Forgiving Reed

C. A. Harms

Forgiving Reed

Limitless Publishing, LLC
Kailua, HI 96734

www.limitlesspublishing.com

Formatting: Limitless Publishing

ISBN-13: 978-1502392992
ISBN-10: 1502392992

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form
without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in
violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business
establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

To anyone who has ever lost someone. Life is so short and can change in the blink of an eye.

Remember to treasure the ones close to you because tomorrow may be the last chance you have to see
their smile or hear their laughter. Spend more time enjoying the good times and making lasting
memories before the chance passes you by.

Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Epilogue

Prologue

“So are you gonna tell me where we’re going?” Blake’s gaze wandered over to me as he sported

his infamous sideways grin. It was the same grin that made my stomach flutter every time I saw it. It
was that cocky, confident grin that pulled me in when I first met him eleven months ago.

I bit my lower lip, feeling my cheeks heat up with desire. The moment his tongue darted out to lick

his lower lip, I felt my insides tense with need. I had to look away, hearing his deep chuckle break
free. The arrogant ass knew just how he affected me.

“It’s a surprise, Kori. I told you I wanted to take one last trip together before our little man

arrives.” Blake placed his hand over my pregnant belly, rubbing softly back and forth.

We were both shocked when I found out I was pregnant. It was not planned. A night of drinking led

to us not being able to keep our hands to ourselves. Surprise, five weeks later I had my head buried in
a garbage can, unable to stop hurling.

Blake never considered walking away, even after his parents tried to convince him it was better

for his future if I ‘took care of it.’

Neither of his parents ever accepted me. We came from two different worlds, in their eyes. They

dreamed of him marrying someone with a trust fund. After all, his mother came from money, her father
being in politics. She married Blake’s dad for those reasons—money, fame, and social standing.
Blake’s father worked with the Senator, and someday I thought Blake would be the one running for
office. His father also came from money, so together, Blake’s parents were quite the pair of
judgmental assholes. The last thing they expected was for him to fall for the country girl from
Brooklet, Georgia.

Blake’s relationship with his parents had become pretty tense since they suggested I abort his

baby. He would only talk to them when necessary. When they would invite him to any functions, he
would always find ways to get out of them. It was their way of making me feel like their world wasn’t
meant for people like me. They took every opportunity to flaunt the women they felt were more his
style and pushed them in his direction.

We rented a small apartment just off campus after he graduated this last spring. I was finishing up

my last year, then we would decide where we wanted to settle. I’d been trying to convince him he
would look pretty damn hot in a cowboy hat and boots. He had other ideas, though, and this had left us
in a world of the unknown. We would just have to tackle that obstacle when the time came.

Leaving Georgia after high school, going across the country to attend college wasn’t easy. I had

gotten a full scholarship to Boston University, and I wanted to experience the city life. I wanted a life
outside of farm animals and mud. Just so I could say I experienced the other side, even if it was just

for college.

“Just a little hint, please.” I pouted, and he lightly shook his head.
“You can pout all you want. It’s a surprise, so just be patient.”
I shook my head, pointing toward him. “Blake William Harrison, you know patience is not

something I’m familiar with. I never wait for anything, but you can blame yourself for that.” His gaze
connected with mine. I shrugged in return. “You really shouldn’t spoil me so much. Maybe then I
could wait without complaining.” I batted my eyelashes, and once again he smiled that sexy as hell
grin.

“Let’s play the name game. Maybe it’ll help you be less impatient. We have less than an hour left

before the surprise is revealed.” His fingers stroked gently over my protruding stomach. I allowed my
eyes to close as I blissfully thought about how much I loved this man.

After I left home and walked away from Reed, I never thought I would feel the same about another

man. Reed was my first love…well, my first everything, and he broke my heart. He was older, by a
year. When he decided spending time out with the guys was more important than me, it helped sway
my decision to leave for college. The night I walked into his house and found Kimberly Tucker
kneeling down before him with her head bobbing in his crotch, it just sealed the deal. I walked away
from him and spent the first year and a half of college missing him like crazy. I felt like a part of me
was ripped out, and it took so long to move on.

When I met Blake, I knew he was my second chance. He was adorable and funny. He made me feel

wanted and so happy. We shared so much laughter, and he brought the light back into my life.

“Fine, the name game starting with A…” I paused and thought deeply. “Andrew?”
He scrunched up his nose and turned toward me. “Axel?”
I laughed and put my head in my hands. The name game always went like this. He would shoot out

names for our son that I knew would have my daddy’s head spinning and my momma groaning in
protest. “Axel…what are we preparing him for, a life as a rock star?”

“Hell yeah, baby…that little man is gonna burn that shit up. He’s going to be making millions, and

hell if he’ll be able to do that with a name like Andrew.”

“Fine…B, Blake Jr.” I smiled sweetly, and he chuckled.
“Nah, no junior. Blake is also my dad’s middle name, and I’m not doing that to my son.” I watched

as his face fell just slightly, but he quickly recovered. When the cocky grin reappeared, I knew I was
in for it. “Blaze?”

I couldn’t help it. I let the laughter fall freely, holding my stomach. Never in a million years would

we be naming our son Blaze.

This name game went on for the next fifteen minutes, and we made no progress. My eyes had begun

to feel heavy, and I let my head fall back against the seat, resting my eyes. I began to doze off, but just
before I let myself fall into the deep sleep I heard Blake whisper, “I love you, Kori.”

I grinned as my stomach fluttered with a warm feeling. “I love you too.”

***

I was jarred from my sleep to the sound of screeching tires and crunching metal. It was like the

next few minutes passed in slow motion. I felt Blake’s hand brace across my chest holding me back,
shielding me. My arms immediately wrapping around my midsection to protect my unborn child. I
watched as our car skidded toward the oncoming truck. Blake’s eyes met mine with a pained
expression as I watched the truck smash into his side of the vehicle, shoving us off the side of the

road.

The pain shot across my shoulder once it slammed against the opposite door, followed by my head

cracking the glass just before everything went dark.

***

I didn’t know how much time passed, but I woke up to sirens and lights flashing all around us. A

panicked feeling immediately shot through me. I reached out for Blake who was hunched over against
the steering wheel next to me. “Blake? Blake, please wake up.” I shook his shoulder, and a piercing
hot pain shot across my stomach. I saw blood pouring from the side of his head, and there was no
movement, not even his chest.

The tears fell down my cheeks as fear erupted within me. “Blake, please wake up, I need you. We

need you, you can’t leave us.” I began screaming out for help. Frantically trying to gain the attention
of someone, anyone. My vision blurred from the tears. There was blood everywhere, and I knew it
was coming from Blake, but I refused to accept he was gone. He couldn’t leave me, it was too soon.

“No! Someone please help us…please. Help!” I cried out over and over again. “Help him,

please.”

***

I lay in the hospital bed staring out the window, feeling utterly lost. This day was both one of the

worst and the best days of my life. I said goodbye to the man I loved, the father of my child. A man
who would forever be within my heart. A man who gave me the greatest gift I could have ever
received.

I welcomed to the world our son. Five pounds, four ounces of sweetness, and he looked just like

his daddy. It was so hard to look at him without feeling my world crash in around me all over again.

Blake died on the day our son was born, and I felt like I died right there next to him. When the

paramedics removed him from the car, I saw his eyes were open, staring ahead with blankness. My
heart broke. I became numb and motionless. I didn’t remember much after that, I just knew I would
never be able to forget that image. How would I push forward without him? I needed him.

I lay lifeless in the bed, staring off at nothing in particular. My mind wandered randomly over

thoughts of Blake and me. The times he made me laugh uncontrollably. The nights we would stay up
all night, just talking. The moments we’d shared, how we fell in love.

I allowed a friend of mine to drag me to my first college football game. It was something I had

avoided because Reed had also been an avid sports fan. I tried to avoid anything Reed related. My
heart still ached when I thought of him, so I tried not to.

She was persistent. She pulled me along by the hand just as a big guy in a freaky dog costume

stumbled into me, causing me to trip. I felt a set of strong arms circle my waist to steady me. After
I had regained my footing I turned to thank the person who had saved me from face planting
against the concrete. The cocky smile belonged to a very good looking guy. A guy who was still
holding my waist securely. My stomach tensed and my face grew flush.

“Thanks,” I managed to spit out. He winked and then reluctantly began to release me.
“You gotta watch out for Rhett, he’s got two left feet.” His voice was deep and soothing.

“Rhett?”
I had no idea who this guy was referring to. He pointed in the direction of the big weird dog

costume. “Rhett…the Mascot. You know, the Boston Terriers? You do go to school here, right?” I
felt like an idiot.

“Yeah…um I do. I uh, well um, thanks again.”
I knew my cheeks were red with embarrassment. Of course I knew our Mascot. I mean I kind of

knew its name was Rhett. Right, who the hell was I kidding? I had no idea what the dog’s name
was.

The memories continued to flow as I lay with my back to the hospital room door. I just wanted to

block out the world and swim with my memories of Blake. I wanted to remember his face, his touch. I
wished I was back in our apartment, cuddled in his arms. I just wanted to go back in time and know
he was safe.

I could faintly hear the door being pushed open, as the noises of the hallway outside became more

prominent. I turned just enough to see the nurse smile over at me. I gave a weak attempt to return the
gesture.

“Hey, sweetie, I think this little guy was missing his mommy. I thought I’d bring him for a visit.” I

watched her lift him carefully from his bed. She tucked him tightly within his blanket before extending
him out toward me.

The moment I saw his little eyes, my heart felt as if it was in my throat. Tears filling my eyes, I

took in a deep, calming breath. How was I supposed to do this? I fought against the doubt forcing to
take me over and took my son into my arms. Placing my lips softly against his forehead, I breathed in
his innocent scent. A tear dripped to his cheek from mine, and I traced it away. His little cheek
twitched from the touch, and he sucked on his lower lip. The sound put me into a trance.

“Have you thought of a name yet?” the nurse questioned me, and all I could do was shake my head

in response. I was so afraid to speak. I knew it would break me once I did. I watched my baby’s eyes
flutter, and his hand squeezed around my finger, just a little tighter.

The moment my parents entered the room, I caved. I lost everything I had been attempting to hold

inside once my eyes met theirs. My momma gently took my son into her arms, while my daddy
engulfed me in his. I didn’t know how long I cried, I just knew it felt good to let it all out.

They had caught the first flight they could once they got the phone call from the hospital. Having

them here with me allowed me to feel safe.

***

The days passed, and there was only one thing keeping us from leaving the hospital—I had to name

our son.

“Honey, he needs a name, you have to decide.”
I tried not to get angry with my momma. I knew it wasn’t her fault. “I know I do…but I can’t. Not

without Blake. We hadn’t decided, and I hate that I have to do this without him. The only thing he
made clear was that he didn’t want his last name to be Harrison. Not after what his parents did and
how they treated me when they found out. He always teased me and said when we got married he was
taking my name.” I smiled thinking back to that conversation with Blake. He was so serious, and the
entire thing broke my heart. I was the reason he stepped away from his parents. The thought bothered
me, but he always told me things would be okay.

“Is there anything you can think of that signifies the two of you? Something you both shared? The

way you met, or a place you both loved?” I let my mind wonder once again to the times we’d shared,
things we did together. I kept falling back to the day we met.

The freaky dog from earlier…oh yeah, Rhett. He approached me and smiled. The guy had a dog

head tucked under his arm. “Listen, I’m sorry about earlier. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” I caught a
glimpse of my rescuer from earlier watching closely as the guy in the mascot suit apologized. “I
guess I need to pay attention. I really am sorry.”

“Can I ask you a question?” I waited for his answer, and he just shrugged. “Did that guy over

there make you come over and apologize again?”

Mr. Rhett the Boston terrier just smiled and shrugged before turning to walk back to his

friends. It was because of that crazy mascot that we met. If he hadn’t stumbled into me, who knows
if I would have been given the opportunity to meet such an amazing guy. Blake was sweet with an
edge of cockiness that I had a hard time resisting.

It was that night I let him walk me home. It was also that same night I knew Blake was going to

be a part of my life. Whether we were friends or something more, I knew I wanted to keep him
around.

***

The thought hit me, and I turned to face my mom. She smiled knowingly. “Did you think of

something?”

I lone tear ran down my cheek as I nodded. “Rhett, Momma…I’m gonna name him Rhett Harrison

Foster.”

I knew Blake would smile about that one. After all, Rhett could be considered badass. I know that

would have made Blake proud.

Chapter One

Six Months Later

Kori

After the funeral, things went dark for me. It was almost impossible to get through my days without

breaking down at every turn. I barely slept, couldn’t stomach food, and even breathing sometimes felt
forced. My life had completely changed within seconds. The man who made me feel whole, made me
feel loved, was now just a memory. Not being able to touch him was unbearable.

I decided to move back home with my parents. It just seemed the right thing to do, for both Rhett

and myself. I needed the support.

Blake’s parents were cold and showed no signs of remorse toward me or my son for the way they

had treated us. Basically they just wanted us to disappear. In their eyes I was the trailer trash who
trapped their well-bred son by getting knocked up. Rhett was the proof that Blake and I were once
together, a reminder of the son they lost, in more ways than one. They never even asked to meet him.
They wanted no connection with either of us.

His father offered me a large sum of money to walk away without asking for anything more. I tore

the check up in his face. The man was lucky that was all I did. I didn’t need anything from him. Blake
had already taken out a life insurance policy after his parents refused to accept me or our child. We
hoped to never have to use it, but he liked to plan ahead; he tended to be prepared for anything. The
beneficiary was me, and that money would be put aside for our son, along with the money we both
had been working so hard to save. It was what we referred to as ‘Our Future Fund.’ We planned to
use it to buy our first home, once we decided where to settle.

I wasn’t worried about me, I just needed to make sure that no matter what, I could provide for our

son.

My daddy was a farmer, and the solitude of my childhood home was what I needed. The land went

on for hundreds of acres, and on the property he had more than one small home for his farmhands.

If they had their way I would have been moving back into my old room. After a long talk with both

of them, they agreed to fix up the two bedroom home a mile down the road and allow me to live in it.
My daddy’s only stipulation was that it was rent free. He knew he had me because I needed my own
space, yet I still needed them close. I would make sure to pay them back in other ways.

Most of my classes were just finishing up, and I was allowed an extension due to the accident.

After I finished before Christmas break, I transferred to the University in Statesboro Georgia to finish

the rest of my degree. With it only being less than twelve miles from my hometown of Brooklet, it
worked out well.

Last week I received my college degree in early education. I was now free to join the working

world as a teacher.

I contacted all the local schools for the next school year, and now I would just have to wait and

see how it went. The summer would give me the chance to get settled, a little more time to grieve and
build the foundation I needed to move forward with raising my son.

With each passing day Rhett was looking more and more like his daddy. From the dark wavy hair

on his head, all the way down to the way his pinky toenail curled around the top of his toe when it got
too long.

Every time he giggled or laughed, I felt guilty for enjoying it. Blake was missing out on such a

sweet sound. I found this website online that made toys with photos inside. I thought it would be kind
of cool to place photos of Blake inside a few of Rhett’s toys. The problem was I couldn’t bring
myself to let him chew on them or throw them around. Instead they now sat on a shelf along with
dozens of other photos I had of us together.

I walked over to the bookshelf next to the television and picked up the black and white photo of us.

We were sitting on campus near a big oak tree. A friend of ours took it. Blake had one hand on each
side of my swollen belly while he placed a gentle kiss on my stomach. My head was thrown back in
the act of laughing, and it was one of the best moments we had shared. We spent that day in complete
happiness, and I wanted those days back so badly. I wanted to feel his arms around me again. I ached
so badly to wake up with my head on his chest, to hear his heartbeat beneath me or feel his breath
tickle my neck.

With every milestone Rhett reached, the ache only felt deeper and harder to bear. I had hoped that

with time things would have gotten better, a little easier to move on. I just felt as if I were hollow and
broken. A mere shell of my former self.

Rhett’s soft cry spilling through the baby monitor caused me to jump in surprise. I wiped the tears

from my cheek, placing a kiss on the picture frame over Blake. I carefully placed it back into its
designated spot on the shelf.

As I entered the nursery, the sight of my little man’s legs going a hundred miles an hour brought a

much needed smile to my face.

I leaned over the side of his crib and placed my hand on his tummy. “Well, hi there, sweet boy.”

He cooed louder, and I couldn’t fight against the laugh that erupted. “Oh my, aren’t we just a happy
little guy?” I picked him up and snuggled him close. I still fought the emotions that flooded me every
single time I held Rhett. Every kiss and smile we shared was also so bittersweet.

Why was life so unfair? I asked myself that question every day. Blake loved me like I needed to be

loved. There wasn’t a day that had gone by he didn’t make sure I knew how much I meant to him. He
was such a loving man, and I couldn’t understand how God could take him away from us.

The hardest thing was moving on without him and accepting that I would never again get the

chance to see that beautiful man’s smile or to hear his laughter. His touch that I craved would go
unfelt. The comfort of having him near would never again soothe me. I would be left feeling empty
and shattered.

I was left without him to push forward, and that was one of the hardest things I would ever be

forced to face.

Chapter Two

“Kori, why don’t you let me and your dad watch Rhett tonight?” I swiveled around in the chair to

face my momma, who was cutting up the apples for her famous pie. She never looked up as she
continued to peel and slice.

“Why?”
This time she placed the knife on the countertop and lifted her head. “Sweetheart, you have spent

the last six and a half months hiding out. You’ve ignored Maria’s phone calls and pretended to be
busy. I think it would be good for you to get out and meet up with a few old friends.”

I just shook my head and looked down at Rhett as he smacked his hands against the rattles on his

bouncer.

“Kori, it’s okay to have fun, honey. It doesn’t mean you didn’t love him, or that he isn’t still a big

part of who you are.” She knelt before me, placing her hands on my knees. She gave me a gentle,
reassuring squeeze.

The tears began to roll down my cheeks. “Don’t you understand, Momma? Every single day that

passes, it becomes harder for me to remember. I can’t remember his smile. I’m starting to forget what
his laugh sounded like. I don’t wanna forget those things.” I stood up from the table and walked to the
back sliders. “I need to hold on to what I have left. The moment I move on and I allow those little
things that are still remaining in my mind to disappear…” I took in a shuddering breath before
continuing, “then he disappears too.”

I felt strong arms wrap around my shoulders and pull me back. I turned to look up into my father’s

tear filled eyes. I had no idea he had even come into the room until just now.

“Darlin’, you will always have a part of Blake with you.” He turned me to face him, keeping his

hands firmly on my shoulders. “You have a piece of him that no one else will ever have. Every day
you’ll get a glimpse of him in the face of that handsome little boy right there.” He pointed to Rhett,
and my chest tightened as more tears spilled over. “You can’t spend the rest of your life feeling guilty
because you lived. Blake wouldn’t want that, baby girl, and you know it.” He brushed the tears from
my cheeks. “That man hated your tears. He couldn’t take seeing you frown and did everything in his
power to make sure you had a million reasons to smile.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, attempting to calm my shuddering chest. “It’s just so hard

to let go, Daddy.”

“Oh, darlin’, you don’t have to let go. You never have to let go…just live on. Live every day as a

thanks for the memories you two shared while he was here. Celebrate the life you both created
together.” He knelt to the floor and lifted Rhett from his bouncer and turned to face me. “We will all

make sure that Blake is present in this boy’s life the best we can. Rhett will know how much his
daddy loved him even before he was born. There won’t be a day that passes that we won’t remind
Rhett that his daddy would be so proud of him. That he is with him even though we can’t see him.
Sweetheart, he will be with us in our memories.”

My daddy held out Rhett, and I took him in my arms, pulling him close, feeling his soft hair tickle

my nose as I breathed him in.

“It is time to start living again, beautiful girl. That is what Blake would have wanted for you. That

boy, he never would have wanted you to suffer the way you have been.”

My daddy was right, I knew that. It never made the task any easier, though. The daily regrets and

famous game of ‘What If’ kept me from living. I constantly had the emptiness in the pit of my stomach
and struggled daily with the simple tasks. I needed him so badly.

The hardest thing was I never got to say goodbye. Did he know how much he meant to me? How

much his love meant to me? Did he have any idea how much I loved him in return?

Chapter Three

“Just go easy on me…please. Lord knows you could cause someone to go into shock with your

mad shopping skills. This is supposed to be relaxing.” Maria pulled me along to the next store. I
swore the girl wasn’t satisfied unless she bought one item from each place.

After about two weeks of my parents pushing and Maria’s continuing visits, I caved. I decided to

allow her to drag me along while she shopped. Now here I was, going into the twentieth store with
my one small purchase. She lugged along at least ten bags of her own. Things hadn’t changed even a
little. She always had more clothes than our entire graduating class, and now I thought she was in
competition with the entire county.

“After this store we’re getting something to eat. I need sustenance, girl, and these damn Jelly

Belly’s aren’t cutting it.” I smiled as Maria rolled her eyes. Three stores ago she got tired of me
complaining about being hungry, so she bought a box of Assorted Jelly Belly’s. Normally they would
satisfy me, but she had been at it now for three hours.

“Okay, whiney ass, let’s go eat.” It was the funniest thing to see her attempt to pout and be

disappointed. I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed her until now. Growing up as an only child,
Maria was like the sister I had always wanted. She came from a family of five. Yes, I said five, and
they’re all brothers. She was more than happy to hide away at my house when we were younger. It
always gave her a much needed break from all the testosterone floating around. Her brothers were all
older, and she was never really that close to them. Her daddy ran off when she was three, and by that
time her brothers were old enough to go along with him. Maria was the surprise that shocked both of
her parents. There were fourteen years between her and her youngest brother. The saddest thing was
that her daddy had been inactive in her life. The man had no idea how badly he was missing out.

Once we were seated and placed our orders, the silence set in. It was almost uncomfortable. I

knew she wanted to ask, I could tell she had concerns. I could also tell she was a little uneasy
thinking she may bring up a hard topic.

I smiled politely as the waitress sat our drinks on the table in front of us. After she stepped away I

decided to break the silence. “Just ask me…I won’t break, Maria.”

I could see the glossiness of her eyes as she looked down at her hands, toying with the napkin

surrounding her silverware. After a moment of further silence, her eyes met mine.

“I know you’ve had a really hard time since you moved back here. I just really miss you. I’ve

missed my best friend since you left for Boston.” She swiped at a lone tear. “I know that Reed broke
your heart, but I just wish his mistake hadn’t cost me. The closeness we used to have kinda
disappeared with time, and I hate that. I just want to be here for you. I want you to know that I am here

no matter what. I don’t care what time it is, day or night…I’m here.”

“Thank you. I’ve missed you too.”
“Okay, enough of the sappy shit, we need to plan a night out.”
“Oh no, I think I’ll stick to the random shopping trips for now. I’m not ready yet for all the town’s

drama.” I laughed as she crinkled up her nose. “Oh seriously, don’t act like I’m lying. This place is
just nipping at the bit to get inside my head. The moment I step out and people from school see me,
they’ll be like god damn vultures swarming their prey. And I refuse to get eaten alive.”

“Come on, I need a reason to wear my killer red boots I just bought. Besides, if anyone runs at the

mouth, I’ll drop kick the bitches.” She laughed.

There were mainly two people I was trying to avoid—Reed and Kimberly. I wasn’t sure I was

ready for either one of them, and I told her so.

“Don’t hide away because of them. Kim’s known around here as the town whore, so no worries

there.” She paused as the waitress sat our food down on the table. “Have you seen him since you’ve
been back in town?” I could only shake my head no. Handling a run-in with Reed right now was
definitely not on my To Do list. I wasn’t actually sure I would ever be properly prepared for that
encounter. I had been tucked away on my daddy’s farm or inside with my little man, safe from Reed.

***

Later that night after I put Rhett to bed, I pulled out my old album of Blake and me. Pulling a beer

from the fridge, I made my way to the swing on the front porch and leisurely flipped through our
memories.

He had the most amazing smile. One that always made my insides melt into a puddle of lovesick

girl. He was such a happy guy. In fact, I had rarely seen him upset or angry. He was the guy everyone
loved to be around. The guy who would give anyone the shirt off his back. He was the kind of man I
always dreamed of spending my life with.

I was lucky enough to fall in love twice in my life, and most people wished for it to happen at least

once. After Reed broke my heart, I vowed to never let another man get that close. The moment Blake
kissed me for the first time…hell, that battle was lost, because he consumed me.

I only wished I had thought of ways to create lasting memories while he was alive, so I could

share them with Rhett and give him a better idea of who his daddy really was.

I was now left feeling as if I were only failing my son. I had nothing to give him of his father’s. I

had no idea how to teach him what kind of man his daddy was. The thought of Rhett never knowing
the loving man who helped create him was crippling, and I felt numb with agony.

Chapter Four

I stood in front of the full length mirror, spinning from side to side. I thought I had changed my top

at least ten times, and I still wasn’t satisfied this was the right one. I flopped down on the bed and
threw myself backward with a loud groan.

A snicker from the doorway had me laughing in return. I looked up to find Maria standing there,

holding Rhett. “Your momma’s having a little breakdown, buddy. This is called a clothing crisis, and
when your girlfriend has one later in life, you just need to remember one thing.” She paused and
looked at me, smiling. “She is beautiful, and no matter what she wears that will never change.” Maria
winked before turning with my boy to walk back toward the living room, leaving me alone with my
thoughts.

“Baby what’s taking so long? We’re gonna be late.”
I stepped from the bedroom and looked up to meet Blake’s gorgeous green eyes staring at me.

That damn smile made my knees weak. He took a step toward me and placed his hands on my hips.
“Why the long face, beautiful girl?”

“Nothing fits me anymore. I feel like a beached whale, and my ass is huge.”
I felt his hands slip around my hips as he cupped my butt. He leaned in and placed a sweet kiss

against my lips. “You’re gorgeous, Kori. There isn’t a thing about you that could be considered
huge. Your body is amazing, and every day you only get more beautiful.”

“You’re just biased.”
He let his head fall back and chuckled deeply. “Oh, baby, I may be biased, but it’s true. I love

you so much, sweet girl. You look perfect, baby…you always do.”

I sat up from the bed with a newfound confidence. It was funny how my memories of Blake still

had the ability to make me feel beautiful. I pulled myself together and finished getting ready.

When I emerged from the bedroom I had to laugh. I found my best friend crawling around on the

kitchen floor, barking like a dog, as Rhett watched her from his bouncer. She would randomly stop
and bark these yappy little barks. The moment she began to shake her ass, appearing to wag her
imaginary tail, I lost it. I was hunched over in the hallway, holding my ribs, tears streaming down my
cheeks.

“Shut up…I’d do anything for this little guy. If it means crawling around on the floor looking like

an escaped patient from the nearest mental facility, so be it. It’s worth every second if I get to see him
smile and hear that sweet little giggle.”

I wiped the tears from my cheeks, clearing my throat. “Tell me about it, his smile looks more and

more like his daddy’s every day. That smile right there, it keeps me going.” I kissed his slobbery
cheek, and he grabbed a fist full of my hair in return.

“Let’s get you to Granny’s house, she’s already called twice. I think she’s going through Rhett

withdrawal.”

***

We pulled up to the old bar at the edge of town, and the familiarity of the place flowed over me. I

remembered my daddy playing poker here on Saturday nights when I was young. The nights he would
call Momma to come and pick him up, after he had one too many with the boys. I also remembered
skinning my knee on the parking lot after my daddy told me to wait in the truck. All he had to do was
run in to grab his poker chips. Of course I didn’t listen, but I blamed it on the cute little kitten. I
chased him under the shed on the side of the building. The moment I heard my daddy’s voice, I ran for
the truck, only to fall to my knees as I tripped over my own feet. When my knees hit the ground, my
left one connected with a piece of glass. I still had the nasty scar to remind me I should have just
listened.

“Are you ready?”
I watched as Maria opened the door of her Jeep and climbed out. I took one last deep breath and

let it out slowly. “Let’s do this,” I whispered to myself before stepping out of the Jeep to follow her
inside.

I smiled at the country music filling the bar, thinking about how Blake would be scrunching up his

nose. He always said every damn country song was the same…someone broke your heart, now drink
another beer. Our taste in music was one of the only things we used against each other. He preferred
the loud screeching music that sounded like someone was strangling a cat.

I followed Maria to the bar and sat down on the stool next to her. Across the bar a familiar voice

said, “This night just got a whole lot better.” I didn’t even look up, but the voice struck me deep in my
stomach, and I squeezed my eyes firmly, counting to ten. When I looked up into a set of familiar deep
brown eyes, my heart raced.

“Hi, Kori.”
My gaze shot to Maria and I glared. The sneaky bitch just made her way on to my shit list. She

knew exactly what she was doing. The funny thing was she refused to meet my gaze. No, she sure as
hell wasn’t being obvious or anything.

“What can I get ya to drink?” I turned back to face Reed, refusing to react.
“Well, looks like this just became a vodka kind of night.” I caught Maria’s movement from my

right side. I swung my head quickly, looking in her direction. “You’re in trouble.” Her only response
was to shrug. “Uh uh, no way. Your ass knows exactly what I’m talking about.” I stood up from the
bar and walked away, hollering over my shoulder. “You can buy my drinks and bring ’em to me. I’m
going to find a table away from him.”

I heard Reed’s deep chuckle behind me. Damn if it didn’t still give me the chills. I despised its

effect, and the fact he looked even better than I remembered only made me angrier.

This night went south real fast. Maria and I were gonna be having a little catfight in the middle of

the bar. I was sure she planned this.

Chapter Five

“What the hell is this, Mar…seriously?” I grabbed one shot glass and downed it quickly,

squeezing my eyes to fight the burn. “You knew he’d be here.” I turned up the second shot glass, and it
went down a little smoother. “I can’t believe you didn’t warn me.” Last shot was downed quickly,
followed by a loud smack, as I flipped it upside down on the table in front of me. “It’s fucking
bullshit…and you know it.”

I didn’t give her a chance before I stood and walked toward the dance floor. I lost myself within

the group and joined in like I belonged. I needed something else to focus on. I had to get away from
her and just take a breather. I had to reel in this anger, because it sure as shit wasn’t doing me any
good. What the hell would it solve? The damage was already done.

I knew I would eventually run into Reed somewhere in town, but damn it, I was blindsided tonight,

and it pissed me off. I couldn’t stand the fact he still made my heart race and my stomach flutter. After
I met Blake, he became my one and only. Reed was an afterthought, and now he was here in plain
sight, bringing up old feelings, and I hated it. He had no right to have this effect on me.

After a few songs I made my way back to the table. Maria hadn’t moved. She looked up at me with

glossy eyes. “I’m sorry, but I honestly didn’t know he’d be here.” I started to argue, but she cut me
off. “Let me finish.” After a pause she continued. “He never works behind the bar. Normally he just
stops in early to square things away, and then he is outta here. He has people who run the place for
him.”

“Wait a minute…run the place?”
She nodded. “Yeah. He owns Lucky’s. He bought it last year after the…” she stopped

midsentence.

“After what?”
“After the fire.”
I looked at her, waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t, I asked, “What fire, Maria? What

happened?”

She looked over her shoulder and I followed her stare. My eyes met his and he winked, before

going back to serving the group of guys at the end of the bar. Maria’s voice tugged me from my trance
of watching his muscles flex with each movement.

“His momma’s house burned down last year,” she said, then paused. “He was here, he had come

back home after a long visit, and um...” I knew what she was going to say, and I had to stop her. I
knew he left town shortly after I did to go live with his momma in Tennessee, but I didn’t know much
about her. He never talked about her, just that she came from money, and his parents divorced when

he was young. He chose to move here with his daddy when they split.

“He bought the land next to his daddy’s place and built a house. He moved back right before the

fire happened.” She took a drink of her beer and mindlessly played with the label on the bottle. “He
blames himself…says if he would have stayed with her, he would have been able to get her out.”

I shook my head. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow is right.”
“This night just suddenly became a huge buzz kill.”
Maria stood from her chair quickly. “No fucking way, I got my new red boots, and damn it, I ain’t

stopping till these bitches are broke in.”

I shook my head and laughed. “No more talking about depressing topics then. You aren’t supposed

to make it difficult for me to hate the man.”

She nodded once. “You got it. That asshole got head from Kim while dating you. He’s a cheating

son of a bitch who needs to be nut punched.” I couldn’t help but laugh at Mrs. Violent Mable here.

“Okay, that helps, the vision is definitely back. But the whole nut punching thing, we can skip.”

She shrugged and drug me toward the dance floor for another round of dancing. We wiggled our
asses, song after song, until our feet hurt.

***

I was dying for a beer, but I refused to go to the bar. My buzz was flowing, but not enough to give

me the liquid courage needed to face him once again.

“Hey, I need to pee, bitch. Get us a beer.” I walked away before Maria could argue. Two birds

with one stone. I needed to go, and it meant if she got the beers, I didn’t have to talk to him.

When I made it back to the table she had two shots for each of us and a beer. “Uh, real nice,

hooker, but um…who’s gonna drive if we’re both shit faced?”

She flipped back the first shot. “One word…” Second shot slammed back just as quick as the first.

“Cab.” Followed by a long pull from her beer before she sat it back down. “Catch up, twatwaffle, it’s
time to shake your skinny little ass.” She walked past and swatted my bottom. “Move it, or lose it,
sister.”

Shaking my head, laughing, I followed by tipping back both shots and a quick drink of my beer

before chasing after her. A few guys tried dancing with us, but we just created our own little dance
circle, until they got the hint and walked away. Which was always followed by us giggling.

The night was turning out to be something I thought I really needed. It felt good to let loose and feel

anything other than the pain and depression that had consumed me for the last eight months.

Maria and I were both feeling really good. We carefully made our way back to our table. I knew

we had to look ridiculous, leaning on one another, taking slow steps. The tingling feeling dominated
me, and the laughter set in. We were both giddy, and it didn’t take much for the two of us to break out
into a fit of giggles.

I heard a clicking against the floor and looked up just in time to see long, flowing, black hair

swinging back and forth. A woman in a skin tight dress with the tallest damn hooker heels I had ever
seen just walked in. She made a beeline straight to Reed, and I felt my stomach tighten with an
unwanted jealousy. Who gave a hell if that woman was his girlfriend, wife, whatever? So why
couldn’t I stop staring? She looked more like a street walker than a lady.

Once she turned to the side, my heart raced—it was Kim.
Maria caught me staring and turned around to see what I was looking at. “Oh great, who invited the

town hussy?”

Before I could stop myself, I asked the one thing I wanted to pretend I didn’t give two shits about.

“Are they together?”

“Hell no, she’s tried. I don’t think she has ever gotten the hint, but she still tries, almost daily.

She’s like a god damn fly on shit. She pushes, and he draws back. He tries to be polite, but in all
honesty he really just needs to tell her to back off.”

Maria and her filter…wait, what filter? I pulled my eyes away just a second too late. I knew Kim

had spotted us. I could feel her beady little eyes narrowing in. The clicking got closer and closer until
it stopped right next to our table. I did everything I could to keep from looking at her. She and I had
some unfinished business to settle. The problem was I refused to stoop to her level. She was not
worth the stress.

“Well, look what the cat drug in. Aren’t we all so blessed to have Kori Foster come back to

town?” She laughed like she thought she was the queen shit. “I hoped when you left it would’ve been
the last time any of us ever saw ya.” She leaned in just a little closer. “Didn’t the vision of your
boyfriend’s dick in my mouth give you the hint that there isn’t anything here for you?”

Maria jumped up quickly from the bar stool and put herself between Kim and me. “Listen real

close, Kim. I love my red boots. I mean I really love my red boots, but I sure as hell would risk them
by sticking one clean up your ass. If you don’t step away right now, bitch, you’re gonna be walking
real funny for weeks. And it won’t be for the reasons that usually have your whorish ass walking that
way.”

Maria laughed and looked over her shoulder, winking at me. I had really missed her fiery

spunkiness. I could always count on her having my back.

“Humph.” Kim rolled her eyes, and the noise she made caused Maria to turn back and face her.
“Try me, bitch.” Maria rolled up her sleeves slowly and took another step toward Kim. I stifled a

laugh at her expression. All at once Kim threw her hands up in the air, spinning around and walking
away. The moment Maria took a seat back on the bar stool next to me we both let the laughter flow
freely. We ordered another round of drinks in celebration of pissing off Kim, the town hooker.

