Chapter Twenty-Two

Darby

I unpacked my things, thankful we were only staying one night. Trex had returned from Hailey’s room, unconcerned about his clothes wrinkling. Or, at least, he wouldn’t let me unpack his duffel bag for him. The whole day had been one awful discovery and disagreement after another. I wasn’t used to being given a choice. When I lived with my parents, it was always Mom’s rules. When I lived with Shawn, there was only what he wanted, expected, and believed. No discussions, no debate, no consideration of my feelings.

Trex waited for me patiently on the bed, quiet and maybe a little sullen.

“Do you think,” I began, “the reason today has been so hard is because we’re getting to know each other, and it’s not working out?”

Trex paled. He looked exhausted and miserable from all the arguing.

“I don’t want to fight,” I said, holding up my hands. “It’s just something that crossed my mind, and I’d appreciate your honesty. This is normally when people figure each other out, if they’re compatible with each other. Maybe…maybe we just want different things. Maybe that’s why it’s been so hard.”

“We want the same things. We just want them at different times. The pregnancy makes me feel everything is on the clock. And now that I know about this other guy…Rick, or Derek, or whatever the hell his name is…it feels that much more urgent. I get it, Darby. I do. You just got a taste of freedom and that’s all I’ve known for sixteen years. You want to be independent, and I’m ready to settle down. We haven’t been honest with each other, even if it was for good reason. But that doesn’t mean we’re not working out. It means forgiveness and compromise.”

“Is there a compromise?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Moving in. The truth about the baby. Is a compromise possible?”

He grinned, his eyes still tired. “I love you for asking.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve screwed up a lot. I can understand the lack of trust. But you gotta know I’m in this. If this ship went down, I’d go down with it.”

“And I understand why you did what you did.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I truly am. If I could take it back, I would.”

“Me, too. So…okay. Let’s do it.”

“Let’s…do it?” he asked. “You mean you’ll move in?” He tried to read me like he always did. “Don’t mess with me, Darby. This is important.”

“You were right. I’m still afraid. I’m still back in that house, waiting for him to get home, I…It’s an excuse. I’m pushing you away, and you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” I looked at him. “And I don’t want to lose you.”

He stood and held me tight, kissing the top of my head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He cupped my face in his hands, putting his lips on mine in the way only he could, making me feel safe and loved without condition. No one had ever loved me as much as Trex. I pulled him closer, allowing his tongue to slip into my mouth. He slid his hand beneath my cotton dress, between my thighs, and just as his fingertips slipped under the hem of my panties, Susanne called for us from the living room.

He groaned in frustration. I pressed my forehead against his chest with a smile, and then he led me to the living room, where his parents and Hailey were already sitting.

Hailey put her cell phone away and sat forward, a bright smile on her face. “When are you due?” she asked.

“Hailey Joy,” Susanne scolded.

Hailey didn’t seem to notice. “I’m going to be an aunt!” She clapped her hands together once.

“February first,” Trex said, squeezing my hand.

“So,” Susanne said, trying a smile. “Where did you meet?”

I waited for Trex to answer. I wasn’t sure what he wanted them to know.

He cleared his throat. “She works at the hotel I’m staying at.”

“I thought you bought a house?” Scott said. His words oozed condescension. He wanted so badly to be better than his son.

“We close on it next week.”

“Mom says it’s nice. And really big. Can I help you decorate the nursery?” Hailey asked.

I hadn’t even thought about that. In the back of my mind, I knew a crib would be necessary, but a crib wouldn’t fit in the hotel room. Not even a small one. And Bean had a nice big room of her own waiting at Trex’s new house. I was suddenly relieved. Trex had fixed it before it was even a problem.

“That would be nice, thank you,” I said.

Hailey clapped with excitement. Trex glanced at me, trying not to smile.

“You’re in hospitality?” Susanne asked, standing. She fetched a plate of baked goods and brought them over. “Hailey, get the lemonade.”

“I work the front desk,” I said, taking a small, round oatmeal-and-raisin cookie and a tiny lemon square.

“How long ago did you meet?” Scott asked, looking down at my baby bump.

Trex touched my belly. “At least four and a half months ago.”

Hailey giggled. Scott and Susanne weren’t amused.

“I don’t see a ring,” Scott said.

“No, you don’t,” Trex said.

“You’re not getting married?” Hailey asked, surprised.

“Not right now,” Trex said.

