “It’s going. What are we telling them? Are you staying with me while you’re here?”

  “I assume Logan expects me to stay with them.” I want nothing more than to stay with him, but after we talk, my guess is that I’ll no longer be welcome.

  “Are we still keeping this between us?” he asks.

  “I’ll let you decide—”

  “We tell them.”

  “As I was saying, I’ll let you decide that once we talk. I don’t want to tell them until you and I have a chance to sit down and talk.”

  “Ren, baby, I’m in this. All the way in this. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say, but nothing is going to change my mind.”

  If he only knew. “Let’s just… talk first, okay? Promise me?”

  “Deal.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “You better be ready, baby.”

  “Ready for what?”

  “Logan and Stacy. They’re going to be thrilled, but they’re going to be grilling you about why you hid this from them.”

  “Don’t be so sure.”

  He laughs, deep and booming. It’s the laugh that tells me he’s truly happy, one I’ve missed. “I’m certain, baby. Be ready,” he says again. “How long are you here for?”

  “My flight leaves tomorrow morning at nine and I fly out Sunday at one.”

  “So I basically get three full days with you?”

  “I’ll be there three days, yes.”

  “Fuck, I can’t wait to get my arms around you.”

  “Tristan, I need to go. I have to pack.” It’s a lame excuse even to me, but he’s being… Tristan. This is how he is with me, and I can’t let my heart get any more invested. Not without him knowing about the baby.

  “I want you, Lauren. I want us. Whatever we have to do to get us there, that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t want to hide that I’m with you, don’t want to sneak around at night to see you. I want you right here beside me, in my arms where you belong, every fucking day. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough. I’ll see you soon.”

  “See you,” I say, ending the call. My heart is jumping for joy while my head is telling me to proceed with caution.

  My phone alerts me to a text.

  Tristan: Thank you.

  I don’t respond. How can I when he’s so excited and I’m about to change all of that? Instead, I head to my room and begin to pack. I need to make sure I pack loose clothing that I can easily hide my slight bump under.

  “Mommy loves you,” I coo, looking down at my small bump, placing my hand over it. It’s slight and looks more like I’m bloated, but no doubt Logan and Stacy will both notice. Loose clothing is a must.

  After packing my bag, I decide to call my parents and let them know I’m going out of town. “Hey, Mom,” I say when she picks up.

  “Hey, honey. How are you feeling?”

  I broke down and confided in her last week. I was struggling and needed someone to talk to. “I’m good.”

  “No more morning sickness?”

  “Not so much. A few bouts of queasiness, but for the most part it’s passed. Thankfully.”

  “Have you told him yet?” she asks.

  I also confessed who the father was. My mom didn’t seem surprised. I believe her exact words were “I should’ve known with the way he watches you.” According to her, Tristan doesn’t take his eyes off me when we’re in the same room.

  “Not yet. That’s why I’m calling. Stacy and Cole are getting married next week. I’m flying out there this weekend for a small bridal shower. Logan wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “Good. You’re going to tell him, right?”

  She wasn’t impressed that Tristan was here and I chickened out. “Yeah, I’ve already talked to him and told him we need to talk.”

  “You have to tell him, Lauren.”

  “I know, and I’m going to. I told you, I had just found out that day. I just needed some time.”

  “You’ve had time. That boy deserves to know he’s going to be a father,” she scolds me.

  I smile at the way she refers to Tristan as a boy. He’s anything but. “I know. I said I was telling him.”

  “How’s work going?”

  “It’s going. I’m off all weekend, luckily. That’s kind of weird how that worked out.”

  “Hmm,” she agrees. “Send me your flight info and call me when you land. What time do you have to be at the airport? I’ll take you.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know I don’t, but I’m going to. You’ll understand in just a few months. You’ll do anything for your children.”

  I place my hand over my small bump. “I think I already know.”

  “Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I love you,” I say, trying not to choke up.

  My parents have always been there for me no matter what. I was worried the news of the baby would disappoint them, but it was the opposite. I’m an only child, so they were ecstatic to find out they were going to be grandparents.

  Neither was impressed that I hadn’t told Tristan yet. When I explained my reasoning, my dad gave me the look, the one that says he’s not impressed. The look was followed by a lecture on how a man has the right to know he’s going to be a father.

  I tried to explain that I also feel he needs to know, but wasn’t ready.

  “Excuses, Lauren. Those are lame-ass excuses. You need to tell him.” His words have run on a constant loop in my mind ever since.

  I’ve always planned on telling him, but my fear of losing him kept me from it that weekend. I can’t let that stop me anymore. It’s only fair, so if he wants to be involved, he has the opportunity to take part in doctor visits and things like that. He deserves that chance, and if he doesn’t want it, I have my family as a support system. We’ll be just fine.

  I didn’t sleep well last night. I’ve been up and ready to go since four, just sitting in my living room staring at the wall, lost in thought.

  I jump when there’s a knock on the door. Climbing to my feet, I go to greet my mother.

  “Good morning,” she sings, way too damn chipper for six thirty in the morning.

  “Hey. Let me get my bags.”

  “Did you sleep at all?” she asks sympathetically. Although she wants me to tell him, she understands my fears. I hope I can be half the mother she is.

  “Not much.”

  “Lauren.” She places her hand on my arm. “No matter how it turns out, you will be okay. But honey, I really think he’s going to surprise you.”