Maria wasn’t more than five and a half feet tall, weighing less than one hundred and fifteen

pounds. She never let that stop her from making her presence well known. She was a tiny thing, but
they always said dynamite came in small packages. I thought they created that saying with her in mind.
When she was mad, it got a little wild.

***

The sound of last round told us it was time to call a cab. We both held on to each other and made

our way toward the exit. Sticking my hand out before me to push against the door, it connected with a
strong, firm chest instead.

I looked up, and it was a little too quickly because the room began to spin, and I felt myself falling.

Two strong hands gripped my waist and held me upright. “Steady, Kori. You two ladies ain’t driving
nowhere.”

For a moment I kept my hands on his chest, making sure I once again had my bearings. I slowly

pushed back and looked up at him. His eyes raked over me and he grinned. “Hey, pretty girl, let me
take you two home.” I instantly felt the burn; it was as if my chest were on fire. His big, warm
chocolate eyes drank me in, and heat flooded through me. Only then leading toward anger. I wouldn’t

feel anything toward Reed. I couldn’t. I refused to feel anything but hate. My love died with Blake.
No man would take his place.

I pushed back hard. “Don’t touch me. You lost the right to touch me or worry about me long ago.

Go fuck yourself, Reed, or wait…just drop your pants around your ankles and tell Kim to suck.” I
pushed past him and stormed off toward the exit.

I stumbled out the door and found a post to steady myself against. “Damn, bitch, that was a vicious

side of you I don’t see often.”

“There isn’t a spot in my life for Reed Jackson. I closed that door a long time ago.”
The cab pulled into the parking lot and honked. Maria and I held on to each other as we made our

way to the car. After we were safely inside, just before it pulled away, I looked back toward the bar.
Reed was leaning against the big black truck beside the front entrance.

I swallowed hard and pushed past the feelings of guilt. I couldn’t feel guilty. He hurt me, and he

wasn’t anything to me, not anymore.

The problem was it was taking too much effort to convince myself of that.

Chapter Six

“Never again…oh holy hell, ho-bag, this sucks.” I laughed as I watched Maria crawl along the

floor to the bathroom across the hall. She groaned the entire way, stopping to hold her head every few
feet. I felt queasy, but I had been up for over an hour already, and the Tylenol I took was beginning to
work its magic.

“Oh my god, I think I’m dying, Kor. This is so not funny.” Maria’s moans poured out from the

opened bathroom door. It sounded like she may be dying a slow death. The entire thing only caused
me to laugh even harder.

After about ten minutes she walked toward the kitchen, looking like death, and I stifled a giggle.

“Shut up before I hurl on you.”

“Don’t be such a girl.”
Rolling her eyes upward, she grabbed for a coffee cup, then filled it to the brim before lightly

blowing on the dark liquid. “So what’s the plan for today? Are we going to hibernate so I can
recuperate? Or are you dragging my ass off to do something I’m gonna complain about the entire
time?”

“I’m leaning more toward option B. It sounds so much more fun.” The mumbling and bitching that

spilled from her as I went off to get dressed caused me to break out in another fit of laughter.

Having Maria around helped me get through my days. She made it a little easier to climb out of

bed daily and push myself forward. Being able to lean on her made things a little less dark and
gloomy. She held my head when I needed to cry, though my tears were beginning to come less often.
The smiles and laughter weren’t as hard to share with each passing day.

I used to feel guilty for every happy moment. I hated that Blake didn’t get the chance to smile and

feel love. He was gone, and it was so unfair. I missed him so damn much, but I also knew that he
wouldn’t want me to stop living. I remembered conversations we had about love and loss. I hated it
when he would talk about something happening to one of us. It made me so mad to hear him talk about
us not being together. But he would always say the same thing…

It would be the hardest thing in my life, Kori, but if we didn’t work out, I would still want you

happy. Even if it meant being happy with another man. I couldn’t stand to see it, but if there was a
guy out there who could make you smile and laugh, then I would want that for you. Loving
someone means wanting them to be happy.

Those conversations with Blake always drove me insane. I mean, the thought of not being with him

shredded me. Neither of us ever thought it would be death that tore us apart.

***

Maria and I spent the rest of the day on the lake. My daddy’s property actually had three of them,

but I had my favorite. I called it my lake because growing up it had become my place to escape. It
was my peace…my spot. I would go there to read or write. I’d hide there if I felt sad or even when I
was happy.

When I went to pick up Rhett, my momma insisted Maria and I needed to enjoy our day. After

about ten minutes of arguing she booted our asses out the door with a small basket of goodies. So my
lake seemed like the best place to go.

“Do you remember when we were like, I don’t know, thirteen maybe? We used to come out here

and swing from the branches, out into the water.”

I laughed picturing it. “Yeah, I also remember a certain time when someone thought it would be

funny to climb the tree and slide off the branch.” I looked over just in time to see her cheeks redden
from the memory. “You didn’t really count on the smaller branch snagging your bottoms and ripping
them to shreds. There is nothing funnier than seeing your best friend dangling from a tree by her
swimsuit bottoms, screaming like a bitch. Your arms and legs were flipping around in all directions,
while your ass was bare to the world. If only I’d had a video camera, I could have used it as a form
of torture.”

We both sat on the deck with our feet hanging over the side, reminiscing about the years when

everything seemed simple. Before all the heartache and loss.

Silence set in for a short time before Maria got serious on me. “Kori, I’m glad you came back

home. I wish it would have been under different circumstances, but I’ve missed you. After you left it
wasn’t as fun around here. It feels nice to have my best friend around.”

She took a deep breath and looked out over the water. “I can’t pretend even for a second I

understand your heartache. I can see how much you loved Blake and still do. You’ll always love ’em,
Kor. He will forever be a part of you. He holds a place in your heart no one can ever fill.”

I held back the tears the best I could, but I had a feeling I knew where she was going with this

conversation. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. I had done a great job avoiding conversations that
got too deep. I knew I couldn’t hide forever. I would one day have to accept that my life would have
to move on, without Blake. He was never coming back.

I swiped away the single tear trailing down my cheek.
Maria reached out, gripping my hand in hers before she continued.
“You’re young, and you have an entire life ahead of you. Just don’t shut down your heart to the

possibility of another chance at love. I know you’re not ready right now. You’re the only one who
will know when you are. Just promise me when the opportunity hits you, you won’t run away from it.
You have entirely too much love to give. I would be saddened by the thought that there is someone out
there who didn’t get the chance to feel your love. You are such a giving person. Anyone would be
lucky to have you to share their life with. You are an amazing, strong person. Just know it’s okay to
love again.”

I nodded as I stared off in the distance. I was too choked up with emotion to speak. I knew she was

right, even if I couldn’t admit it out loud. I knew losing Blake changed me. It made me look at life in a
whole new way.

Chapter Seven

Over the next few weeks I did a good job at staying busy. I spent my days working outside around

my little house. I wanted to make our home the best I could, for Rhett. The problem I kept running into
was, no matter how hard I tried, it still felt empty. I could fill it from floor to ceiling with everything I
could find, yet it still felt hollow, like a shell with no filling.

More often than not, I was waking up throughout the night with dreams of the accident. The ones

where Blake was begging me to help him were the worst. Seeing him reach out for me as he coughed
blood and gasped for air caused me to wake up screaming. Once I was able to calm my breathing, I
would fall into an uncontrollable sob that seemed to last for hours.

The loss of Blake was tearing me apart. I didn’t know how to come back from this. How did you

carry on when you felt so vacant and destroyed? When you felt like half your soul was missing?

***

Fourth of July weekend came quickly. I knew that only meant it was time for me to once again

climb out of my shell and make an appearance to those who pitied me.

Maria insisted I take part in the festivities. She was in charge of the food. She was making a big

impression in town with her fancy cooking skills. It was her newfound hobby, and she was good at it.
This was her chance to gather the praise she deserved. She was able to try out some new items and
get some real feedback. Oh, how the cowboys loved every little bit. I knew her appearance only made
it a little better on their behalf. They got to ogle her and devour her food.

I stood under the tent, placing out the new filled dishes after the current ones were emptied. I heard

someone clear their throat, and I looked up, connecting immediately with a man who could still make
my knees feel weak. The thought of that only spiked my temper, and I wanted to lash out.

“You gonna act like you hate me forever, Kori? Or are we gonna move past the fact I was a dumb

kid who made an even dumber mistake?” He stared at me directly in the eyes, waiting for my
response.

I narrowed my eyes and glared. “I think I’ll just stick to hating you forever.”
I heard him chuckle as I continued to busy myself with refilling the food that was running low.
“You don’t hate me, Kori, not like you say you do.”
What in the hell did he know? He had no idea how I felt. I leaned forward, bracing myself against

the table with both hands. I could see the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Cocky, arrogant

son of a bitch thought he had me in the palm of his hand.

“I can promise you one thing, Reed.” I paused to look up over his shoulder. Connecting my vision

with none other than the girl he felt was worth throwing away everything we had, all those years ago.
“If the last eight months have taught me anything, it would be that life is short. I don’t plan on wasting
a moment of my time on those who don’t deserve it.” His smile fell as I continued. “You, Reed, took
what we had and threw it away, for a quick roll in the hay with the town slut. That was the moment I
started hating you.”

I pushed up off the table, causing a few of the dishes to rattle with the force.
I spun around and walked away, leaving him staring after me in what I assumed was regret.

***

“So what was that all about?” Maria nudged me from behind. I looked over my shoulder at Reed.

His back was to us as he sipped casually on a beer. I watched as he stared out over the crowd of
people claiming their spot for the fireworks show.

“It was nothing.”
She laughed. “Yeah, it looked like a whole lot of something, but definitely not nothing.” I rolled

my eyes at her as I continued to watch Reed. He looked lonely and sad, staring out into a crowded
space. I watched as he twisted his bottle around in his hands, looking down at the ground in front of
him. “You feeling kinda bitchy?”

I twisted around to face Maria. “Why the hell would I feel bad? He deserves my bitchiness.”
She leaned back against the table, taking a moment to think, before she spoke. “Okay, Kori, you

know I love you, girl. I mean, I freaking love you to pieces, but…” she faded off.

“But what?”
“The guy isn’t who he used to be. Reed’s changed, and he isn’t the same cocky prick he once was.

His life hasn’t been easy since high school. The guy knows he screwed up with you. I know he regrets
it every day. You have to remember something.” She paused taking in a slow, steady breath. “Before
you two were a couple, you were friends. Really great friends. He used to be someone you could lean
on, count on. He was always there for both of us growing up. He has a good heart. You know deep
down I’m right.”

I let my eyes wander back over just in time to see Reed walking away. My stomach dropped

suddenly with the thought of him leaving.

“Just try not to be so quick to push away those who care. I’m not saying you gotta fall in love all

over again, but we can all use friends.” The tears formed in my eyes. Was I being too hard on him? It
was such a long time ago and we were young.

***

Later, after everyone had settled to watch the fireworks, I quickly found my spot with Maria next

to my parents. I took Rhett into my arms and snuggled him close. The sun had set, and it was just a
matter of time before the show started.

“Mum mum…Mum,” Rhett rambled as he tugged on my necklace. I wrapped his blanket in tighter

around him, pretending to nibble on his fingers as he giggled. My eyes filled with tears, looking down
into the eyes that matched his daddy’s so perfectly. A tear ran down my cheek, and I quickly swiped it

away.

Each day that passed, it became a little easier to deal with Blake being gone. It was really hard

when Rhett would reach a milestone. I would find myself feeling guilty once again for being able to
witness it. My heart would break all over again with the knowledge that Blake would never know his
son. He would never be able to teach him the things a father should.

When the first firework cracked and scattered above us, Rhett jumped, grabbing hold of my shirt

tighter. I held my hands over his ears and tilted his head toward the sky. He watched, mesmerized by
the flashing colors. His face was the only thing I could watch; it was beautiful the way his eyes lit up.
I rested my forehead against the top of his head when my heart could no longer take it. Squeezing my
eyes tightly, I concentrated on breathing in his baby scent. Tears began to drift down my cheeks, while
I silently expressed to Blake how much I missed him.

I felt a hand gently stoking over my back, and I turned toward the touch. Maria’s eyes were glossy

as she attempted a reassuring smile. Her head rested against my shoulder, showing me the support I
desperately needed. “You know he’s with you, right? Every day Blake’s here with you, watching over
both of you.”

I nodded my head, and I caught movement over Maria’s shoulder. Reed was on a blanket a few

groups over with his father. Our eyes connected for a moment, and I couldn’t look away. His face
held an expression full of pain and regret. He forced a smile and winked.

I knew I had to let go of the anger he’d caused in me. It was making me a bitter person, and that

wasn’t who I wanted to be.

I attempted a small smile in return, as a gesture of truce. I wasn’t making any promises. I couldn’t

say there wouldn’t be days when I would want to hit him and yell. The man hurt me so badly when I
had trusted him. He took my heart and stomped on it.

I would do everything I could to let go of the past and attempt to be civil. The pettiness of our

childhood drama seemed so long ago. Life was so much more than it was then. I really just needed to
let it go.

Chapter Eight

The rest of July went quickly, and before I knew it, the approaching school year was about to

begin. Getting the call from the elementary school in town was a blessing. I had started to give up
hope I would find a position when the phone call came.

The first grade teaching position had come up when the current teacher had to resign. Her husband

had been transferred for his job at the last minute, and they were forced to move.

I was now gainfully employed with Brooklet Elementary School. The same school I attended and

Rhett will be going to as well. I was nervous, but seriously, how bad could it be? I mean, they were
first graders.

It would help that Maria was in the same school with me. She was the art teacher. The thought of

spending the day with her so close helped ease the flutters of nervous energy.

What didn’t help was when I arrived on the first day of school to find Reed standing outside my

classroom door. He was leaning against the wall just opposite my room, with his hands shoved deep
in his pockets. As I approached, his gaze lifted and met mine. His lips slightly lifted into a gentle
smile.

“Hey,” he said.
“Hi. What are you doing here?” I looked from side to side, observing the hallways.
“I heard today was your first day in the working world. I just wanted to wish ya luck.” He pointed

to the classroom to my desk. The vase of pink roses sitting in the middle of it. I started to tell him that
we couldn’t go there, but he held up his hands to stop me. He began backing down the hall toward the
front exit. “It’s just a friendly gesture, Kori, nothing more. A friend wishing another friend good luck
on her first day at a new job.”

The moment Reed walked out through the front entrance, the hallway began to empty. I took one

last deep breath before entering my classroom. Setting my bag on the desk next to the flowers, I let the
uneasy feelings go. Biting my lower lip, I pulled the card from the holder, opening it with slight
hesitation.

Kori,
These little rug rats are lucky as hell to have a teacher as amazing as you. Keep your head up

and flash that gorgeous smile, because it can melt anyone…no matter what age. Good luck on your
first day, Giggles.

I couldn’t help the warm feeling spreading through me as I read his words. Before things went

wrong between us, he always said my smile did him in. No matter what his day had been, once he
saw my smile and heard my laugh, everything felt right. He called me Giggles for years, and to have
him say it once again, well, it only made it that much harder to remember how he once hurt me.
Trusting Reed would not come easy.

I shook my head as the bell rang, and I looked up into the faces of all the curious little friends I had

scattered out in front of me. This was it, the start of my future.

***

“Hey, darlin’, how was your first day?” my daddy hollered out from behind the truck as I pulled

into the drive. He was chucking bundles of hay to the ground, as Hank, my daddy’s long-time friend
and farmhand, carried them off toward the barn.

“It was good, actually. Much better than I thought it would be. I think I’m gonna love it. Where’s

Momma and Rhett?”

He pointed toward the porch, and I looked up to find them swaying gently on the wooden swing. I

stood for a moment observing them snuggling, as she held a book out in front of him.

Rhett began getting excited once I came into view. He reached out for me, his face filling with his

daddy’s smile. This little man was gonna be the death of me when he got old enough to date. I could
hear it now, all the little girls were going to turn to putty with that killer grin. Blake had the most
amazing smile. The smile I could never tire of. It didn’t matter how mad I was pretending to be, I
caved every time he flashed that dimple.

“Why you all smiles? It looks good on ya though, sweetie. I’m just wondering what brought it on?”
“I was just thinking about Blake, and how Rhett looks just like him when he smiles. I’m gonna be

in trouble when he gets older.”

I looked up at my momma, seeing that she was watching me carefully. “It’s getting easier to talk

about him. Easy to remember things without breaking down. I miss him, Momma, every day. I know
those feelings will never go away. I just don’t wanna forget him. I want Rhett to know all about his
daddy.” I took a deep breath. “I just wish I had more of his life to share with Rhett. The only thing I
have is the almost year we had together. I never thought about how I would carry on his memory after
he was gone…who would have planned for that?”

She pulled me down onto the bench next to her and placed her arm over my shoulder, the three us

rocking together. “You’re doing amazing with him. I know things are hard for you. I also know you
will do everything you can to make sure Rhett knows who his daddy was. That is all you can do, baby
girl.”

We sat in silence for a long time, watching as Rhett tugged on the pages in his rubberized books,

laughing and squealing in excitement.

Things were gonna be okay. I knew I would still have hard days and hard times. But I now

believed I could get through it one day at time. I had made it this far. Of course it wasn’t without
struggle, but I got here.

Chapter Nine

“Your first week as a teacher, and no one cried, that’s an accomplishment. I mean, hell, I had three

of them cry on me, and I teach third grade.” I laughed as Maria went on and on. “Honestly, am I
mean? I gotta be a bitch if I made three kids cry in the first week. I teach art, for shit’s sake, and they
cried.”

I covered my mouth to hide my laughter as she threw her hands up in the air. “You are a bitch, I

could have told ya that. You made me cry the first day I met you.”

“Whatever, hooker, you tried to take my cookies.” She looked at me over the top of my car hood as

we reached for the doors to leave for the week. “Nobody messes with my chocolate chip cookies, I
don’t give a shit who they are. I don’t share those bitches with anyone.”

“I was five, and you pushed me backwards out of my chair. I fell and hit my head.” I started the car

and turned to look at her. “All you did was sit there at the table and shovel the damn things in your
mouth, like you were starving. You didn’t even check to see if I was okay.”

“I. Don’t. Share.” She attempted to be serious, but it was useless. Once our eyes connected, she

lost it. Hunching over, she held her stomach tightly. Every breath she snorted only led to further
laughter from both of us.

After she was finally able to hold herself together and refrain from sounding like a pig having an

asthma attack, we began to plan our weekend.

“Okay, so I bumped into Ben and Reed last night.” I continued to stare forward as I drove toward

her place. I was hoping she didn’t notice my face flush at the mention of Reed. “They’re having a get
together tomorrow at Ben’s place. He bought the Thompson’s old farm, and he has all that land now.”

She was stalling, and I knew it. I remained silent waiting for her to continue.
“They invited us both. A whole mess of people will be coming. Old friends, people you may like

to reconnect with. What do you think?”

I took a deep breath, running the entire scenario through my head over and over. After a moment of

silence I shocked us both. “Sure, why not, let’s go have some fun. Meet up with old friends and make
new ones.”

***

Saturday afternoon came way too fast. I went through all the stages of pre-party jitters. I would be

taking Rhett with me until my parents came back to town after the auction. They agreed to swing by

Ben’s place and pick him up.

I had gone through his bag at least half a dozen times, packing and unpacking. I could pack this

damn thing on my worst day, with a blindfold, and not have a problem. Today was an entirely
different situation. I knew this party would hold everyone from my past. I would see old faces, hear
old stories, and laugh at old jokes. But my heart ached so heavily.

My dream was to convince Blake to move back here after I graduated. I wanted us to start a life

here, raise our family. I never imagined I would be doing it alone.

I met Maria at the entrance to the farm. It still held the old sign staked above on the wooden arch.

Fresh Apples. I remembered walking through this very farm picking apples with my momma when I
was younger. Now it was owned by an old friend. I made a promise to myself to bring Rhett here
when he was old enough to pick apples.

I spotted Maria’s Jeep parked along the edge of the road. She was waving her arm out the open

window, acting all crazy. She motioned for me to follow along behind her as she began driving up the
long gravel road.

The cars and big old trucks were lining the field, stacked two deep, with people sprawled out over

every inch of the property. All the old country traditions surrounded me as I slowly took it all in. A
game of horseshoes was going on to the left of me. Coolers overflowing with beer. Bundles of hay
scattered around, being used as seating for all the guests.

There had to be at least six grills cooking every kind of meat possible, and a pig roasting just to

the side of the barn. Table after table of dishes filled with anything you could imagine. It was a little
overwhelming at first.

Maria met me at the side of my Escape and took Rhett from me. “Hand over the best looking man

here. Right here,” she said and pointed toward Rhett. “This little cowboy, he’s my date.”

I rolled my eyes, following behind her as she walked off toward the crowd. We had both grabbed

a beer from the nearest cooler and began making our way around the yard.

“Oh hell, is that you, Kori?” I heard a familiar sweet voice. One I hadn’t heard since my junior

year. I twisted around quickly to find Leann Mitchell, a friend and fellow classmate from my high
school years. She wrapped her arms around me as we exchanged a friendly hug.

“Yeah, it’s me. How are you? I thought you moved to Houston?” I asked her as I stepped back to

get a good look at her.

“I moved back last year, and well,” she pointed down to her protruding stomach. I hadn’t even

noticed that she was obviously pregnant.

“Oh wow, congratulations, how far are you?”
Before she could answer, Ben walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist,

snuggling the side of her neck. “We got a little over four more months before we meet our little lady.”
I smiled looking at the two of them together. I felt a small ache deep within my chest. I missed the
feeling of being in Blake’s arms. I used to love when he held me like that.

“I’m glad you could make it today. It’s really good to see you, Kori. Where’s your little one,

anyway?” Leann asked.

“Oh, he’s around here somewhere. Maria took him the moment we got here. I’m sure she’s using

him as a ploy to gain attention.” I began scanning over the sprawling ground, my eyes landing on the
back of a tall built figure I knew well. The fact that he could really wear a pair of jeans made it hard
to look away. The cowboy boots and Stetson only made the vision more appealing. I mentally
lectured myself over the thoughts that for a moment overtook my mind.

It was almost like he could feel me watching him. He turned his head slightly, and our eyes

connected. A grin pulled at the corner of his mouth just before he winked.

“There’s Maria.” I turned back to Leann just as Maria approached, carrying a messy, chocolate

cheeked little boy.

“Seriously, woman, we’ve been here what, fifteen minutes. Where’ve you been? How did Rhett

get covered in chocolate?” I pulled him from her arms and she laughed and shrugged. “Oh, don’t act
like you don’t know how this happened. You have chocolate on your face too.” I found the nearest
place to sit and began cleaning up a very dirty little boy.

Over the next few hours I was able to reconnect with a lot of old friends and even some new faces.

The feelings of home slowly washed over me. This is where I grew up, these were my people. There
was just one thing missing, one thing I could never get back.

I dark shadow fell from over my left shoulder. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was; I

could smell him. It pissed me off that I could remember his scent, that manly outdoorsy fragrance. The
desire deep in my stomach rolled though me, sending unwanted chills over my skin.

“I was wondering, can I introduce myself to this handsome little guy?” Why did his voice have to

affect me? Deep, husky, still so sexy.

Looking back over my shoulder I forced a smile. “Sure.”
Reed took a few steps and came around the front of the bundle of hay I had claimed as my own. He

knelt down before us. “Hey there, buddy.” Rhett gigged and bounced in my lap. He was such a happy
boy. He laughed and smiled so often. He loved when people talked to him and showed him attention.

Reed chuckled and looked up at me. “He’s a happy boy, isn’t he? Kor…he’s a good baby.”
I was too choked up to speak. This was hard, having another man this close.
I knew it had been almost a year. It didn’t make it any easier, though. My love for Blake still

overpowered every other emotion. I found it hard to feel anything for anyone else, without feeling
guilty. Reed showing Rhett attention just broke my heart.

I couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like if I saw another woman with my son. A woman

who had an obvious interest in his daddy. I knew to some it may seem so childish to think that way,
but I couldn’t make it disappear. Losing someone the way I lost Blake wasn’t something you got over
quickly. He was ripped from our lives in the most agonizing way. When Blake died, I felt like I had,
too. I’d tried so hard to let go of the guilty feelings, but every day they’re present, beating down my
front door.

It was all too much, and I stood, quickly gathering up my things. “I’ve gotta get going. Rhett’s

getting tired, and he needs a bath.”

I rushed past Reed, walking toward my vehicle. Once inside I sent a text message to Maria letting

her know I wasn’t feeling well and had to leave. Then I sent a similar message to my parents, before
starting up my car and driving home.

***

After getting Rhett fed and put to bed, I grabbed a bottle of wine and went out to the front porch.

The tears began quickly. Knowing that the distance between my house and anyone else was
widespread, I let loose. The chances of anyone hearing my sobs were slim. Torturing myself, I held
on to the one photo of Blake and me in the park. I began drowning my heartache in the bottle of Pinot.

The headlights flickering along the tree line grabbed my attention. The access road to my house

was off the main road, and there was nothing else along it but me. The only reason to take it was to
come here, and right now I didn’t want company.

As the vehicle got closer, my heart sank. The big black truck with huge tires and dark windows

pulled in next to my SUV. I quickly began wiping at the tears on my cheeks.

The sound of the door shutting made me jump, followed by the crunch of gravel under his boots.
I looked down, squeezing the photo just a little tighter to my chest. A sob broke out uncontrollably,

and I covered my mouth, trying to hide it.

“Kori,” a pained whisper filled the silence. “Talk to me. Yell at me, something. I know you’re

hurting, I wish I could help.”

“No one can help, Reed, not unless you can go back in time. Change the past and bring Blake back

to me. That’s the only thing that would help me right now.”

He knelt before me and looked up into my eyes. “Sweetheart, if I could, I would. Because seeing

you hurting like this, it’s breaking my heart.” He paused and squeezed my knee tightly. “Let me be
here for you. Let me be a shoulder to cry on. Let me be your friend.”

Once again those unwanted feelings of guilt washed over me. “I can’t Reed. I need you to leave,

please.”

I refused to look up at him. I stared at the almost empty glass of wine in my hand, gripping the neck

tightly. After a few silent moments he stood and took a step back. “Whenever you decide you need a
friend, when you feel like you just need to get it out, lean on me, Kori. I’m not trying to push you in
any way. All I want to do is be your friend. You’re hurting, and no matter what you do, that hurt will
never completely disappear. Something, or someone will always trigger a memory or a feeling.
Something will always pop up that reminds you of him. It will get easier to carry on, but you never
have to forget him.”

I looked up as he walked away. I watched the back of him until he crawled up into his truck. His

headlights slowly backed down my driveway before turning back out on to the main road.

I realized he was talking from experience. He had lost his momma only a short time ago. Reed

knew just what it was I felt. He too carried the guilt, for different reasons of course, but it was still
guilt. He knew what it felt like to carry the guilt you got to live with when they didn’t.

Chapter Ten

After the barbeque, I laid low. I crawled back into the shell I found safe. The one that kept me

from guilt and situations that may bring it on. If it was only Rhett and me, things were a little easier.

I had been having these crazy dreams where he was still alive and happy. In those dreams, he was

there with us, watching Rhett, loving him. I always woke up with a sense of loss all over again. On
those days, I felt drained and empty. It was like losing him all over again.

Days I spent in the classroom were so hard. I had to paint on a happy face and pretend my life

wasn’t black and sad. I began wondering if I shouldn’t take Reed up on the offer. I couldn’t go on like
this. I had to move forward, for Rhett.

***

My day turned out to be an awful one. I had two kids throw up during class, and a third one on the

playground. It appeared the stomach flu had struck, and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. If
they weren’t throwing up, they were crying because their friend was. I had reached my vomit quota
for the day. All I wanted to do was go get Rhett, and then get home for a hot shower.

I left school with one hell of a headache, plus a bitchy attitude I was trying to tame. What made the

task real hard was when I pulled into my parents’ driveway and saw that damn black truck.

“No!” I whispered to myself. I slammed my Escape into park and jumped out, leaving the door

standing open while I stared off toward the fields just south of the barn. My heart sank and my eyes
filled with tears.

“Hey, baby girl, what’s wrong?” Momma asked as she walked up next to me.
“What’s he doing here, Momma? Why’s he holding my son?” My gaze met hers, waiting for her to

tell me why Reed was holding Rhett along the fence line. I turned back to watch as he took Rhett’s
little hand into his and gently stroked along Hurricane’s mane, my dad’s prizewinning horse. My chest
tightened as the scene played out in front of me. Reed smiled down at Rhett, and he giggled when
Hurricane let out an ‘hfph’ noise.

“Answer me, Momma.”
“He’s helping your daddy. The fence needed replacing, and Reed’s kinda become the handyman

around town. He offered his hands, your daddy couldn’t handle it all on his own.”

“Of course he offered.” I wiped away the tears and cleared my throat. I turned to face Momma. “I

would appreciate it if you didn’t allow men Rhett doesn’t know to carry him around.”

I never gave her a chance to answer. I walked off in their direction. Reed looked up as my feet

crunched against the gravel, making my presence known. “Hey.”

“Can I have my son?” I held out my arms. Rhett came on his own, and I held him close. I swiveled

around, walking back toward my car. I could hear his steps coming fast behind me.

“I was just showing him the horse. He looked like he was having some fun with it.” His deep,

husky voice caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand and chills to run down my spine. I was
fighting to control the tears that were so close to spilling over. “Kori, I’m sorry if I did something
wrong.”

I placed Rhett in his car seat and slammed the door shut, bracing myself against the door. I took in

a deep breath, and when I was sure I could control my heart from taking over my brain, I turned to
face him.

“You’re here to help my daddy. You’re not here to take the place of my son’s father. I don’t need

you to swoop in and save us. I’m doing fine on my own, and I don’t need you, or anyone else, for that
matter.”

Once in my vehicle, I floored the gas, spinning loose gravel. The moment I hit the main road the

tears fell heavy. Seeing him hold my son was too much. It hurt knowing Rhett may look at him as a
substitute for Blake. I wasn’t ready for something like that, and I wasn’t sure I ever would be.

My heart ached fiercely with every breath I l took. My throat burned, and my stomach tightened.

***

“Did you hear that? Listen…” Blake whispered as we lay in bed side by side.
“Dah, Dah,” filtered in through the speaker of the baby monitor. “Dah…Dah.”
“He said Dada, did you hear him, Kori?”
Blake’s excitement was evident. I smiled and rolled toward him, placing my hand on his bare

chest. “I heard him, baby.”

“I told you his first word would be daddy.” His cockiness was oozing in his words. He tickled

me, and I attempted to roll away, only to have him follow me across the bed. His body pinning
mine to the mattress. He held both of my hands above my head with one of his. Using his other
hand he continued to torture me over and over, by tickling my sides.

“Okay, please stop. Blake, seriously, you’re gonna make me pee my pants.”
He chuckled and leaned over me to place his lips against mine softly. “I love you so much,

Kori. You have no idea how special you are to me.”

“I think I have an idea. You’re pretty special, too.”
Lowering his body over mine, he braced his arms next to each side of my face, grazing over my

jaw with his thumb, just before kissing me once more. “Marry me?”

Tears filled my eyes and spilled over. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. Soon, though. I’m ready for you to be my wife.”

I woke with a jolt and began looking around the room. My cheeks were moist from the freshly

fallen tears. It felt so real, like he was there, holding me. I broke and sobbed to the point of
exhaustion. It was all just a dream.

I was torn because the dreams of Blake were welcomed, yet extremely sad. They left me aching

for him in such an intense way, it was almost crippling. His voice in my ear felt so real, and his touch,
sometimes I could still feel it hours after one of my dreams.

Then the bad parts washed over me, and I would cry for hours after the visions faded. When the

presence of him could no longer be felt, the anger hit and took over. I felt like sometimes the anger
was out of control. Like I was going crazy with it. That thought was scary.

I had to find a way to deal with this. A way to handle the range of emotions coursing through me

daily. It was then that I admitted I may not be able to do this on my own. I may in fact need someone
to help guide me.

Chapter Eleven

“It’s right next to his daddy’s house. You can’t miss it. It’s a huge place. He’s done most of the

building himself.” I turned on to Cooper Lane and drove south. It had been three days since I yelled at
Reed. I have been going over the entire scene in my head. I needed to apologize to him. He didn’t
deserve my anger, not when all he was trying to do was be a friend. I directed all my hurt and
frustration toward him, and now it was time I let him know he did nothing wrong. I acted out of line,
like a complete bitch.

Once my tires made contact with the gravel driveway, my stomach began to flutter. My heart raced,

and for a moment I contemplated turning around to go back home. I took a deep breath and gently
pushed the gas pedal as the huge, beautiful home came into view.

His father’s home still sat on the edge of the property, but off in the distance, Reed’s home

towered over it. It was breathtaking, with a welcoming wraparound porch. It had its very own porch
swing tucked off to the side.

Placing my Escape in park, I climbed out and nervously twisted my hands together. I heard a

ferocious bark, and a jolt of fear ran through me. I hugged the side of my vehicle. Defensive mode
kicked in as I pictured the dog behind the bark.

“Diesel! Get your ass back here,” Reed’s deep voice called out, and the beautiful Husky halted in

his tracks. Whimpering once, he turned and ran back in the direction of the house. I let out the breath I
wasn’t aware I was holding until then.

Looking up, my chest felt tight, and the air in my lungs constricted. Reed was standing at the edge

of the porch. He was shirtless, tan, and perfect. His jeans were hanging low on his hips, hugging his
thick, muscular thighs. My mouth went dry at the vision of him wearing his worn boots and Stetson. A
tingling sensation started at the base of my neck and rolled down my back, overwhelming my senses.

He was watching me with one eyebrow lifted. I realized his mouth was moving, and I forced

myself to snap out of my lustful state. Feeling ashamed and slightly embarrassed, I averted my eyes,
looking off toward the field to our right.

“I uh, um, just wanted to stop by and say I was sorry.” I looked back up just in time to catch the tail

end of a grin.

“Sorry for what exactly?” His voice was so deep and sinful. I needed to get my shit together. I was

fumbling through my thoughts, and they were running rampant.

Mentally counting to ten, I looked up and forced a smile. “I was awful to you, and you did nothing

to deserve it. I needed to apologize for acting so childish and cruel to you. You were trying to be a
friend.”

He bit the inside of his lower lip, and it brought back memories. The gesture was one he used often

when fighting the urge to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” I asked placing my hands on my hips.
Reed shook his head and chuckled. “You apologizing. That’s just not you, Kori, you’ve always

been too proud.”

He held my gaze, and I felt the heat rise in my neck. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that this

gorgeous man stood before me half naked, or the anger his cockiness provoked in me.

“Maybe I’m not the same person I once was. People change, Reed. Things happen, and things

change.” I shrugged as if that was the only explanation needed for my actions.

“I don’t buy it. Under all the hurt and anger you are still the same girl. But for your sake I’ll

pretend to go along with your conclusion.”

We stood in his driveway in a silent stand-off. I really wasn’t sure what this man wanted from me.

I couldn’t decide if I should say more or just turn and leave. My inner conflict battling its way
throughout my mind came to an end when he spoke next.

“I was just about to head over to the lake and do a little fishing. Feel like going out in ‘Old

Benny?’” He grinned and his eyes lit up.

“You do not still have that old hunk of junk.” He nodded, and I laughed. “I’m surprised that hunk of

metal still floats.”

“You do remember how to bait a hook, don’t ya, city girl?” I could see the playfulness in his eyes,

and for a split second I let my guard down. I remembered the playful banter he and I once shared.

Reed was always able to keep me on my toes. He was able to push my buttons like no other and

always had the ability to fire me up.

“I can bait a hook just fine, country boy. If you remember back to the old days, I had no problem

out fishing your arrogant ass.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “What about prissy little Kimberly,
can she bait a hook? Or is she scared to get her nails dirty?”

Jab, yep, I just went there.
He leaned back against the railing along his porch steps and thrust his hands deep into his pockets.

“You planning on holding that shit over my head for the rest of my life? I was a kid, Kori, a fucking
horny ass kid. I screwed up.” He pushed off the railing and took a few steps in my direction. “I knew
the best thing in my life was about to leave and fly thousands of miles away. I knew there was a
strong chance that once she got on that plane she would never look back.” Shaking his head, he blew
out a deep breath and placed one hand at the back of his neck. Gently pulling on the hair, groaning out
in frustration. “I got drunk and fucked up. I will always regret that mistake, Kori. Damn, I gave up not
only my best friend that night, but also my girl.”

