The Acceptance
Page 37

Knowing Tyler, she’d expected to like his family. But to be swept in with their acceptance and love, that sent her healing to a new level. She’d been quick to accept their invitation for the next weekend as well. She was very sure she’d never want to miss a Sunday dinner with his family.
She’d thought about Fitz all night. Each time Spencer told her something that was supposed to embarrass Tyler, she thought of Fitz. When Avery told her that she enjoyed painting and then invited her to see her work—and then tripped on her apology when she’d realized what she’d said. Fitz would do that too.
But the most amazing part of the evening had been being privy to all of the wonderful announcements that had flooded the house that night. Three siblings. Three babies.
Tyler brushed Courtney’s hair from her forehead. “What are you thinking?”
“You’re going to be an uncle.”
He chuckled. “I am. She looked happy too.”
Courtney rolled in closer to him, draping her arm over his bare chest.
“Do you think Ed was being dramatic and only telling everyone about the one baby?”
She felt him shift and knew he was looking down at her now. “One baby?”
Courtney pressed a kiss to his skin. “I assume by next week there will be more announcements. Maybe they don’t know yet.”
“Are you saying Darcy is pregnant?”
“That’s what I’m saying, but she didn’t. Not yet.”
She felt his breath escape and his chest move as he sucked in more air. “What makes you say that? How do you know that?”
Courtney ran her hand over his chest, letting her fingers linger in the small tuft of hair there. “She didn’t feel right, that came across in her voice. There was also this—I don’t know—energy to her. I can only assume she was glowing. I felt it.”
“If she comes back and says she’s having a baby I’m taking you on the road and we’re going to make money with your psychic ability.”
She rolled onto her back. “Fitz used to laugh at me, but he never doubted me. If I said something was going to happen he knew to watch out for it.”
Tyler rolled to his side and draped his arm over her. “Did you know he was going to die?”
Courtney bit down on her lip. “I didn’t want to know that so I think I fought it. But a little bit of me knew.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You have to assume that if someone you love is fighting in combat, there is that chance.”
“But did you know?”
Courtney felt the tremble start deep in her core until it worked its way to the surface and started her hands shaking.
She clenched them tight. “I knew nearly the moment it happened, from what I’ve learned. I woke up and screamed for him.”
“There’s something else. What is it?”
She turned her face toward his. “I don’t know. I mean they said he was killed in combat, but that doesn’t feel right.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. If he were sick, they would have said sick. If it had been an accident, they would have said that.”
“What else is there?”
“I don’t know. I have to accept I’m not always right.”
His lips grazed her forehead. “And Darcy and Ed?”
She laughed easily as she moved in closer to him and his arm pulled her to him tighter. “Oh, I think I’m right there. They are about to have two babies. A gift from another and a gift shared between them.”
“I’m looking forward to next week’s dinner,” he said easily.
So was she, she thought.
Rest should have come easily, but Courtney fought the insomnia in every way she could think of. But no number of sheep she counted was enough. No multiplication table was too hard. No amount of yoga breathing could put her soundly to sleep next to Tyler.
Her mind was filled with the what-ifs of Fitz’s death. What if a sniper got him? What if that was all there was to it? Why did she feel like there was a missing piece?
She rolled to her side. She knew why. Because she and Fitz were open to each other about everything—everything except his military career and what he couldn’t tell her.
There never should have been something they couldn’t say to each other—but she understood it. What she didn’t understand was his need to enlist and fight wars she didn’t understand. Didn’t they have their own wars to fight right here in Nashville?
There was a financial company lingering now that the heir had died. The fortune, no matter what it might be, would eventually fall to her, but the company—well, she could never run that.
And what did she care? She hated math and finances. There were some jobs a sighted person might be best at. That was one of them.
Tyler was turned away from her. She couldn’t feel his breath on her neck. If she were in her own home she’d get up and write something. Or do something. But as a stranger in his home she didn’t dare go wandering around.
So, she lay there and thought of Fitz. What would he think of Tyler? What would he have done with Fitzgerald Financial? What would he think of her writing stories of survivors for Simone’s organization?
The many questions in her head didn’t dull the buzzing that kept her awake. Not until she felt Tyler’s body roll toward her and his lips press to the back of her neck, did her muscles start to release.
Ed and Darcy were pregnant—this she was sure. Tyler loved her and there was a feeling deep in her gut that said this was forever even if she was cautious now. But no matter how much she wanted to believe that Fitz had been ambushed and killed something still nagged at her. When would she be able to let that go?
Chapter Twenty-One
Avery sat with Courtney at a table in an available conference room at Benson, Benson, and Hart. Tyler figured if he had a team working on the gala for Diamond Gift, they’d need some room to spread out. Nepotism had certainly played a part in his decision. When he’d asked for space, his father made sure it was available. Next to Tyler’s mother, Simone was the most important woman in his life.
They’d been friends since childhood. It was funny to Tyler that his Aunt Simone had known his father longer than anyone. When he was younger, he’d once thought they were brother and sister. They interacted with each other as he and Spencer did. Now he understood relationships—even non-romantic ones.