Tessa Teevan - Inflame

Leaning across the counter I give her a kiss on the cheek. “I know, and I love you for it. But you know what I mean. I’m just ready for him to be here, to hold him in my arms. A tangible, living, breathing little human being.” As I continue to make her sauce from the recipe I know by heart, I feel her eyes on me. Looking up, I catch her gaze and know what’s coming. “No, I haven’t and I don’t want to talk about it.”

She rounds the island and places a hand on my arm. “Kale, don’t you think you’ve waited long enough? She’s bound to find out, and it needs to come from you.”

Turning to look at her, I shrug my shoulders in defeat. “I know, and I promise I plan on telling her. It’s just that… I’ve waited too long, I think, and I know telling her will just upset her, which is the last thing I want to do in her condition. I don’t know why it matters anyway. It doesn’t change anything between us. It’s just a horrible piece of my past that I’m trying to shield her from for as long as I can.”

“Okay, Kale. I understand, and I’ll respect that. But I have a feeling Lucy’s stronger than you’re giving her credit.”

Wrapping my arm around Mom, I give her shoulders a squeeze. “Thanks, Mom, and trust me. I know how strong she is, but I’m just trying not to stress her out. Can you get that?”

She looks up at me and nods before moving back to the pasta. She changes the subject to baby names, and I breathe out a sigh of relief as I silently pray that I can get through the rest of the weekend without it coming up again.

I’M NOT surprised when Lucy’s ready to turn in early. Her energy levels have been slowly decreasing the closer we get to her due date. Dinner was uneventful, even after Kaylie showed up in a rush halfway through, muttering apologies and giving greetings all at once before settling in for Mom’s homemade lasagna. After dinner, Steve and I watched a baseball game while the women all talked about childbirth, and I did my best to tune them out. I had to laugh when Steve commented that it was a damn good thing I was having a boy, and as much as I love all the women in my life, I couldn’t disagree for a second.

Now that we’re lying in bed, I’m feeling restless beside Lucy, and as much as I try to calm my shaking leg, I can’t.

She turns to face me, bringing her own leg up in between mine in an effort to stop me, and it mildly helps. “Why are you so anxious tonight, Kale?” she asks, looking directly at me.

“To be honest, I’m not really sure. I guess with the baby shower finally happening, I’m getting more and more ready for the due date. This is the last big thing before he’s here, and I’m more than ready to meet our little guy.”

A slow smiles forms across her lips. “Trust me. If anyone’s ready, it’s me. And don’t think I didn’t notice the way your mom put Metamucil in my water tonight. Did you tell her about my threat, Kale Montgomery?” She grins at the guilty look on my face and gives me a playful slap on arm. “Oh my God, you did! That is so embarrassing.”

She hides her face in my chest as I laugh at her. “You think that’s embarrassing? She started telling me a story about when she was pregnant with the twins, and I almost wasn’t able to stop her from spilling all the juicy details.”

“She didn’t,” she gasps, trying to contain a fit of giggles, but they break loose when I nod. “Okay, you win. That is worse.”

Her laughter dies down as she lies on her side, the only way she can sleep these days. My chest presses against her back as I hold her close.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” I whisper, stroking her hair just below her ear. I feel her inhale as she nods. “Do you think Kalli has a thing for Xavier?”

She lets out her breath and turns her head back towards me. “What? I’ve never even seen them in the same room together, so how would I know?” she asks, and I realize she’s right.

I’ve been thinking about Mom’s suggestion about the two of them since dinner. Part of me wonders if she really is thinking of moving to Tennessee. I decide to corner her this weekend to ask, but I’ll make sure to leave Xavier out of the conversation.

“I don’t know. I thought maybe she would’ve said something to you with all the texting you two do.”

“Hmm… Well, she was shaken up after Lily’s accident, but I figured that was just because she’s your goddaughter. Other than that, I really have no idea. But come to think of it, they would make a pretty cute couple.”

“You think? I don’t know. He’s six years older than she is. Plus he has a kid and had to grow up a lot sooner than most guys,” I mention, not sure if Kalli’s quite mature enough to deal with someone like Xavier.

“Oh, that’s not that bad. It’s not like she’s eighteen and a senior in high school. She’s an educated adult. The true question would be if Xavier could handle a whirlwind like Kalli. I don’t know, but it’d be fun to watch.”

“It’s probably nothing. Just a hunch Mom had from Christmas,” I tell her, putting the subject to rest. “Now tell me. What do you think about the name Blake Russell Montgomery?”

She wrinkles her nose at me, twisting her lips as she thinks it over. “I like Blake, but Russell? Not so much.”

“Oh, come on. Think about it. He’d be B. Russell “Sprout” Montgomery.” I start cracking up as I watch her play it over in her mind, and I recognize the second it dawns on her.

“Oh my gosh, I’m about to revoke all your baby naming privileges, Kale Montgomery,” she says as she turns away from me and fluffs her pillow.

“Hey, that was funny!” I tell her, and she just shakes her head.

“You are such a moron sometimes.”

“Yeah, but you love me,” I say, sliding my hand under her shirt to rest on her belly.

She lets out a slow sigh, and I can hear the smile in her voice. “Yeah, I love you. Corny foodie jokes and all.”

Lucy

I STRETCH as the sun shines through the window and realize I’m in bed alone. Glancing at my phone, I see that it’s after ten in the morning and jump out of bed so I can get ready for the day. It’s going to be a very informal baby shower with just my family and Kale’s, but I still want to look my best because, knowing Mom, there will be gobs of pictures taken.