His eyes were so full of regret and anguish. “I’m sorry, Kori, I am so sorry I hurt you back then.

I’m not the same horny teenager. I know now that every action I make has consequences and the
ability to hurt the people I care about.” He let his hands drop from his pockets and hang loosely.
“Maybe one day you can forgive me.”

I couldn’t speak, my throat burned, and I was scared to try. I could only nod. The tension grew

between us with each silent moment that passed. I began nervously twisting my keys in my hands.

“I didn’t come here to fight with you. I shouldn’t have said that.” I kicked at the dirt with my boots.
He shrugged but didn’t say anything.
“I better go. I need to get back to Rhett. I got a lot of things to do around the house.” I stepped back

and lifted my hand toward my door handle. “I’ll see ya around.”

Reed nodded in agreement.

Quickly turning around, I crawled into my Escape and fumbled with the keys. After several

attempts with shaky hands, I was able to start the car and back down the driveway.

I told myself I wouldn’t allow my emotions to take over. I made a promise I would keep my cool,

but I failed. I failed miserably, and the fact that he still had the ability to get under my skin made me
angry. Reed was a long time ago. He was my past, and I had no room in my future for a repeat. I had
to stay strong, because the last thing I needed was to let myself feel for him again. I couldn’t fall, I
refused to.

It was too soon, and my love for Blake was still so strong. It wasn’t fair to me or to any other man

who I couldn’t give my all. I was broken, and I wasn’t sure I would or even could ever be fixed.

Reed could be a friend; it was what he offered. I just couldn’t let it be more. It wasn’t a good idea.

It would only leave me hurt and more broken.

I would from this point on keep a safe distance and never find myself alone with Reed. If I had

others around, the urge to get closer would be easier to tame.

It was for the best, for everyone.

Chapter Twelve

I avoided going to my parents’ house more than I had to. Running into Reed was not an option right

now. I still felt it was necessary to keep my distance from him. He made me feel things I wasn’t sure I
was ready for.

So, instead of leaving the isolation of my house, I drowned in it, repainting and redecorating. I had

gotten the stuff to fix the place up but kept putting it off. Now seemed like the perfect time to drag it
back out and get started.

Over the last week, I had exhausted myself daily. Between school and redecorating, I was beat by

the end of the day. Things were finally looking more like a home. The old house was actually
beginning to look less abandoned, and I had to say I was a bit proud of my accomplishments. I needed
some color in my life, and this was a start.

Rhett was playing in the middle of the floor with his tractors pappy had gotten him. He adored

those things and refused to play with anything else. He was a farm boy in training.

I flopped down on the recliner and watched as he made crashing noises when ramming them

together. I let my eyes fall just slightly as the exhaustion of the day took me over, then lifted my head
quickly, startled by the laughter spilling from Rhett.

The sight before me brought tears to my eyes. He stood with nothing bracing him, taking one step

and then followed by three more. My hand covered my mouth, and the tears spilled over, coating my
cheeks. I didn’t want to startle him, but the overwhelming urge to grab him and hug him tight made it
hard. He looked at me with a big smile on his face.

He attempted another step, only to lose his balance and fall back, landing on his padded bottom.

He began to whimper, and I took that as my chance to approach him.

Taking him into my arms, I kissed his chubby little cheek. “Look at my big boy. Mommy’s so proud

of you, little man.”

I stood in the middle of our living room, rocking Rhett from side to side. He grew excited with my

praise and began bouncing in my arms. Placing him on the floor, he once again stood and wobbled on
his unsteady legs. With such determination he took another step, and once again I found myself crying
with another milestone Blake was unable to be a part of.

Our son was just shy of a year old, and I still had a hard time getting over the idea of Blake not

being here to share in these moments.

***

“Guess who took his first steps last night?” I announced as I walked through the back door of my

parents’ house.

My momma’s screech of excitement made me laugh, as she pulled Rhett from my arms. “Did my

little bug start walking? What a big boy. We need to walk down to the barn and tell Pappy.” I
watched as Momma exited the house with Rhett in tow, walking toward the barn.

I followed a few minutes later and found my daddy tossing Rhett up in the air as he giggled. The

barn was loaded down with scattered bales of hay that needed to be loaded into the end stall. I began
helping Hank drag the bundles; Hank only smiled as I used my legs to drag them toward their
destination.

My parents had both wandered off with Rhett, completely forgetting about the task that needed to

be finished. They were both completely engrossed in my son. The two of them worshipped the ground
he walked on, and it was heartwarming.

Placing my hand on the second bundle, I began dragging it toward the stall. A large, calloused

hand gripped the band right next to mine, and my gaze shifted upward.

“Let me help ya.” Reed’s big brown eyes captivate me. I withdrew my hand like the damn thing

was on fire from his touch. He winked and lifted the bale like it weighed a mere ounce. The smug
bastard chuckled and hiked it up high, trailing off to the last stall. The fact those tight jeans of his
hugged his ass perfectly did not go unnoticed by me. I squeezed my fists tightly and turned back
toward the front of the barn. I needed some fresh air. These hormones of mine needed to settle down.

Over the next hour, I did everything I could to ignore the snug t-shirt that contoured perfectly to his

bulging arms, and those son of bitching thighs of his had me clutching my own tightly.

Once all the hay was sorted, I walked over to the service sink to wash away the dirt and grime

from my hands. It was stuck under my nails, and I had to use the scrub brush to work it away.

“What’s wrong, moving to the city take all the country outta ya? You forget how to get dirty,

princess?”

I glared up over the side of the gate next to me, and Reed’s face held nothing but amusement. This,

of course, only made the anger boil within my chest. This man seemed to have the capability of
pissing me off like no other. I thought he knew he held that power as well, since he tended to use it
often.

Placing my hand on my hip, I narrowed my eyes a little more. “Don’t you dare call me Princess.

I’m not some prissy girl, and you know it. What is it with you trying to piss me off all the time? I
thought you wanted to be friends?”

He leaned against the gate and reached out in my direction. Gently, he pulled a piece of straw from

my hair and let it drop to the ground. He never spoke a word as his thumb swept over my jaw. The
feel of his touch against my skin had my eyes fluttering closed. I didn’t want to enjoy his attention, but
it was inevitable.

Our eyes met as he pulled his hand back, and he grinned. “I think the question you need to be

asking yourself is why I get under your skin so bad. I don’t think anything I do or don’t do is the
problem. I think it’s the feelings they cause in you. Those feelings you can’t seem to control, but
you’re fighting so hard to hide.”

He pushed off from the fence and walked off to the barn entrance, leaving me standing there

watching his fine ass walk away.

I gritted my teeth and groaned out in frustration. Stomping my feet like one of my students, I kicked

at the dirt and shook my hands dry. I needed to get out of here…like now. I spun around and stormed

off toward the house. That man irritated me, he drove me insane.

He was wrong, so wrong. I knew what I was feeling, and it was plain old aggravation. Nothing

more than a man who made my blood boil. Dumb ass cowboy thought he knew me. He didn’t know
me, not anymore.

Chapter Thirteen

It was almost impossible for me to accept that my little guy was a year old in just two days. Where

had the time gone? It also meant it had been almost a year since the man who still held my heart was
torn from my life.

“We’re hanging the blue and green balloons across the front porch, right?” Maria hollered out as

she walked out the front door. I nodded without turning to face her. I was staring out into the open
field off the edge of my front porch. I found myself doing that a lot lately, daydreaming and losing
track of the now.

I felt her hand squeeze my shoulder. “Hey you. Are you okay, honey?”
Turning to face her, I leaned back against the railing behind me, and my eyes met hers. “This is

going to be one of the happiest yet hardest days. How can I not smile, seeing my little guy giggling and
getting so excited? But in the back of mind I can’t let go of the guilt I hold. It is so unfair that Blake
was taken from us. I know I say that all the time, but it’s true. It’s so hard to accept this is the way our
lives were meant to be. How can taking a father away from his unborn child be part of God’s plan?” I
could no longer see through the tears pooling in my eyes. “I just don’t know how to get over this. I
don’t think I ever will.”

“You’re not supposed to get over it. Kori. You and Rhett will never get over your loss. It will

forever be embedded in your heart. You won’t get over it, honey, you just need to try your hardest to
heal. I can’t sit here and tell you how you should feel. I mean, I could, but that would be so wrong of
me. You have to heal at your own pace, your own rate. This is your life, and none of us can act like
we even feel an ounce of your pain.” Maria leaned on the railing beside me before continuing. “I can
say one thing, though. You are without a doubt one of the strongest people I know. You have suffered
such a loss and still find the strength to wake up every day and give your little boy the love he
deserves. Every day is a struggle for you, I can see that, but you’ll never give up. You are too amazing
for that, Kori.”

I hugged her tightly because her words meant so much. On most days I questioned my life. I

questioned if I was enough for Rhett, did I give him what he needed? I tried so hard not to let him see
me sad. I saved my down times until long after he went to bed, at least I tried. Today was going to be
a hard one, though. Today would definitely be trying. I would have to hold back my grief, for my boy.

I decided today was the best day to celebrate Rhett’s Birthday. With his actual birthday falling on

a Monday, it just worked out better. It would only be a small group of people, and my place was big
enough to hold those invited.

I had fought with Daddy for over a week before I finally gave in. He told me it was only right to

invite Reed. He felt that Reed had developed a closeness with Rhett over the last few months. They
had been seeing one another every day at the farm, when he helped Daddy. Apparently my son adored
him. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that yet. It was still a little hard to accept.

Hank and his wife Melanie, plus their two kids would be coming. Momma and Daddy, of course.

Aunt Maria, and Reed. I invited Ben and Leann as well. She and I had been talking a lot lately. With
her baby coming soon, she was getting pretty nervous, and she needed a confidant to share her
worries. I was happy to reassure her that things would be fine. She had a strong man standing by her
side, Ben worshipped her. You could see it his eyes.

Maria and I were getting the house decorated while Momma took Rhett to town to pick up the

cake. The party was only an hour away, and I just hoped I could hold it together until the end. I could
collapse later after everyone was gone. I could let all the heartache spill free, alone with my bottle of
wine and Blake’s picture.

***

When everyone arrived, except for Reed, I felt a small amount of disappointment. That was until I

heard his big truck rolling over the loose gravel fifteen minutes later. I let out a calming breath and
turned to watch him crawl from his truck. He was sporting his cowboy boots and hat. Of course his
tight fitted t-shirt and thigh hugging faded jeans were part of the package as well. Why did that man
have to look so damn good? He made it almost impossible not to stare.

I watched as he walked around to the back of his truck and grabbed a big box from the bed. Sliding

it to the opened tailgate, he began to lift it up. Ben quickly stood and met up with Reed just in time to
lift the box along with him. It was huge and wrapped in John Deere wrapping paper. I smiled at the
gesture. He had obviously gotten to know Rhett. He was a tractor boy.

Reed’s eyes met mine, and I knew my face held a questioning stare. All he did was offer me a

shrug in return before heading back to his truck. Grabbing two smaller boxes, he made his way back
up the driveway to take a seat alongside Ben. He leaned forward and tickled Rhett’s side to get his
attention from his pappy.

The moment Rhett noticed Reed, he practically jumped from my daddy’s embrace. Rhett wrapped

his arms around Reed’s neck, and they exchanged a sweet hug that had my throat burning. It was a
strange feeling seeing him hold my son, just like the time I had witnessed them together at my parents’
house. The day I acted like a bitch and took my son from him. This time I took it in, every smile every
touch. It was a beautiful exchange, yet sad.

Reed’s eyes met mine, and he smiled before lowering Rhett to the ground so he could begin tearing

into the gifts that surrounded him. “Dig in, boy, tear it up,” he told Rhett, and everyone laughed.
Momma offered a little help while I took photos. Maria had offered to run the camcorder.

With every gift, Rhett grew more excited. His face lit up with each toy he found. When he was

down to the last three boxes, the ones Reed had brought, I grew nervous. I watched closely as
Momma gently pulled on the edge of the wrapping paper, giving Rhett a place to start. He pulled and
laughed, causing everyone around him to chuckle. He was such a happy little guy. Being here with my
parents had done him good. He was so loved, and in return he loved big.

I heard my mother squeal and Rhett holler out, “Tac,” as he bounced on his feet. The paper had not

yet been torn off completely, so the side facing me was still covered.

Reed came forward out of his chair, onto his knees next to my son. “It’s a tractor, buddy. A tractor

bed for a big boy.” Reed’s eyes met mine just as the tear spilled over my cheek. I quickly swept it

away and smiled back at him. I was overwhelmed with his kindness.

The other boxes from Reed were opened directly after. I laughed as he placed the tiny cowboy hat

onto Rhett’s head. Momma held up the little pair of cowboy boots, and Maria awed. They really were
some of the cutest things I had ever seen.

How could I fight against the scene in front of me? Reed wasn’t the same guy he once was. He

didn’t owe me anything, and he certainly didn’t owe anything to my son. He was here by choice. He
was here because he was a good man with a big heart.

Before I had time to think about it, I walked over and knelt down on the ground next to him.

Throwing my arms around his shoulders and pulling him in close, I whispered against his neck,
“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, I love this little guy. He and I are buds.” I chuckled against his neck.
Before I pulled back, I placed a soft kiss against his jaw. “You’re a good guy, Reed.”
Seeing everyone around us watching, I pulled back quickly. I stood and brushed off my pants. “So,

um, who wants cake?”

I felt the embarrassment of the entire situation take over. I chose to ignore the questioning looks

coming from my best friend and went inside to grab the cake. I busied myself with the plates and
silverware when I heard the front door open behind me.

“What in the hell just happened?” I should have known I wouldn’t escape the third degree. It was

Maria’s way; she left nothing alone.

“I just thanked him, Maria. I’ve been really hard on him since I got back here. He just isn’t who I

thought he was. He loves my son, and that in turn gives me no choice but to welcome him into his life.
I won’t take anyone else from Rhett’s life. He needs all the love he can get, and Reed obviously has it
to give him. They’ve bonded, and yeah, for a moment I was extremely emotional. I’m good with it
now.”

I left her standing in my kitchen as I carried out the cake and plates.
For the next two hours we played outside with Rhett and laughed. He was stumbling around after

the basketball Ben and Leann had gotten him. He was determined to shoot the miniature ball into the
little plastic hoop. He giggled every time it rolled past him and he had to chase after it.

As everything slowed down and people started to leave, Maria and I began cleaning up. Rhett was

safely tucked in my daddy’s arms as he and Reed carried on about the farm. They were finishing up
the remaining part of the fence next week, and then Reed would move on to his next project. It seemed
everyone in town loved Reed, and he was the handyman who could fix everything, or so they thought.

My momma said a quick goodbye through the front door, and I turned just in time to watch Reed

enter holding Rhett against his chest. My little boy was all tuckered out, and it showed.

I took the few steps to him and held out my arms. “You ready for your bath, sweet boy?” My gaze

met Reed’s, and he watched me intensely. He surveyed my eyes, for what, I had no idea. “I’m gonna
go wash him up.” As I walked away, I left Maria and Reed alone in the kitchen.

After his bath I put him in his pajamas and walked down the hallway, only to stop when I heard

Reed’s deep voice.

“I’m not pushing anything, Maria. I know she’s not ready for anything like that. All I’m offering is

friendship. I care about both of them very much. Hell, I never stopped caring about Kori, you know
that. That little boy and his momma, well, she’s always had my love. He’s captured it too.” I bit my
lower lip as it trembled. “I don’t have an ulterior motive. I’m here because I want to be near them. I
don’t expect anything in return.”

“She has a lot of healing left to do. She doesn’t need to be pushed. She doesn’t need anyone taking

advantage of her vulnerable state.” Maria’s voice was rigid.

“Thanks for having such faith in an old friend, Maria.” He huffed out sarcastically. “I’m not that

guy. You think I would do that to her? Give me just a little credit.”

Rhett began to cry out with impatience, and I had no choice but to walk the remaining distance

down the hallway. When I entered the kitchen, they both were looking in our direction.

“Well, someone’s tired. Look at those sleepy eyes.” Maria took Rhett from me and gave him his

sippy cup. In no time at all, I knew he would be ready to crash.

Reed leaned back against the counter, crossing his ankles. “I was gonna offer to put Rhett’s bed

together. Your mom says he climbs outta the crib. But I can come back another time. I don’t think he’ll
last.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty tired. He’s really gonna love that bed, though. I can’t wait to see his face. I’m

sure I won’t have a problem getting him to sleep in it.” Reed chuckled, and I got a flash of that dimple
that peeked out on occasion.

“I guess I’ll get going. I need to swing by Lucky’s, check on some things.” I nodded as I watched

him take another step in my direction. His hand came out, and he wrapped it around my shoulders,
pulling me closer. He placed a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “Thanks for inviting me. It really
means a lot that you involved me today.” He pulled back and pointed into the living room. “That kid
you got in there, he’s pretty special.” He winked before releasing me to walk over to the couch.
Leaning forward, he kissed the top of Rhett’s head, and once again tears pooled in my eyes.
“Goodnight, little buddy. Happy birthday.”

He said goodbye to Maria by placing a kiss against her cheek before he stood and walked to the

front door.

I stood motionless as I watched Reed look back over his shoulder one last time to flash that

dimple. He was such a handsome man. He had those eyes that made you feel safe and secure. He
turned and closed the door quietly behind him. The roar of his truck came to life as he drove away.

It was at that point I let my shoulders relax and joined Maria on the couch.
I knew I was in trouble. The overwhelming urge to be near him was getting to be too much to

handle.

Chapter Fourteen

Monday was a hard day, really hard. I couldn’t get out of bed. I took a sick day from school. I

would have been useless in front of a classroom, there was no doubt about that.

I called Momma around seven in the morning and asked her to come and get Rhett. I needed the

day to grieve, and I didn’t want him to see me like that.

It was gonna be a bad one, and I knew that.
I finally crawled out of bed around one and made some coffee. My eyes were swollen and red. My

nose was raw from all the blowing.

Climbing in my car, I already knew I looked like ass; I felt it. I drove with no particular place in

mind. Pulling up at Lucky’s probably wasn’t the best choice, but the hell with it. I went inside and
ordered a beer. Drinking on a Monday afternoon was not me, but today was the exception. I deserved
this, I needed this. For just one day I had to wash away the hurt, the emptiness.

I lost track of the bottles, but I knew it was enough when the room became a little fuzzy. The chair

squeaked against the floor next to me, and I lifted my head. Big, brown, saddened eyes looked over at
me, and I could no longer pretend I was so put together.

My lip began to tremble, and he took me in his arms.
“I miss him,” I cried. “I miss him so much.”
“Shh, I know,” Reed comforted me. “I wish I could make it stop hurting, Kori. Just let it out, let it

go. I’m here for you.”

I did just that. I let him take me completely in his arms as he carried me from the bar and placed

me in his truck. When we arrived at my house, I leaned on him, walking up the driveway. I sat down
on the couch, and he took the seat next to me. “I’m sorry, I’m such a mess.”

“Hey,” he said and tilted my chin up with his finger, forcing me to look at him. “You don’t need to

apologize. I told you, if you need to lean on someone. I’m here. I meant that, Kori.” He took my hand
in his. “Blake will always be in your heart, you’ll always love him. He is the father of your boy.
Every day you’ll be reminded of him, looking into Rhett’s eyes. It will get easier, but it never fully
goes away.”

“I just wish I had things to remember him by. I never planned for this to happen. I feel like every

day I forget more and more of him. It’s harder to picture his face, harder to remember his voice. I
have nothing but a few pictures to show Rhett when he gets older, that’s it.”

“What about things from him growing up? His parents have to have things Rhett can have. Videos,

anything they can pass on.” Reed still held my hand.

I shook my head. “His parents don’t want anything to do with Rhett. They didn’t want Blake with

me. After the funeral, they tried to pay me off to stay out of their lives.” His face grew angry and the
muscle in his jaw tensed. “It’s not a big deal.”

“That is a big deal, Kori. What kind of people would push away the only attachment they have left

to their son? Who would push away such an amazing kid and amazing girl?” I smiled at his kindness
and shrugged.

Reed stayed with me for hours, just talking. He listened to stories about Blake and me. It was

slightly awkward at first, but then we fell into friendly conversation. It felt good to have someone
listen. He never spoke, just listened as I went on and on. The good, the bad, and the great, he listened
to it all. I left out the intimate conversation because, frankly, that was not necessary.

We ordered pizza, and Reed put the bed together for Rhett. It was comfortable, no pressure.

Nothing was expected. Reed was being a friend, and right now I needed that from him.

***

Over the last few days Reed and I had grown closer. A friendship that felt good. We fell into a

comfortable pattern. He would call or send a random funny text, something to make me smile. Nothing
beyond that. He was being what I needed him to be, and I was grateful. He had such an incredible
soul.

The weekend came, and it had been over twenty-four hours since I’d spoken with him. I sent him a

text offering to make dinner tonight, but it went unanswered. It wasn’t like him to ignore me, but I
tried not to let it get to me. He had to be busy.

“Nothing yet?” Maria asked as she walked up onto my front porch. I held my phone in my hand and

watched as Rhett played with his tractors in the grass. I only shook my head.

“His truck wasn’t at Lucky’s when I drove by,” she said, taking a seat next to me on the steps.
“It wasn’t there last night either.” I didn’t want to worry, but it was getting harder not to with each

passing second.

When Saturday morning came, I woke to a text.

I had to go out of town for a few days. Sorry if I made you worry. I will call you when I get

back.

Out of town?

***

Maria and I spent the day at the mall on Sunday. Halloween was less than a week away, and I

wanted to find the perfect costume for Rhett. I had still not heard from Reed, and it was a little
unnerving. It was kind of weird how much the distance made me miss him.

I had grown used to his company. It had become something I had learned to rely on. His friendship

made the days a little easier to handle. Now that he was not around, it left a slight emptiness in my
life. This was a feeling I had to admit I was not fond of.

After combing through the racks of Halloween costumes, I had finally settled on the cutest little

cowboy costume. Woody from the Toy Story movie. It was adorable, and I could hardly wait to get it
on Rhett.

Sunday night I noticed I started to fall back into my old pattern. I grabbed a bottle of wine and

Blake’s picture and wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. The night was a little chilly as I took a
seat on the porch swing.

I traced my finger over the photo and let my mind wonder over memories of Blake. Crunching on

the gravel drive and a flicker of lights caught my attention. There was no mistaking who the big truck
approaching belonged to. I swore that thing had to be the biggest truck in town.

I watched from the swing as Reed walked up the sidewalk toward the porch. He smiled and took a

seat next to me.

“Miss me?”
I wrinkled my nose and continued to look out toward the front yard. “Not really.” His shoulder

bumped mine and I smiled. “Is everything okay?”

He grinned, and his eyes locked with mine. “It will be.”
It was left as that, nothing further to explain his absence. He didn’t owe me an explanation, and I

didn’t pry. It was none of my business.

Chapter Fifteen

Reed and I had fallen right back in to the old pattern we had created. Hanging out throughout the

week, staying up late talking became somewhat natural.

During the week he stayed busy with the jobs he had lined up throughout town, remodeling a

bathroom here and building a back porch there. Between the side jobs and the bar, he stayed busy. It
made him happy, though, you could see it in his eyes.

Halloween fell on a Thursday, and I planned to take Rhett out to visit a few places. The candy

wasn’t really the reasoning behind it, it was more to show off how cute he looked.

His little Woody costume fit him perfectly, and the boots Reed got him pulled it all together. I

planned to start at my parents’ house. My momma was itching to fill up the memory card for her new
camera. I still couldn’t get over the fact that it was permanently attached to her. She photographed
everything. I do mean everything. Some I deleted when she wasn’t looking.

I could understand capturing the embarrassing photos to share with Rhett’s girlfriends when he got

older. Those photos were fine, but nowhere had I ever heard of embarrassing photos of the mommy. I
would not have some of those moments following me forever.

By the time we made it back home, Rhett was exhausted and beyond cranky. Once he was bathed

and in his jammies, I took advantage of his cuddling mood. Wandering the room with his little body
held snuggly in my arms, I swayed from side to side.

“I love you, Buddy,” I whispered against his temple as I watched his eyes begin to grow heavy.

“Daddy loved you too. One day I’ll tell you all about what a great guy your daddy was. How excited
he was when he found out he was having a son. He had it all planned out.” I carefully lowered myself
to the recliner and rocked gently.

“He said he was going to teach you how to throw a curve ball...how to dunk the basketball and

make all the little girls swoon.” I grinned and let my head fall backward against the chair. I pictured
the time Blake talked about making our son into a ladies’ man.

“He’ll have them lined up around the block, babe. We are going to be in trouble with this one.

He’ll wink, and they’ll have weak knees. My boy is gonna be a ladies’ man.”

I laughed, and Blake kissed my protruding stomach.
“What’s so funny?” He traced around my belly button and looked up at me. “My little man is

going to be the shit. The coolest clothes, the sweetest moves.”

A distinctive thump against Blake’s hand led us both break out in laughter. “See, I told ya, even

he knows I’m right.”

I had no doubt Blake would have been training Rhett to be a little player, making even a grown

woman smile. Blake always tried to appear tough, rebellious, and maybe even a little cocky. That
was just an outer shell; he was the opposite. His heart was made of gold, and he was so kind and
gentle, the exact man you would want as the father of your children. The kind of man they respected,
and he knew just how to treat a lady.

When I knew Rhett was in a deep sleep, I placed him in his tractor bed. He was in love with this

bed. It even had a horn. Crazy, I know, but the perfect bed for my sweet boy. I flipped on the
nightlight on the top of his dresser. I pulled the door shut, leaving it slightly cracked.

***

Friday flew by without too much drama. One of my students ate glue, another colored his teeth

with a green crayon. Other than that, things were smooth.

Just after three, my phone beeped, indicating a new message.

You free tonight? Lucky’s having a band. You girls should stop by.

R

It had been awhile since I had gone out. Maybe a couple hours away would do me good.

Let me check with Maria. I’ll let ya know.

Sounds good. R

Once I gathered all my things, I met Maria just as she was walking out of her classroom. She

looked as if she had suffered from one hell of a day. Her hair was sticking out on the side, ponytail
crooked, and her eyebrows were scrunched up.

“What happened to you? Were you mauled?” I could no longer contain my laughter. I attempted to

hide it the best I could behind my hand. It was a completely failed endeavor.

“Never, and I do mean never, will I ever do that project again. Not with third grade boys. They

painted each other instead of the paper. I was scrubbing paint off the ceiling. It was in my damn ear,
Kori. It turned into a war zone.” She groaned, and her explanation of her distraught state only made
me laugh harder.

Once I was able to contain my laughter, I wiped the tears that had escaped from my eyes. “Well,

Reed invited us to Lucky’s tonight, and from the looks of it, you could use a night out.”

Maria threw her bag into the backseat of her car with a ‘hmph.’ “You have no idea how badly I

need a drink.”

“So then it’s settled, tonight we are going out.”

***

The band was already playing when we arrived. There were so many cars, the place was packed.

Maria was determined; she was on a mission. “I need to get hammered, girl, let’s get our drink on. I

seriously don’t care if I feel like ass in the morning.”

We found Reed behind the bar, mixing drinks, so we snagged two empty stools at the end. I

watched him moving around, confident and smooth. He hadn’t yet noticed us, so I took the chance to
evaluate his…uh, assets. Reed had the sexiest, most masculine thighs. He had on frayed, faded jeans
that had the ability to make my lower stomach ache. The fitted red shirt left very little to the
imagination. It contoured to his broad shoulders and muscular chest. He was one very sexy man.

Surveying the bar, I took notice of the fact that I was not the only female appreciating his

manliness. Reed ate it up too, winking and chuckling, his every comment dripping with sexual
innuendo.

“Hey, hot stuff, whatcha gotta do to get a drink in this joint?” Maria stood up on her bar stool

waving a twenty in the air. Reed looked back over his shoulder and shook his head before making his
way in our direction.

“Glad you could make it, Mar. I would have missed your attitude.” Reed leaned against the bar

and chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah, now where’s my shot?” She threw the twenty down on the bar. “Make it two shots.”
“Bad day?” Reed asked.
“Please don’t get her started again.” I shook my head in fair warning. “She has one goal tonight,

and she will be crawling out of here.”

“Well then, I better get you started, babe.” Reed filled three shot glasses and pushed her twenty

back toward her. “Keep the green and drink up.”

Someone yelled from the other end of the bar, and Reed made his way down in their direction.

Once again I was able to take in the view from a distance. He really was fun to look at. I would not
admit it out loud, but he still made my heart race.

The night went on, and Maria wasn’t far from her goal. The more she drank, the louder and

mouthier she became. One man asked her to dance, and she asked him if he was packing. The guy
looked at her with a questioning stare. When she explained what she meant, I spit my beer across the
table, hearing my best friend tell a man that if he doesn’t have more than eight inches, she ain’t
interested. She then went on to explain how she needed a man, not a boy. The guy’s face was a little
red from embarrassment, and I walked away, leaving her alone to continue her conversation. She was
really something else.

Reed sat another beer in front of me on the bar and winked. “You having a good time?” I shrugged.

“I wasn’t planning on working all night but Wade called in. His baby is sick.”

“It’s okay, Maria has been more than enough entertainment for one night.” I looked back over my

shoulder and pointed in her direction. Reed chuckled, and his gaze met mine once more.

He leaned over the bar to get closer, and I could tell in his eyes he had been drinking a little

himself. I could smell the beer on his breath when he spoke. “I’m really glad you came tonight. I
missed seeing you this week. You always seem to brighten my day.”

A familiar clink of high heels interrupted my thoughts as they approached from behind me.
Kimberly walked around the edge of the bar and placed her hand on Reed’s arm. “Hey, baby,” she

cooed, and I rolled my eyes. I watched as she slid her hand down into the pocket of his jeans and felt
around. He looked stunned and shifted his hips backwards.

A few loud whistles followed by catcalls and some vulgar comments filled the bar. I had seen

enough and slipped back off the bar stool, taking my beer in hand. I walked off in search of my best
friend.

I found Maria grinding in the middle of two not so bad looking men. She had her head rested back

against the chest of one man while the other danced in front of her.

When she opened her eyes and saw me standing there, she looked concerned. “Are you okay?

What happened?”

“Nothing besides me throwing up a little in my mouth from Kimberly and Reed. It honestly is a

very disturbing vision. She just makes my skin crawl.”

Maria grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. “She is a nasty bitch. Dance with me. These two

men here are very cuddly.” I couldn’t help but laugh. They looked harmless enough, so I sat my beer
down and joined them on the dance floor.

The night came to an end quickly. Maria had sobered up, and I had stopped drinking long ago. We

both said our goodbyes to the two men who had kept us company for the last three hours. Mark and
Burt were cousins and both complete gentlemen. It was nice to be able to dance with men who didn’t
expect you to go home with them.

I made a quick stop in the bathroom, and then I found Maria at the bar waiting for me. Reed was at

the other end of the bar, flirting with a pretty brunette. I felt a pinch within my stomach at the sight, but
tucked it away as quickly as it came on. I had no say-so in his life. It didn’t make it any easier to
watch, but it was true.

“You ready to get out of here?” I asked Maria as I grabbed my keys out of my purse.
She followed my line of sight, and her face fell slightly. “Hey, asshole, we’re leaving. Make sure

you wrap it up tight, wouldn’t want you catching something.”

She never waited for him to respond, she grabbed my elbow and led me to the exit. Just as I was

opening my car door, I felt him approach. I spun around to face him, and he looked worried.

“I’m not taking anyone home with me. We were just talking.” Reed’s hand skimmed over my arm.
“Why are you telling me this? It’s really none of my business. Have a good night.” I smiled

reassuringly and crawled in my car.

The situation had taken an uncomfortable turn, and I just needed to leave.

Chapter Sixteen

I felt a whisper of a touch over my shoulder, and I stretched my neck up a little higher,

welcoming more. A fingertip grazing over my collarbone and up to meet the softness just below my
ear. “Does that feel good, baby?”

“Yes,” I whispered. “Feels so good, I love when you touch me.”
The gentlest of kisses began to rain over my shoulder, and I whimpered. “Well, that’s good,

because I love touching you too. You’re my light, Kori, my love. I will always treasure you.”

Chills covered my body as Blake continued the delicious torture. I was lost within the touch, the

kiss.

I woke up to the sound of my phone. It rang three more times as I tried to control my racing heart.

My dreams of Blake always seemed so real. It was as if my skin still tingled from his touch and the
pressure of his fingertips grazing my skin. It was there, it was real.

My heart shattered when I accepted that it was once again just another dream. It was a tease of

what life could have been, what my life should have been.

I struggled to drag myself out of bed and fumbled with my phone as I grabbed it from my dresser.

One missed call from Reed, followed by a new message.

Dialing my voicemail, I keyed in the password and waited.

Hey, Kori, listen, I hope you’re not mad at me. I was going to ask if you and Rhett wanted to

come over today. I was gearing up ‘Old Benny’ for a day of fishing. I’d love it if you two could
join me. Call me when you get this message. If you don’t wanna fish, we could do something else.
Just call me.

I walked toward the kitchen and leaned my hip against the counter. Holding my phone in my hand

tightly, I tried to decide if spending the day with Reed was a good idea.

I wasn’t sure why he thought I would be mad at him. Okay, so seeing him flirting with the girl at

the bar hurt a little. Then there was the nasty scene with Kimberly. The bottom line was I had no right
to worry. Reed and I were friends, that was it…just friends. We had once again grown close over the
last few weeks and it felt nice. If he wanted to hook up with random girls from the bar, that was his
business.

A light tapping on the front door had my stomach tingling with nervous energy. I wasn’t sure I was

ready to face him. I needed a few minutes to pull myself together and to get over this crazy feeling of

possessiveness I had for Reed.

When the tapping came once more, I decided to go for it and face him. This time the knocking came

a little harder. I took a deep breath and walked toward the front door.

I gave myself one last pep talk before I opened my door and immediately felt my stomach drop to

the floor. I stared into the face of a man I never thought I would see again.

“Hello, Kori.”
I was shocked into momentary silence. My hands began to shake, and my chest ached. I stumbled

over my words. I honestly felt as if I could not breathe. “I, uh, what? Where did you…?” I paused,
taking in another deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I gave it another attempt.

“What are you doing here?” There wasn’t a thing I owed this man. He was a cruel, heartless

individual who never even considered giving me a chance. Making him feel welcomed was the last
thing on my mind; he was an unwanted visitor.

“I didn’t expect a warm welcome.” He stood tall, and it hurt that he looked so much like Blake.

His eyes were the same, not only like Blake’s, but like my son’s eyes as well.

“Good, because you’re not getting it. So you can leave now.”
I started to shut the door in his face, but his hand came up to stop me. “Please, just five minutes.

That’s all I’m asking for. I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m begging that you allow me just five
minutes of your time. Please.”

I took a deep breath and nodded as I crossed my arms over my chest. He wasn’t coming inside my

home. He could say whatever it was he came to say right there on my front porch.

I watched as his throat bobbed from the deep swallow he took before he began speaking once

again.

“I had a young man show up at my home about a little over a week ago. I wasn’t very kind to him

at first, but he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was on a mission, and there wasn’t anything he was
going to allow to get in his way.” I had absolutely no idea where he was going with this. Mr.
Harrison was acting completely out of character. The entire time I had dated Blake, he never said
more than ten words to me. To have him show up on my doorstep after he tried paying me off was a
complete shock. This was so unlike him.

“The young man said a lot of things to me that day. No matter how many times I threatened to have

him removed from my property, even to have him arrested, he stood strong. I have never in my life
had anyone speak to me the way he did.”

“Mr. Harrison, I don’t understand what any of this has to do with me.” I was confused. Why had he

come all this way for a conversation that made no sense?

“This has everything to do with you, and my grandson.” At the mention of Rhett, my stomach

tightened with an uneasy pain. “This young man helped me come to understand just how wrong I’ve
been, how wrong my wife has been. Turning you away and refusing to acknowledge that our son did
live on…in his son. We were so wrong to treat you the way we did. I’m not asking for forgiveness,
that’s something I must earn. I’m just asking for a chance. A chance to get to know my grandson and
the woman my son loved with everything he had inside him.”

Tears now ran heavily down my cheeks. Words were not possible right now. I knew if I attempted

to speak it would only come out as a sob.

