Will beams at the mention of his pregnant wife. “Tired, nauseated, anxious to grow a belly so the whole world knows she’s pregnant. How’s Hanna?”
“Same. Tired. The nausea comes and goes, but cold washcloths help a lot.”
“Shit,” Will grumbles, looking to the door. “We have company.”
“Hi, boys.” Meredith is all smiles as she slides into the booth next to me. She smells of rum and her eyes are drunken and glazed. “I heard the good news about Nate Crane. Didn’t you?”
William stiffens. He and Meredith used to be friends—more, even—but after the way she treated Cally, he can’t stand her anymore. “I don’t remember inviting you to join us.”
“Where’s Claire?” I ask. I refuse to take her bait, and she scowls.
“I dropped her off at your mom’s.”
My jaw ticks in annoyance. “I thought you were going to spend some time with her before your business trip.”
“Don’t tell me how to be a mother and I won’t tell you how to be a fiancé. You are still engaged, aren’t you? Or has she come to her senses and left town with that sexy rock star?”
“Go away, Meredith,” Will mutters.
She ignores him and looks at me. “Is it true you rented the old Blackman house?”
“It is.”
“Well…I’m pretty sure once Nate Crane finds out your fiancée is pregnant with his babies, you’re not going to have the need for three bedrooms anymore.”
“Go. Away,” Will repeats, and I add, “What he said.”
She shrugs and slides out of the booth.
Will watches her go, only turning back to me when he’s convinced she’s far enough away. “She’s poison. I know she’s the mother of your child, but you need to find a way to keep her from contaminating your relationship with Hanna.”
Across the bar, Meredith is flirting with a young professor who’s new to town. Poor bastard doesn’t even know what he’s getting himself into.
“Congrats on the new house. I had no idea.”
“It was supposed to be a surprise for Hanna. I thought we could rent out our apartments and live together. I was going to take her there today, but then Nate showed up last night and I decided to wait.”
“Understandable.”
“I need a big favor,” I admit.
“Anything.”
“Hanna wasn’t the only reason I decided to get the house.” And I hate this. William has been my best friend for most of my life, and I’ve prided myself on never taking advantage of his generosity. “I’m talking to a lawyer about pursuing physical custody of Claire. I’m sick of her using my daughter to manipulate me, and I can’t stand the thought that she could take her away from me.”
“Of course. That’s wise. And you need money for the lawyer?”
“I have an offer for the club. Someone who’s willing to buy it.”
Will leans back in the booth and shakes his head. “Don’t be stupid, man. This is your future. Let me lend you money.”
I take a breath. Borrowing money from Will would make me feel even worse than this. I don’t want it to come to that. “Remember when I was looking into opening the club and you offered to buy in?”
“Sure.” His brows shoot up, disappearing under his messy mop of blond curls. “Are you saying I can buy in now?”
“If you’re interested. It would take a lot of pressure off, but I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“Don’t even think about it. This is important, and I’d love to do it. What does Hanna think about the custody situation?”
I release a slow a breath. “I didn’t want to bring it up until I knew I could do it. We’ll have three babies under the age of one. Am I crazy?”
“Fucking nuts,” Will says. “But would you have it any other way?”
I grin. “Not a chance.”
I DIDN’T want to leave Asher’s until I was sure Collin was asleep, and by the time I make it to the dock, Hanna’s already there. She’s sitting against the railing, looking out over the water. Her dark hair is off her neck in a twist, and my fingers itch to toy with the little tendrils that have escaped. I miss the way her hair feels, miss the way her eyes float closed as I comb it with my fingers.
The night is clear and the moon reflects off her pale skin, and looking at her hurts so much that I wonder for a few breathless seconds if I can breathe near her, knowing she’s not mine.
“It’s a beautiful night.” I consider sinking onto the planks next to her but dismiss the idea. I don’t trust myself to be that close. I take my station on the other side of the dock instead.
“It is.” She stands and crosses to stand next to me. Her smell slingshots me back to weekends waking up in hotels with Hanna’s hair fanned across the pillow, her soft curves under my hands.
“Why are we here?” If the question comes out harsher than I intended, it’s because I’m desperate to get away.
She reaches in her purse and hands me a folded piece of paper. “Because I need to tell you about this.”
I unfold the paper and my hammering heart is blindsided by the black-and-white image. I can barely make it out in the moonlight, but I know what it is.