When I finally emerge from the bedroom, I’m freshly showered with my blonde curls hanging loose down my back. I’ve been fortunate to have flawless skin throughout the pregnancy, and I keep it simple by adding bronzer to my cheeks and just a few swipes of mascara to my lashes, perfecting the look with a pale pink gloss.

Kale’s eyes widen when he sees me as I walk down the stairs. I’m wearing a charcoal-gray wrap dress with a V-neck to show off just how much pregnancy’s changed my now full breasts. The wrap sits just above my bump, effectively highlighting it, and even at eight months pregnant, I feel sexy. It took Charlie and me forever to find the perfect dress for the shower, but when Kale reaches me and pulls me into his arms, I know I picked the right one.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, baby,” he whispers in my ear. “And if we had more time, I’m be taking you back upstairs to unwrap you myself.”

I melt into his arms, about to tell him baby shower be damned, but I pull back when I hear a throat clearing behind us. Turning to see Ginger beaming at us, I give her a sheepish smile as I bury my face in the crook of Kale’s arm, causing him to laugh.

“Morning, Lucy. How are you feeling?” she asks.

When I turn back to her, she hands me a glass with a green liquid that I know must be her famous ginger-kale concoction. Taking a sip, I allow the cool liquid to run down my throat before answering.

“I’m still a little tired from the trip yesterday and my back’s killing me, but I’m no worse for wear. Just a few more weeks, right?” I say with more optimism than I’m feeling. Kale’s hand comes up to rub my back as he tries to soothe the soreness.

Ginger gives me a wink then smiles at her son. “It’ll all be worth it in the end, I promise. Once this one was born, I completely forgot all the mornings spent rushing to the toilet.”

Kale grimaces as I down the rest of the juice. “Okay, no more talk about pregnancy and bodily functions for the rest of the day. I want to enjoy this shower, not run away screaming.”

Patting his cheek, Ginger nods then takes the glass from me. “Can you two do me a favor?” she asks. “The twins are off picking up, umm, a package, and I’m still trying to get everything ready with Marcy. Do you mind running to the bakery to grab the cake? I ordered it specifically like you wanted but didn’t get a chance to pick it up this morning before everyone woke up.”

I look at Kale and shrug my shoulders, not minding getting out of the house for a while.

“Sure, Mom. Not a problem,” he tells her, and she hands him a piece of paper with all the information.

When we pass through the living room, Steve and Riss call out good mornings, and my sister is quick to cover whatever she’s wrapping. “No peeking, Lucy!” she exclaims, exasperation lacing her tone.

I’m thankful they’re here, even more thankful that Ginger opened up her home to them so they could spend the weekend with me and Kale.

“Okay, okay. I’m leaving. Just know if it’s any sort of crazy noisemaker, there will be payback one day.” Steve’s eyes widen with alarm, and I choke back my laughter. “You know, fifteen, twenty years from now.”

Shaking his head, Kale pulls me outside, and we settle in his car. He takes the scenic route, pointing out his old school and his favorite spot on the beach, and I enjoy the ride as the cool breeze whips through my hair.

When we pull up to the bakery, he leans in and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Be right back, babe,” he says and hops out of the car. I watch as he jogs into the store.

The cake must not be ready, because five minutes later, he still hasn’t returned to the car. The baby’s chosen this morning to be pushing onto my bladder, and if I don’t get to a bathroom soon, I’m going to have to change my dress.

I wait another minute or two until I can no longer stand it. Getting out of the car as gingerly as I can, I make my way inside the store, holding my belly and my bladder as I pray that there’s a bathroom inside.

Kale turns to look at me as the door chimes, and I barely notice the stern look on his face. “Bathroom?” I ask desperately, and the woman behind the register points to the back of the room. I let out a quick thank-you and sigh with relief when I find it empty.

Kale

“CAN I help you?” the person behind the register asks as the man in front of me moves away.

I’m looking down at my phone. Xavier just texted me that everyone’s at the house, and I don’t look up. “Yeah, order for Montgomery.”

As I look up, I hear a sharp intake of breath, which I echo when my eyes meet hers. Shaking my head, I can hardly believe my bad luck. Standing in front of me is Tara Jennings. I look out at the car and see Lucy fidgeting, and I’m more than anxious to pay and be on my way.

“Hey, Kale,” she says hesitantly.

Tapping my wallet on the counter, I motion to the register. “Let’s not do this, Tara. I just want to get my cake and get out of here.”

She gives me a scowl but turns to the shelf behind her and finds the box with my name on it. Setting it in front of me, she checks out the design, her eyes darting up to mine. “Who’s expecting?” she asks curiously, and when I glance back to the car again, her eyes follow mine. She nods in understanding and moves to ring up the cake.

Her eyes widen when the door chimes, and I turn to see who’s just entered. My worst nightmare is about to come true as I watch Lucy shuffle in, her eyes frantically searching mine. My heart sinks, knowing that the jig is up and I can’t keep her separated from my past, but instead, she asks for the bathroom and gives Tara a grateful look when she points her in the direction. She closes the door behind her, and I move to pay as quickly as I can.

“She’s beautiful, Kale,” Tara admits, but there’s something underlying in her voice that I don’t like.

“She’s the most breathtaking woman I’ve ever seen,” I counter, causing her to bristle.

“When are you due?”

Rolling my eyes, I hand over my card, ready for this to be over. “Tara, like I said, let’s not do this. We aren’t friends. We aren’t anything. And the last person I want to talk about this with is you.”

“Kale, don’t be like that. We were something once upon a time. Don’t act like we weren’t.”