“I brought some things for you, some things of Blake’s. I was hoping you would allow me to leave

them, for both of you.” He stepped back from the door, and I followed as I stepped onto the porch.
Looking out, I noticed the back seat of the car held a number of boxes. Lifting my hand up, I covered
my mouth, attempting to muffle my sob.

Following him, I watched as he began removing item after item from the car. “These things

belonged to Blake while he was growing up. Things I’m sure he would want his son to have.” He
shrugged. “Things that would help him learn about his dad.” Mr. Harrison’s voice cracked when he
spoke the word dad. He quickly looked away to hide his emotions.

“My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon.” He paused. “I was hoping I would be allowed to meet my

grandson before I left. Maybe I could take the two of you to breakfast?” I agreed by nodding as I took
in the boxes and items he had given us.

“Thank you for allowing me another chance. I know I don’t deserve it, Kori. I can never take back

all the things I put you through. I can never wash away the pain of my past words.” He met my gaze
once more before continuing. “I could stop by in the morning and pick you both up, around eight?”

“Okay.” It only came out in a whisper. This entire scene still felt completely surreal to me. This

man standing before me was not the same man I knew before. This man was kind and felt remorse for
his past actions. This man was a man I would be proud to call my son’s grandpa.

I watched as Blake’s father walked around the back of the car and opened the driver’s door. He

paused for a moment, looking over the top of the car. “What’s my grandson’s name?”

“Rhett.” My voice cracked, but then I finished, “Rhett Harrison Foster.”
He nodded his head, and a grin spread out over his lips. “Good name, Blake would have loved it.”
The thought only made me cry harder. As the car pulled away, I lowered myself to the ground next

to the boxes. I placed my hand over the top of one and let my head fall forward, sobbing as I let the
last ten minutes sink in.

When my tears had stopped and I felt like I could stand, I lifted myself from the ground.
One by one I carried the boxes into the house and sat them next to the kitchen table. I was afraid of

what they contained. Was I strong enough to look inside? Could I do this alone?

The entire conversation with Blake’s father played over and over in my mind.

I had a young man show up at my home about a little over a week ago.

My heart began to pound rapidly in my chest. I stood from the chair and grabbed my phone from

the countertop. Typing out a message I hit send and waited…

Where did you go a week ago? When you left town, where did you go? K

His response was quick.

Had a few things to take care of. Why?

He was being evasive, and right now I needed him to be honest. I had to know if this was all

because of Reed.

Please just tell me where you went? Please. I need you to be honest and just answer the

question. K

There was a long pause, and I began feeling very anxious. What was taking him so long? My phone

vibrated once more.

Boston.

It was one word, but the word I needed to hear. I knew it had to be him, but I had to hear it. Reed

had packed up and flown thousands of miles to a place he had never been. He searched out Blake’s
parents’ home and did all he could to bring me peace. He knew how hard it was for me not to have
anything to pass on to Rhett. He knew my biggest fear was that Rhett would never truly know the man
his father was.

Why did he go to all that trouble? He didn’t owe me anything.

Why?

You already know the answer to that, sweetheart. R

I gathered myself up the best I could and locked up before driving straight to Reed’s place. I

needed to see his face, his eyes, when I asked him what I needed to know.

Pulling onto the gravel road, his house slowly came into view. Putting my vehicle in park, I

crawled out of my car. I never once took my eyes off the set of cowboy boots dangling from the truck
bed before me. Reed was sitting on the tailgate, shirtless and watching me in return. A small grin
pulled at his lips as I walked closer.

He slid from the truck with me only a few feet away and took a step toward me. His gaze watching

me intensely, trying to gauge my mood. I let my eyes rake over his chiseled abs and perfect chest,
taking in his shapely shoulders and strong arms.

“Why?” I whispered looking up into his big, gorgeous, brown eyes. “Why did you do it?”
“Because I knew it would make you happy. I knew Rhett needed something of his daddy’s. I

wanted him to be able to remember him and for you to have the chance to make sure of that.”

I took the last step toward him, closing the distance between us. Placing my hand on his chest, I

rested it over his heart. I could feel the rapid thump beneath my palm. “What other reasons do you
have for going to all that trouble?”

Reed’s hand came up to hold the side of my face. Gently stroking my cheek, his voice trembled as

he spoke. “Because I care about you. I care about both of you so damn much, and if there is anything I
can do for either of you, I will. I wanna give both of you all I can. Knowing that those people had the
key to something you so desperately needed and wanted…I had to make them see the error of their
ways.”

Maria was right, she was so right. Reed was not the same boy he was when I left. He was not the

selfish ass I left behind. He was a man, a man with so much love to give. He was the man I needed to
fully forgive and completely let into my heart.

Without thinking twice or overanalyzing the situation, I stood up onto my tiptoes and placed my

lips against his. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and pulled him closer.

Reed’s hands gripped my hips as he held me against him and moved his lips with mine. It was not

a heated kiss, there was no hunger. It was a gentle passionate kiss, one that allowed him to feel
everything I was unable to say.

We stood there in his driveway, holding one another close as our lips danced. Someone cleared

their throat, breaking the moment, and I stepped back quickly. I placed my fingertips against my lips
as they tingled from his stubble.

“Well, I’ll be damned, it’s about time you two see it. I’ve been telling her daddy for the last month

it was just a matter of time.” Reed’s dad chuckled, and he walked toward the barn, shaking his head.
“You two have been dancing around one another for weeks now.”

Reed looked back at me with a grin. “Looks like our daddies have been carrying on about us. Old

farts are like a couple of gossiping women.”

I smiled and twisted my hands together nervously.
“I better get going.” I looked down at my attire. I was still sporting my pajama bottoms and a t-

shirt. I rushed over here so quickly I never even took the time to change. “I need to get myself cleaned
up and then go get Rhett from my parents.”

Reed followed close behind as I walked toward my Escape. I crawled inside, and his big,

beautiful frame filled the opening, stopping me from being able to shut the door.

“You should bring Rhett back, spend the day with me. We can go out on the boat, or just hang out

at the house.” He bent his head down closer to mine. “I’d love to have you two over. We can cook
out, watch a movie, whatever you want.”

“Give me a couple hours, I’ll see ya then.” He lowered his lips to mine for a soft, gentle kiss. His

manly aroma engulfed my senses. He made my entire body tremble from just one kiss.

He pulled back too soon, and I thought I might have groaned out in protest. He chuckled. “Hurry

back.”

I only nodded as he shut the door and backed away from the car. I forced myself to start the car and

drive away.

My body was feverish and was on overload. The heat he caused to erupt inside me was extreme.

Chapter Seventeen

I was nervous as I lifted Rhett out of his car seat. I tried to fight it off as I walked up Reed’s porch

steps, but it was useless. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, things had changed. He and I were now
different. Before, we had the distance between us, the boundary of an agreed friendship, but now it
was crossed. The friendship line was voided the moment I kissed him. I took what we had to an
entirely different level, and I had to admit there was no regret. That acknowledgment didn’t make it
any less intimidating.

I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. Almost immediately Diesel began to bark, and Rhett

grew excited. I could hear Reed’s deep voice trying to calm Diesel. The moment the door opened and
that gorgeous smile spread out across his lips, all the nervous energy disappeared.

“Hey you, come here, little man.” Reed held his hands out to Rhett, and in no time at all my son

was lunging for him. Rhett gripped Reed’s shirt tightly and kicked his legs as he looked down at the
big dog who was spastically wagging his tail. A loud squeal escaped Rhett when Diesel barked, and
the sight was one I would always have etched in my mind.

If you had asked me six months ago if I would be falling for Reed, I would have laughed. I

promised myself I would never go there again. Once a cheater, always a cheater, right? Now here I
was, standing in his doorway, while he held my son and tickled his tummy. I could see the adoration
in Reed’s eyes as he looked at Rhett. I had to accept that he had changed. Reed was no longer that
selfish young boy. He had changed, things had happened that forced him to grow.

“You gonna come inside?” Reed tilted his head toward the house, and I took a step in through the

doorway. His house was beautiful, and surprisingly clean. It was nothing like I expected. It had that
homey feeling, the one you got when you walked into a place you belonged.

I could feel Reed against my back as he stepped up behind me. “It feels good having you here, both

of you.” He kissed my head softly and nudged me forward.

“Thanks for inviting us.” I spoke softly, still not trusting my voice. I had mixed emotions right now.

It felt so right to be here with him, yet I felt guilty for that. Was I moving too fast?

We decided to stay in and make something to eat. A movie on the big screen was the plan. It felt so

natural for Rhett to be hobbling around the kitchen while Reed and I made dinner. Diesel was
attached to my little guy’s hip. It really was the sweetest thing. If Rhett stopped walking, Diesel sat
back on his hind legs next to him and waited patiently. The moment Rhett was on the move again,
Diesel jumped to follow close behind.

With no highchair here, Reed chose to eat with Rhett on his lap. I offered to hold him myself, but

the two of them decided his current position was exactly where he was staying. Watching Reed help

my son eat overwhelmed me with emotion. I tried not to feel bad for the things Blake missed. Instead,
I tried to focus on the fact that Rhett had a man in his life, one who clearly loved him. In turn I
allowed myself to believe Blake would want that. He would want Rhett to feel a man’s love. If it
couldn’t be him, then I had to believe he would be happy it was a man like Reed.

Before the movie had even started, Rhett was passed out. I stood next to the couch looking down at

his tiny form curled up against the big beautiful husky that had now claimed Rhett as his own. It really
was one of the sweetest things I had ever seen. I couldn’t stop myself from capturing the moment with
my phone.

Just as the picture snapped, Reed approached from behind. “Whatcha doing?” I pointed, and a

huge grin spread across Reed’s lips. “Diesel found himself a new best friend.”

I took my place on the couch next to Reed as he started to get the movie loaded up and ready.
Maria had sent me a text right as I was attempting to save the picture as my screen saver.

Follow your heart, love, you deserve to be happy. M

I am.

That was the reply I sent her, because I was. I had to be; the darkness I had been living in needed

to be laid to rest. I would always love Blake, I would always talk about him. There wouldn’t be a day
that went by that something, or someone didn’t make me think of him.

“Who you texting?” Reed asked as he placed his arm behind my shoulders and pulled me closer.
“Maria, she told me to follow my heart.” I shrugged, and he continued to watch me, waiting for

more detail. “I told her I was coming over here tonight.” I let my head rest back against his shoulder.
“I also told her I kissed you earlier.”

I watched his throat bob as he swallowed. His gaze fell to my lips, licking his own just before he

spoke. “About that kiss, you think I could get another?”

I bit down on my lower lip and nodded, never taking my eyes from his. Slowly Reed lowered his

lips to mine, and I melted back further against the couch. With his hand reaching over to grip my thigh,
I grabbed for the back of his neck. I allowed my tongue to trace over his lips, and he groaned. Feeling
his tongue brush over mine, I sucked on the tip gently.

After a few minutes of sensual kissing, we separated. Both slightly breathless, we looked at one

another in silence. Letting out a deep breath, Reed chuckled. “Well, that was one helluva kiss.”

My cheeks reddened and I buried my face in my hands. “I’m sorry, I got a little carried away.”
Reaching out for my hands, he lowered them to my lap. “No need to be sorry, you can get carried

away any time you feel the urge.” He winked and settled back on to the couch next to me.

“I just need to bring one thing up. It’s something that I can’t deal with. I’m not sure where this puts

us. As for where we are after today, but…” He studied me in silence, and I continued. “If we are
going to see where things go between us, there is something that needs to be handled. Kimberly, her
flirting and touching, I can’t take that. It’s a hard limit for me, and it needs to stop.”

“I agree. I’ll take care of it,” he reassured me. “As for you and me, today changes everything. We

are gonna make this work.”

We sat snuggled close as the movie played. My mind wandered in every direction. If you were to

ask me what the movie was about, I couldn’t answer. I closed my eyes, remembering the feel of his
lips against mine.

***

“Hey, pretty girl, wake up.” Fingertips skimmed over my cheek, down to my neck. Soft kisses

feathered along my jaw, inducing chills to spread over my body. “Unless you just wanna stay here,”
Reed whispered against my ear, before kissing me once more.

Grinning like a fool, I giggled when his nose trailed over my neck. The soft touch tickled my

sensitized skin. “I need to get home. Blake’s dad is coming in the mornin’. He’s gonna take us to
breakfast.”

When my eyes locked onto his, he looked concerned. “You okay going by yourself? I could meet

ya.”

Shaking my head lightly, I slid forward on the couch. “We’ll be okay. Don’t worry.” Standing up, I

approached Rhett, who was still cuddled up against Diesel.

When I bent down to lift him from the floor, Reed stood quickly and came to my side. “I can carry

him out for ya. You gather up his things.”

“Okay.” It really warmed my heart to watch him with Rhett. He was so unbelievably gentle and

kind. My boy looked so tiny in his arms. All six foot three, two hundred and fifty pounds of cowboy.
But seeing him holding Rhett and looking at him with pure love made my knees weak.

He followed me out and gently placed Rhett in his car seat. Once he made sure the straps were

tightened and his sleepy form was secure, he rolled a blanket, placing it against the side of his head.
He looked back over his shoulder and smiled. “I don’t want his sleepy little head to be bobbing all
over the place. That should help keep him comfortable ‘til ya get home.”

He stepped back and closed the door softly, so not to wake him. The moment he turned to face me,

I stepped forward. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest. His arms
encased me against him just a little tighter.

“Thank you.”
Reed’s lips brushed against the side of my neck, and I squeezed him a little tighter. “What are you

thanking me for?”

I felt a tear drop down my cheek. “Thank you for being here for me. I know it wasn’t easy, I didn’t

make it easy. You still never turned your back on me, though. Thank you for giving me time, and most
of all, thank you for loving Rhett.”

Reed kissed my temple and held me close, as he rocked me slowly, his heartbeat rapidly stuttering

under my cheek.

“You do know that Rhett isn’t the only one here that I love, right?” I only nodded against him. It

was all I could offer right now, all I had in me. I thought he knew because he never pushed. “As long
as you know that.”

Kissing me once more, he continued to hold me. It was the best thing he could do, it was exactly

what I needed from him.

Chapter Eighteen

The knock on the door had my heart racing. I was nervous, scared, and if I admitted it, a little

excited. I had spent the morning on the phone with my momma. I was in need of her guidance. Momma
always had a way of making me feel better. She was the voice of reason, and she knew what it took,
what I needed.

After I ran another quick inventory of Rhett’s bag, I lifted him from the floor and took a deep

breath. “Let’s go meet your grandpa, buddy.”

The moment Mr. Harrison set eyes on Rhett, his filled with tears. “Wow,” he whispered. “He

looks so much like Blake.”

“I know.” I couldn’t agree more.

***

I directed him to a small family owned restaurant on the edge of town. We spent over an hour just

talking about Rhett. We even talked about some of the last moments I had with Blake. Mr. Harrison
wanted to know if he was happy. I could see the regret in his eyes.

“He was happy. We were taking a small trip before Rhett was born. He wanted to surprise me. We

laughed all the time, he was such a good man.” I could read the guilt all over Richard’s face. I knew it
well. “Don’t hold on to that guilt, he wouldn’t want that. What you’re doing right now, taking the time
to heal old wounds, he would be proud. The man sitting in front of me now, this is the father I heard
so much about. What If ’s. You could do that to yourself, but really, why? It won’t change anything,
I’ve played that game over and over in my own mind.” I wiped away a stray tear from my cheek.
“Blake would want us to remember the happy times, so there is no need to dwell on all the sad ones.”

“I know I never said it, hell, I was horrible to you, but I’m glad he had you. I’m glad my son got to

experience the kind of love you two obviously shared.” His gazed shifted to Rhett. “You are doing a
great job with him, He’s such a happy little boy.”

“Thank you.”
He nodded, continuing to watch Rhett play with the toy tractor. “I’d like to be a part of his life, my

wife too. She wanted to come, but I thought the first trip I should take alone. I wasn’t sure what your
reaction would be. Molly hasn’t been doing that well since the funeral. She’s suffers a lot with
depression now. With time I hope that she’ll heal and maybe come back to me.” He shrugged, and his
gazed shifted back to mine. “With some time maybe we can all heal.”

“Yeah, I hope so,” I whispered, fighting off the threatening tears. The impending breakdown was

so close. Today was so emotional, and it was starting to break down my walls.

When he dropped Rhett and me off at home, we exchanged numbers. He promised to keep in touch

and in the near future plan another visit.

Watching as he drove away, a small sense of calm set over me. For once things felt as if they might

be all right.

***

“Momma…who is that man in the barn?” I barged in through the front door demanding answers.

“Momma.”

“I’m coming, where’s the fire girl?” She huffed as she came up the basement steps carrying arm

loads of jarred vegetables.

“Who is that guy in the barn?” I lowered Rhett to the floor near his toys.
The jars clanked against each other when she placed them on the countertop. “Oh, you mean

Gavin? That’s the new guy your daddy hired. He told you he planned on finding another farmhand.”

“Where did he find him?” My momma shot me a confused look. “He doesn’t look familiar.”
“Kori Lynn, will you just calm down? He came highly recommended by Rigdon Wilson and May

Reeves. They’ve known his family for years. He was looking for a new start. He’s just gone through a
messy divorce, his wife went astray with his boss.” I think my eyes must have bugged out of my head
with what my momma said. “Oh, I know, ol’ hussy didn’t know what she had in that man. He is a
sweet one, Kori, and not too bad on the eyes either.”

“Momma,” I shrieked.
She cackled as she continued to empty the jars of canned vegetables into the pan on the stove.

“What? I’m only stating the obvious. I’m guessing that’s why you came in here all flustered.”

I decided to ignore her comment about the new hot addition to the farm. “I need to tell you

something. Something about Reed and me.” I had to drop the Gavin topic. Yes, the man was
completely yummy. He was tall, dark, and oh my, those jeans on that ass. I shook my head at the
thought. “Something’s changed, Momma.”

“What? The two of you finally decide to quit pretending that you’re only friends?” My head shot

up and found my momma staring at me with a huge smile on her face. “That is what this is about, isn’t
it?” I only nodded. “Kori, I could see it building. Reed never stopped caring about you, honey. Yes,
he messed up. Yes, he regrets it. But it was bound to happen with you two again.”

“Slow, Momma, I gotta take things slow. I want to, though, I want that happiness again. Blake will

always hold a place deep in my heart that no one will ever fill. I just think he would want me to love
again. If the tables were turned, I would want that for him. I wouldn’t want him to live his life out
lonely and sad. My only hope would be that he’d do everything he could to make sure Rhett knew
about me. I can guarantee I will do that, teach him all about his daddy, but I gotta live on, Momma.”

She took me into a tight embrace. “Yes, you do. Kori, I am so proud of you, darlin’, so very proud.

I want you happy, and if Reed makes you happy, then I’m happy.”

“Thank you, Momma.”
“Well, what’s with all the tears in here?” My daddy’s voice filled the silence. “You two know I

don’t like seeing my girls crying.” He wrapped his arms around us both, pulling us into a hug.

“It’s good tears, Daddy.”
Rhett squealed, and I looked around my daddy to find him at the feet of the handsome new

employee. His ocean blues called out to something deep in my stomach. His eyes were absolutely
gorgeous, and that chiseled jaw almost had me melt in a puddle on the floor. Rhett was slamming a
toy tractor against his leg, and he was laughing, rubbing his head.

“Gavin, meet my grandson, Rhett.” My daddy turned back to face me. “This beauty right here is my

daughter, Kori.”

Gavin nodded. “Nice to meet you, Kori.” The handsome stranger smiled, and it was almost as

beautiful as his eyes.

***

Over the course of the day I had helped around the farm; I was sweaty, dirty, and a complete mess.

Cleaning stalls was never a chore I enjoyed. Gavin started at one end, and I at the other. We met in
the middle just before sunset.

“So Gavin, where you from?” I asked as I scrubbed at my arms over the tub of water.
“Savannah.” That deep grumbling voice made my pulse pick up a little more. He stepped up

beside me, and his manly scent filled my senses. I tried my best to remain calm and not lean toward
him to inhale a little deeper. That was all I needed, for him to notice me sniffing him. Talk about
creepy, being sniffed by the farm-girl.

When Gavin leaned closer to share the tub, I heard someone clear their throat. Looking over my

shoulder, I found Reed standing in the doorway, holding Rhett in his arms. Seeing him made me forget
all about the man next to me. Reed was the kind of beautiful that instantly made my mouth dry and my
knees wobble. He wore two day old stubble and those damn cowboy boots peeking out from under
his jeans. Oh, and did I mention his thighs…so thick and muscular, his jeans molded over them.

“Who’s your friend, Kor?” I instantly knew by his tone that he was thinking this scene was more

than it was. I dried my hands on my jeans and walked in the direction of the doorway, doing my best
not to laugh or even smile at Reed’s obvious jealousy.

Placing my hand on his forearm, he stared past me in a silent warning to Gavin. “This is the new

guy Daddy hired to help out around here. Gavin, meet Reed.”

Gavin stepped closer and held his hand out to Reed. The two exchanged a friendly handshake and

shared a few quick words.

Gavin excused himself to go clean up, and I could see Reed’s shoulders relax. I tried, but I

couldn’t hold back a giggle. His gaze shifted to mine, and I covered my mouth.

“What’s so funny, Giggles?”
“You.”
With his eyebrows scrunched, he asked, “Me? What did I do?”
“You are so jealous right now.” I took Rhett from him and began walking toward the house. It was

actually pretty chilly out, and I wanted to get inside where it was warm.

Reed quickly followed me and wrapped me in his arms from behind. “I feel like we just turned a

corner, Kori. I don’t want anything setting us back.” His lips skimmed over my temple setting off
those familiar chills once more. “Do I have anything to worry about with this guy?”

I shook my head and whispered my answer. “No, nothing at all.” Turning my head just slightly, my

eyes locked with his.

Reed was so damn sexy. He made it really hard to take things slow. Right here, right now, I was

having difficulty remembering how cold I just felt. With Reed’s body so close to mine, with his lips

just inches away, I felt like I was on fire from the inside out.

“I came here to ask you to have dinner with me. We can eat at your place this time, so it’s easier

for Rhett.” It didn’t go unnoticed that Reed’s eyes continued to shift back and forth between my eyes
and my lips.

“Momma already invited us to eat here. Do you wanna stay too? She made enough. Beef stew and

homemade biscuits.”

Turning around to face him, Rhett reached for Reed. It still hit me deep each time I saw them

together. It was a bittersweet feeling, and with each day it got a little easier to love.

“If you think it’ll be okay with your parents,” he questioned, holding Rhett close for warmth.
“They love you, I’m sure they already expect it.” Grabbing his hand in mine, I led him toward the

house.

Chapter Nineteen

Thanksgiving had come and gone. We spent it at my parents’ house. Of course they invited Reed

and his daddy. That was an eventful day. Reed’s dad was a man who could make you laugh at a wake.
He had the greatest personality and smiled more often than not. He was genuine and a joy to have
around. Seeing my father and Reed Sr. carrying on together warmed my soul. With Rhett and Reed
right in the middle, you couldn’t help yourself from feeling warm and fuzzy.

Christmas was fast approaching, and things between Reed and me had stayed on the slow train.

There were many nights of kissing until our lips were numb. Those nights were real common, but
nothing more. I knew it was me holding us back, it was just hard to let go. In the back of my mind one
question would eat at me; was I moving on too quickly?

I had a habit of using Maria and Rhett as buffers. If they were around, it was easier to control my

desires for Reed. There was no way to stop the feeling of need around a man like him. It was there, it
was strong, but it terrified me.

Tonight I let Maria convince me to have a girls’ night. Instead of the normal night out at Lucky’s,

we were going out for dinner and a movie. Reed asked us to stop by, but I wasn’t sure we would.
He’d been working at the bar a lot more lately because one of his bartenders quit. The situation kept
his nights and days pretty full, between that and all his side jobs.

I missed seeing him daily, even though it made avoiding taking the next step with him that much

easier.

***

“Are you ready yet? My hell, girl, it is just dinner and a movie,” Maria hollered down the hallway

as I was finishing with my makeup. The bitch could roll out of bed looking like a million dollars, and
it annoyed me. She could get ready in ten minutes and look like it took hours.

“Yes, twatwaffle, give me five damn minutes.” I groaned and continued to apply my mascara. My

cell phone vibrated against the countertop, interrupting me.

Please stop by later, I miss you. It’s been three days since I got a kiss from the prettiest girl

in town. R

What have you been doing then, kissing all the others, keeping your lips warm? K

No way, your lips are the only lips I wanna feel against mine. Think about it. Seeing you

sure would make my night better. R

We’ll see. K

Have a good time. R

“Hey Mar, I think we may stop by Lucky’s after. Just for a few minutes. It seems someone misses

me.” I felt like a school girl with a crush. He missed me, and that felt nice to know. I had been
missing him too.

***

Four hours and a few drinks later, we walked into Lucky’s. The band was playing, and the place

had to be almost at full capacity. Working our way through the crowd, we went straight for the bar. I
stopped abruptly, and Maria ran into my back. “What the hell, I think my titties are now inverted.”

Her wisecrack didn’t even register as funny. My eyes were focused on what was happening in

front of me.

Reed stood just at the end of the bar, shirtless. That alone would have been just fine, he is pretty

damn sexy. It was the three girls who were currently hanging on him while the fourth took a picture
that made my stomach turn. The girls were all young, pretty, and very flirtatious. The smaller of the
three wore a sash that said ‘21

Birthday’ across the front. They were here celebrating, and Reed was

the eye candy.

“What is wrong with you? Why did ya stop?” Maria bumped her hip against mine as she stepped

up beside me. I continued to stare ahead, watching Little Miss Eager run her hand over Reed’s abs.
My stomach hurt, and my eyes burned.

“I think I wanna go home. Is that okay with you?” I finally looked away because I couldn’t take any

more of it.

Maria only nodded as she led me back out to her car. Once we got back to my place, both of us got

some comfortable clothes on and camped out on the couch with a bottle of wine. Neither of us spoke
about what happened at Lucky’s until that point. She was the first to say anything.

“It appeared innocent. Just some young girls celebrating, and he’s a good looking guy. I’m sure he

was just humoring them.” She turned her body to face me and pulled her legs up to tuck them under
her. “Maybe you should have talked to him.”

I shook my head and twisted my wine glass around in my hand over and over. “It isn’t like I’m

giving him what he needs. He’s a guy, they need more than just occasionally making out like
teenagers.”

“Hey, he understands. Don’t do that to yourself.”
After a long silence, I looked up. She looked concerned. I shrugged it off and sat up straighter.
“I need to do something, will you help me?” I asked.
“Sure.” Maria laughed lightly at my abrupt change in conversation. She leaned forward and placed

her wine glass on the coffee table. “What are we doing?”

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “I wanna go through Blake’s things. The stuff I

gathered from our apartment but never had the heart to look through. All those things his father
brought. I wanna surround myself with Blake for just a couple hours. I need it, I have to feel him
again. It’s time to go through it all.”

For the next hour I laughed and cried more tears than I had in months. I found more pictures of

Blake and me, some I had no idea even existed.

Maria sat next to me while I looked through all the memories of my year with Blake. She got to

know the sweet man I had fallen in love with and the father of my child. She could now see the appeal
and know why I loved him so completely. We may not have had years upon years together, but I could
promise the time I did have with him would forever be imbedded within my soul. A love like that
didn’t leave easily; it surrounded me.

“What’s this?” I turned to find Maria holding up a notebook in one hand and a folded piece of

paper in the other. I quickly dropped the things in my own hand and grabbed for hers.

An overwhelming ache spread throughout my chest as I looked over the reservation in my hands. It

was for the day of the accident.

It was a weekend getaway in Cape Cod. There was also a small brochure showing the views and

rooms. On the corner of the reservation paper, the words written there broke my heart.

To do list:

-Pick up the flowers from florist and have them spread petals on bed.
-Preorder dinner and have delivered to room at 8
-Pick up the ring from the jewelers

My eyes were so full of tears I could no longer see the paper. The ring. Those two words took

everything that had healed within me and shattered it once again. We had talked about getting married.
I knew it would happen eventually, maybe after I graduated and we settled down. The fact that he had
planned to propose the weekend I lost him was too hard to swallow.

I forced myself to look through the notebook that the reservation and brochure were tucked inside.

Blake had random thoughts and ideas for our future written inside.

He was always such a planner, and looking over his excessive lists always made me laugh. Now

they just made me cry harder.

-Buy Kori her dream house.
-Fill our home with the laughter of our beautiful children.
-Never let a day go by without telling my wife and children how much I love them.

As if he had to write that down in order to complete those tasks. It just made him feel better seeing

his dreams on paper. It was who he was, the man I loved.

Chapter Twenty

"Do you love him?" His voice was filled with emotion.
I nodded my head gently as the tears trailed down my cheeks, “Yes.” I whispered, “I’m so

sorry.”

The silence was overwhelming. My chest tightened with the thought of hurting Blake.
“Don’t apologize for falling in love, baby. I know how it feels to have your love, and he’s one

lucky guy. It’s okay to love again, sweet girl, it doesn’t mean you love me any less. I know you’ll
always love me.”

“Yes, Blake, I’ll always love you. I could never stop.”

I felt the soft trace of his fingertips across my cheek, and I closed my eyes, taking in the pleasure of

his touch. I sighed and reached up to feel his hand, but it wasn’t there. I began spinning around
looking for Blake, but he was gone.

Reality hit heavily when I realized it was just a dream. It felt so real, like he was right there with

me, reassuring me. It was as if he were giving the go ahead to move on and love Reed the way he
deserved to be loved.

I had stayed up half the night looking through all of Blake’s things. I went to bed with thoughts of

him, and I know that is what fueled my dreams.

I stood, dragging my exhausted body toward the shower. I had to wake up before I went to pick up

Rhett. Looking in the bathroom mirror, I groaned. I looked like complete ass.

The hot water running over me gave my body a little motivation to get a move on. I had a missed

call and text when I got out of the shower.

They were both from Reed.

Missed you last night. R

Instead of calling him back I replied to the text.

You looked like you were entertained and the furthest thing from lonely. K

I threw the phone in my bag and grabbed my purse from the counter. I could hear it chiming as I

walked out the door.

Driving down the main road, the sleet began to fall. The fields were covered with a light dusting

of snow. This year the thought of Rhett being old enough to enjoy playing in it made me smile. The
oncoming big black truck heading toward my house did not. Reed passed me going in the opposite
direction and quickly stepped on his brakes to spin around and follow me.

I let him follow for a few more miles before I pulled over on one of the little side roads and

waited for him to get out of his truck.

When my passenger door came open and he crawled inside, his manly scent filled my car. He

always smelled unbelievably yummy. I took a chance and looked in his direction, only to find him
holding up his phone is question.

“What does your text mean? Were you there?” he asked.
“Not that you had any time to notice, but yes, I was, long enough to witness your fan club and your

little photo shoot. After that, I no longer felt the need to stay.” I couldn’t look at him. Instead I looked
down at the radio and waited for this to pass.

“What fan club?”
“The group of girls that you were posing with, shirtless.” This was just crazy. I was acting like a

god damned teenager, and it was too much. I lifted my head, and my gaze locked onto his big,
chocolate brown eyes. He watched me without speaking a word. “Reed, I know you own a bar. I also
know that certain things go along with that. I just don’t know if I can stomach what I saw last night. I
know you aren’t the same person you once were, but it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.”

I shrugged and looked back down at my lap, debating if I should say more. Before I could speak

another word, he reached out and took my hand in his.

“I’m sorry. I posed with them because they were out celebrating the twenty-first birthday of one of

the girls. I never thought about what it may look like to you. It was completely innocent.” Tilting my
chin up with his hand, he continued. “I told them about you. When they asked if I was single, I told
them all about you.”

I chose to remain quiet. I still wasn’t sure how to handle how last night made me feel. I didn’t want

to say the wrong thing, so silence was my best option.

“Baby, I have waited for a second chance with you. I won’t lie and say I didn’t try to get over you,

but it was impossible. There is only one Kori, one girl who stole my heart. Do you actually think I am
gonna take a chance of losing you again?”

“Turn the tables, Reed, just for a minute. If you saw me flirting and flaunting myself, how well

would that go over? You got jealous of me talking with Gavin, you were half naked with three girls.
The whole thing made me sick.”

“Damn, Kori, I’m sorry. It was a stupid ass move, but you gotta know it went no further. I wouldn’t

do that,” he pleaded, and it came out rushed.

“I know, I just can’t be with you if things are gonna be that way. I understand the flirting for

business, it’s the touching and rubbing up against you that I can’t accept. I’m not built that way, I can’t
stomach it.”

He leaned over the center console and grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me closer. Resting his

forehead against mine, he skimmed the side of my nose with his. “You don’t have to accept it, it stops
now. No more, that’s a promise. I’m sorry.” His lips took mine in a desperate kiss, and instead of
pulling away, I relaxed into him.

It was time that Reed knew what I wanted, and I had to let down my walls. When his lips

separated from mine, his forehead once against pressed against me.

“I know I haven’t made things easy for you. I know that you feel like I keep you at a distance, and

you’re right, I have. I don’t want to anymore. I want to do this with you, I want to go all in. I’m ready

to move forward, with you.” He leaned back, looking at me intensely. “I just need to make sure you
want the same thing.”

“You’re joking right? You know I want you and Rhett. I’ve wanted you my whole life, and Rhett is

the best kind of bonus. I want in, baby, completely in with no hesitation.” He kissed me hard. We sat
on the side of the road, making the decision to move forward, together. That thought was both exciting
and terrifying at the same time.

Pushing past my reservations, I gave myself over to the man who had helped me through one of the

hardest times in my life. Reed loved me and my son, he didn’t have to, but he did.

Chapter Twenty-One

“I’ll be there to get you in about twenty minutes,” Reed said.
“I can just meet you there. It would be easier. My house is in the opposite direction, completely

out of your way.” He was just being crazy and protective. It felt good to have him going all caveman
on me, I just couldn’t let him know that.

“Will you just stop arguing with me and stay put? The roads are getting slick, and I would feel

better if you and Rhett were with me. Do you always have to be so damn stubborn?” I covered my
mouth to laugh, because he was getting all flustered, and it was so cute.

“Are you laughing at me?”
“No,” I snickered, and once again covered my mouth.
“Whatever, smartass, just stay put. I’m on the way, be ready.” He hung up, and I only laughed

more.

I gathered Rhett and my things and waited by the door. When I saw his truck coming up the

driveway, I made my way outside.

We were celebrating Christmas at my parents’, followed by a late dinner with Reed’s dad. Our

day was planned, and now I also had a chauffeur.

Reed grabbed Rhett from me, along with the bag. “Merry Christmas, baby,” he whispered just

before kissing me sweetly.

Turning out on to the main road, I noticed just how much snow had fallen. “I guess the snow has

gotten pretty heavy.” Something was strange about the weather this year. Granted, a little snow to us
was a lot, something we sure weren’t used to. This year, though, we’d had record snowfall, and the
town didn’t know how to handle it. People weren’t used to driving in these types of conditions.

He looked over at me with a smile that clearly said he had already tried to tell me that. I could

only smile, and in turn he winked. “I know it’s not that common, but the ice, that’s what makes it
worse.”

Momma and Daddy had invited Gavin, since he was new in town. He really had no place to go,

and Momma wasn’t having that. At first, Reed was quiet and stuck to my side like a second skin.
After a couple hours he warmed up to Gavin, realizing that he and I had no interest in one another.
Sure, the man was pretty to look at, but he wasn’t the man who warmed my heart.

Dinner with Reed’s dad was a little different than I had been used to. Not bad different, just

interesting different.

What I found amazing was the fact that he went shopping for Rhett. The moment he brought out a

pile of gifts and sat them on the floor in front of Rhett, even Reed looked shocked.

“What the hell is wrong with you two? You don’t think an old man knows how to shop for a

toddler? I bet my old ass bought him better gifts than you did. What’d you get him, clothes?” I laughed
when Reed’s face fell a little. I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

His dad snickered and shook his head. “Go ahead, boy, dig in and tear it up.” He leaned forward

and tore at the paper, helping Rhett get started.

My eyes filled with tears while I watched him open toy after toy. With each one he became more

and more excited. I excused myself to pull it together.

A light tap on the door came first, before Reed pushed it open. “You okay?” I only nodded as I

blew my nose. “Why the tears then?”

“Just means a lot to me that your dad has accepted Rhett. I can’t believe he went to all that

trouble.” I sniffled.