  “Mom, we’ve been over this. This is not his lifestyle.”

  She smiles softly. “Maybe this wasn’t his lifestyle. How do you know what he wants? He has the right to make that decision for himself.”

  “We were just… fun.” I cringe at the word and the fact that I just confessed that to my mother.

  “I think it started that way, yes.”

  “We better go,” I say, grabbing my carry-on and purse and walking toward the door. I don’t want to get into this with her yet again. I know where she stands, and I agree that he needs to know, but my heart, my fragile heart that aches for her to be right, can’t take any more right now.

  The ride to the airport is quiet. She knows this is hard for me, and she also knows that I’m in love with Tristan. He would not only be rejecting our baby but also rejecting me, and I’m sure as my mother she can feel the fear radiating from me. No matter what happens, I have to be strong, for my baby. If he turns me away, I’ll hold my head up high and walk away with the best part of him. My hands go to my belly. Regardless, I’ll be okay. I don’t need anything from him. I have a good job, a home, I can take care of me and my baby. Then there’s the chance that he wants to be a part of the baby’s life, but not mine. It will kill me, but I would never keep my child’s father from him or her. The final option is one I try not to think about. Trying not to get my hopes up. The option that he would want us both. That the news that we made a baby our one and only night together, isn’t the demise of what we were building. That we could be a family.

  In the end, I need to keep my calm; stress is not good for the baby. I will accept his decision, no matter what it is, with my health held high. In the end, I know me and this baby will be okay, with or without him.

  “Text me when you land. And Lauren, if you need anything at all, you call me.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Climbing out of the car, I grab my bags and head inside. It takes me no time to get through security. I’m here way earlier than I need to be, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

  Taking a seat next to a window, I pull out my phone and find I have a text from Tristan.

  Tristan: Have a safe flight. I can’t wait to see you.

  Me: See you soon.

  I slide my phone back in my purse and pull out my Kindle. I’ve been binge-reading pregnancy books. My favorite genre is romance, but given my current romantic situation, I’ve been steering clear. Besides, this is my first baby and I have a lot to learn.

  Before I know it, they’re calling to board my flight. I take my seat in first class and make a mental note to give Logan and Kacen hell for it. Coach would’ve been just fine, but I enjoy my extra leg and elbow room all the same.

  It seems like the flight just took off and already we’re landing. The flight should’ve taken an hour and twenty minutes, but we’ve arrived at the Nashville airport twenty minutes ahead of schedule. Apparently the wind was in our favor, according to the captain.

  I’m not worried. Logan, although now a Warren, has Andrews blood running through her veins. We hate to be late, so I’m sure she’s already here. If not, I can browse the shops while I wait.

  I’m making my way through the crowd when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I turned it on as soon as we landed. Stepping to the side to avoid being in the way, I pull it out and look at the screen.

  Logan: I’m here.

  Me: Flight landed early, headed your way.

  Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I make my way to the main entrance of the airport. I spot her immediately, her long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and her smile beaming as she sports her Soul Serenade long-sleeve T-shirt and yoga pants.

  “Lauren!” she shouts over the crowd, causing a few heads to turn. I’m thankful none of the guys are with her, even though she is recognizable these days as the girl who stole Kacen Warren’s heart.

  “Hey,” I say as she wraps her arms around me.

  “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “We need to talk,” I tell her sternly. She pulls away with a look of worry on her face. “First class, really, Logan?” I ask, placing my hands on my hip. The act pulls my shirt tight over my belly, and that’s exactly where her eyes go.

  “You’re family.” She shrugs, like that makes all the difference. “How have you been?” She glances back down at my belly, but I’ve since let my hands drop.

  “Good. You know, staying busy.”

  “My mom said yours told her that you were sick a few weeks back. Some kind of stomach bug.”

  “Those two gossip too much.” I laugh nervously.

  “Uh-huh.” She reaches for my bag and I stop her.

  “I got it. So, what are the plans for this weekend.” I know she probably suspects. Logan and I have always been close, and I’m one of those small girls, petite and with curves. My B cup looks way bigger than it really is on my small frame.

  “Tonight we’re just hanging out. Tomorrow is the shower, if you really want to call it that. It’s such a small gathering, it’s more like a get-together.”

  “I’m so excited for them,” I exclaim, keeping her on the subject.

  “Stacy is thrilled, and Cole… well that man is lost for her. He’s ready to be married and start having babies,” she says, and although it may be true, I still feel like she’s testing me.

  Keeping my features schooled and my gaze toward the parking lot, I ask, “Really?”

  “Yep,” she says, popping the P. “If it were up to Cole they would already be pregnant, but Stacy wanted to do it right, you know. Marriage and then baby.”

  “That is the general order of things,” I reply.

  “Meh.” She waves a hand in the air. “It’s old traditions. Look at me, I did it out of order and things turned out just fine.”

  “Happens all the time,” I say as we reach her SUV. I’m a walking billboard for it.

  “How’s work?” she asks once we’re on the road.

  “It’s a job. Pays the bills.”

  “I thought you loved your job?”

  “I love the work, but the job, not so much. The regional manager is an ass. Why did I think going into a career where I managed people was a good idea? I had an employee call off the other day because her neighbor’s cat was missing and she felt as though it was the neighborly thing to do to help her look for it.”