“Nothing, Z. Everything’s all good here. How’d Lily do on the flight? Have her headaches gone away?” I ask, trying to change the subject.

“How many times do I hafta tell you she’s fine before you finally believe me? She hasn’t had a headache in weeks and she was given the all-clear. Now quit stallin’. Those weren’t tears of happiness, and I could see the apprehension on your face as soon as you walked in the door.”

Sighing, I run my hand through my hair before heading to the refrigerator to grab a couple of beers. I hand him one then pop mine open. “We had the misfortune of running into Tara.”

He stops mid-drink and sets the beer down on the counter. “And let me guess? Lucy still had no idea there even was a Tara?”

I groan, leaning across the counter, trying to ignore his look of disappointment as I relay the entire encounter for him. He called this, and I brace myself for the ‘I told you so,’ but it never comes, even though I know I deserve hearing it on repeat.

“Man, I fucked up. I kept putting it off and putting it off. She gave me so many openings, but I was a little bitch and kept it all in. Part of me thought I was doing it to protect her, but I know I was being a coward.”

“Well, looks like you have your in now. I don’t really see any way around it, especially if you didn’t get a chance to explain.”

“I know, but I can’t do it here, around everyone. She asked me not to talk about it today, and since I’ve waited this long, what’s another day?”

He looks at me and just shakes his head. “Just don’t wait too long, Montgomery. That’s what got you into this mess in the first place.”

Nodding, I swallow, my chest tight. “I won’t. As soon as we get home, I’ll be an open book and tell her everything she wants to know. For now, I’ll just hope she has enough family and friends around her to keep her happy. God knows I’ll try.”

Xavier slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, man, you’ve got a good woman, and at the end of the day, no matter how upset she is, she’s always gonna have your back. You may just have to grovel a little.” He lets out a chuckle, and I wish I could share in his amusement. “Or, well, you’ll probably actually have to grovel a lot. A helluva lot, in fact.”

As much as I want to believe him, I saw the devastated look on Lucy’s face when Tara’s words sank in, and it’s killing me not to drag her upstairs to get the whole story out in the open once and for all. But like I told him, the least I can do right now is respect her wishes and try to ensure that she still enjoys herself at the baby shower. I have no fucking idea if I’ll succeed, but I’ll try like hell.


Lucy


I WAS holding it together in car fairly decently after that one tear, but when I walked in the door and saw my closest friends intermixed with my family, I couldn’t hold back the tears, and I ran for Charlie, hopefully convincing everyone that I was just overwhelmed by the fact that they’d all shown up. That’s one great thing about pregnancy. You can cry at the drop of a hat and no one bats an eyelash at it. Thanks, hormones.

As I introduced Mom, Steve, and Marisa to Knox, Lexi, Jace, and Lily, I noticed that Kale had disappeared into the back of the house with Xavier in tow. An unsettled feeling curled up in my stomach from knowing that they were probably discussing what had just happened, and the fact that Kale turned to Xavier instead of me further caused my heart to sink. Fortunately, Lily chose that moment to climb up on the couch next to me, alleviating some of my anxiety. Looking around the room, I realized I had so many people here to love and support me, so I decided to grow a pair and push all things Tara and Kale out of my mind so I could enjoy the shower.

As the shower began, Kalli insisted I sit in a chair in the middle of the room, where I could be the center of attention. I tried to protest, but she wouldn’t hear it. Xavier and Kale returned from the kitchen, and as Kale approached me, I could see the sadness in his eyes. My heart yearned to reach out and comfort him, yet at the same time I wanted to push him away. Not wanting to give anyone any clues that our relationship might be in distress, I didn’t hesitate to allow him to take my hand when he sat dutifully beside, the ever-present father-to-be.

One by one, we opened gift after gift, and my heart swelled with all the love our baby was going to have in his life. As the day went on, all thoughts of Tara were kept at bay, and I was truly able to enjoy celebrating the life of our unborn child. Often enough, I found myself genuinely smiling and laughing as I cherished each moment of the day.

After all the gifts had been opened and Mom and Ginger had scurried around the room picking up all the wrapping paper, Kale cleared his throat and turned to me. My heart leapt into my chest, nervous about what was to come. He glanced at Kaylie, who pulled a square box out of her purse and handed it to him. He looked back at me with earnest, remorseful eyes, and my gaze softened.

“Baby, I’ve been working on this for a while, and I thought today would be a fitting day to give it to you. I could never say it enough, but I’ll spend the rest of my life trying. I became a blessed man the day you walked into my life, and every day since then just further solidifies the fact that you’re the only woman for me, the only one I’ll ever love. I could never match the gift you’ve given me in Sprout. I love you more than anything.”

His words caused me to choke up, and when he handed me the box, apprehension washed over me. It was too big to be a ring box, and I was thankful for it. I don’t think I could’ve handled a proposal at the baby shower, regardless of if I had met Tara or not.

He grinned at me as I slowly opened the wrapping paper, and with him watching, I made sure to take my time. My breath caught when I lifted the top of the box. Inside was a gorgeous white-gold bracelet with several charms dangling from it. Lifting it out of the box, I held it up for closer inspection. As I looked over each of the charms, I smiled at the memories they brought forth. The charms included a ruler, a keyboard, a heart, and lastly, a little leaf. I didn’t hesitate to lean over and give Kale a kiss on the lips.

“They’re perfect,” I whispered, and I watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed hard.