“When are you gonna accept that we care about you two? It isn’t any trouble, babe, it’s what

family does.” Reed closed the distance between us and caged me in against the counter. When my
eyes met his, he smiled. “I love you, Kori, and I love Rhett. My dad loves both of you too. Understand
that, please…I want you both for the long haul.”

I dove for him, taking his lips in a fierce kiss. “I love you too, so much,” I whispered before

kissing him once more. Things got a little heated there in his dad’s bathroom, and it needed to come to
a halt.

“Spend the night with me,” Reed asked. His forehead rested against mine, his eyes closed tightly.

He looked like he was doing everything he could to calm himself down.

“Okay, but I’ll need to borrow a shirt to sleep in.” He grinned, and I already knew what he was

thinking. “Or I could just sleep naked.” He chuckled and pulled me in tightly against his chest.

We had yet to take that step in our relationship, but I had a feeling tonight that would change. I

wasn’t sure I could wait that long to get my hands on him. I was a little worked up from our make-out
session.

“Naked would be the best Christmas present. Having you in my bed, under me, I think I could get

used to that.” He kissed me once more before pulling me back toward the living room.

***

Just the small walk from Reed’s father’s house was too much for Rhett, he was out like a light.

Reed carried him inside and took him to the spare bedroom next to his own. I was surprised to see the
side rails hooked on the sides of the bed. He must have just gotten them, he had no other reason to
have them. It only made my decision to go forward with tonight seem even more like the right one. It
was our time, no more holding back.

I stood back near the doorway as he tucked Rhett in the bed securely. Reed leaned over and placed

a soft kiss against his forehead, and my heart became just a little more his. It was then that I realized
how lucky I was. How lucky we were, to have Reed in our lives. I heard him whisper against Rhett’s
forehead that he loved him and tears pooled in my eyes.

Reed met me in the doorway and pulled me against his chest. “What’s wrong, sweet girl, why you

crying?” He soothingly rubbed my back while continuing to hold me close.

“They’re happy tears, I promise.” I buried my face in his chest and breathed in his intoxicating

scent. Backing out of the bedroom, he pulled the door closed, leaving it cracked slightly.

He continued to back me up until I felt the wall hit my back. Our eyes met, and his were filled with

such love and adoration.

Raising up on my tiptoes, I pulled him toward me, our lips meshed in a slow dance of desire. He

began making love to my mouth, and my legs began feeling less steady. I could feel his hardness
against my stomach as he pressed his body to mine.

“Let’s go to bed,” I whispered.
He didn’t answer, only lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Carrying me down

the hall and into his room, he lowered me to the bed. His body covered mine almost immediately, our
mouths continuing to devour one another.

“I love you, Kori, I never stopped.” I felt his breath dance over my neck as he spoke. I arched

back, opening up more for his torturous game. His tongue rolled over my neck, down over my
collarbone. This was happening, it was time to move forward with Reed. It was time I let go and
loved Reed the way I needed to be loved.

Reaching for the hem of his shirt, I began raising it up and over his head. He really was a beautiful

man, and I couldn’t stop myself from running my hands over his broad chest and abs. He closed his
eyes tightly and took in the feel of my hands, touching him.

Over the next ten minutes we kissed, touching each other, enjoying the feel of each other, so close,

so intimate.

We slowly began removing our clothes, piece by piece. Leaving nothing untouched, nothing not

treasured.

“You are so beautiful, baby. I want you so much, I want it all with you,” he declared. His eyes

filled with such gravity, he wanted me to know he needed me.

“Me too, Reed. I’m ready for this with you, all of it. I need you, we need you.” A tear fell from the

corner of my eye. What I was feeling was so intense, so final. I felt no reservations with what we
were about to share.

His eyes never left mine as he slowly began to sink into me. A small gasp escaped my lips when

he was seated deep. He bit down on his lower lip and groaned in pleasure. “Home, right here. This is
where I belong,” he whispered in a deep husky voice, slowly moving inside me.

Our mouths harmonized in a dance of love, desire, and complete bliss. Our lovemaking was

overwhelming; we fit perfectly. There was nothing rough or rushed. Reed made love to me, slowly.

His forehead rested against mine, he slowly, leisurely slid in and out. Kissing me, he rolled his

tongue with mine, mocking the movement of his hips. I was building toward release, and his
eyebrows scrunched as he fought his own.

“I’m close, Kori, you almost there, baby?” I nodded, arching my back as the warmness erupted

deep in my core. “That’s it, so good…so damn sweet.” His movements sped up as he thrust his hips.
Only seconds passed when his body began to shake from his own orgasm.

The slick layer of sweat coating our bodies mixed when his body rested against mine. Reed’s hips

still continued to thrust gently as he groaned and released every last drop. We both held one another
tightly, coming back from the high we had just shared. Every moment was so beautiful and
meaningful.

When he had calmed, he lifted his head just enough to look into my eyes. “I’ll be right back.” He

whispered before placing a gentle kiss on my lips. Withdrawing from me, I watched his naked ass
walk toward the restroom. After he removed the condom, he walked back to the bed and crawled in
next to me.

Reed skimmed my shoulder with his fingertips while watching my eyes. Neither of us spoke, only

memorized one another in silence. His fingertips continued to graze my skin along my neck and chest.
It was as if he were telling me with his fingers what he was feeling. I was so overwhelmed with love

that my throat burned and my chest ached.

Reed settled in behind me and pulled me against him. He kissed my forehead and then my nose. “I

love you so much, Kori. Having you here, right here in my arms, feels so right. Don’t fight us
anymore, just know that I want both of you completely. Don’t question that, just accept it. Please.”

His lips hovering over mine as he continued. “It’s not about replacing your past, it’s only me

wanting to be your future. Let me take care of you, let me love you and Rhett.”

Kissing me gently as the tears rolled from my eyes, I accepted that this man loved me. I gave it all

to him through that kiss. I hoped he understood how much his love meant to me, how much he had
saved me. His love made me feel like my future was no longer a dark place. I could lean on a man
who knew how much I loved Blake, he understood that he would always be in my heart. He loved me
anyway.

“I love you too. Thank you for being such a great man, thank you for loving us.”
“Always,” he grinned, holding me against him as we both faded off into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Two

When I woke up I was alone in bed. Disappointed, I looked over at the clock. It was almost nine in

the morning, and I suddenly felt a panic overtake me. Rhett never slept this late. He had to be running
around getting into things.

I grabbed a shirt from the floor, quickly slipping it on, followed by my panties. I practically ran

from the room and stopped in the doorway of the spare bedroom. It was empty. My heart raced faster,
until I heard a giggle and a deep chuckle from the kitchen. I walked in that direction, taking gentle
steps so I would not alert them of my presence.

The scene before me was one I had to stop and appreciate. Reed was standing at the stove with his

back to me. His pajama pants hung low on his hips, and his feet were bare. He looked edible. One
arm worked furiously at the stove as he cooked breakfast, while the other arm was wrapped securely
around Rhett, holding him against his side.

I stood in the shadows of the hallway watching them interact. Rhett watched Reed’s every move

with such curiosity. Every so often they would share a bite of bacon or toast. “More,” Rhett would
holler out every time he was finished chewing.

I could stand here all day and take in their actions toward each other. The way they loved one

another was so obvious.

Walking up behind them, I wrapped my arms around the two, kissing Reed’s shoulder. “Good

morning, boys,” I said just before raising up to place a kiss on Rhett’s cheek. “Something smells
really good.”

Reed turned and gripped my waist with his free arm. “We thought we’d make you breakfast.

Rhett’s been stealing the bacon.” He smiled over at Rhett as he beamed.

“Real nice, blame the toddler. I’m pretty sure I saw you eating it too.” He chuckled and placed a

quick kiss against my nose. I stepped back and took Rhett so he could finish up easier.

I noticed his eyes raking over me as a big grin spread out over his lips. “You look damn good in

my shirt.” My cheeks heated as he licked his lower lip.

I placed Rhett down on the floor when Diesel entered the kitchen. He immediately sat down on the

floor, Diesel lying down right next to him. I looked up to see Reed smiling down at the two. It was
pretty sweet that they had taken up with one another so easily.

Stepping up to his side, I bumped him with my shoulder. “Anything I can help you with?” He only

nodded. “Okay, what?” I laughed, and he grinned. He tapped his finger against his lips indicating he
wanted a kiss. I could definitely do that.

When I attempted to pull back from the kiss, he gripped the back of my head, holding me closer.

He bit at my lower lip, before skimming his tongue over the same spot. My legs trembled and my sex
clenched. It was honestly unfair that he had this effect on me. He was in a playful mood.

***

“How was your night with your cowboy hunk?” Maria’s voice filled the house as she barged in

through the front door.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her ridiculous getup. She was all decked out in a full snowsuit. “Oh,

holy hell, Maria. What in the hell are you wearing?” She looked down at herself, holding her hands
out as if to ask what I meant. “You look like Randy from the movie Christmas Story. How the hell are
you moving in that thing?” I looked out the front door and laughed, holding my stomach from the ache
it caused. “How did you drive here? I can’t believe you fit behind the steering wheel.” The only
difference between her and Randy from that movie was her suit was pink and white, with little fuzzy
trim.

“You can laugh all you want, hooker, it is cold as hell out there.” She began unveiling, and all I

could do was laugh more when I spotted her long underwear underneath the snowsuit. “I just passed
your man in town. They were putting down salt, ‘cause of the ice. You know people around here start
freaking when we get ice or snow. You would think we live in the Midwest with the panic going on.
Yeah the roads are a bit slick, but if you go slowly, it’s fine.”

Yep, that felt weird, my man. It was strange still to hear Reed referred to as mine. He dropped me

off at home after breakfast this morning. He got a call about helping to clear the roads in town, just
another one of his good deeds to the town’s people.

“So you planning on telling me if you finally did the nasty, or are you gonna keep ignoring me?”

Maria had finally removed herself from the twelve layers she wore. “Spill it, I can already tell you
got laid. Give me the details, because I could use some heated conversation. I haven’t had sex in six
months. Share so I can live vicariously through you.”

I shook my head and continued to empty the dishwasher. “Okay, yes, it finally happened, and it

was perfect.”

Silence filled the room, and I looked up, meeting her sour expression. “Seriously, that is all I get?

Perfect…what the hell, Kori. I said details. Reed is damn sexy, he is so cut, and those thighs.” She
paused and closed her eyes tightly. “Those thighs of his are built for some thrusting…please do tell.”

I picked up the roll of paper towels off the countertop and threw them at her. “Really, Maria? Built

for thrusting. I can’t believe your mind.”

“What? You know I’m right.” She stood up and walked to the kitchen, setting the paper towels

back down. “Don’t get all shy and conservative. You had the same thought about those thighs before.
Now you know the facts. Fill me in and tell me if we were right.”

I bit my lip to fight the laughter from escaping. My cheeks heated up, and all I could do was nod in

answer.

“I knew it,” she screeched loudly.
“Shh,” I hushed her. “Rhett is napping, and if you wake him up, you get to deal with the bear.” My

boy loved his naps, and when he was interrupted he was gonna make sure you felt his wrath.

“Oh please, that boy loves his Auntie Mar.” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “What’s next for

the two of you?”

“He says he’s in it for the all.” I shrugged. “So I guess we just keep moving forward.”
Maria came around the counter and hugged me tightly. “I’m happy for you—for both of you. You

deserve some good.”

She released me and stepped back. “One more thing. Where did the new laptop come from?” She

pointed to the coffee table at the unopened box containing the MacBook Pro.

“From Blake’s dad.” I shrugged. “He sent it and said it was for me so we could Skype. He wants

to stay in touch with Rhett, even if it is virtually.” I turned and pointed toward the corner on the other
side of the room. “That is for Rhett.”

She followed the direction of my finger as she took in the huge work bench with all the tools it

contained. “Wow, Rhett hit the jackpot this Christmas. With what they got him and then everyone else,
he was spoiled.”

I nodded. “Yeah, he was. Reed’s dad even went a little overboard.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Yep,

it surprised us too. But it really was the sweetest thing. I kind of had a little breakdown with all the
love that was being handed out. It was so overwhelming, not a bad thing, just unexpected.”

***

Maria decided to hang out for the day, the snow had really picked up, and then the freezing rain

began. It was a mess out. I still hadn’t heard from Reed, but I knew he was busy.

Maria and I worked on dinner while Rhett played with all his new toys. He had toy overload and

had no idea what to play with first.

My phone chirping had me dropping everything and running across the living room. “Geesh, slow

down, girl, before you break something.” She was smiling, and I knew she was just attempting to
tease me about my excitement.

Roads are horrible, don’t go anywhere. Please. R

“What’s it say?” Maria asked.
“He just said the roads are bad, you should probably just stay tonight. No reason you should try to

drive and end up in a ditch,” I told her as I typed out my response to his message.

Not leaving the house. Maria is here, we are making dinner. If you have time to stop by to

eat. K

Gonna be a long night, baby. Not sure when I’ll get done. I’ll try. R

“Is he coming over?”
I shook my head as I set my phone on the counter. “Not sure, he’s real busy.”
The conversation led on to a new topic, but in the back of my mind he was there. I wanted to see

him; last night had been so perfect. Today I was really missing him. It sure would have been nice to
fall asleep in his arms again.

Nightfall came fast. Reed never made it, and I hadn’t gotten any more messages. Maria and I

settled in for a movie night, and Rhett curled up against me. He felt warm to the touch.

“Mar, can you grab me the thermometer? Rhett feels like he may have a fever.”
She quickly grabbed it, and after about two minutes my thoughts were confirmed. “102.8, great.”

Standing from the couch with him still in my arms, I walked toward the kitchen. “I’m just gonna give

him some Tylenol. He isn’t showing any other signs, so maybe it’s just a little bug.”

Once the Tylenol was in him, I went back to the couch and curled up with him on my chest. I

rubbed his back gently and soothed him. He fell asleep quickly. I could feel my eyelids growing
heavy and knew I was not far behind.

Waking with a startle as Rhett cried out, I jolted forward. Maria shot up from the recliner next to

me and rushed over. He screamed out in pain as he pulled his legs tightly against him. His face was
bright red, and he continued to cry. A terrified feeling filled my stomach.

Checking over him repeatedly, there were no signs of what could be causing him pain. Just then he

cried out and heaved forward.

It came before I had time to prepare, and vomit covered my entire neck and chest. It took

everything I had in me not to hurl from the stench. It continued over and over, and it was pointless to
move. Maria grabbed the garbage, and we did our best to hold it under his mouth. Trying to convince
a toddler in pain to vomit in the garbage can was not an easy task.

When he slowed down, I looked up at a horrified Maria and sighed.
“I think I need to take him to the ER,” I told Maria as I grabbed for my phone. I had a feeling I was

in for a long night.

Rhett rarely got sick. Of all the nights it could have happened, it had to be when the roads were

terrible, and I lived out in the middle of nowhere.

Chapter Twenty-Three

I had been trying for the last ten minutes to call Reed, but all the calls went unanswered. Maria and

I didn’t have a car that could be trusted on the road. With the road near my house, we needed
someone with a big truck.

Rhett’s fever had now spiked and was sitting at 103.9. I had given him Motrin, but it still had not

taken effect. His painful screams were now making me feel as if I were only making him suffer. I
fought against the tears and called my parents’ phone.

After the second ring my momma picked up. “Kori? Is everything okay?” It was after midnight, and

I never called this late.

“I need Daddy to come get us. Rhett is running a fever and throwing up. He is screaming in pain,

and I need to take him to the ER.”

“Your daddy is out helping with the ice. They had wrecks piling up on the highway, and they

needed some help clearing the roads. I’ll have Gavin grab his truck and come get ya.” I agreed and
hung up the phone. I didn’t care right now who showed up, I just needed a truck and an experienced
driver.

I changed quickly, and Maria held Rhett. Now we all stood in the doorway waiting for Gavin to

arrive. When we saw the headlights of his King Ranch, lifted Ford F250, we gathered up and met him
at the end of the sidewalk.

I crawled in and held Rhett, bundled in a big blanket to shield the frigid air. Maria following close

behind. “I’d hurry if I were you. It’s been a while since he last chucked, but he is like the exorcist
when he goes off. This pretty truck may not be so pretty anymore after he hoses it down,” Maria
announced as Gavin climbed into the driver’s seat. He looked a little frightened, and all I could offer
was a smile.

“Well, let’s get moving then.”
He got us there in ten minutes without having to witness what Maria had warned him of. The nurse

placed us in a room and began stripping Rhett of his clothing. His temperature was still up, and the
clothes weren’t helping with the heat.

Maria and Gavin stood just outside of the room, talking quietly. All I could do was hold my crying

boy and feel completely helpless. I wanted to know what was hurting so I could make it better.
Watching him suffer was torture.

The doctor came in the room to check him over, and that just pissed him off more. He screamed so

hard he threw up and then started shaking. Which in turn caused me to cry as well. My heart couldn’t
take seeing him like this. Rhett was a happy boy, this was not easy to witness.

They gave him an IV because he was dehydrated, and watching them poke and prod broke my heart

all over again. Once the fluids began and his fever slowly started to break, he was able to calm down.
He finally curled against me and fell asleep.

“What in the hell is she doing here?” I heard Maria yell. “You’re freaking kidding me, you show

up here…with her.”

My stomach hit the floor. There could only be one person she was talking about. In this town there

were very few people it would bother me to have here.

The moment Reed pushed through the partially opened door, my heart raced. Seeing Kimberly

stand behind him was like a slap to the face. “Is he okay?” he questioned. All I could do at that
moment was stare past his shoulders. The bitch had the nerve to look worried, which only infuriated
me more.

“Leave,” I stated firmly.
Reed stood frozen next to the bed, looking from Rhett to me. “What?” He took another step toward

me. “Wait, baby, let me explain.”

“Don’t. Just leave. I don’t have the time or the energy for this right now. Just leave, please.” I was

sitting in the hospital, covered in puke. I was exhausted and emotional. Right now I just needed him to
turn around and leave this room. I refused to have this conversation, especially in front of her.

I looked down at Rhett and avoided eye contact with him. After a few minutes he spoke. “I’ll leave

this room, but I’m not leaving this hospital. It isn’t what you think, and I’m not leaving until I know
he’s okay. Then you will let me explain this.” He didn’t wait for me to answer. He left the room, and
then my tears fell.

The doctor entering the room startled me, and I wiped at the tears on my cheeks.
“Rhett has rotavirus. His fever has been brought down for now, but we need to admit him. He is

going to need to continue with the fluids or he will get dehydrated. This virus will have to run its
course, and the first few days are the worst.” I nodded, and he continued. “We have already notified
Pediatrics, and they will be sending someone down to take you upstairs soon.”

“Thank you.” It only came out in a whisper. He exited the room, and Maria came in shortly after.
“Hey, momma, you need anything?” she asked.
“Yeah, could you sit with him for a few minutes? I really need to use the restroom.” Rhett was

asleep in the bed and the side rails were up, but I was still nervous about leaving him alone.

“Of course.” She took a seat next to the bed. “Gavin is outside. He was gonna take me back to your

place.” She paused, and I knew she was wondering if she should continue. “Reed is in the waiting
room with your parents.”

I nodded before stepping from the room. Gavin pushed forward off the wall and tucked his hands

in his pockets. “Little man has to stay, huh?”

I smiled. “Yeah. Listen, thanks so much for getting us here. I really appreciate it.” I looked up to

see Reed standing about ten feet back.

Gavin noticed my gaze and looked back. “Um, I’m gonna go out and wait for Maria in the waiting

room.” He rushed off before I could speak, and Reed walked in my direction.

He looked pissed, and that made me angrier. “Looks like Gavin came to the rescue.”
I placed my hands on my hips and glared up at him. “You don’t get to be mad, Reed. I tried calling

you over and over. I never asked Gavin to get me here, Momma sent him. He was the only one with a
truck. You should be glad he got us here safely, not pissed because he was there when you weren’t.”
His anger shifted slightly, but I wasn’t done yet. “You have the nerve to show up here, with her. That
took balls. I told you she was a hard limit for me. You being with her is unacceptable. Do you not

remember she was the girl who ended us the first time?”

I shoved past him and rushed for the restroom. He gripped my elbow and spun me around to face

him. “A call came in about the wrecks on the highway. I was the only one close. She was stranded on
the side of the road. I couldn’t just leave her there. I was in the process of giving her a ride back to
town when I noticed I had the missed calls.” He took a step toward me. “I came straight here. That is
the only reason she is with me. I needed to get here.”

I stood in the hallway staring up at him, my chest aching. I was so mad that she was with him.

Right now I couldn’t do this. I had to get back to Rhett.

“I don’t have time for this. I need to get back to my son. You can leave now. He is being admitted.

He is sleeping, and he’ll be fine.” I entered the bathroom and took in a deep breath. I tried to calm my
racing heart by bracing myself on the sink and hanging my head forward.

After I finished up in the restroom, I found Reed still waiting outside in the hall. I tried to avoid

another conversation with him, but he had other plans. “I know you’re mad, and I understand, but I
was only doing what I volunteered for. I had to get her home.”

“Just take her home, Reed. It’s late, and I’m exhausted. I really don’t have the energy to deal with

this. I have enough going on right now.”

I walked away and left him standing in the hall. After I said a quick goodbye to Maria, Gavin took

her home. My parents popped in to check on Rhett and me. Momma said she would come up in the
morning to relieve me so I could go home to shower. I just didn’t think right now I had it in me to
leave.

I assumed Reed had listened. When the nurse from Pediatrics came to get us, we walked through

the waiting room to the elevators. The room was empty, and my heart ached. I pushed the images of
him and Kimberly together out of my head.

The nurse brought me a pair of clean scrubs to wear, and I cleaned up in the bathroom.
Rhett woke up a few times through the night. With the Motrin and Tylenol, he was able to get a

couple hours of rest here and there. I was another story, I never got more than an hour total.

Chapter Twenty-Four

My momma got back to the hospital bright and early. I snuck away using her car just after Rhett had

fallen back to sleep.

Maria’s car was still in my driveway when I pulled in. The big red Ford parked behind hers was

shocking. Not really a scene I wanted to walk into. I cringed thinking about what may have gone down
in my home last night. An involuntary shudder ran over me.

The funniest damn thing was me standing on my front porch, knocking on my front door. Yes, I

knocked, then felt completely stupid, but I wanted to warn them.

“Hello?” I announced as I pushed the door open. I squeezed my eyes tightly and hollered once

more. “Mar, you here?”

“She’s still sleeping.” A raspy sleep filled grumble had me opening my eyes. Gavin was lifting

himself off the couch. His hair was sticking up, and he looked exhausted. He was still wearing the
same clothes from last night. “She’s in your room. I hope you don’t mind I slept over. It was late, and
Maria told me to crash on the couch.”

He began slipping his boots on and grabbed for his coat. “No, not at all, it’s the least we could

offer for you helping out.”

“No trouble, I hope your boy is feeling better.”
“He was sleeping when I left. He had a rough night, but hopefully with a couple days he’ll be back

to normal.”

He tilted his head and stepped through the open doorway. “I’m sure he will. I’m gonna get going.

Tell Maria I’ll talk to her later.” He closed the door behind him, and I hurried off toward my
bedroom to grab some clean clothes.

“Wake up, floozy, your cowboy left, and it’s your time to spill.” I yanked out the pillow

underneath Maria’s head. Her grumbling whine made me laugh. “Stop bitching, you got more sleep
than me. Follow me and fill me in while I shower.”

Just as I was starting to wash my hair, she came in the bathroom. “Nothing happened. He crashed.

Poor guy looked exhausted, so I offered your couch. I’m not gonna lie and say that if he did sneak into
bed with me I wouldn’t have attacked him. That man is yummy. He also has those thrusting thighs I
like so much.”

“You are terrible. Is that all you think about, sex?” I laughed and rinsed the conditioner from my

hair.

“Not all, but mostly. Gavin is hot; admit it, you think he is too. He would be one wild ride.” She

laughed, and I heard the toilet flush just before the water turned cold.

“Holy hell, you bitch, that was just wrong.” I jumped around trying to recover from the chill the

water brought on. “You’re the one who needs a cold shower.”

I could hear her laughter as she walked from the room. I owed her one.

***

I got back to the hospital in good time. I could hear voices coming from Rhett’s room as I stood

outside the door.

“She’s pretty upset with me. I can’t say I blame her. But I honestly just picked her up. I didn’t even

know it was her until I got to the highway. The roads were icy, and she was in the ditch.” Reed’s
voice cracked. “I need to make her understand what she means to me.”

“She’s stubborn, Reed. Emotions were high last night. She was tired, scared, and I’m sure you

showing up here with Kim set her off.”

“I know,” he agreed.
I took a deep breath before I entered the room. All eyes shifted toward me, and my momma stood.

“He was up for about twenty minutes. They checked his vitals and gave him some more Tylenol. The
saline bag is getting low, so the nurse said she would be back to check it.” She leaned toward me and
kissed my cheek. “I’m gonna head home and let you two talk,” she whispered against my cheek.

“Bye, Reed,” she hollered over her shoulder just before rushing from the room.
I could feel his eyes on me and I knew I had to turn around. My pulse was beating so rapidly, and I

suddenly felt nervous.

“Can we talk?” he asked. All I could do was nod. “Will you sit down, please?”
I walked across the room and set my bag down, before turning back to take a seat in the chair next

to him. I still had not looked at him. If I did, I would cave, I knew it. Right now I just wanted to throw
my arms around his neck and hold him tightly.

“I’m sorry I didn’t answer the phone when you needed me. I should have been the one to get you

here. I never intentionally set out to pick up Kim.” He slid forward on his chair and placed his hand
on my knee. “Kori, I wouldn’t purposely do that. I know how you feel about her. I‘m not a huge fan of
hers either, but I had to get her off that road. The timing was all lined up. I wasn’t about to waste any
more time by taking her home. When I got your message, I had to get here. I was worried, and I felt
like shit. You needed me, and here I was with her in the truck, and it pissed me off.”

This time he slid from the chair completely and knelt before me. My eyes finally met his. “You and

Rhett are my number one priority. I should have been with you. I’m sorry for the way the night played
out. I’m sorry that she was the one on the side of that road.”

His eyes were filled with agony, and it hurt so much to see him like that. “I know, I’m sorry too. I

know you didn’t plan it. I trust you.” I cupped the side of his face and skimmed his jawline with my
thumb. “I was hurt, but I understand. Kimberly is the one person who makes me become someone I’m
not. She knows how to get me, she knows what it takes to hurt me.”

“She isn’t who I want. She was never who I wanted. It’s always been you, baby. I was just a dumb

kid who didn’t see the good I had. I am not that guy anymore. There isn’t anyone or anything that is
gonna keep me from you or from Rhett.” He rose up on his knees, bringing himself to eye-level. “I
want you, only you. There is one woman I need, and that woman is you.” He sealed it with a kiss, a
kiss that melted away any doubt I may have had.

Rhett’s screeching cry caused both of us to jump. Reed got to him before I did, lifting him to his

chest. “Shh, little man, I gotchu,” he soothed as he softly patted his back, swaying side to side. Once

Rhett noticed who had him, his crying began to fade. His lower lip trembled while he stared up at
Reed. Their connection still made me emotional; it really was beautiful.

“Baby, he feels hot as hell. He’s burning up.” Reed turned toward me, and I reached out to feel

Rhett’s head.

I hit the button for the nurse and we waited, while continuing to soothe Rhett.
“What can I get for ya, darlin’?” The nurse spoke from the doorway. The moment her eyes

connected with Reed, her cheeks reddened and her smile grew.

“He feels pretty hot. I think his fever has spiked again,” I answered her, but her eyes never once

left Reed. I found myself rolling my eyes, and then noticed Reed had caught my reaction. His cocky
grin pulled at the corner of his mouth, and I just glared at him in response.

“Let me take his temp, then we’ll get him some Motrin. We’ll continue to alternate between

Tylenol and Motrin every four hours to maintain his fever.” She stepped up to Reed and put the
thermometer into Rhett’s ear. I noticed her other hand rested against Reed’s forearm, partially on
Rhett’s leg. Yeah, nice attempt to appear casual, like I hadn’t noticed her using the chance to touch
him. After a minute or two passed, she withdrew the thermometer. “We’re sitting at 102.3. Let me go
grab the Motrin.” She still spoke directly to Reed, like I wasn’t even in the room.

I watched as she left, and then Reed’s deep chuckle filled the room. My gaze shifted to him, and he

was just loving my reaction. “You are so damn cute when you’re jealous.”

“I am not jealous.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “She could at least look at me when she’s

speaking about my son, though. I mean, that is just rude.” Rhett had his cheek rested against Reed’s
chest, and he slowly moved toward me. His grin still spread out over his mouth. With only a few
inches between us, he slouched forward and placed his lips against mine. Once again with the feel of
his lips on mine, everything else calmed within me.

“Oh, I am so sorry.” Miss Touchy Feely spoke from the doorway. Breaking our kiss, Reed turned

toward the doorway. “This will just take a second.” This time the nurse was looking at me, smiling as
if in awe of me. I smiled in return, feeling all giddy, like a schoolgirl.

***

Reed stayed at the hospital all day. We had a few visitors, but when Gavin and Maria walked in

carrying a stuffed tractor and balloon, I was a little surprised. Reed actually looked like someone just
handed him a check for a million dollars. He placed his arm around my shoulders and pulled me
close, kissing my temple. The problem he thought he had was now alleviated. Gavin was no longer
competition. All I could do was shake my head. Men and their damn egos.

When visiting hours came to an end, Reed said his goodbyes to both of us. Rhett was already

sleeping, but he kissed him on the forehead and whispered how much he loved him.

When he made his way to me, my eyes held the evidence of how much his actions touched me. He

bent slightly, kissing me softly, before resting his forehead against mine. “Don’t cry,” he whispered.

“It’s good, Reed, so good. I love to see you two together, the connection you share. It’s so

overwhelming, in the best way,” I assured him.

“I love you both, so much. I plan on making sure you both know that and feel it daily.” He kissed

me once more before stepping back. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Try to get some rest while he’s
sleeping.” He picked up his keys from the table. “Call me any time, doesn’t matter how late. Love
you, baby.” He winked just before stepping from the room, and then my tears fell freely.

It was obvious he loved us so much. That feeling was amazing, one I wanted to hold on to forever.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Three days, that was how long Rhett was in the hospital. Three very long, exhausting days. New

Year’s Eve was almost here, and my plans to go out were the last thing I felt like doing. I really
wanted to curl up and sleep for weeks.

Rhett was now back on schedule, and I was like a walking zombie. I needed a long, hot shower

and a fluffy bed.

The moment Rhett fell asleep for the night, I gathered my things for the shower. Stepping under the

hot water felt wonderful, almost orgasmic. It had been days since I got the chance to relax.

After finishing up, I made sure everything was locked up and walked down the hallway toward my

bedroom. A loud slam on the side of the house had me spinning around, holding my hand to my chest.
I stood very still, making no sound as I waited to see if it came again. Footsteps on the front porch,
followed by someone trying to turn the handle, made me panic. I ran to my bedroom and grabbed my
phone.

Dialing Reed’s number, I slipped into Rhett’s room.
He answered after the second ring. “Hey baby, I figured you’d be out by now.”
“Someone is outside my house, trying to get in.” I spoke fast. I was terrified. I could hear him

moving around through the phone.

“Where are you?”
I took a deep breath. “I’m in Rhett’s room. Please hurry.”
“I’m on my way. Stay in there, push the dresser in front of the door and stay there.” I heard the

squeal of his tires and knew it would only be minutes before he was here. “Talk to me, Kori. Can you
still hear them?”

“There was a loud noise and then footsteps on the front porch. They tried to open the front door.

Please hurry, I don’t know if they are still out there.” I was whispering, but the shaking in my voice
was undeniable.

“Almost there, coming around the bend. Thirty seconds, baby. You stay there until I come to you,

understand me?”

“Yes.”
Reed let me go, and I sat in the darkness, listening. I held my phone tightly in my hand, waiting. It

felt like forever had passed when I heard Reed’s voice on the other side of the door.

“Kori? Baby, let me in. Whoever it was, they’re gone.” I stood and walked to the door. I had the

dresser in front of it like he said. The door was only open enough that I could see through the crack.
“It’s okay, Kori. Open up, move the dresser.”

Seeing that he was there and alone, I slid the dresser to the side. He stepped into the room and

wrapped me in his arms. “You okay?”

All I could do was shake my head. The adrenaline was wearing off, and I began to shake. “No,” I

said against his chest. “I’m not okay, I was so scared.”

“I’m here, you’re okay.” He kissed my temple and soothed me by rubbing my back. “Let’s call and

report it. Get the chief to put someone on patrol to keep an eye out. You need to pack some things for
you and Rhett. You two are coming home with me.”

“No, it’s…” He cut me off quickly.
“I said pack some things for both of you. I’m not taking no for an answer. There is no way I am

leaving you here. Now get moving while I call the station.” He stepped back and began dialing his
phone.

All I could do was shake my head, damn bossy ass man. Secretly, I was glad he was making us

leave. I had to appear a little stubborn, though. I couldn’t let him think he had full control. I stood in
the same spot listening to him talk to someone at the police station. He noticed and walked in my
direction, covering the phone receiver with his hand.

He was standing right in front of me and skimmed my jaw with his thumb. “Please don’t fight me

on this. I’d feel better if you two were with me. I wanna keep you safe, please just let me do that.” He
was pleading for me to be agreeable.

My stubbornness went right out the window. There was no way I could avoid that sweet grin of

his. Of course letting him keep us safe was the route I would be taking. Hearing him ask instead of
demand warmed my heart. “Okay.” I moved past him and began gathering some things.

They would be sending a patrol car out to check on my place and would continue to keep an eye

out throughout the night.

The drive to his house was quiet. Rhett only stirred a little as we lifted him from bed and placed

him in the car seat.

Once we were back at Reed’s and got Rhett settled back in bed, I followed Reed to his room. He

slipped his shirt off and crawled into bed. Placing his hands behind his head, he watched me with a
grin on his lips. “What are you smiling about?” I asked.

“Having you here feels right, feels good. No, the reasoning behind it isn’t one I wished for. I did

wish for this, though, you both here in my home.” He continued to talk as I crawled into bed with him
and straddled his hips. “This big ol’ house feels empty with just me and Diesel. On Christmas, with
both of you here, it felt right. Rhett’s giggles and your laughter made this place feel like a home.
Having you here in my bed, in my arms, makes me feel whole.”

I leaned over his body and placed my hands on each side of his face. Bringing my lips to his, I

expressed my gratitude. Not only for coming to our rescue, but for being the man he was, the man I
needed him to be. “I love you, Reed Jackson. You have become such an amazing man.”

I gradually lifted my nightshirt up and over my head, before bringing my lips back to his. He ran

his hands up my sides and then back down. Feeling his fingertips hook the side of my panties, I helped
him slide them down my legs. His hardness pressed against me, and I immediately began rotating my
hips, pressing over him.

A deep groan ripped through his chest before he began to work his sweats lower. His erection

rested over his stomach, between my folds. I began to use myself to stroke him slowly, kissing him as
I moved. He gripped my hips and held me still. “Condom, you better get one, because I’m not sure
how long I can wait. I wanna be inside you when you’re moving like that.”

I scrambled for a condom in the nightstand drawer and ripped at it with my teeth. He watched as I

pinched the tip and began lowering it over his very impressive erection. Positioning him at my
entrance, I began taking him in, inch by heavenly inch.

Biting down hard on my lower lip, I moaned as he reached the deepest point. Rotating my hips,

listening to him groan, was so erotic. I felt so full, it was pure bliss. I brought my hands to rest on his
chest. I began moving, stroking him.

His deep breathing sped up as he thrust upward to meet my movements with his own. “That’s it,

damn, girl. You drive me crazy. Just like that, baby.”

His praise made me drive my hips faster and harder. He was so deep, and I could feel myself

building to release. My legs began to tense, and my stomach contracted. His fingers dug into my hips,
while he fought to hold off his own release.

“Yes, oh yes. I’m close,” I gasped as his hips lifted and he drove hard into me. “Yes, Reed, oh my

god.” My body shook, and I gripped his shoulders. Riding out my orgasm, my body clenched tightly
around him.

He flipped me over, continuing to thrust his hips hard and fast, sweat beading on his forehead, his

breath coming out in small gasps. “Can I come? I’m there, right there.”

“Yes,” I moaned. His mouth covering mine, rolling his tongue over mine. He began pumping his

hips in short thrusts just before slamming into me once more. My toes curled, and I threw my head
back.