“Not ready for that kind of commitment, but you’re bringing a baby into this world. Makes sense,” Scott said.

“Dad,” Trex began, already annoyed, “marriage is a piece of paper. There is no stronger bond than a child.”

“The Bible says—” Susanne began.

“To submit to one another out of reverence for Christ,” I said.

“You’re familiar with the Word,” Scott said. “Then you’re familiar with First Corinthians seven, verse eight and nine.”

“Where Paul tells the unmarried and widows to abstain or marry? Yes, I’m familiar.”

Scott seemed impressed. That was why Trex wasn’t jumping in. He knew they were about to find out their atheist son had impregnated a God-fearing woman. And somehow, that would turn a sinful act into a grandchild to be excited about.

“Which church do you attend in Colorado Springs?” Susanne asked.

“I don’t. Up until recently I’ve been working sixteen-hour days,” I said.

“On Sundays?” Scott asked.

“On Sundays, she rests,” Trex said. “She’s prayed about it, Dad. Even god rested on the seventh day.”

Scott narrowed his eyes. “How exactly is this going to work? With you being a Christian and Scottie an atheist.”

I shifted in my seat, taking a sip of my lemonade. “We’ve discussed it.”

“Are you okay with your child growing up with atheist influences?” Scott asked.

“Better than her growing up without a father,” I said.

Scott nearly snarled. “I’m not sure He would agree. He is the only father we need if we’re without a godly influence, and the Bible very plainly says that if anyone causes little ones to stumble in the path to God, it is better to hang a millstone around their neck and be thrown into the sea,” Scott said, puffing up with each verse he spewed.

“You’re right, that’s a serious threat,” I said. “I don’t think that means a child would be better off without a good father. The Lord isn’t going to make her breakfast or take her to soccer practice.”

Trex stifled a chuckle.

“Daddy,” Hailey said, disappointed. “Stop it. Scottie will be a great dad.”

“Scottie,” Susanne said in a motherly tone. “It’s important for you now more than ever to return to God. You want the best for your child, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. And it’s so fortunate for her that she’s born right here in the United States where Christianity is the primary religion, and she can worship the one true god.”

Susanne frowned. “No need for sarcasm, Scottie. We say this because we love you. It’s our duty to witness the truth to those we love.”

“I know,” Trex said. “But Darby and I have decided to respect each other’s beliefs, and we’ll do the same for our daughter.”

Hailey held her hands to her mouth. “You’re sure it’s a girl?”

I smiled and nodded, and Trex dug an ultrasound photo from his back pocket, standing and leaning forward to hand it to Hailey. She stared at it for a moment, and then Susanne leaned to the side, pointing out features.

Susanne smiled, the first real one she’d managed since we arrived. “Oh my. Would you look at that pretty little girl. I think she’s going to have your nose, Scottie.”

Trex grinned and squeezed my hand. “You think?”

Susanne took the photo from Hailey to show Scott. It took him a full minute to soften up, but when Susanne pointed out Bean’s feet, he finally cracked a smile. “She looks like a Trexler,” he said.

We sat down to dinner, talking about normal things like Hailey’s homecoming date and the weather. Trex talked more about the new house, and he pulled up pictures of it on his cell phone. I tried not to seem too excited or surprised as I scrolled through the pictures. Trex’s family assumed I’d seen the house already. Then I ran across several of us together. Mostly selfies, and a few of just me.

“That’s a good one,” Susanne said. “You should frame that.”

“That was our…fourth date.”

“Pasta,” I said.

He chuckled. “Pregnant girls remember by food.”

“She was pregnant by your fourth date?” Scott asked.

“Our first, actually,” Trex said without shame.

Scott frowned.

Trex went back to the photos of the house, pausing on one photo, pointing out the plush carpet of the living area. “Look at all that room to crawl,” he said. He scrolled to another pic. “This is the office across the hall from the master suite. Perfect place for a nursery.”

I nodded, then looked at him. “It is.”

The corners of his mouth curved up. He looked so different than he did an hour before in the car. His face had been heavy with pain, uncertainty, worry. Now he was relieved and happy.

“That was a fine dinner, Susanne. Thank you,” Scott said, pushing away from the table. “I have Sunday’s sermon to study. It was good to see you, son.”

Trex nodded once, staring at the table while his father retreated to wherever he studied for sermons. As soon as Scott was gone, Trex continued the conversation, the air lighter than it had been just moments before.

“Thanks for dinner, Mom. It was great.”