“I’m glad. I can’t wait to add more in the future,” he whispered back, his eyes pleading with mine, wanting confirmation that everything will be okay.

He let out a sigh of relief when I gave him a brief nod before handing him the bracelet so he could put it on for me. The girls all moved in to fawn over it, and Charlie gave me a wicked smile when she saw the ruler, knowing exactly the meaning behind it.

After that, the guys all helped Kale load the car with everything the baby was gifted today while I sat back and chatting with the women. Even after the disaster of the morning and the emotional turmoil I was trying to keep at bay, I had a great time with our friends and blended family. She may have tried, but there was no way I was going to let Tara ruin my day.

After saying goodbye to Jace, Lexi, Knox, and Charlie as they left to head to Jace’s parents’, ready to spend the next few days on the beach, I decide to sneak a moment away for myself. Mom and Ginger are looking through childhood photos of Kale while Kalli and Marisa entertain Lily. Steve, Kale, and Xavier are engrossed in a baseball game, so I grab a bottle of water and quietly slide the back door open, making my escape. Slipping my flats off, I make my way down the steps and enjoy the feel of the sand between my toes. Using the moonlight to guide my way, I walk towards the shore and plant myself in the sand, just out of the water’s reach.

The sound of the rolling waves is soothing. Although I have a million thoughts in my mind, I allow the calming noise to relax me, so much so that my mind becomes blank, and I welcome the peace. Leaning back on my palms, I close my eyes, and the peace is short-lived as her words seep in through the back of my mind.

“It only took you three days to propose to me.”

Looking around, I find that there’s nothing but me and the moon, and for the first time today, I take advantage of my solitude by finally allowing myself to shed the tears I’ve been holding in all day. I sit up and cross my legs, wrapping my arms around my belly as the sobs silently rack through me. I don’t know exactly what it is I’m crying for, but once the tears start falling, they come in spades. As I hold on to my stomach, I realize that part of what I’m doing is grieving for Kale’s unborn child, and I wonder if he’s ever done so. Without even having met him, I couldn’t imagine a world without Sprout. Or at least the idea that he’ll be here soon. What exactly has Kale been keeping from me, and after so many opportunities, why did he continue to do so? As I try to search my brain for answers, I feel a presence beside me. I’m quick to use to my sleeve to wipe my eyes before looking to see who’s joined me.

Expecting to see Kale or maybe Marisa, I’m surprised when Kaylie sits down next to me, a beer in her hand. “You look like you could use one of these right about now,” she says, breaking the silence.

“I feel like I could use about ten,” I confess, giving a small laugh as my hands spread out across my belly. “But fingers crossed, this guy has about twenty-one more years before he gets introduced to alcohol, so I’m stuck with my water.”

“Wanna talk about it?” she offers, and I’m kind of surprised. Kalli’s always been the open, friendly sister, while Kaylie’s always been much more reserved. “I know I don’t come across as the most sensitive person, but with a sister like Kalli, I have a pretty good listening ear.”

Sighing, I pick at the sand next to my foot, not sure that Kaylie’s the person for me to talk to about this. At the same time, I realize she may be able to give me some insight. After taking a long swig of my water, I stare out at the black waves of the ocean and decide to let it all out.

“I met Tara today.” She lets out a low whistle. “The thing is, I had no idea there was a Tara before today.”

“That fucking idiot,” I hear Kaylie mutter under her breath. I turn to look at her, and she just shrugs. “That must’ve been quite a shock.”

“That’s an understatement. At first I thought I was just meeting the nice woman who made my baby shower cake, and then seconds later, I felt like I was being blindsided by a woman who claimed to have once been engaged to Kale. And…I just don’t know. She said some other things that have my mind working in overdrive, and I just don’t know what to think anymore. Kale’s had a year and a half, or at least eight months, to tell me about it, and I had to find out from her? And on top of that, I don’t even know what exactly I found out.”

“Look, I know I acted cool at Thanksgiving, and I want you to know it had nothing to do with you and more to do with worrying about Kale. I was there for him after everything happened with Tara, and to say he was a mess is an understatement. None of us ever thought he’d settle down again until he brought you home. And I was scared for him. But while it’s not my place to talk about what happened, I can assure you one thing. You’re no Tara.”

“Yeah, but here’s the thing. I don’t even know what that means. She could’ve been the love of his life, the one he let get away, and hearing that I’m not her? It’s not exactly reassuring.”

A low chuckle escapes her lips. “My brother really is an idiot. I don’t know why Kale didn’t tell you about Tara, but my guess is it’s because he didn’t want her toxicity to infect your relationship. That’s who Tara is. She’s a toxic human being who hurts everyone she claims to love. I, for one, am glad she’s been out of Kale’s life for a very long time.” She pauses as she brings the beer bottle to her lips. “And let me tell you, Lucy. I know my brother, and he looks at you in a way he never looked at her. That right there is what scared me at Thanksgiving. I knew how torn apart he was with what happened with Tara, but I knew deep down in my soul that if he ever lost you, the devastation would be beyond repair.”

I find solace in her words, even if they do bring on more questions than answers. Something about the way she holds her brother in high regard has me trusting her, even if it still hurts being kept in the dark.

“And what about now? Do you think he’ll ever let me all the way in?” I hold my breath in anticipation of her answer.

“That’s something you’re going to have to ask him. But I promise you, if Kale kept it from you, he had his reasons. Just trust that he loves you, and he loves that little guy, too.”