I felt his tongue lick the sweat from my neck just before placing a sweet kiss on my collarbone.

Lifting my head, my eyes locked with his. Reed swept the damp hair from my forehead, and his eyes
shifted over my face as he studied me.

He kissed me once more before he spoke, just above a whisper. “You’re it for me, everything I

want. This is real for me, Kori, everything. I want it more than my next breath. You make me happy,
both of you.”

He rested his forehead against mine for a few minutes before slipping from me and walking to the

bathroom to clean up.

When he returned to bed, he curled up against me and placed his head on my chest. “I love you,”

he said against the curve of my breast. The emotional high from the last hour was overtaking me. In
this moment I was so unbelievably happy. I never thought I could be again, but I was so wrong.

I ran my fingers through his hair, combing through the softness. “I love you too, so much it hurts.”
I could feel him smile as his lips shifted against me. We lay there in silence, relishing the

closeness of our bodies. The peacefulness of our love for each other, the completion of our worlds
colliding together, bound us with such a deep connection.

***

“Let’s just go out for a little while. We’ll go to dinner, then meet everybody for a few drinks. After

that we’ll come back here and break in the New Year together.” I looked up to meet his gaze in the
reflection of the mirror. He kissed my shoulder gently, and I arched my neck to the side on instinct. He
had that effect on me. It was as if our bodies knew one another. Mine had no hope against his; it was
magnetic, almost uncontrollable. “Ben and Leann are looking forward to us being there. It’s their first
night out since Chloe arrived.”

My gaze met his once more. He stood with his lip puckered out, and I couldn’t hold back the

laughter. “Okay, fine, but I have a scheduled Skype with Richard and Molly in the morning. They
wanna wish Rhett a happy New Year.”

Over the last month, Blake’s dad had made several attempts to convince me to come for a visit,

promising that this visit would erase the memories of my last. The memories of burying Blake and
being shoved aside like a piece of trash. The last time I was there, they didn’t even acknowledge that
Rhett or I had any connection to their family. I was offered a check and asked to disappear.

He had continued to apologize for both of them, and Blake’s father called at least once a week.

Tomorrow would be the first time I interacted with Molly since the funeral. I was definitely a little
nervous about it.

“I’ll be right there with ya.” Reed whispered in my ear as if he sensed my anxiety. “Just off

camera, supporting you. Okay?”

I nodded. “They want me to come to Boston, for a visit. Richard even offered to cover the entire

trip. He wants me to feel comfortable coming there.” I shrugged and let my gaze shift to the floor.

“Do you wanna go?” he asked.
“I’ve thought about going to Blake’s gravesite. I haven’t been there since we buried him.” I

blinked past the tears. “I know Rhett’s too small. It would be nice, though, to have a yearly visit. I
want him to know that his daddy will never be forgotten. If we go every year, then he’ll know Blake’s
memory is carried on. I don’t want to be the kind of person who walks away after the funeral and only
talks about visiting their loved one.”

Reed traced his fingertip over my cheek and brought it to rest under my chin, tilting it upward.

“Then we’ll go. You set the date, I’ll take care of the rest. But I’m going with ya, you aren’t making
that trip on your own.”

I never took my eyes off of him. “Thank you.”
His lips softly skimmed my neck, sending chills over my body. “No need to thank me. I understand,

and I know Blake will always be a part of your life. I know Rhett needs to have the presence of his
daddy exist. I’m gonna do everything you need me to do so that happens. I love you two, more than
anything. You both come first in my world, always.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Have the police found anyone lurking around out there?” Leann asked while she stared at me with

wide eyes. The girl was feeling good and taking advantage of a night away from her newborn. “That
is so scary. You’re out there so far from any other house.”

“They haven’t seen anyone in the last few nights. I’m thinking it was probably some homeless

person, or somebody just passing through town. We’ve been staying at Reed’s since that night.”

“Oh, I know that, honey. That man is in heaven, and Ben has been hearing all about it.” I felt my

cheeks heat up, and I looked over her shoulder toward the bar. My gaze connected with him
immediately. He smiled, winked, and tipped his beer back. My stomach fluttered, and I couldn’t help
but smile in return. That man made my heart race.

“He’s been amazingly sweet, and he is so good to Rhett.” I turned back to face Leann. Both she and

Maria were staring at me, wearing cheesy ass grins.

“Oh yeah, so good, huh? I bet that isn’t the only thing he’s good at.” Maria wagged her eyebrows,

and Leann choked on her drink as she tried to swallow. Then she began coughing in between laughter.

We stayed much longer than we planned, but once we got here, it actually was pretty fun. Lucky’s

was busy, and the band was great. The best part about it was Reed was well staffed tonight. This
meant he was able to relax, have fun, and enjoy his night. Not that his eye wasn’t taking in the entire
place over and over, observing his crew. He stood out in the crowd. Maybe I was just being biased,
but he was so damn sexy.

“I’ll just say that I have no reason to complain. He is a very giving man.” I felt flushed with heat

from the thoughts of his hands on me.

“I know what ya mean. Reed gives, so well.” My shoulders tensed at the sound of her taunting

voice. That warm feeling that was just flowing through my body turned to ice. My stomach tightened.

Maria stood from her stool and started to come around the table, ready to defend my honor.

Kimberly was such a hateful bitch. She had always been like that with me. Why, I had no clue. She set
her sights on Reed when we were freshmen, doing anything she could to drive us apart. In the end, she
succeeded.

This time, I wasn’t about to let the bitch win. It was time I stood up for myself. I held up my hand,

stopping Maria and shaking my head. “I’m fine,” I assured her before I turned to face the town sleaze.
She was smiling as if she had won some big prize.

“What game are we playing tonight, Kim?” From behind me, I heard Reed holler out my name, but

I kept my eyes on her. “Your drama doesn’t work on me anymore. You are such a miserable person. If
you would just stop trying so hard to interfere with the lives of others and focus on your own, you may

find happiness.” I took a step toward her, bringing our faces only inches apart. “I will tell you this,
though. I will never again allow you to interfere with my happiness. The past is just that, the past.
Whatever happened between you and Reed is over. You can’t intimidate me, Kim, I won’t let you.”

“You’re pretty delusional, if you think Reed will stay faithful. He couldn’t back then, and he won’t

be able to now,” she hissed. “I convinced him to stray once, and it won’t take much to get him to do it
again.”

“Enough, Kim. It had nothing to do with you. I was drunk, pissed, and stupid. You could have been

anybody that night. I fucked up the best thing in my life for a mediocre blowjob.” Reed’s voice
boomed from behind me. His comment was rewarded with laughter. “I’m in love with Kori, and I
always have been. That mistake I made will never happen again. You need to back the fuck up and
leave my girl alone.”

I felt Reed’s hands rest on my shoulders, pulling me back against him. My back resting against his

chest, I let the tension in my body go. He just declared his love for me in front of her and an entire bar
of friends and strangers.

Kimberly’s face was golden. She looked a little green, and it made me smile. She really was a

hateful bitch. At times I felt sorry for her. She had to be lacking something in her life to want others to
be so miserable. Tonight, though, I felt confident—victorious. I had the right to take in the love from
Reed, and I was accepting all he wanted to give.

She turned and stalked away as Reed’s hand snuck around the front of me, spreading out over my

lower stomach. Letting my head fall back against his shoulder I looked up into his eyes. “You handled
that with class, baby. I’m proud of you.” He kissed my lips softly. “I will never hurt you again.”

Spinning in his arms, I laced my fingers together behind his neck. “I’m not worried about that. I

know you’re not the same guy you once were. You also know that I’m not the same girl I once was.
This time I won’t be turning my back and walking away, not without a souvenir anyway. Something
that you will miss very dearly.” I was not joking in the slightest, but it sure was cute that he thought
so.

“Dance with me.” He took my hands in his and began leading me toward the dance floor. The

music was slow and soothing. It was a song I didn’t recognize, but having Reed’s voice sing softly in
my ear along with the band was kind of a turn on.

I found myself letting go more and more each day. I understood that it was time to open my heart

once more. It was time for me to live and love, smile and laugh. I had a great man who adored me,
and he made me feel special and appreciated. Blake would approve of Reed, I knew he would,
because he treated me and Rhett so good.

“Whatcha thinking about, baby?” He tucked a loose curl behind my ear. “You look so deep in

thought.”

“I was just thinking about how much I love you. How you’re so good to me and Rhett. We’re pretty

lucky to have you.” A grin spread across his alluring lips, one that hit me hard. I stood tall, stretching
up to kiss him, dipping my tongue in just enough to tease his. He groaned and tried to continue. I
pulled back, and he let his head fall back. He knew I was teasing him; it drove him crazy when I did.

“You ready to go home?” Continuing to stare at my mouth, he licked his lower lip.
“I thought I was staying with you tonight?” I knew what he meant by home. He would have me and

Rhett moved in with him in a second if I said let’s do it.

“It’s your home too. Even though you don’t want to admit it yet, you know it will be soon.” He was

so damn cocky. I fought against the impending smile, but failed miserably as it spread out over my
lips. “See, I told you so.”

“We only have about thirty minutes before the New Year. Don’t you want to bring it in with our

friends?” I questioned as he trailed his hands down over my lower back until he spread them out over
my ass.

He shook his head while looking at me with fierceness and complete lust. “I wanna bring in the

New Year with me inside of you.”

Well, okay then, that was settled, and my legs were now wobbly. I had to admit his idea sounded

pretty damn good.

After saying a quick goodbye to our friends, we rushed home.

***

“Oh my god, ah, yes.” I gripped his hair and threw my head back, arching my back. “Right there,

don’t stop. Mm, so good, just like that.” I rotated my hips, riding out the orgasm as he continued to
lick me like I was his last meal. The man had one wicked tongue and knew just what to do with it.

My body collapsed against the mattress, while I fought to regain my composure. Reed crawled up

my body wearing a grin a mile wide. “What are you smiling about?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe the fact that I just had you going off like the Fourth of July

against my tongue. Or maybe it was because I have the ability to make my girl go off more than once
with only my tongue.” He grinned even bigger. “It could be that for a second I wasn’t sure if I was
going to be smothered, but damn, what a way to go.” I slapped at his shoulder, and he chuckled. He
turned his head sideways and pointed to the back of his head. “Seriously, though, babe, do I have a
bald spot now? I think you may have ripped some out while riding my face.”

“Ha, real funny, smartass.” I glared.
“I’m just playing. I love that I can make you feel so good, you lose your mind.” He smashed his

lips to mine while he ran his erection through my wet folds. “You want more?” he asked.

All I could do in response was nod. I wanted it all. After he grabbed a condom from the drawer, I

stopped him by placing my hand on his forearm. “I’m on the pill, you don’t have to use one. Unless
you’re uncomfortable with the thought.”

“Are you kidding me? Feeling just you with nothing in between us, that thought makes me harder.”

He chuckled and dropped the condom on the floor next to the bed. “It’s just you and me, there is no
reason for a barrier between us,” he whispered just before sliding inside me. It felt so different. I felt,
at this moment, closer to him than I had ever felt.

He kissed me with such passion as he began rocking his hips, moving into me deeply. Reed was

not lacking in the size department. He knew what he was doing, and like I said before, he was so
giving.

“You feel so good,” Reed groaned out as he rocked in so deep.
My body convulsed and shook as a third orgasm erupted within me. I screamed out his name as he

drove harder and faster. Our bodies grinding together, fighting to get all the pleasure we could.

“I can’t hold it off, I’m gonna go, baby. Can I come?” His back muscles tensed beneath my fingers

and his ass beneath my feet as I pulled him in deeper.

“Yes,” I moaned, feeling his hardness twitch inside me as he emptied himself. His hips continued

to rock slowly while he bit down on his lower lip.

Watching Reed come was without a doubt one of my most favorite sights. He appeared sexier, if

that was even possible. The man was built like a god from all his manual labor. There was not an
ounce of fat on his perfectly toned body, and he knew he made my mouth water.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna get hard again.” He grinned down at me, chuckling

quietly.

I could only smile in return, because honestly, that wasn’t a bad thing. I had a feeling it would be

impossible for me to not want him.

“I like the sound of that,” I cooed, moving my hips in a circular motion. “I’m not sure I’m done

with you yet.”

He rested his body over mine and took my mouth in a heated kiss. Tongues rolled together, and I

could feel him growing hard.

I moaned into his mouth, sucking on the tip of his tongue, mimicking what I wanted to do with other

parts of his body.

“You are insatiable. I could get used to this, baby.” His erection filling me once again, we began

to rock our hips together, losing ourselves in the pleasure of our union.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I woke up to my momma calling. I rolled over, finding the time on the clock at the side of the bed.

“Really?” I groaned, and I tapped over and over at the answer button on my phone in aggravation. I
wasn’t seeing clearly enough to get it the first time.

“Well, it’s about time, Kori. I’ve been beating on the door and calling. When are you two gonna

climb outta bed?”

“Momma, it’s seven thirty in the morning. Why are you here so early? I thought you and Daddy

weren’t leaving till ten.” Reed grumbled next to me and reached out to caress my breast. He was
dreaming, and that was his first instinct. Honestly?

“Well we changed our minds. We need to be there by nine. Which means we should have left

twenty minutes ago. Now meet me at the door to get Rhett.” She didn’t even wait for me to hang up.
My mom hated being late. That was unacceptable in her book. I had just made her late. In my defense,
though, she did say ten.

When I opened the door, Rhett leaped at me and wrapped his arms around my legs. I bent down

and picked him up. He was getting so big, so fast. He was wearing his cowboy boots, and it was so
damn cute. He loved them almost as much as Reed loved his.

“Mornin’, sunshine.” My momma laughed. “You have a late night?”
“You could say that.” I rolled my eyes, watching her walk away, waving goodbye over her

shoulder.

“Let’s make some pancakes for our Reed. You wanna help Mommy?” I asked Rhett as I closed the

front door. He was full of energy today, and I was dragging my zombie form to the kitchen.

By the time breakfast was ready, we had batter in our hair. Rhett was responsible for dipping it out

onto the flat skillet. So it got everywhere but on the pan, for the most part.

I did my best to clean us up. Placing a stack of pancakes onto a warming plate, I took them to the

table and set up everything else. When everything was ready, it was time for the fun.

“Hey, buddy, you wanna help Mommy wake up Reed?” He didn’t answer me, instead he darted off

toward the bedroom. I hurried after him as he struggled to climb up onto the bed. Once he got his
footing, he crawled up beside him and began bouncing on his stomach.

“Up…up,” he chanted as he continued to use Reed as a human trampoline. I laughed from the foot

of the bed. Reed grunted each time Rhett’s butt connected with his ribs.

He grabbed him around his little waist and rolled to the side, pinning him down. “Well, look what

I have here.” Reed held up his opened hand above Rhett, making it appear as if it were a claw. “It’s
the cowboy tamer, and it found a tiny cowboy who needs to be whipped into shape.”

Reed began tickling Rhett’s ribs and stomach. His giggles filled the room, and he wiggled from

side to side. Reed’s laughter followed, and I was in awe of them. They were both beautiful in that
moment, smiling, completely lost in the happiness of one another. Sometimes it was so hard to accept
that this was my life. I got to experience these amazing moments, and I was so blessed.

Their laughter finally slowed down as Reed crawled from bed. Lifting Rhett into his arms, he said,

“I smell pancakes.” His eyes got big, and he began bouncing up and down, still holding Rhett close.
“Did you and Mommy make me pancakes?” he asked Rhett. In return, my little man smiled proudly.
He nodded and looked my way.

“Rhett made them, I just observed.”
Reed walked toward me, kissing my forehead. “Good morning, beautiful.”

***

To say I was nervous would have been an understatement. Today would be the first time I talked to

Blake’s mom since the funeral. I felt sick to my stomach.

Last time, she was very hateful. She made me feel like Rhett and I were so beneath her and her

lifestyle.

I got a text telling me they would be on our scheduled Skype chat at eleven a.m. I sat in front of the

screen with my hair styled, wearing the dressiest blouse I owned. Rhett sat on my lap—dressed,
clean, and spit-free. My leg was bouncing, and my heart was racing.

“Kori, relax. It’s gonna be just fine, I promise. She wouldn’t have agreed to this if she felt like the

past couldn’t be left there. Give it a chance.” Reed sat just out of view at my side. He lightly traced
his hand over my thigh, attempting to soothe me.

“I know, I just…” A window popped up on the screen before me. After a few seconds, Blake’s

dad filled the screen.

“Hi, Kori, can you see me?”
I laughed. “Yeah, I can see ya just fine. All good on your end?” I adjusted Rhett on my lap, making

sure he could see him.

“All good, thanks. Wow, he is getting so big.” A large grin spread out over his lips. “I can’t

believe just how much he looks like Blake.”

His gaze shifted just off camera, and he waved someone over. I took a deep breath to calm my

nerves as I watched Molly, Blake’s mom, step into view. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth. A sob
broke out as she dropped down into the chair next to Richard. “Oh my, he’s beautiful, Kori.” Tears
fell heavily as she stared at Rhett with complete awe. “How could I have been so stupid?” she
whispered, and for a moment I was confused until she continued. “So much time wasted, so many
things we’ve already missed.”

Her eyes shifted to mine, and she let her hand fall from her face. “I am so sorry, Kori, so very

sorry for everything we didn’t do. We should’ve been there for you, for both of you. I was a bitter
woman, and I turned that on you. None of what I was going through was your fault, it was mine…all
mine. I wanted control, and when I didn’t have it, you were the easiest one to blame. For that, I will
always be regretful. You were mourning the death of my son, and I was so hurtful and cold.” Her
tears continued to pour as Richard soothed her the best he could. “I am so sorry,” she whispered.

Rhett began to wiggle on my lap, and I gave him his cookie to calm him. I looked over at Reed,

and he nodded, gesturing that it was okay for me to say what I needed to.

“You’re right, Molly, you were both very harsh and cruel toward me. All I ever wanted was for

you both to accept me. To understand that I loved and still love your son. He will always be a part of
my soul. Blake gave me something that I will forever be grateful for. He gave me the most amazing
part of him.” I looked down at Rhett and kissed his forehead. “This little guy right here is my piece of
Blake.”

Molly nodded, and Richard smiled.
“He can be a part of your lives too. I just need to know you will never treat him or me that way

again. I couldn’t take it if you hurt him.”

“I know it’s going to take time for you to trust us. That is something we must earn. I can promise

you we will never again make the same mistakes.” Molly spoke with confidence. She spoke clearly
as she looked me directly in the eyes.

“Okay.” I took a calming breath before continuing. “We’ve decided to take you up on the offer to

visit, Richard. If it’s still okay.”

“Of course…anytime,” he answered.
“There are a few things I need you to know first. I don’t want any surprises.” They both nodded

and waited patiently, attentively.

“When I left Georgia to go to Boston, I left behind a few very close friends, friends who have

helped me recover and heal from the loss of Blake. I believe one of them you already know.” I looked
over at Reed and motioned for him to join me.

Once he moved his chair around and sat next to me, I looked back at the screen. I could see they

both already knew what I was about to say. It still needed to be said, though. “This is Reed, my best
friend and boyfriend.” I smiled up at him, and he put his arm over the back of my chair. Rhett climbed
off of my lap and onto Reed’s.

“Hello, Reed, nice to see you again.” Richard grinned at the man he knew was responsible for this

entire reunion.

“Hello, sir,” Reed greeted him in return.
“Reed treats both of us very well. He knows how important it is for Rhett to remember his daddy.

He’s nurturing and loving to your grandson. I just need to make sure that you both understand how
important he is in our lives.” They both nodded. “Good, because he’ll be coming with us when we
visit.”

“We have the guesthouse. You’re welcome to it,” Molly announced.
“I think we’ll actually just stay at the hotel, but I appreciate the offer.” It just didn’t feel right

staying with another man inside the home Blake grew up in. A hotel would be the best place for us. It
would allow us some distance after a visit I was sure would be stressful.

We finished the Skype visit by Rhett throwing a fit. Molly laughed, saying he even got red faced

like his daddy when he got mad.

We agreed to visit the last weekend in February, and planned another Skype in a week.
When the call was ended, I let my body relax against the chair. It was a stressful, highly emotional

call. With my lack of sleep from last night, everything hit me. I was exhausted.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“What do you mean, you had a little fun?” I questioned Maria over a cup of coffee on our first day

back at school. We were gathered in the teachers’ lounge before classes began.

“Just what I said, a little fun.” She shrugged as if I knew what exactly a little fun consisted of.
“You kissed, fondled…what?”
“We had sex in his truck.” She paused and looked down into the cup in her hands. “In your

parents’ driveway.”

“What?” I gasped in surprise. “Wait, why the hell would that surprise me? You had sex with

Matthew Middleton in my parents’ bed, when they were out of town.”

“Whatever, you told me to pick a room.” She put her hand on her hip like it was all my fault.
“Yeah, but most people would pick a spare bedroom, not their best friend’s parents’ room.” She

gasped, and I held up my hand. “Wait, stop, how did we get here? This conversation just went south.
We were talking about you and Gavin.”

She laughed, and I followed. “It’s really no big deal. He told me I had too much to drink, so he

took me home. When I realized I lost my house key, he brought me home with him. We didn’t make it
inside before I attacked him. I was drunk and horny, it happened. I can’t even remember much of it.
Just that the next morning I woke up in his bed alone, and I was aching in spots that told me exactly
what I had done.”

I slapped my hand against my forehead in frustration. “Okay, so have you talked to him since?”
She only shook her head and made her best attempt to pretend she was okay with that. I knew

different; she was not a great liar.

The first bell rang and cut our conversation short. I blew out a breath and rinsed out my coffee cup.

“This conversation is not over.”

She didn’t even try to hide her eye roll. “Okay, Mom,” she whined as she walked past me and

slapped my ass hard, causing me to yelp.

***

I left school and went straight to Reed’s. Momma had taken Rhett with her to her friend’s house

and wouldn’t be dropping him off until around six-thirty. I took the lasagna I’d prepared last night out
of the refrigerator and placed it in the oven. Lighting my new Yankee candle on the counter, I relaxed
back onto the couch. After I found a movie on the TV, I settled in with a fluffy blanket.

Not meaning to, I dozed off, only to be woken abruptly by Reed shouting. “What the hell, Kori?” I

jumped up from the couch and scrambled to the kitchen. I found Reed holding my candle under the
running water in the faucet.

“Hey, I just bought that damn thing. Why the hell are you doing that?” What the hell was his

problem? And why was he so angry?

“You don’t fall asleep with a fucking candle burning. That’s how fires get started, and that’s how

people die.” Then it hit me, his mom.

I stepped toward him and placed my hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away and walked off

toward the bedroom. “I’m sorry.”

He said nothing. A few minutes later the bathroom door slammed.
I knew he hadn’t talked much about his mom or her death. How could I not remember his hatred for

candles to begin with? Apparently his mom had an obsession for them, and that was the cause of her
house fire. She was always falling asleep while they were burning.

I felt a tear drip on my cheek, and I wiped it away quickly. He could have handled it a little

differently, but I had to remember the rawness of losing someone. Sometimes the memories of that
made you react in the moment and think about it later.

I busied myself in the kitchen with dinner and fought back the uneasy feeling of knowing Reed was

angry with me. We very seldom fought. I hated how it left me feeling empty.

An hour passed, and the doorbell rang. My momma was here to drop off Rhett. I wasn’t sure if I

should grab our things and go home. Nothing ever came of the stranger wandering around my house
that night. I was sure it would be okay to return home. Every time I brought it up, Reed would shoot it
down, though now I wasn’t sure he still wanted me here. Maybe we needed a break.

I unloaded my momma’s arms and took Rhett. She kissed us both and said a quick goodbye. I left

his bags by the front door and walked down the hall to the bedroom. I needed his favorite pillow and
Blue Tractor.

I turned off the oven and put my coat on. Lifting Rhett back into my arms, I grabbed my keys and

purse. Just as I placed my hand on the door handle, his voice startled me.

He sounded panicked. “Where are you going? I’m sorry, don’t leave.” I turned to face him, and he

ran his hand through his hair. “I handled that all wrong. I shouldn’t have gotten so mad. I don’t want
you to leave, Kori.”

I let Rhett down because he was trying to wiggle out of my arms. He ran to Reed and jumped into

his arms. “I wasn’t sure if I should stay or not. I know I made you mad, so I thought maybe we needed
a break.”

In three steps he was standing in front of me, gripping my hip in his hand. “Of course I want you

here. I don’t ever want either of you to leave. I overreacted, and I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath. “I
don’t like candles burning. I’ll buy you a million wax burners if you like all the girly shit, but please
no open flames. That’s all I ask.”

I nodded. I understood his concern, and right now I just wanted this tension between us to be gone.

***

Over the next few weeks, things went smoothly. We set everything up for our weekend trip to

Boston. Reed enlisted his best friend Ben to keep an eye on the bar. He needed a backup in case
something went wrong. Ben was about the only person he fully trusted to handle his business right.

Maria and Gavin still had not talked. She was pretending to be okay with that. The problem was, I

wasn’t okay with it. I knew deep down she was beating herself up about it. A little insight about

Maria, she never thought she deserved happiness. Her daddy left when she was young. She substituted
the love loss by no longer believing in love. It just didn’t happen for some people. That was her
outlook.

I tried so hard to stay out of it, but when I pulled into my parents’ driveway and there he was, a

surge of anger hit me. I stormed in his direction and poked the center of his chest with my finger.

“Who the hell do you think you are? Using my best friend to get laid and then brushing her off.

What? She ain’t good enough for the long haul, but good enough to get off? That’s a real asshole
move. I took you for a nice guy, but I guess I was wrong.”

Gavin stared at me with his eyes as big as saucers. I was pretty sure I shocked him. “What, you got

nothing to say?”

“I’m not looking for a long term. Hell, girl, I’m not even divorced yet. It’s still in the works.” His

comments only angered me more.

“Then what in the hell are you doing sleeping with my best friend? She is not your plaything.” I

was fuming, and I wanted to slug him in the jaw. He was an asshole if he thought Maria was just a
quick piece of ass.

“I like your friend. She’s fun and sweet. She’s a good girl to spend time with. She knew it wasn’t

going further, we agreed. It was just a night of fun. It was just sex.”

This time I shoved against his chest. “Reality check, dickwad. Girls don’t do unattached sex.

There are always feelings involved, and you just crossed a line. Keep screwing with her heart, and I
guarantee you’ll be choking on your own balls. That girl is my sister, my best friend, and she deserves
a guy who has her best interests at heart. The only priority you have is your dick. Keep it in your
pants, cowboy.”

Before he could speak, I turned and walked away. He didn’t deserve another minute of my time.

***

“What did you do?” That was the only thing Maria said the next morning when I walked into the

teachers’ lounge.

“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, don’t you dare play dumb with me. You know exactly what I’m talking about. I had finally

gotten Gavin to talk to me when I ran into him a few days ago at the market. He said he felt weird
calling me. So we had dinner and decided to move past the awkwardness of our night together.” I
shrugged, and she only got more pissed off. “Last night he showed up at my door. He said that you
went off on him about hurting me. What the hell were you thinking? I told you it was fine, and I was
fine.”

She stormed off, and I followed close behind her. “Wait, I was mad because he hadn’t called. You

never told me you two had talked. I thought he was still avoiding you.”

“Well, guess what, now we aren’t talking again. Thanks for that, by the way. Not every person

finds their knight in shining armor, Kori. There isn’t a Reed for all of us. Just let it go. I was fine with
the attention I was getting, now he won’t even talk to me.”

“Mar, that’s what’s wrong about it. You deserve more than he was giving. You don’t know how

special you are. If he can’t see that, then screw him.”

“Just let it go…please. Stop trying to fix everything.”
She left me standing there in the school hallway, feeling completely lost.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“I’m so nervous.” I whispered as we walked up the front porch to Blake’s parents’ house.
“Hey, we got this. I’m right here, we do this together,” he reassured me, and I nodded. I pushed the

doorbell and stood waiting for the door to open.

A butler, yeah a butler, answered the door. “You must be Miss Foster and Mr. Jackson. Please

come in.” He held the door open, and we entered into a huge open foyer. It was breathtaking.

“Kori, Reed, so great to have you here.” Richard turned back to the butler, excusing him, before

leading us in further. He took us to the back of the house to a big enclosed porch. It overlooked what
appeared to be a small golf course, and in the distance, a lake. There was a large pool and pool house
to the right. It was all a bit overwhelming. I knew they had money, but this was crazy.

“This is beautiful.” I looked on in amazement.
“Thank you.” I turned to face Molly as she entered the room. “It’s actually too big, in my opinion. I

would love something half its size. If only I could convince Richard of that.”

I smiled and took a seat on the couch next to Reed. Rhett was securely wrapped around him,

hugging his neck tightly. He was a little shy around people he didn’t know. Reed looked completely
relaxed and confident. I, on the other hand, was about to climb under the couch and hide. I felt like I
was on trial, and this place was well above my way of living. Not that I didn’t have nice things, I just
preferred to use my things and not have them just for show.

Molly looked from me toward Reed and smiled. “We’re happy to have you all here. I know you

may feel uncomfortable, but please don’t. You are welcome here, and in the past so many things were
said and done that made you feel otherwise. That was our mistake.”

Her gaze shifted a little lower, and a sweet smile spread over her mouth. Tears began to fill her

eyes. “He is even more beautiful in person. I feel like I just stepped inside of a time warp and went
back over twenty years. He looks so much like his daddy did at that age.” A tear ran down her cheek,
and Richard moved to her side to comfort her.

Molly looked the same for the most part, maybe just a little older. I was sure it was from the stress

of her life, the mourning of her only child. She seemed softer and warmer than I remembered. She no
longer posed as a high society bitch with a stick up her ass. I smiled, thinking about my previous
impression of her.

“Is it okay for him to have some fruit? Maybe a cookie or muffin?” Molly asked me while looking

at Rhett. I thought this was her attempt to get him to warm up to her.

“He likes just about anything.”
“I know he won’t go on his own, would you like to bring him into the kitchen? We could find him a

snack. I bought some juice, and there’s milk.” She stood from the chair, and I reached out to take Rhett
from Reed. At first he only gripped Reed tighter.

Slowly he released his hold and moved into my arms. “You wanna go get a snack?” He fisted my

shirt and looked over at Reed. I was still amazed daily at the way the two of them had bonded.
Sometimes I was jealous of the closeness they shared. Other times I was so glad he had the love of
Reed, and in turn loved Reed equally. I knew that no matter what happened between Reed and me, he
would always be a part of Rhett’s life. They were like two best pals, and it was incredibly adorable.

“Go get yourself something to fill that tank, bud.” Reed kissed his forehead and winked at me.
As I followed behind Molly, I fought against the nervousness filling my stomach. I was a wreck on

the inside. This was the home Blake grew up in. It was the place he slept every night and woke up
every morning. It just felt so unhomely. It was the complete opposite of the man I had fallen in love
with. It was hard to believe that sweet, gentle, and loving man came from here. I was terrified to
touch anything, for fear of breaking it or leaving a smudge.

When Molly held out a plate of cookies, I know my eyes must have gotten two sizes bigger. “He’ll

make a mess. Maybe I should feed it to him.”

“Messes clean up, Kori. He isn’t going to hurt anything. I know it may appear as if this place is

spotless, but it is only because I have a staff that does it all.” Well, okay then. Not all of us were
lucky enough to snap our fingers and someone came running with a broom or mop.

The rest of the day was the same. I felt completely out of my element, and Rhett stayed close.
We left a little after five and promised to meet them for breakfast in the morning. I was finally able

to relax when Rhett was safely in his car seat and we were driving the rental car away from the
house.

***

After dinner, a quick bath, and story time, Rhett crashed in the second bed. It was so cute when

Reed called down to the front desk and requested a rail for the bed. He made sure there was no
chance of Rhett falling out of bed in the middle of the night.

I was just starting to doze off myself when Reed walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a

towel around his waist. Water beaded over his chest, glistening in the reflection of the light. I peeked,
not giving it away that I was still awake. When the towel dropped, I held my breath. His body was
perfection, and he was hiding nothing as he stepped into his boxer briefs and slid them up his legs.
Biting my lower lip, I watched as he walked around the side of the bed and plugged in his cell phone.

The bed dipped next to me, and his manly scent engulfed my senses as he leaned over me and

placed a sweet kiss against my lips. “You like what you see, little ogler?” he whispered against my
lips. “I can give you a closer look.” Before I could speak, he swept his tongue across my lips, and I
gripped the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

I wrapped my legs around his waist as he laid his body over mine. I let out a moan when he

pressed his hardness against my core. Driving my hips in an upward motion, I bit his lower lip.

“Shh, you gotta stay quiet.” He slid down my body, trailing his tongue over my skin on the way.

Pausing at my breasts, he took one nipple in his mouth, sucking lightly. Trying to hold back the moan
was next to impossible. His mouth felt so good.

After showing ample attention to one, he moved over to the next and began sucking, before biting

gently, tugging. I bit down hard on my lower lip, arching my back.

“You are so beautiful,” he declared as he began moving even lower. Hooking his fingers in the

side of my panties, he guided them down my legs. “I want so badly to fuck you so hard, but we can’t.
This has to be slow and easy. We have to be quiet.” He lowered his body back over mine, guiding his
erection to my center, slowly running himself through my wetness. “When we get back home, though,
it is so on.” He grinned, full of cocky arrogance. Gently he guided himself inside me, and I gasped.

Over the next hour, Reed slowly worshipped my body. It was perfect; we made love with our eyes

locked with each other’s. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I was the center of his
world. Reed needed me just as much as I needed him.

Chapter Thirty

“Can I do this alone?” I looked out the window toward the tombstone only thirty feet away. My

throat burned with the emotional overload of what I was about to do.

I felt Reed’s hand skim over my arm. “Are you sure?” I could only nod as I opened the car door

and crawled out.

I hadn’t even made it five feet before the tears began to fall. This would be the first time I had

visited Blake’s grave. I wanted to so many times, I just felt unwelcome. I never wanted to take the
chance of running into his parents.

With each step, my knees became a little weaker. My stomach ached, and my heart beat rapidly.

Blake Michael Harrison

1989-2012

Beloved Son, Father, and Friend

Forever In Our Hearts

I attempted to swallow back the sob. I hadn’t had a chance to see the tombstone. It was placed on

long after I moved back home. I always wondered what it would say. I hoped with everything I had in
me that they would acknowledge he was a father. Seeing it there in bold letter opened up the
floodgates. I knelt down in front of it, bowing my head. I cried for the months he had missed and all of
those he would miss in the future. The stinging pain in my chest was almost unbearable.

Gathering all the strength within my soul, I calmed my tears and slid closer to Blake. Resting my

hand over the ground beneath me, I closed my eyes and pictured his face, his blue eyes, and that
gorgeous smile.

“Hey, handsome, I’m finally here. I’m so sorry it took me so long. It doesn’t in any way

indicate that I didn’t want to be here.

“I have missed you every single day. My heart still aches with the thoughts of what you went

through. The pain you must have felt on that last night. You were ripped from our lives, and it still
hurts so strong.

“I’ve dreamt of you so many times. It was like I could feel you there with me, touching me.

Those memories kept me out of the darkness. You weren’t here in body, but you were still in my
soul. You always will be.

“Your son is amazing, just like his daddy. He reminds me of you more and more every day. His

reactions, his facial expressions, the two of you are so much alike. He has your eyes, and your
smile.

“Rhett, yeah, I know, but I couldn’t pass that up. After all, it was that crazy damn dog that

brought us together. It really seemed to fit, and it sounds both badass and confident.

“I will never let him forget who his daddy is. I promise to teach him all about the man you

were.”

I sobbed into my hands. This was so hard.

“I need to tell you that I reconnected with my high school boyfriend and one of my best friends.

He is so supportive of my love for you. He is so supportive of the importance of your presence in
Rhett’s life. In fact, it’s because of him your parents have finally accepted us. He wouldn’t take no
for an answer.

“His name is Reed. He’s really good to us, and he adores Rhett. It took some deep thought on

my part to admit, but I had to move on. It wasn’t easy, Blake.

“I’ll always love you, you’re the father of my son. I will never let go of the place you hold in my

heart, in my soul. That place is yours and it will be forever. You showed me what it felt like to
really be loved. You were so selfless. You always put me first, from day one.

“If by some chance you can see me, hear me, please know that you were a man who forever

changed my world, in so many ways. You were a great love, one I will never forget. When I’m old
and gray, that love will still be within me, deep and strong.