Susanne smiled. “Made all your favorites. I’m hoping it will convince you to come home more often.”

She stood, gathering the dirty dishes, and the rest of us helped, the plates clattering as we cleared the table within minutes. The kitchen was once again a center of activity, the faucet on full blast, steam rising from the single basin.

Trex took a dish towel from Hailey, but I shooed him out of the kitchen.

“I can help,” he said with a chuckle.

“We’ve got this,” Hailey said. “Beat it.”

Trex held up his hands. “I guess I’ll take a shower.”

“Hailey, don’t forget your homework, now.”

“It’s done, Mom.”

Susanne nodded, passing me a dish to dry. “I’ve never had to worry about this one. That one”—she gestured to the hall—“all we’ve done is worry. How far along did you say you were?”

“Twenty weeks and a few days.”

“Halfway mark,” Susanne said, scrubbing a pot. “I’m surprised. Trex isn’t a kid. I just thought of him as more…street smart, I guess.”

“Mom,” Hailey warned.

“I know, I know. I don’t mean anything by it. I’m glad he’s home. He doesn’t visit much since he decided, you know, that he doesn’t believe in God.”

“It must be hard for him,” I said, looking down at the plate in my hand. I moved the microfiber rag over its dry surface while waiting for Susanne to hand me the pot she’d been scrubbing. The plate had been dry for a solid minute, but I needed something to do with my hands. “To know he’s disappointed you.”

“Oh, I don’t think that bothers him,” Susanne said, smiling out the window over the sink. It was pitch black outside, so I wondered what she found funny. “Sometimes I wonder if he’s just doing it to get back at his father.”

“For what?” Hailey asked.

“You just never mind,” Susanne said. She looked at my bump. “He has a history of doing things he knows would upset his father. Ever since he was little. I mean since he could walk. It’s hard for two strong-minded men to be under the same roof.”

“Daddy pushes Scottie’s buttons, too, Mom.”

“I’m not saying Dad’s innocent,” Susanne said. Her voice sounded tired. “There’s a lot of animosity there that I just don’t understand. I don’t think they do, either.”

“He loves you, though,” I said. “He was looking forward to coming home.”

She finally passed me the pot. “His sister has always been the apple of his eye. He comes home to see her when he can.”

It bothered me that she wouldn’t admit Trex was abused, but I decided to leave it alone. Trex hadn’t talked much about his parents, and it wasn’t my place to try to heal them. What had happened scarred Trex enough to keep him away for months and years at a time, despite his strong love for Hailey, and maybe it was too long ago to heal. I knew exactly what that felt like. Even the thought of trying to fix the pain between my mom and me was exhausting.

“Have you been feeling all right?” Susanne asked.

“The morning sickness was pretty brutal. I’ve been feeling better and I’m back to one shift at work, so everything feels easier.”

“Good. That’s good. I know my pregnancy with Hailey was a lot tougher than the first time. Maybe it was because I was so much older, who knows?” She dried her hands on her dish-towel apron. “Thanks for the help. I hope you’ll keep us updated. Our first grandbaby and all.”

“Yes. Of course,” I said, hoping the guilt I felt wasn’t all over my face. “Good night.”

“C’mon,” Hailey said, grabbing my hand and leading me out of the kitchen.

Hailey collapsed in a chair in Trex’s bedroom. The shower was running in the bathroom across the hall. I leaned against the headboard of the bed, waiting for Trex to get out of the shower. He had talked about Hailey a lot, and he was right. She lit up the room. She was so innocent and full of life, and even seemed to have influence over her parents Trex had never enjoyed. It was hard to believe they had the same parents.

Hailey yawned. “Trex hasn’t come home in a long time. I’m glad he has a reason to now. Maybe I’ll get accepted to CSU, and I’ll be even closer and can visit a lot. I mean, if that’s okay.”

“Of course it’s okay. You’re welcome anytime.”

“Really?” she asked, sitting up.

I nodded, surprised at her surprise.

She smiled. “Cool. I didn’t think he was ever going to find you, but I’m so glad he did.”

“You mean his theory about being in love with me before he met me.”

“I don’t know,” she lilted. “You don’t look like a theory to me. He’s talked about you since high school. He described you and everything. That’s why he’s never been serious about any girlfriend, even Laura. He knew he’d find you. We all thought he was delusional or just making an excuse, but…here you are.”

“He described me?”

“Yep. More like who you are as a person, but he wasn’t wrong.”