“Mine?” My voice breaks on the word.
“They don’t have to be,” she whispers.
“Same. Tired. The nausea comes and goes, but cold washcloths help a lot.”
“Shit,” Will grumbles, looking to the door. “We have company.”
“Hi, boys.” Meredith is all smiles as she slides into the booth next to me. She smells of rum and her eyes are drunken and glazed. “I heard the good news about Nate Crane. Didn’t you?”
William stiffens. He and Meredith used to be friends—more, even—but after the way she treated Cally, he can’t stand her anymore. “I don’t remember inviting you to join us.”
“Where’s Claire?” I ask. I refuse to take her bait, and she scowls.
“I dropped her off at your mom’s.”
My jaw ticks in annoyance. “I thought you were going to spend some time with her before your business trip.”
“Don’t tell me how to be a mother and I won’t tell you how to be a fiancé. You are still engaged, aren’t you? Or has she come to her senses and left town with that sexy rock star?”
“Go away, Meredith,” Will mutters.
She ignores him and looks at me. “Is it true you rented the old Blackman house?”
“It is.”
“Well…I’m pretty sure once Nate Crane finds out your fiancée is pregnant with his babies, you’re not going to have the need for three bedrooms anymore.”
“Go. Away,” Will repeats, and I add, “What he said.”
She shrugs and slides out of the booth.
Will watches her go, only turning back to me when he’s convinced she’s far enough away. “She’s poison. I know she’s the mother of your child, but you need to find a way to keep her from contaminating your relationship with Hanna.”
Across the bar, Meredith is flirting with a young professor who’s new to town. Poor bastard doesn’t even know what he’s getting himself into.
“Congrats on the new house. I had no idea.”
“It was supposed to be a surprise for Hanna. I thought we could rent out our apartments and live together. I was going to take her there today, but then Nate showed up last night and I decided to wait.”
“Understandable.”
“I need a big favor,” I admit.
“Anything.”
“Hanna wasn’t the only reason I decided to get the house.” And I hate this. William has been my best friend for most of my life, and I’ve prided myself on never taking advantage of his generosity. “I’m talking to a lawyer about pursuing physical custody of Claire. I’m sick of her using my daughter to manipulate me, and I can’t stand the thought that she could take her away from me.”
“Of course. That’s wise. And you need money for the lawyer?”
“I have an offer for the club. Someone who’s willing to buy it.”
Will leans back in the booth and shakes his head. “Don’t be stupid, man. This is your future. Let me lend you money.”
I take a breath. Borrowing money from Will would make me feel even worse than this. I don’t want it to come to that. “Remember when I was looking into opening the club and you offered to buy in?”
“Sure.” His brows shoot up, disappearing under his messy mop of blond curls. “Are you saying I can buy in now?”
“If you’re interested. It would take a lot of pressure off, but I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“Don’t even think about it. This is important, and I’d love to do it. What does Hanna think about the custody situation?”
I release a slow a breath. “I didn’t want to bring it up until I knew I could do it. We’ll have three babies under the age of one. Am I crazy?”
“Fucking nuts,” Will says. “But would you have it any other way?”
I grin. “Not a chance.”
I DIDN’T want to leave Asher’s until I was sure Collin was asleep, and by the time I make it to the dock, Hanna’s already there. She’s sitting against the railing, looking out over the water. Her dark hair is off her neck in a twist, and my fingers itch to toy with the little tendrils that have escaped. I miss the way her hair feels, miss the way her eyes float closed as I comb it with my fingers.
The night is clear and the moon reflects off her pale skin, and looking at her hurts so much that I wonder for a few breathless seconds if I can breathe near her, knowing she’s not mine.
“It’s a beautiful night.” I consider sinking onto the planks next to her but dismiss the idea. I don’t trust myself to be that close. I take my station on the other side of the dock instead.
“It is.” She stands and crosses to stand next to me. Her smell slingshots me back to weekends waking up in hotels with Hanna’s hair fanned across the pillow, her soft curves under my hands.
“Why are we here?” If the question comes out harsher than I intended, it’s because I’m desperate to get away.
She reaches in her purse and hands me a folded piece of paper. “Because I need to tell you about this.”
I unfold the paper and my hammering heart is blindsided by the black-and-white image. I can barely make it out in the moonlight, but I know what it is.
“Mine?” My voice breaks on the word.
“They don’t have to be,” she whispers.