“I will never forget you…ever.”

I spun around when I heard feet shuffling behind me. Rhett was running in my direction as Reed

approached with caution. I could tell he was staying at a distance, waiting for the okay to come
closer.

I nodded, and he dropped his hands from his pockets and came quickly to my side. He knelt down

next to me, and Rhett stood in front of him. “You okay?” he asked as he tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Yeah, I think so. I needed this. It felt right telling him everything I needed to say.” I leaned into

him and rested my head on his shoulder. “I told him about you too.”

“Yeah?”
I nodded, and we sat in silence as Rhett pointed at the tombstone. “Rock,” he said, and I smiled at

him.

He was too young to understand. One day I’d bring him back here and tell him all about how much

his daddy loved him, without even meeting him. I made a silent vow to always visit Blake. To always
keep him active in Rhett’s world.

***

I left Boston with a whole new outlook on life. I would live every day to its fullest. I would smile

and laugh as often as I could. Life was too short. You never knew when your time here on earth would
be brought to an end. I didn’t want to miss out on all the things that were before me.

I promised myself I would love with my whole heart, no longer fearful of losing the ones I loved.

Instead, I would treasure every moment I was blessed with them in my life. I wanted to know that I
took every chance I could to create a lasting memory.

I vowed to raise Rhett to be a man that any woman would be lucky to call their husband. He would

be respectful and loving. He would be kind and considerate. I promised I would always be there for
him, no matter what the situation was. I would listen and guide him the best I could. He would always
know he had me in his corner. He would always understand that together, he and I would get through
anything. He was the glue that held me together, and I would be the foundation for his life to grow. He
would know he could always turn to me, and my love for him would only continue to grow stronger.

I would no longer hide behind the ache that I felt.

Chapter Thirty-One

It’s Reed’s turn

Things seemed to change when we got back from Boston. Over the last month, Kori had been

carefree and vibrant. She laughed and smiled almost constantly. Nothing seemed to phase her, nothing
broke her spirit.

In fact, I found her finger painting with Rhett this morning, and when he got it all over her new

blouse, she laughed and began using it as her own canvas. I stood in the doorway, watching as they
painted her shirt together.

It was as if the young girl I once knew had reappeared, and she was so damn happy.
About a week after we got back from Boston, Rhett and Kori went back home. That shit stung. I

wanted to beg her to stay. I wanted to ask her to just move in with me, but I thought she would feel it
was too soon.

So now we were sharing a few nights a week at each other’s places. The nights without them were

long and miserable. I felt like I was half empty and slept like shit. I would worry if they were okay
and sometimes found myself going for a drive by her place, just to ease my mind.

With spring just around the corner I had jobs crawling out of the woodwork. The bar pretty much

ran itself lately. Ben took over managing the place for me. He needed the extra cash with the baby and
all. I focused on staying busy with my hands. I loved the manual labor, it was more my speed.

***

I drove up Kori’s parents’ drive. They were having a Sunday dinner, and I was already running

behind. I ran into some problems with a door I was putting in for a guy across town. Taking in all the
cars, I groaned out loud. I thought it was just gonna be a small dinner, but I guessed I was wrong.

Crawling out of my truck, I grabbed the baseball cap from my truck seat and slipped it on. Yeah,

baseball caps weren’t usually my thing, but I forgot my Stetson at home. I twisted my neck from side
to side and walked up the porch steps, ready to eat. I was starving, and Kori’s momma was one hell
of a cook.

“Well, it’s about damn time.” I heard Maria once I entered the house. “You do know her momma

was about to send out the search party. She has been holding us all off, and there are a shit ton of
hungry ass cowboys ready to gut you like a fish.” She laughed as she stalked off to the dining room.

“He’s here people, let’s chow,” she hollered out, and the assholes clapped and hooted.
Rhett rounded the corner, and I knelt just in time to catch him midair as he dove for me. “Hey, pal.

How was your day? You have fun with your granny?”

His little head bobbing a hundred miles per hour made me chuckle. He looked like a little bobble

head. “Yesh,” he squealed and began wiggling back down my body. He was a wild one, with enough
energy for ten toddlers. The kid wore me out. I had no idea how Kori’s momma did it all day.

“I was beginning to think you had come to your senses and skipped town, running far away from

me and my crazy toddler.” Kori walked toward me with her hands tucked into her back pockets,
swaying her hips with each step. With her arms positioned like that, it only thrust her tits out further. I
was a guy, so I noticed those things.

I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her in against my body. I placed a soft kiss on her lips as

I wrapped my hands around her back. “Not a chance in hell. You’re so stuck with me.” She smiled up
at me, and my knees went slightly weak. Kori had always been such a beautiful person. Not only
because of her long blonde hair and perfect features, but because she was so kind. Seeing her get mad
was a rare occasion. You had to really piss her off before she let you have it. Even when Kim was
starting her shit, Kori was polite to her. I don’t know how she did it. I would have been all up in a
dude’s face if he was spouting shit about her to me.

“You get stuck at Mr. Willow’s?” I nodded. “You should have called, I was starting to worry.”
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to stay at it. It meant I could get here faster.” I tucked her hair behind her

ear and tried to gauge her mood.

“Just call next time or text. Something quick.” I nodded and kissed the tip of her nose.
“You got it. Now let’s go eat, I’m starving.”

***

Dinner was full of me being harassed and hounded for holding up everyone’s chow time. I took it

in stride and let all the guys hassle me.

I noticed a silent conversation going on between Gavin and Maria throughout dinner. I was pretty

sure Kori had missed it, but I saw the lust in that man’s eyes. It was hard to miss. I just hoped Maria
knew what she was doing. From what I’d heard, he had shared a few nights with a girl named Josie
who worked at the grocery store across town. The guy was definitely a player. He had no intentions
of settling down any time soon. Hell, he wasn’t even divorced yet.

The two of them disappeared right after dinner, and I knew it was just across the drive to his

place. He lived in a tiny one bedroom that was for the farmhand.

I walked Kori out, and she immediately noticed Maria’s car parked next to Gavin’s truck. One

small light was on in his place, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on. “Baby, she
is a big girl. You have to let her make her own mistakes.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I just wish she could see what I see. When I look at her, I see so much

more than his plaything. He’s using her, and she’s letting him.”

I closed the back door of her Escape and moved in front of her. Lifting her chin up with my finger,

I looked over her face. She was worried. “You can’t let yourself get all worked up over it. She’s a
big girl, she makes her own choices.”

“I know,” she agreed. “Doesn’t make it any easier to accept, though.”
“So you coming back to my place tonight?” It had been four nights since I’d had her in my arms. I

was craving some physical connection, and I hoped she was on the same page.

When she shook her head, I fought off the groan of frustration. “No, I’m gonna head home. I got an

early morning, and I didn’t bring my stuff with me for school tomorrow.”

“You live five minutes from here. I can follow you, and we can grab your things. Or I could just

stay at your place.” I hooked my finger into her belt buckle and tugged at it playfully.

“I’m tired, and you’ve had a long day. Let’s just call it a night.” God damn Maria and her fucking

self-destruction. She was cock-blocking me, and I felt like marching over to Gavin’s and knocking
some sense into her. “Maybe tomorrow night. Call me when you’re done working.”

I nodded, but on the inside I was kicking at the dirt beneath my feet and cussing like a sailor.

“Okay.” I kissed her once more and stepped back as she climbed into her car. Leaning in through the
window, I kissed her again. Watching her carefully, I couldn’t help but ask. “Kori, did I do something
wrong?”

Shaking her head, she smiled forcefully. “No. I’m just tired. I just need a good night’s sleep. It’s

nothing more than that.”

“It’s just been four nights since we were together. I’m kinda missing ya. I got so used to having you

both around all the time,” I declared.

“Tomorrow night, I promise.” I agreed once again, but only on the outside. I wanted to force her to

tell me what was going on.

I watched her taillights as she drove down the driveway, and my stomach dropped. I was tempted

to jump in my truck and follow her home. Why the hell did it feel like she was pulling away from me?
The thought was driving me crazy.

I wasn’t happy about the feelings I had flowing through me. They were quickly overtaking my

mind. Something didn’t feel right. The idea of losing her made me nauseated.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“So asshole, did you ask her yet?” Ben barged into my office at the back of the bar. I had some

paperwork to finish up, so today I would be tucked behind closed doors.

He flopped down in the chair on the other side of my desk and crossed his arms. “What are you

talking about?” I asked.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, pussy. Kori, you were gonna ask her to move in.” He

leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “You grow a set yet, or you still thinking it over,
coming up with a plan of attack?”

“I’m working up to it.” I was in a pissed off mood today, and I really didn’t have the strength to

fight this out with him. The guy could read me like a book.

“Why you keep waiting? You two bounce back and forth all the time. Why not make it easier for

the both of you?” I slid my chair back and pushed my legs out before me.

I stared across my desk at my best friend for over twenty years, and at this moment I had a strong

urge to deck his ass. “We haven’t stayed over with each other for five nights now, so I’m not sure
asking her to move into my place would be a good idea. Not when I can’t even convince her to spend
the night.” I ran my hand through my hair and sighed in frustration. “Maybe she’s having second
thoughts about us. Maybe she thinks things moved too fast, and now she’s pulling back.”

“Nah, you two are good together. She loves you, man, you can see it when she looks at you. You

ain’t got shit to worry about. Just let it ride out.”

“Yeah, I hope you’re right.” I sat back up, leaning forward on my desk. “She said we’d get

together tonight.” I shrugged.

“See, it’s all good, bud, no worries.” Ben stood up and walked from the room. I only wished I felt

like his words were true. I had spent every moment since she drove away last night with my stomach
in knots. The thought of losing her and Rhett was turning me inside out.

***

Not working past 4. We still on for tonight? R

Yeah, I’ll be at your house at five. I’ll bring dinner. K

Okay, I love you. R

Love you too. K

Staring down at my phone, my heart raced. Tonight was it. I was going to ask her what the hell was

going on and make her tell me.

I finished up everything and stopped by the flower shop on the way home. I grabbed a bouquet of

flowers and made it home before five.

I was just climbing out of the shower when I heard Kori holler from the living room. “Hello?”
I poked my head out the door and told her I was just getting dressed. “I’ll be right out.”
I threw on a pair of lounge pants and opted out of a shirt. When I walked into the living room, I

found Kori smelling the flowers on the counter that separated the kitchen. “Hey, baby.” I kissed the
side of her neck. “Those are for you.”

“Thank you.” She turned to face me and pressed her lips against mine. I took advantage of our

closeness and deepened the kiss, swallowing her moans. “Wow,” she gasped as I pulled back.

“Are we okay?” I asked
Her eyebrows creased in confusion. “Of course, why wouldn’t we be?”
“You just seem distant, and it’s had me worried. Like I messed up in some way, or maybe you’re

having second thoughts about us.” Her hand traced the skin along the top of my lounge pants. It felt so
nice to have her touching me.

“I’ve been worried about Maria. She isn’t really talking to me a whole lot. She’s keeping her

distance and not sharing anything. She won’t talk about Gavin. If I bring him up at all, she shoots it
down.” She tucked her finger in the top of my pants and looked down. “She thinks I’ll go off on him
again.” She shrugged and sighed. “I probably would, I just hate the entire situation. It makes me sick
to my stomach because I know she feels more than he does. She’s setting herself up for disaster.”

Kori came closer and placed a soft kiss against the center of my chest, before looking up into my

eyes. “But never once have I regretted us, our closeness. I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I love
you.” I brought my lips to hers once more for another kiss. “If it wasn’t for you and the support you
give me, I’m not sure where I’d be right now. You mean the world to me and to Rhett. Don’t ever
think that I’m pulling away from you. Remember, we talk things out…we agreed.”

I grinned down at the girl who stole my heart all those years ago, and my chest ached with the

overpowering love I felt for her. She had the ability to weaken me like no other. Between her and
Rhett, I had no hope of survival if I ever lost them.

After dinner and the cleanup, we put a movie in and relaxed on the couch. I held her in my arms,

and Rhett curled up next to me. I was getting used to the animated movies, those had become our go-
to. Tonight it was The Croods. I’m pretty sure I could recite it word for word, if I were asked to. For
only being a year and a half, Rhett was very attentive. He was able to sit through a movie, and we
could all enjoy it.

We put Rhett to bed in the room I called his. I had made it into a bedroom just for him. It was full

of the things he loved, and most days it was like pulling teeth to get him to leave it. I imagined daily
what it would look like to have his tractor bed, along with his other things, filling the room. I wanted
them with me. I wanted to know that when I came home from work, they would be here.

I was lost, so in love with the thought of both of them filling my home. I wanted that so badly.
Kori and I crawled into bed, and I pulled her close to me, covering her body with mine. Her smile

lit up my life in ways I couldn’t explain.

“I’ve missed you the last few days. I don’t like being apart. I love having you both here.” I kissed

her jaw and whispered in her ear. “You two mean so much to me.”

Running her fingers through my hair, I felt her body shudder as I trailed kisses down her neck. “I

love you too, and I love being here with you.”

“Move in with me.” I met her gaze and grinned. “Move in, and let’s start our life together…here.”
I could see the glistening shimmer in her eyes. She continued to look up at me as her lower lip

trembled and her hand rested against my chest. “You sure you want us here, all the time? You won’t
get sick of us?”

I chuckled and skimmed my nose over hers. “There is no way I could get sick of either one of you.

When you’re not here, it feels empty. I want both of you in my world always, every day. You said it
needs a woman’s touch, so move in and make it your home too.”

She gripped the back of my neck and pulled me down, crushing her lips to mine. The kiss was

heavy, her tongue sweeping through my mouth. It wasn’t going to take much to get me all riled up. It
had been too damn long since I had touched her.

“Okay,” she whispered, and that was all it took. I felt like the weight that had been pressing on my

chest over the last week was now lifted.

Over the next hour there was not a space on her body I didn’t kiss and devour. I was almost carnal,

I did everything I could to keep my shit under control. It was one of the hardest moments of my life.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Oh god,” Kori moaned out as I drove inside of her sweet body over and over. “Yes, just like

that.” Hearing her words drove me harder and faster. I reached around her waist and found her sweet
spot, rubbing in a circular motion. Seeing her bent over in front of me with her back arched, pushing
back against me with each thrust, was erotic.

Just when I felt her body tense and she gripped my cock with such fierceness, I let go. I came so

damn hard my toes curled, and I gripped her waist tightly, holding her against me.

Kori’s petite body fell forward onto the mattress, and I crashed to the space beside her. She turned

her head to look over at me, and a smile spread out over her full lips. Her hair was wild, halfway
covering her beautiful face. I brushed the golden locks away and could tell she was still breathing
hard.

“That was, uh,” she panted. “Wow, I’m not sure I’m going to have full function of my legs

tomorrow. They feel like jelly. My whole body feels like jelly, to be honest.”

I chuckled and traced over her center of her back with my fingertips. “That was a week’s worth of

loving you just got, wrapped up in one. I can’t go that long without you, it’s dangerous to your health.”
That got a giggle out of her, which I loved to hear.

“I’m sure I’ll be feeling that for days,” she whispered as her eyes grew heavy.
“Well, you better recover quickly, because tomorrow night I’m gonna do it all over again.” I

kissed her shoulder and pulled the covers up over our bodies. “I love you, baby.”

She curled in toward me, tucking in against my chest. She was like a cuddling kitten. “I love you

too, cowboy.”

***

“You found your balls and became a man.” Ben chuckled handing me the bucket of screws. I

recruited him to help me finish the room extension on the church. I had some other jobs that were
approaching fast, and I needed to wrap this one up quickly.

“I told you I was waiting for the right time.”
“Right time, my ass, you were dragging your feet. You were just crying like a baby last night about

her losing interest. You were scared shitless and you know it.” Ben chuckled as he continued to hold
up the drywall.

“Well, we talked last night, and things are good. She’s just having a hard time with Maria and

Gavin.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that? Leann told me she saw him dropping Josie off last Sunday morning.

Then I hear he’s banging Maria.” Leann worked across the street from Josie’s apartment. She opened
up a little hair salon when she came back home, and things took off from there.

“I don’t get it. The guy is married and found his wife nailing his boss one night. He filed for

divorce, and from what I hear, it’s messy. He picked up and moved here to get away from it all. The
divorce ain’t final yet.” Placing the last screw in its place, we stepped back to grab the next one.
“Screwing two girls in the same town, it’s gonna bite him in the ass for sure. Kori’s going crazy from
it, she wants to beat the guy’s ass. When it comes to Maria she has a hard time just sitting back. That’s
what’s been eating at her, and I see a battle brewing.”

The emotional strain it was taking on my girl was enough to make me want to beat the man’s ass

myself.

“We still on for Saturday night?” Ben’s question pulled me from the virtual beat down I was

giving in my mind. “Leann don’t suspect a thing. I told her it was just a night out, dinner and a few
drinks.” Their anniversary was this weekend, and Ben wanted to surprise her with a celebration. I
volunteered the bar and told him we could set up the back room for privacy.

“Yeah, everything’s a go. The staff will get the room set up, and you just need to show up with

your woman and a smile. He nodded, grinning like a fool. It was strange watching Ben with Leann. In
our younger years he was the biggest horn dog. I didn’t think he would ever settle down. Now he had
a beautiful wife and a daughter. He was happy, anyone could see that.

“Eight o’clock on the dot. I’ll have her there.”

***

Kori told her parents that I had asked her to move in. They were both happy, considering they

hated her being at her place alone. Ever since the night she had the unwelcome visitor, we’ve all been
uncomfortable with her being there. We agreed to slowly start packing up things and moving them
over.

One thing I did was go over to her place and load up Rhett’s bed. It was strange, but I needed to

have it in my house. That made it seem final. That bed was the one piece of furniture from her place
that made it all real.

For the last two nights, I had stopped in the doorway of his room and smiled. That tractor bed

tucked in the corner and his toys scattered over the floor made my heart race. They were home now,
they were where they belonged, with me.

Rhett had already been dropped off to his pappy, and Kori was in our room getting ready for our

night out. Standing in the doorway, I watched as her hips swayed to the music that was playing from
the stereo, as she curled her hair. She wore a pair of dark skinny jeans and an off the shoulder deep
red shirt. It was form fitting and showed off the contours of her perfection. She had on a pair of black
high heels and her hair was down. The back of her shirt was see-through and showed off a lacy little
undershirt.

I could feel myself growing a little too excited at the thought of peeling all of it off of her later.
“You’re drooling, cowboy.” I met her cocky grin in the mirror and smiled in return. “You like

what you see?”

I closed the gap between us and pushed my hardness against her from behind. “I don’t know, what

do you think? Does it feel I like it?”

She bit down on her lower lip and wiggled her ass against my still growing erection. “It feels like

you might,” she whispered breathlessly.

I pushed her hair to the side and trailed my tongue up the side of her neck. Flipping against the lobe

of her ear, she moaned softly. “I definitely like what I’m seeing. Later tonight I plan on showing you
just how much, over and over.” I kissed her just below her ear. “Your beauty makes me weak, baby. I
am powerless against you.”

I looked up to meet her gaze in the mirror. Her eyes were shining with emotion. “You make me

feel beautiful, thank you.”

“Because you are beautiful, now hurry up before I say hell with tonight and tear you out of these

clothes.” I pushed back and left the bathroom.

I was serious about skipping tonight. I wanted to lock her sexy ass up in the bedroom and spend my

entire night inside of her. That sounded so much better than sharing her with a bar full of people.

Chapter Thirty-Four

When we got to the bar, it was almost eight. Most everyone was there, except the happy couple.

We all settled in the back room and waited for the message that they had arrived. Marty, my
bartender, was watching the door. Once they arrived, he would send a text so we could all get
prepared to surprise Leann.

I watched Kori and Maria talk in the corner. Kori had a worried look on her face. I wanted her to

let it go. If Maria didn’t care that Gavin was using her, then Kori just needed to stop with the whole
damn thing. I knew she loved Maria, but damn, enough was enough. I wanted a good night out with
her, not a night of drama.

They’re here

My phone vibrated against my leg, and I warned everyone that Ben and Leann just walked in. I

stepped up behind Kori and held her against my front. “Let it go, baby. Please stop trying to fix it,” I
whispered in her ear, and she squeezed my hand that rested over her stomach.

Everyone yelled surprise followed by congratulations to the happy couple as they entered the

room. Leann cried, because that was the kind of girl she was.

I watched as everyone laughed and mingled. It was nice to see everyone having fun. The girls all

went off to dance, while the guys chose to gather by the bar.

Ben pulled up the bar stool next to me and leaned back against the counter. We were both looking

out at the girls, keeping them in our sights.

“When you gonna take the plunge?” Ben asked, and I looked over at him with confusion. “Come

on, don’t act stupid. You know what I’m talking about.”

I shrugged and chuckled. “Actually, I think you’ve had one too many beers. I have no damn clue

what you’re talking about.”

He held his hand up signaling Marty for two more beers. Then turned to me and grinned. “I’m

talking about asking Kori to marry you.”

I choked a little on the beer I had tipped up against my lips. After I cleared my throat and was able

to gain my composure, I chuckled. “Do you want me to freak her out? I just asked her to move in with
me. If I asked her to marry me, she would think I was nuts, damn. I would marry her in a second, but
I’m not sure she’s ready for that yet.”

He only shook his head and laughed. “You have no idea what she wants. I’ve seen the way she

looks at you. The way you look at her. You two have got one hell of a connection, it’s like sometimes

you’re the same person. Something like what you two share is hard to find.” Marty set our beers down
in front of us, and I looked back over at my best friend. He was buzzing, but he was being honest and
sincere. “I know when she came back here she was heartbroken. It took time for her to forgive you for
what happened. Over that time, though, you two reconnected in a way you were never connected
before. She’ll always have that spot in her heart for Rhett’s dad, but you’re hers forever.”

I took in his words and rolled them around over and over. I was supportive of the fact that Blake

needed to be remembered. I knew how important it was to have his memory live on, for Rhett’s sake.
“I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m a little jealous. I wonder all the time if I will ever have the
love he had from her. Will I ever be enough, or am I destined to always come in second to his
memory?” I let out a deep breath before continuing. “Then I just feel like an ass for being jealous of
his memory. Who the fuck gets jealous over shit like that?”

Ben place his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Reed. You love her, you always have. Yeah, you

messed up, and she found love somewhere else. That would be hard to swallow for any man. You
have the future with her that he hoped for, so treasure it, don’t question it. Be the man he would want
for her. Take care of her better than anyone else could. You got a second chance at happiness. Live it,
man, to its fullest.”

Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned to find Kim smiling at me. I groaned out in

aggravation. “What?”

She turned just slightly and pointed toward the dance floor. “Looks like the woman of your dreams

may have other things on her mind.” She smirked and crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her
breasts up a little higher.

I looked over her shoulder and found a tall, dark haired guy with his hand on Kori’s shoulder. He

slid it down her arm and gripped her hand in his. I saw her shake her head no as he tugged her in his
direction.

“It appears to me that someone needs to learn his place.” Ben growled from the stool next to me.
I stood up from my stool and placed my beer on the bar. “Yeah, real fucking quickly.” I stalked off

in the direction of the douchebag who had his hands on my girl. As I got closer, I could hear what was
going on.

“Come on gorgeous, just one dance.” The guy was begging, and Kori continued to tell him no. The

fact that he was still tugging on her hand got my blood boiling.

Leann looked over and saw me approaching. Her eyes grew big as a small smile spread out over

her lips.

“I believe the lady gave you an answer.” I growled from behind the man, causing him to turn in my

direction.

He grinned, full of arrogance. “I’m pretty sure this conversation is between her and me.” That only

made me laugh. I felt Ben approach my side and turned to watch him cross his arms over his chest.

Leaning in just a little further, getting nose to nose, I gave him a silent warning with my eyes,

squaring my shoulders as he did the same. “Anything involving her, involves me. When you mess with
what’s mine, I will handle it.”

The guy laughed and looked over his shoulder back at Kori. “Yours, huh? Why is it she never

mentioned a husband?”

That comment made my stomach tighten. No, she wasn’t my wife, but I hoped one day she would

be. She was my world, though, and this guy was fucking with her. I never corrected him. Instead I
stepped around him and pulled Kori to my side. She wrapped her arm around my waist and turned her
body into mine. She slipped her hand under the front of my shirt, sprawling it out over my stomach.

Her touch calmed me, and I looked down at her.

She looked nervous. “Let it go,” she pleaded, and I chuckled.
“Not a chance, babe. Why don’t you girls go get a drink? Me and your friend here are gonna

continue our little chat.” She began to argue, and I passed her off toward Leann and Maria. “Take her
in the back.”

She stood there staring at me and glaring. Yeah that wasn’t gonna work this time. “Go, Kori.” I

would deal with her being pissed off later. Right now I had an arrogant asshole to deal with.

“I don’t think she was too happy with you telling her what to do.” Mr. Dickwad chuckled. “What’s

wrong, pretty boy, you scared she’ll drop you on your ass when she gets a taste of something
sweeter?”

The adrenaline shot through me like a bullet. I gripped his shirt in my fisted hands and shoved him

backward, slamming him against the wall behind us. Being the owner of the place had everyone else
clearing the area. “You don’t have a say-so in anything regarding my woman. As for touching her
against her will, I should break your fucking arms. This is my place, my bar, and I want you outta
here. If I ever see you in this place again or anywhere near what’s mine, I will break your face.” I let
go of him and drew back, punching him in his stomach. His body hunched over, and I stepped back,
looking over at the two bouncers waiting on standby. “Get his sorry ass out of here.”

My adrenaline was pumping, and my hands were still shaking. I looked back and found Kori

standing about ten feet away. She was staring at me, seething with anger. I walked in her direction,
and she held her hands up to stop me from getting too close.

“Come on, you can’t be mad about that. He had his hands all over you.” I gritted my teeth together

to keep from saying anything more.

“His hands were not all over me. He grabbed my hand, Reed. It wasn’t like he was feeling me up.

He wanted to dance.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “You had to storm over there and act as if I’m
just a piece of property to you. I could have handled it.”

“Oh yeah, you sure looked like you were handling it. Maybe enjoying the attention was more like

it.” I bit my tongue, the alcohol mixed with anger was not a good combination. It had me spouting out
shit before giving it any thought. The moment it came out I wanted to take it back. Kori wasn’t like
that. She didn’t feed on the attention of men.

She pushed against my chest and pointed her finger in my face. “Enjoying it, my ass, you jerk. I

was trying to solve it peacefully, but no, you had to pin the guy against a wall and punch him.” I
attempted to speak, but she held her palm out two inches from my face, and I stopped. “I’m gonna tell
you one thing and one time only, Reed Jackson.” Once again she pointed in my face. “Don’t you ever
command me to do anything again. I am not your dog, I don’t obey commands.”

She turned on her heels and stormed off toward the restroom in the back of the bar. A pissed off

and mouthy Kori was like seeing a shooting star, very rare.

I looked at the faces of all our friends who just witnessed the battle. The girls looked shocked,

maybe even a little pissed off at me as well. The guys were hiding the smiles and laughter behind
their hands. Smug bastards were just glad it was me in the doghouse and not them.

Sitting down at the bar, I rested my head on my crossed arms and groaned out in frustration. Maybe

I went overboard. I didn’t like him touching her, though, in any way.

Ben slapped my back and chuckled. “Well tonight got a little exciting. Kori can get pissed off for

such a little thing. I had no idea she could lay it out like that.”

“Shut up.” I shook my head and looked toward the restroom. I had a feeling I knew what she was

doing in there. Either she was crying or tearing into me behind closed doors. “I guess I fucked up.”

“Bullshit.” He slammed his hand down on the bar. “That cocky son of a bitch had it coming. I

would’ve done the same thing if some man was messing with Leann. Kori won’t be mad forever. Next
time, though, maybe you should ask her politely, not force her to leave. I’m pretty sure that’s what did
her in.”

Groaning out once more, I let my head fall forward against the bar. “Yeah, that was definitely not

the best way to handle her.”

When thirty minutes passed and she still hadn’t come out of the bathroom, I went to her. Pushing

open the door, I heard a few squeals, and about five girls turned to face me. Not one of them was my
girl. Panic set in; I hadn’t seen her come out. I turned in a hurry and began searching the bar.

Just as I was about to lose my shit, Leann stepped in front of me. “She had Maria call them a cab.

She went home about fifteen minutes ago.” She shrugged, and I thanked her. I brushed past her in a
hurry toward the door.

I had too many beers myself and couldn’t drive. I threw my keys to Marty and told him to pull my

truck around back. Saying my goodbyes to everyone, I stepped outside and dialed the number to the
cab company.

Leaning against the pole out front, I began to formulate a plan. I had no idea how I would fix this,

but I had to. Fighting with Kori was not an option. I couldn’t stomach her sadness. It broke me every
time. I was a sucker when it came to my girl, and she knew it.

Chapter Thirty-Five

When I got home, I found her asleep on the couch. She was still dressed, and her eyes were

reddened and swollen. My chest ached, and my stomach turned with uneasiness.

I slowly lifted her from the couch and carried her toward our room. As I lowered her to the bed

she stirred and pulled away. “No.” One word was all she spoke as she curled away from me.

“Let me help you get undressed. I’ll leave ya alone after that. I promise.” I slipped her shoes from

her feet and carefully slid her jeans down her legs.

She held her eyes closed tightly, not even attempting to sneak a glance. My throat burned more

with each second that ticked by. At this moment I found myself wishing I had gone with my instincts
and locked her up earlier in our room. We would have missed out on all the drama.

I decided it was probably best that I slept on the couch for the night. I changed out of my clothes

and grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet. Stretching out on the couch, I couldn’t shut my mind
off. I didn’t know what time it was when I actually fell asleep. I just knew that it felt like it took
forever.

I woke to the smell of coffee and movement in the kitchen. Looking up over the back of the couch, I

found Kori standing at the sink. She was fully dressed and filling up a travel mug. Oh, hell no, she
wasn’t running off. We were going to work through this.

I pushed up off the couch and walked right up behind her. I caged her in against the sink. “Can we

talk?” She only shook her head and added creamer to her coffee. I stared at the contents of her cup as
the dark brown liquid changed to light tan. There was more sugar and creamer than actual coffee.
“I’m sorry.” I whispered against her neck, igniting goose bumps to rise over her skin.

She pushed back against me with her hips, causing me to step back. She walked toward the

refrigerator and placed the creamer back inside. Pausing at the sink once more, she screwed the lid
onto her cup and walked into the living room. Grabbing for her keys and purse, she slid on her shoes.

“Where are you going?” She continued to ignore me, and I stepped in between her and the front

door. “Tell me how to fix this.”

Her beautiful, tormented eyes locked with mine, and my throat tightened. “Do you really think I

enjoyed that man’s attention last night? Do you think I wanted our night to end up like that? Like it was
some game I was trying to play to make you jealous?”

“No.” I lifted my hand toward her face, and she turned from it. “Kori, let’s talk this through.”
She shook her head and looked down at the floor. “Not right now, I can’t. I’m gonna get Rhett and

take him back to my place.” The nauseated feeling filled my stomach with the thought of her moving
back home.

“Don’t do this.” I was panicking, and I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. “Don’t

leave me over this. Please, I’m sorry. I fucked up, okay?” I was begging her to stay and work this out.

Her eyes met mine once more, and they were filled with moisture. “I’m not leaving you. I just can’t

talk to you right now. I’m still angry with you. When people are angry they say things they don’t mean.
I don’t want to do that. I’m going back to my place and spend the day going through things, packing.”
She took in a shuddering breath. “I just need some distance right now. I need to get past the hurt
before I can talk to you sensibly.”

She stood up onto her tiptoes and placed a kiss on my jaw. I closed my eyes tightly, and my

stomach coiled once again.

“I’ll see you later,” she said just above a whisper.
I watched her walk toward her car. I was left standing in the doorway as she backed down the

drive and drove away.

“What’d you do, boy?” My father walked up the side of the deck looking all pissed off. “From the

look on that girl’s face and yours, I’d say you screwed up.”

“You could say that. I blame it all on the Jackson blood in me. There’s a whole line of mean

bastards, and that runs in my veins,” I responded as I looked back toward the empty drive, wishing
for just a moment that she was still there. Coming up empty, I turned back to my front door.

My dad didn’t let the door shut, he followed right behind me. “Well, you gonna tell me or make me

beat it outta ya?”

“Enough bull, old man.” I grabbed two mugs and filled them with coffee. I carried them to the

table, and we both took a seat. I spent the next half hour filling him in on our night. Then I spent the
next fifteen minutes after that getting lectured on how to treat a lady.

“Grab your damn pole, boy. Let’s get out Old Benny and let him soothe your soul. You’re gonna

need to be calm and collected when Kori is ready to talk.” I shook my head and followed him toward
the barn, gathering up our fishing tackle. A day of fishing with my old man sounded like a good idea. I
needed something to pass the time.

***

When six o’clock rolled around and there was still no Kori or Rhett, I got worried. I grabbed my

phone and called her. After the third ring she picked up. “Hello.”

“You coming home?” I asked.
She was silent for a moment, and the nervousness within my stomach only grew. “In a little while.

Dad brought his trailer over, and we loaded some things up. He’s gonna drive it over and just leave it
there so I can unload everything.”

I bit my tongue because I didn’t want her to know that it pissed me off. She didn’t ask for my help,

and that bothered me. I knew she was upset with me already, so I let it slide. “You do know I
would’ve helped, right?”

“Yeah, I came back home to get Rhett’s bag. I saw you and your dad out on the lake fishing. I

didn’t want to interrupt. My dad offered when I called him to get a screwdriver.” I chuckled thinking
about Kori with tools.

“I still would’ve helped, baby. But I understand why you didn’t ask me.” I took a deep breath and

waited, but nothing came.

“I miss you guys,” I admitted.
“We’ll be home in less than an hour,” she replied and said a quick goodbye.

This entire situation sucked beyond explanation, and it was killing me. I was pissed off at myself

for acting so aggressive last night.

I sat on the couch mindlessly flipping through the channels. Nothing was grabbing my attention

until I heard the car doors outside. I jumped up quickly and marched toward the door. I saw Kori’s
dad unhook the trailer and give her a quick hug, before getting in his truck to leave.

I walked out to the front porch and approached her car. Rhett was barely hanging on as his head

fell from side to side. He was exhausted, and I hated that I had missed his entire day. I stepped up
beside her and placed my hand on her lower back. “Let me get him to bed. I haven’t seen him in over
twenty-four hours. You could go in, take a shower, and relax if you want. I can carry in some of this
stuff for ya.”

She nodded in agreement and pulled Rhett’s bag from the floorboard. I watched as she walked up

the stairs and went inside.

Turning back to the car, I carefully lifted Rhett from his seat and took him inside to get settled.

After I put his pajamas on and kissed his forehead, he turned toward the wall and gave up.

I could hear the shower running just down the hall. Before I could analyze my movements, I was

walking in that direction. Gripping the hem of my shirt, I lifted it over my head and dropped it to the
floor. Sliding my pants and boxers down, I let them pool at my feet. I had to fix this, the void was
insufferable. It couldn’t go on.

I slid the shower door to the side and stepped in behind her. She didn’t turn to face me, but I could

see her shoulders shaking. I wrapped my body around hers from behind and held her to my chest. She
shuddered against me, and I felt like I was being gutted.

“I’m so sorry I was an ass. I handled it wrong, all wrong. I was mad that he touched you. Then I

was pissed that he acted as if I had no say in what happened with you. The guy fueled my anger, and I
just needed him to know you are mine.” I buried my face in her hair and breathed her in.

“I said things I didn’t mean. You are not a possession to me, baby. You are the woman I’m so

deeply in love with, and when it comes to you, I lose my mind. I just need to fix this, I need to make it
right. Please tell me what I can do.” I pleaded for her to help me.

She turned in my arms, and her eyes met mine. “Make love to me.”
Her lips crashed against mine before I could respond. I gave everything I could over to her. I tried

to show her within our kiss, our touch, just what she meant to me. The love I felt for her was so deep,
raw, and uncontrollable.

Lifting her up by placing my hands under her ass, she wrapped her legs around my waist. Lowering

her over my hardness, I slid in deep with ease. A tear fell down her cheek, and I kissed it away.
“Forgive me, please, Kori. I need you to forgive me.” She nodded and kissed me softly.

Our bodies began to move together with the perfect rhythm.
“I’m sorry too. I know you meant well,” she whispered in my ear. “I love you, I need you.”
“You have me, you have me,” I declared as I looked into her eyes. Then we lost ourselves in the

pleasure our bodies were creating.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Spring came and went, as summer was just setting in. Kori and Rhett were now all moved in and

settled. She had been going room to room, decorating and making it a home. The place felt so
welcoming and full of love. I knew it had everything to do with the ones who filled it, but the colorful
warmness she spread throughout helped too.

School was almost over for the summer, only one more week to go. Kori was looking forward to

the time off with Rhett.

Maria was still keeping a safe distance, and that ate at Kori so heavily. She came around, but she

was very limited on what she would talk about. I wished I could fix it for them, but I chose to stand
back. It really wasn’t my business, unless somehow in the process Kori was hurt. Then it became my
business, no matter who the hell liked it or not.

Gavin ended up moving into the house that was once Kori’s. He had more room, and I assumed it

was for the privacy too. Sharing a drive with Kori’s parents made it difficult to keep his business his
own. This in turn only made it difficult for Kori to keep a watchful eye on Maria’s involvement with
him.

I had just taken on a job in Savannah. Ben’s uncle got in an accident at work and was now bound

to a wheelchair. His house was anything but prepared for his return home. So we packed up our tools
and got to work on making his home one he could function in.

Of course this meant it was almost a two hour round trip between Kori and me. Ben and I decided

to bust ass to get this done as quickly as we could, and the best way to do that was grab a hotel during
the week. We would go back home on the weekends.

His uncle was in a rehabilitation center for now. They hoped he would be coming home in a few

weeks. We had to widen the door frames, build ramps, and a company would be coming in to put in a
lift for the stairs. Ben’s aunt was lost right now, and having him close was really helping her cope.
They had no children, so Ben was the closest thing they had to a child.

***

We had just finished up our third day there, and we were both exhausted. It was a little after eight

at night, and I could barely get my body moving. I could hear Ben talking to Leann on the patio just
outside of our hotel room.

I jumped in the shower before making my call to the people I was missing terribly.

When Kori’s voice came through the phone, followed by Rhett’s giggles, I chuckled in return.

“How are things going?” she asked.

“I’m missing you two like something fierce. We’ve got a long way to go, baby. This week is

dragging ass. I just wanna come home and hold you both.” I ran my hands through my hair and let my
head fall back against the headboard.

“We miss you too. Only two more days, then you’ll be home. We’ll make a weekend of just us.”

She sighed. “You know, now that school is over for the summer, Rhett and I could come over for a
visit during the week.”

“Yeah, maybe Leann and Chloe could join you. I’m sure Ben would like that. We need to plan

ahead, though. I’m not sharing a room on those nights.” I chuckled.

We talked for about an hour. She told me about Rhett helping his pappy in the barn. He even got to

ride the tractor I knew he loved. That boy loved his tractors.

Apparently he had picked up a new word from Kori’s dad that she wasn’t too fond of. I guess a

nineteen month old running around saying shit was frowned upon. I tried to cover up my laughter
when she told me, but it was pointless.

Over the next couple days we did all we could to get ahead. That meant we worked through lunch

and well into the evenings. When Friday late afternoon rolled in, both of us were in my truck and
driving to our families.

It had been one of the longest weeks of our lives.

***

I dropped off Ben first and then drove by Kori’s parents’ making sure she wasn’t there. When I

didn’t see her Escape, I kept driving past.

A few minutes later I pulled into my driveway and found myself laughing at the sight before me.

Just to the side of the house was a big air filled slide with some kind of slip and slide attached.

Maria, Kori, and Rhett were running around sliding and laughing. I took in the beauty of my girl in

her tiny pink bikini and found myself adjusting my pants. It had been a week without touching her, and
her lack of clothing wasn’t helping my raging hormones one bit.

When I stepped out of my truck and shut my door, I turned toward them. Within seconds I was

tackled and a set of arms wrapped around my neck. Kori’s lips crashed to mine, and I gripped her
waist, lifting her from the ground. Turning her around, I pressed her against the side of my truck. Her
legs immediately encircled my waist.

“Did you miss me?” She nodded and sucked my lower lip into her mouth. “You know, if you keep

it up, things are gonna be getting real dirty, real fast.”

She bit her lip, smiling seductively. “I like dirty.”
I shook my head and grinned. “Oh, you’re gonna get dirty, baby. Just not in the middle of the

driveway with an audience.” I cupped her ass, and my fingertips grazed over her center. She gasped,
followed by a moan.

Leaning close to her ear, I whispered, “I’m sleeping inside you tonight. We have a lot of catching

up to do.” I felt her body shiver against mine as I slowly lowered her back to the ground. Rhett was
coming toward me, and I needed to hug my little man.

The summer weather was hitting hard. It was warm and sticky, and Rhett loved the water. He was

like a damn fish. It was harder than hell to get him out of the tub without a fit on his part.

I set Rhett down at my feet and knelt in front of him. “You want me to slide with you?” He nodded

enthusiastically as he turned around and ran toward the water. Kori took my hand in hers, and we
walked to the side of the house. I slipped my shirt up over my head and my shoes from my feet.
Taking off full speed ahead, I spread out over the plastic and slid forward. Rhett’s laughter followed,
and he trailed right behind, crashing against me in the pool at the end. I spent over an hour sliding
around with him and Kori. I felt like a kid again. These two brought out the best in me. It was perfect

Maria ducked out shortly after I got home. She said we needed some family time. Family…I loved

the sound of that. They were my family, and I was damn lucky to have ‘em.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Our weekend went by too quickly. I felt like I barely got to touch Kori or snuggle Rhett, before I

had to head out again.

Being away from them was draining me. Ben knew how I was feeling. Being away from Leann and

his baby girl was hard on him too. It was taking a toll on both of us. We were like two cranky women
in need of a case of Pamprin.

We were in the middle of hanging a front door when I got the call that brought me to my knees.
“She wasn’t moving, Reed. She was so pale when they took her.” Maria cried hard on the other

end of the line. I was having a hard time understanding her words. They were coming out so jumbled
together. I fell to the floor and dropped my phone to the ground.

I barely registered Ben picking up my phone and getting the details of Kori’s condition. I felt his

hands lift upward under my arms, bringing me to my feet. Our eyes locked, and it hit me. It hit me
hard. A grown man sobbing uncontrollably, barely able to catch my breath. I was weak from the news
that had shattered my soul.

“Come on man, I need to get you home.” Ben spoke as he walked me toward my truck.
Kori was crossing the street from the meat market, and some jackass kid hit her. He didn’t even

stop to see if she was okay. He kept driving, but someone from the market had seen the whole thing.
They called the cops and gave the plate number of the car he was driving.

Kori had been rushed by ambulance, and any further information was still being determined. I sat

in silence as Ben rushed toward East Georgia Medical Center in Statesboro.

I felt numb; it was a god damn nightmare. “I can’t lose her, Ben. I won’t make it through something

like that. She’s gotta be okay, I need her. I won’t make it.” I never turned to face him as I spoke the
words. I watched as everything passed by in a blur.

“She’s gonna be all right,” he assured me, but I knew it was just an attempt to calm me. No one

could answer that question right now.

Ben’s phone rang just as we crossed into Statesboro. “Hello.” He paused. “We’re about two

minutes away, baby.” He mumbled a few more words, but I was too far gone to understand them.

He hung up just as we pulled into the hospital lot. We rushed in through the emergency entrance,

and Rhett’s cries rang out through the silence. They sounded torturous, and it broke me once again. He
was in Gemma’s, Kori’s mom’s, arms thrashing from side to side.

The moment he saw me, he cried out, “Daddy.” The words once again brought my towering frame

to my knees.

Rhett had only called me daddy once before, and it was as clear as it was right then. The sobs

broke from me once more the moment he slipped from her lap and leaped into my arms.

“He wants Kori,” her mom cried. “He watched it all, Reed, from Maria’s arms. Just three seconds

later, they would have all been hit.” I squeezed him against my chest tightly, crying into the crease of
his neck.

“It’s okay, buddy, Momma’s gonna be okay.” I kissed his forehead and rocked him gently. I only

hoped that the words I spoke were true. I needed them to be true, for all of us.

The waiting room was full of worried people, their faces stained from tears. Maria was a mess,

leaning over on Gavin’s shoulder as he rubbed her soothingly. Leann holding Chloe, curled into Ben’s
side. My dad sat in the corner, his eyes red rimmed and swollen. My dad never cried, but I guessed
today was an exception.

An hour passed before a nurse told us Kori was still in surgery. Her leg was broken in two places,

and her pelvis was fractured. She had to have pins put in her leg. Her shoulder had been dislocated,
and she needed stitches along her forehead. I heard words like contusions and lacerations, but it all
started to blur together.

I sat in silence, holding Rhett’s sleeping body against my chest. He had finally given up, crying

himself to sleep, waiting for his momma.

The doctor took us all into a private room, explaining her injuries. He stated that she was highly

medicated due to the surgery. They would keep her that way through the night. He explained that the
blunt force hit mainly in her left leg, bouncing her across the front of the car.

The witnesses stated she flipped up onto the hood and spun off the side. She hit the pavement and

rolled, which is where she received the lacerations and road burn.

My stomach rolled and the bile rose in my throat thinking about what she went through, and the

thoughts that must have been running through her mind. I took several deep breaths, doing everything I
could to stay calm. It was a constant inner battle, when all I wanted to do was break.

Rhett was the strength I needed to push on. He needed me to stay strong.
“She’s gonna be resting all night. Maybe you should go home and get some sleep yourself.” I

looked up into the tired eyes of Kori’s mom.

“I’m good, why don’t you and Bud head home? Can you take Rhett with you, though? I’m gonna

stay here, just in case she wakes up. I don’t want her to be alone if she does.” She nodded and took
Rhett from me, careful not to wake him.

“I’ll stay with you,” Maria whispered as she sat down in the seat next to me. “I can’t leave her

either.”

I took her hand into mine, squeezing it gently.
Gavin leaned down and whispered something in Maria’s ear, and she smiled up at him softly when

he pulled back. “Thanks, I will.”

After everyone left, I questioned her. “What was that all about?”
She shrugged. “He just told me that if I needed anything at all, I should call him.”
We sat in silence for a while, and I had a million thoughts running through my head. I needed a

distraction, so I pushed harder at Maria. “What’s going on with you two? I mean, I know that you two
hooked up.” She looked at me, wrinkling up her eyebrows. She acted like she was going to deny it, so
I stopped her. “I’m a guy, and I know what a hook up looks like. The signs are all there. Don’t deny it,
Maria. What I do want to know is why do you think that’s all you’re worth?”

She stared off toward the entry doors of the hospital. We were waiting for Kori to be moved to a

room, and then they would take us up to the waiting area on that floor. The emergency room was
quiet, and the silence was deafening.

Maria shrugged and took a deep breath. “Gavin isn’t a bad guy. He’s just going through things.

He’s had a pretty messy divorce, and his ex-wife is playing with his head. He just doesn’t want to
commit, so I take whatever he gives. I’m not saying that’s right, but it’s that or not have him at all. I
like him too much to lose him completely.”

“He’s sleeping with Josie too. You do know that, right?” Her eyes filled up with tears.
She nodded. “He did, twice, he told me. He said he was trying to erase me from his mind.” She

wrinkled up her nose and rubbed her hand over her face. “I’ve only been with him once. It was before
he slept with her. You can believe me or not, but I don’t share. I do actually think I’m worth that
much. I understand if he can’t commit. I refuse to be the other girl, though.”

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and squeezed her against my side, kissing the top of her

head. “Good, don’t let him make you feel you aren’t worth more. You’re a catch, and he would be
damn lucky to have you love him. He needs to get his own shit straight, then maybe he’ll be able to
see the light.”

“Thank you. You know she’s real lucky to have you. You saved her.” I looked down at her.
“I’m the lucky one, Mar. I broke her heart when I messed around with Kim. She still found it in

herself to forgive me.” I looked toward the entrance as an older man walked in pushing his wife in a
wheelchair. “I know I may not have been her first choice, but I’m gonna do everything I can to take
care of her for the rest of our lives.”

“Reed, it’s not about choices. She loves you. I don’t think she ever stopped. She packed it away

nice and tight, but it never disappeared.” Maria leaned back to get a better look at me. “Do you know
when we were in high school she talked about marrying you? She said that when she envisioned her
life, you were the man she wanted to share it with.”

My chest constricted with intense emotion. “One day I’m gonna ask her, one day soon.”
“And she’ll say yes, because you two are meant to be together.” She paused and looked down at

her hands. “I actually believe that our lives are already laid out before us. There’s a path each one of
us is meant to follow. We come in and out of one another’s lives for very specific reasons. One little
action, or a major catastrophe, ripples along, changing everyone in its path for a reason. At the time
we may think that it’s unfair, torture even. Later on we’re able to see the effect it caused and what
good came from it.”

Her eyes met mine once more. “Blake entered Kori’s world to show her how to love,

unconditionally. He shared the greatest gift with her, Rhett. He left her in a tragic way which led her
back to you. She’ll forever be a different person because of him, a better person. That man made it
possible for her to love you stronger in the end, because Kori knows how to love fully,
unconditionally.”

I nodded. The conversation Maria just shared was both enlightening and shocking. Maria was an

amazing woman. She deserved happiness, and she deserved her great love.

After another thirty minutes, they moved us upstairs to another waiting area, one with more

comfortable chairs and even a few couches.

We got settled the best we could and got some much needed rest. Or at least I attempted it. What

truly happened was I dreamt repeatedly of Kori, hurt and crying. A few times I shot awake looking
around for her, wanting to get to her, only to find myself in the dark waiting room surrounding by
others who were just as lost as me.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

I woke up with the biggest cramp in my neck. Those recliners looked much more comfortable than

they actually were. I cracked my neck and stretched my arms above my head.

I tapped Maria on the shoulder. She lifted her head, holding on to the back of her neck, mimicking

my previous actions. All I could do was chuckle. “Tell me about it, they’re a bitch on your neck.” She
laughed in return and slowly stretched and sat up. “Wanna get a coffee?”

“Mm, yes,” she sighed.
By the time we made it back upstairs, the waiting area was once again full with families coming to

visit their loved ones.

A doctor stood at the front desk looking over a chart. The attendant saw us enter and pointed our

way. When the doctor turned around, my stomach lurched. He was about to tell us something about
Kori. I let out a calming breath as he approached.

“Reed Jackson?” he questioned.
“Yes,” I replied. He reached out his hand and shook mine firmly.
“I’m Dr. Morgan, Kori’s physician. I was just in her room looking over her injuries. She’s going to

be going through a lot over the next few months. She’ll recover, but that leg of hers was a mess.” He
sighed. “She is one tough cookie, though.”

“How did you know who I was? You called me by my full name. I was just wondering why you

didn’t ask for her parents.” Not that I was complaining, I just figured they would be the first to be
spoken with.

He grinned at me. “Because you’re the one she’s asking for, and Maria.” He looked over at Maria

and chuckled. “She said to tell you that, and I quote, ‘Now she has one of her own thrusting thighs.’”
The doctor shrugged, and Maria broke out in laughter, covering her mouth as her tears fell from her
eyes.

The doctor and I didn’t have a clue what that meant, but it appeared Maria knew. Then it hit me

what the doctor said. “Wait, she asked for me? She’s awake?”

“Yeah, and if you follow me I’ll take you both back.” We followed closely as he stopped in front

of room twelve. He slid the door open and ushered us both inside, before closing the door once more.

Kori opened her eyes and looked at us both, standing there in the doorway. I was afraid to move or

even speak. Her forehead was bandaged, along with her arm. Her leg was covered with a cast from
her thigh to her foot. The pelvic fracture was pretty minor and did not need surgery to correct it.
There was no need for pins or screws other than in her thigh and knee.

Kori’s faced scrunched up in pain when she tried to move. I rushed to her side. “Baby, please

don’t try to move.”

“Hey, handsome, it’s so good to see your face.” Her voice was raspy and dry. “For a short time, I

wasn’t sure I would ever see it again.” Tears filled her eyes, and I kissed the palm of her hand,
sobbing like a baby once again. “I love you,” she whispered, and I looked up to meet her tired eyes.

“God, I love you too. I was so damn scared. I felt like I was going nuts.” I bent over and kissed her

softly. I was scared I would hurt her. “Don’t you ever leave me…ever. I won’t make it past that loss.
I can’t breathe without you, Kori.”

A tear fell from her eye, and I kissed her once more before sitting down at her side.
She looked up over my shoulder and smiled the best she could. It was the most beautiful thing to

see her smile again. I would never again take a single moment with her for granted.

She pointed down at her thigh and giggled. “One thrusting thigh, how good do you think I can make

it feel with just one?”

Maria’s laughter filled the room. I was so lost with this whole thigh conversation. “Do you girls

mind filling a man in here?”

I looked at Kori, and she sealed her lips in a thin line. Maria cleared her throat and took on a

serious face. “We have performed some serious thigh research. It’s been proving to be very, very,
true.” Kori laughed behind her hand, and I waited for the rest of the explanation. “You see, a man
with thick, muscular thighs has extra thrusting power.” This woman was completely serious. Her face
showed no signs other than complete concentration. “Skinny guys with little legs tend to tire easy.
When a girl is getting it good, they don’t want a man who needs to pause. They need a man with,” she
held her hand out motioning to my thighs, “thrusting thighs.”

I shook my head and chuckled. These two girls and their crazy ass theories. But in all fairness, I

did ask.

“You have thrusting thighs.” I turned to Kori to find her wiggling her brows suggestively.
I leaned in closer to her ear and whispered, “Well, you have a long time of recovery, before I can

put my thrusting abilities in action.”

She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, and I could only shake my head. Last night she was in

surgery after being hit by a car, today she was talking about sex. Only Kori and Maria would be
having this conversation less than twenty-four hours after such an event.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Kori’s recovery over the next twelve weeks was hard. She was frustrated and cranky. She missed

the start of school and would be going back once she was cleared from the doctor. She hated being
cooped up on restrictions. She wanted out of the house, and she hated the physical therapy for her leg
and pelvis.

She repeatedly stated that she could come up with better ways of providing her pelvis therapy.

And yes, she did say that to the therapist. The reddened cheeks of the poor girl when she looked over
at me had me feeling slightly embarrassed for her.

But Kori pushed on and suffered through the agony. She was miserable, and most times a bear to

live with. But at the end of the day she was here with us, and that was all that mattered.

I continued to work, but I stayed close to home. Between Maria and Gemma, they were able to sit

with Kori. Rhett spent most of his days with his pappy.

After the accident and Maria’s conversation, I made a choice. I got too close to losing one of the

most precious things in my life. I would no longer waste time with negative thoughts. I took Maria’s
words and stored them. They were so meaningful, and it helped to remember them.

I called Ben and asked if I could borrow his wife. I needed a woman’s opinion. Maria would only

slip up somehow and share the secret.

Leann and I spent an entire afternoon going through ring after ring at the jeweler’s. When I was

almost to the point of saying to hell with it, it was there, back in a corner of one of the cases, and it
was perfect.

Kori was not a flashy girl. She didn’t need big diamonds and expensive things. To my girl, those

things meant nothing. She was simple and delicate.

After I looked at it and analyzed its every detail, I made the choice. That ring would be the one

Kori, my wife, would wear for the rest of her life.

***

Rhett’s second birthday was only a week away, and I took over with all the planning. We would

be having it at our house. I had the cake ordered and the decorations ready to be put up. The invites
were out, and the presents were bought. Most nights he and I snuck off to watch a movie in his room,
while Kori rested in bed.

I tried to go to bed once I knew she was already dozing off. She was vicious and determined. She

tried over and over to convince me that having sex would be okay for us. There was no way in hell I

was chancing it. Spanking it in the shower would be my routine until the doctor stated she was okay
for normal activities. I would not take the chance of hurting her in any way.

Avoiding her was my best option, because I was beginning to break. She was wearing me down,

and if I had to use our boy as a buffer, so be it.

Chapter Forty

I came home from a day of paperwork and crashed on the couch. Maria had picked up Kori that

morning and driven her to Statesboro for her checkup. I told her I would take the day off and take her
myself, but she refused. She insisted Maria take her. They had made plans to shop afterward.

Rhett was out helping his pappy tend to the horses. I took the opportunity to grab a nap before it

would be time to find something to throw together for dinner.

I woke up abruptly, shooting up off the couch, when I felt someone slide their hand up my thigh.

Kori’s sweet laughter had me spinning around to face her.

“What’s wrong? It’s been so long, you forgot what my touch feels like?” With her lips curled up in

a smile she baited me with her seductive stare.

“Maybe?” I stepped toward her, and she took a step back. “What’d the doctor say?”
“He may have cleared me.” She shrugged.
I grabbed for her wrist and tugged her back against me as she tried to walk away. “Take a ride

with me?”

“A ride? Where?” She looked back over her shoulder.
“Just out by the lake, I wanna show you something.”
Still looking at me with a puzzled expression, she agreed. I led her toward the barn. Crawling up

onto the four wheeler, I slid back, making room for her in front of me. She climbed on, and I caged
her in against my chest. I kissed her shoulder and skimmed my lips over her soft skin.

Her head rested back against my shoulder, her hair tickling my nose. I drove out to the lake and

around the back side. I came out here shortly after her accident looking for the best spot. I found it just
a few hundred feet back from the dock. There was a stretch of sprawling flat land hidden behind a
line of high grass and a couple trees. One large tree sat in the middle of it all.

Bringing the four wheeler to a stop, she looked around slowly. I knew she probably thought I was

crazy for driving out here when we could have been naked in bed by now. There was a reason I
brought her here. I wanted to show what I had been doing, when I wasn’t at work. What Rhett and I
had been building.

I noticed the very moment her eyes locked on the tree house. They immediately glistened and her

lip trembled. “You built him a tree house?” she whispered.

I shook my head lightly. “He and I worked on it.” I chuckled. “He used his play hammer and nails,

but he was out here with me.”

“It’s perfect.” She crawled from the four wheeler and took a few steps forward, staring at it in

complete awe. “You make me love you more every day,” she whispered as I stepped up behind her.

I never touched her, but instead knelt down on one knee behind her. The moment she turned around

and found me there in that very position, the tears ran heavily.

“I’ve run this through my mind, I know, at least a dozen times. I planned it all out, then changed it

again.” My hands were shaking uncontrollably, and I fisted them to hide the nervous feeling running
through me.

“I made a wish that night I saw you in my bar. I wished you could see the good in me. I wished for

forgiveness for the way I hurt you and betrayed your trust. I wished for another chance to show you
how much I love you.” I swallowed and took a deep breath. “Your happiness and Rhett’s, it’s the
most important thing to me. I live for your smiles, and his giggles. I want both of you as my forever.
You both bring out the best in me, you make everything I do have purpose.”

Kori reached out to me, running her hand through my hair before resting it against my jaw.
“I want to be your forever, Kori. I wanna stand by your side for the rest our lives.” I pulled out the

diamond ring from my back pocket and held it out before me. “If this last couple years have taught me
anything, it would be that life is so short. You have no idea when it will shift and change forever. All
those missed opportunities, never having an outcome. I don’t want to waste another moment without
you as my wife.”

Her lower lip trembled, and my throat tightened. My eyes filled with their own tears. “Kori, will

you marry me?”

She held out her hand, indicating for me to slide the ring on her finger, and I chuckled. “Baby,

aren’t you forgetting something?” Her eyes connected with mine, questioning me.

Then it hit her that she had not yet answered me. “I was screaming yes in my head,” she said and

grinned.

I shook my head and stood up, taking her face in my hands, and crushing my lips against hers.

“Yes,” she spoke against my lips. “I’ll marry you.”

I slid the ring on her finger, picking her up and spinning her around.

Chapter Forty-One

Maria walked into the house as I was gathering up the meat to take out to the grill. When she

walked around the back of me, she poked at my side. I was not very ticklish, but I did have weak
spots, my sides. I jerked sideways and almost dropped the entire plate of uncooked meat.

“What the hell?” I put a safe distance between us and kept a careful eye on her hands.
“Don’t what the hell me. You took Leann with you. To pick out a ring for my best friend, you took

Leann, instead of me.” She placed her hands on her hips and scowled at me.

“Don’t be pissed, I know how you are. You would have been proposing to her for me.”
She thought about it for a minute before she shrugged and laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
She pushed past me and walked back out front to meet everyone for the party. I could only shake

my head and laugh. Sometimes that girl exhausted me.

***

The party turned out great. Rhett once again came out looking like he had won a shopping trip at

Toys R Us. I was wondering where we were gonna fit it all.

We were sitting around the fire just out back. Leann and Ben had already gone home for the

evening. Rhett crashed early from the excitement of the party, and Kori had already put him to bed.
Everyone else had left besides Gavin and Maria.

Kori and I were snuggled in one of the loungers, and Maria and Gavin sat across the fire from us.

They sat close together and on occasion would steal a glance or share a smile.

I could feel the tension in Kori every time they inched a little closer toward one another.
“So Gavin, when is your divorce final?” Kori asked, and I could see the scowl on Maria’s face

from across the fire.

“Well, that depends on when Nicole stops trying to drag it out.” I sensed his posture had changed.

He now leaned away from Maria. The mood had just shifted, and I wanted to place my hand tightly
over my fiancée’s mouth and tell her to drop it. That wouldn’t have been the smartest idea, though.

“Is that the reason you have been going back to Savannah so often? Daddy said you went there

twice this last week.” I poked her in the side, trying to be as casual as possible. She glared at me, and
I did the same in return. I hoped it would let her know it was time to drop it.

“She, uh…” He paused and looked over at Maria. Their eyes connected before he spoke again.

“She’s trying to back out now. She says she wants to work things out.”

I watched as Maria flinched at the words. “She what? How can you work things out with her? She

screwed your boss behind your back.” He looked over at Kori and me, appearing slightly
uncomfortable.

“I never said I wanted to work things out. I said she did.”
They sat staring at one another in a silent battle. Thank you, Kori. I loved the girl, but she needed

to shut the door on this subject. It was time to move on and leave this garbage behind.

***

“What was that all about earlier? Did you have to say something in front of Maria?” I asked Kori

as I crawled into bed next to her.

“Maria asked me earlier if I knew what he was up to. Apparently he told her that he cared about

her, and once this divorce was final he wanted to see where things went between them.” She paused
while we both got comfortable and she rested her head on my chest. “He promised he was done
messing with Josie. Maria still thought he was seeing her. I was only trying to get him to talk about
what he had been doing when he left town.”

I nodded, still unsure why it had to go down like it did.
“Maria asked me to find out. She never told me how.” She shrugged.
“Oh baby, let them figure it out on their own.”
I rolled over and placed my body over hers, looking down into her beautiful eyes. “Just promise

me one thing.”

“What?” she asked.
“Promise me we’ll never reach that point. The point where we can’t talk it over and work it out.

Losing you a second time just may end me.” I kissed her lips softly and skimmed her nose with mine.

“I promise. We’re a team. You, me, and Rhett,” she assured me, and it only made me smile.
“I want more kids, lots more.” I announced.
“Lots?”
I shook my head and laughed. “Oh yeah, and I think we should start now.”
I wiggled my hips against hers, and she giggled. “I’m on the pill, it wouldn’t happen that fast.”
I changed the mood quickly and looked at her deeply. “Stop taking them. Make the one you took

tonight be your last.”

She watched my eyes for any signs of question. There were none. I loved the idea of Kori carrying

my child. The thought was humbling. I wanted to give Rhett lots of siblings. I wanted a house full of
laughter.

“We’ll talk about it more. Let’s just take one day at a time, okay?”
I nodded as I began kissing her neck and sliding my hands under her shirt. I’d drop the subject for

now. I would let her sit on it for a day or two. I knew we just got engaged, but I knew I wanted it all. I
didn’t want to miss any chances of happiness.

My next order of business would be to get her on the ball and start planning our wedding. I wanted

a short engagement.

Epilogue

6 months later

Reed

It had been almost two and a half years, and it almost felt like a dream. A dream that I never

wanted to wake up from. When I hurt Kori all those years ago, I never thought I would have the
chance to tell her how sorry I was. How every day after that I felt as if I was only half a man. Now,
each day I looked at her, each day I held her, I couldn’t believe how stupid I was. I was a fool, and
you didn’t always get second chances. Those opportunities to fix the wrongs in your life were rare.

The day Kori came back to Georgia, my heart broke for her. I had heard throughout the town about

her tragedy. All I wanted was for her to be happy, to be loved. When I saw her after that, she was so
broken, so lost. Seeing her suffer through those months was crippling. I wanted to fix something I had
no control over, and that just pissed me off.

Since then, we had grown together. We had learned to love one another again, this time so much

stronger. In the process, I gained Rhett. That little man was my major weakness. I would do anything
for him or his momma. I watched him grow from that tiny baby to a toddler full of energy. He’s such a
happy kid.

It’s been an amazing ride. Every day I thanked God this beautiful woman was able to look past my

adolescent behavior. She gave me a chance to show her I was no longer the dumb ass boy who hurt
her.

Things in our lives were about to change once again. I was waiting for her to tell me what I

already knew. She didn’t hide the test very well. The trash can was going off like a god damn beacon
this mornin’.

Now, as I sat in my truck outside the school, I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. I had talked

to her twice today, still nothing. So showing up here to meet her after school with Rhett was my plan
of attack. I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to hear those words fall from her lips.

“Momma,” Rhett blurted out as he began bouncing up and down in the truck seat, pointing toward

the school. She could still make me feel like a teenager. The raging hormones and racing heart kicked
into overdrive while I watched her approach. She was beaming when her eyes locked with mine.

“Hey, boys, this is a surprise.” I opened my truck door and stepped out, taking her in my arms for a

hug. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me softly.

Rhett made his way across the seat and Kori took him in her arms. For just being two and a half

years old, the boy was a tank. I quickly grabbed him and held him in my arms. Kori looked at me
strangely as she scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. “What was that all about?”

“He’s just heavy, I got ’em.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and shifted on her feet. “What’s going on? He was that heavy

yesterday when I carried him around, and the day before that…and the day before…” I cut her off.

“I know babe.” I grinned because, damn it, I couldn’t hold it anymore. “I know, I saw the test this

morning in the trash. I just need to hear you say it to me. I’ve waited all day to hear the words, Kori. I
can’t wait any longer.”

She bit her lower lip and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She shrugged. “I was gonna tell ya

tonight, after dinner.”

“How about you tell me now instead?” My chest tightened, and my heart raced with excitement. I

reached out for her hand and held it firmly in mine as I placed it over my heart. “I’m bursting at the
seams here, Kori.” We had never expected it to happen so soon, but damn it, I was so happy it had.

A single tear fell down her cheek as her eyes locked on mine. “I’m pregnant. We’re gonna have a

baby.”

The chills ran over my body, and I grabbed for her, pulling her close. Closing my eyes tightly, I

fought off the impending tears. “You have no idea how happy I am right now. Thank you, Kori.”

There was nothing in my life that was as great as what I was currently holding in my arms. Kori,

Rhett, and my unborn child were my world. The thought of my baby growing within her was
staggering.

We stood together, holding one another in the center of the parking lot. The moment could not have

felt more perfect.

“Let’s go out to dinner, we got something to celebrate. Rhett’s gonna be a big brother.”

Kori

Things were perfect. Reed and I would be getting married soon, and now we were growing our

little family. At first I was scared, overwhelmed. Looking at those two pinks lines set off a slight
panic within me. Things with Reed had been almost perfect.

I wasn’t sure exactly how he would feel about me getting pregnant so quickly. I had just stopped

taking the pill recently. I mean, we knew it would eventually happen, but I also thought it would take a
little time. I only held off on telling him because I had planned to confirm it at my appointment in two
days. I guessed he was more observant than I had given him credit for.

When I stepped out of the shower, I could hear him talking to Rhett in the hallway. “But it’s

bedtime, buddy. Momma and I have to work in the morning, and you go to Granny’s.”

“No sleep.”
“I know you don’t want to, but we all need to. How about I tuck you in and tell you a story? Does

that sound like a deal?” Reed tried to bargain with the determined toddler.

I finished up in the bathroom and slipped into my pajamas. I had every intention of going to Rhett’s

bedroom and offering a little help. When I got just outside his door, I stopped abruptly. Leaning
forward just enough to hear, I listened in silence.

“I didn’t know your daddy, buddy. But I know your momma loved him very much. For your

momma to love him, he had to be pretty dang special.” I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. Reed

had never made me feel like Blake couldn’t be a part of our lives. He had done his part to make sure
Rhett knew all about his daddy. This only made my love for him stronger.

“Your momma says you, my boy, are just like ’em, and you’re pretty great in my book, so that only

means that your daddy, well…he must’ve been one great guy.”

“I have two daddies, one in heaven and you,” Rhett stated.
“That’s right, and we both love you, buddy,” Reed assured him, and I slowly backed away from

the door.

“Night, Daddy Reed. I lub you.” Rhett yawned as he spoke. At that moment there was absolutely

no way I could hold back my tears. They began to fall in sheets.

It wasn’t long after I crawled into bed that Reed joined me. He looked concerned as he pulled me

against him. “What’s wrong? You feel all right?” I only nodded and wiped at the tears in my eyes.
“Why you crying?”

I looked up into his big brown eyes full of love. “I heard you talking to Rhett. It was a beautiful

conversation, and I just got emotional. You better get used to it, because I’ll cry a lot over the next
seven or eight months.” I tried to make light of the moment.

“Well then, I’ll just spend all those moments soothing you and making your tears turn into smiles.”
“I love how you love us.” I cuddled against his chest and he kissed the top of my head.
After a moment of silence I spoke again. “I’m worried about Maria. She has been really quiet

lately. Gavin left town two weeks ago, and I’m pretty sure she’s regretting letting him go. I think I
need to kidnap her and force her to talk to me.”

“You’re a good friend, babe. She’s just going through some things. Just be there for her when she

needs you, that’s all you can offer. Where did Gavin go anyway?”

“Apparently he had to go back to Savannah and try to push the divorce through. He left things

really messed up with Maria. She thought he felt a certain way, now she’s not sure. I feel horrible for
her.” He skimmed my temple with his lips and kissed me softly. “I just want her to be happy.”

“She will be, when it’s her time,” he whispered and held me just a little tighter.

Look for Maria and Gavin’s story in …

Finding Gavin

Coming in 2015

Acknowledgements

My husband and Children, you three are my world. Thank you for being the most amazing people

in my life. I love you with all my heart and thank you for making it possible for me to accomplish my
goals.

Limitless Publishing and everyone behind that name. You are all wonderful. Thank you for all your

help and hard work. You all make this process painless and worth all the energy I put behind my
books.

Dixie Thank you for all the time you put in to make our books look their finiest.
Maria Trojanowski you know what you do and for those of you who don’t let me just say she gives

me some of the greatest writing material to use. The best part about it is she does not even realize it
because the crazy things she tells me about are seriously just part of her life. Some of our
conversations are so out there…but for us they are normal. One of these days someone is going to get
ahold of our phones and ransack Voxer on our phones. You can always make me laugh and most of the
time without even trying too.

The Lovely Jillian my PA. You are without a doubt and angel. You have helped so much in the

short time I have known you. You’re a godsend and I adore you my New York Gal. You keep me in
line and give me shit when I need to get my butt moving. You know how scattered brained I am and
yet you still stick by me.

Lisa Watmough (RockWat Designs) Girl you make Swag like no other. I love your ideas and

creativity. You are always so helpful and on top of things. Thank you so much for being you. Thank
you for your friendship and kindness…you truly are SO DAMN AWSOME!

Thank you to Lydia from HEAbook ShelfBlogger. In life we are lucky enough to stumble across

those who impact our lives, small or big. You are without a doubt one of those people. A truly
exceptional Tour Host and friend. My Go to girl for Tours and promo. You have yet to disappoint
me. You always go above and beyond to make each tour its best and that is so important. As a writer
when we set up tours we look for the one person we can trust to give us what we pay for and girl you
do. In all reality you honestly do so much more. You will forever be the one I turn to for my Book
Tours. I love what you do.

All my fans and followers…Thank you all for your dedication and kind words. You all make me

want to lock myself up in a room and pump out another book just for you. Your feedback and praise
makes it all worth it.

About the Author

C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just
recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband of 14 years and two children.

You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pages/Author-CA-Harms/354791947956151

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/Charms0814

Goodreads:

www.goodreads.com/author/show/6895633.C_A_Harms

Document Outline

Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Epilogue

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