“That’s…”

“Creepy?” Hailey said with a giggle.

“No, it’s sort of…comforting. No wonder he’s not freaked out by the whole pregnancy and house like I am. He’s had time to process it.”

She shrugged. “You shouldn’t be worried about Scottie. I see how he looks at you. He’s a goner.”

“I am,” he said from the doorway. His hair was still wet, his face shiny clean. He was in a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, his hands in the pockets and standing in his bare feet. I could smell the combination of his body wash and deodorant, and I filled my lungs with it. Trex had become my favorite smell in the world, my favorite person, my favorite night out. “Shower’s open. Still hot water left.”

“Thank you,” I said, gathering my things.

Trex followed me into the bathroom, showing me how the shower worked. I began to unbutton my blouse and Trex leaned his back against the door, a half grin on his face.

“Thanks for saying that.”

“What did I say?” I asked.

“All of it. I’m not sure how quick you meant when you said you’re okay with moving in, but I’d still like your help with the nursery.”

“You were serious? You’re going to make the office into a nursery?”

“Yes,” he said, straight-faced. “We’ll need a roomful of stuff for her. A crib, diapers, wipes, sheets, toys…”

I shrugged. “Then as soon as the house is ready, I guess.”

He smiled. “That’s an incentive if I’ve ever heard one.”

“It almost felt too easy to say yes.”

“Not everything is too good to be true, Darby.”

“I know. You’re right. I keep resisting and arguing because it feels so…easy. And easy should be a good sign, not a red flag. Just like you said…we love each other. We should be a family. Bean should live in the home you bought for us—if you still want us to after all the fuss I made today—in a nice neighborhood, and if something happens, if for some crazy reason it doesn’t work out…I know you’ll be kind.”

He laughed once. “If I still want you to,” he repeated. He took the few steps to me, wrapping me in his arms, kissing me tenderly. He smelled so good, his hands so warm. I wanted them everywhere, all over me at the same time like a blanket. “I want you to move in with me. I want you to help me pick out furniture, and paint, and dishes, and make this house our home. I want you. And her”—he touched my stomach—“and anyone else who comes along. Ten years ago, the first day we met, four months later, forty years from now…I’ll still feel the same. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”

Trex reached down to pinch the bottom hem of my skirt, and then tugged it down till it was on the floor. He stared at me for a while, his eyes, full of desire, scanning my bare skin.

I touched my rounding belly, feeling I should mention the obvious before he thought it. “Getting big.”

The muscles in his arm tensed when he reached behind me to open the shower door to turn the knob. As the water whined through the pipes and began to stream from the nozzle, Trex’s fingertips slid over my stretched skin like silk. “I have never seen a woman so beautiful.”

He pulled his T-shirt over his head, took off his sweatpants, then he turned us, stopping when his back was to the shower. He slowly walked backward, pulling on my hands to follow until we were both under the steady stream of water just hot enough that it didn’t burn. It rained over the top of our heads as he touched his lips to my shoulder and neck, his hands sliding over my curves, his fingers stopping between my thighs like he’d been longing for them to return to that spot since the last time they were there. My breath faltered.

He hooked my knee at his hip and rocked against me, moving his hand to glide his hardness over my tender skin. I reached down, using him to touch myself. He cupped my backside, looking down at where our bodies met. His lips were on mine again, and our tongues danced where our mouths met. He kissed me differently than he had before, a little less careful, as if he finally felt like we belonged to each other and any doubts he’d had were gone. I put my hands on each side of his neck, pulling him closer, letting my fingers slide back through his wet hair. He’d told me so many times that I was his everything, and for the first time, I truly knew he was the one for me. I could feel everything broken inside me getting put back together as I fell more in love with him within the walls of that shower. I gave myself to him in more ways than one, because I wanted him to have me, not because he took what wasn’t his.

He turned me away from him, bending me forward slightly, using one hand to reach around and touch me, the other to guide himself inside. I pressed my forehead against the wet shower wall, closing my eyes at the exquisite feeling of his hardness entering me, trying to strangle the moan building in my throat. He pulled back, and my insides held him tight, the resistance sending a sharp but pleasurable sensation throughout my body. I wasn’t sure if it was pregnancy or Trex, but everything was more intense with him. He whispered in my ear that I was beautiful, and how much he loved me, his wet thighs lightly slapping against my backside as he fell into a slow rhythm.

Trex’s fingers slowly slid over my most sensitive skin, in tune to the way certain motions made me writhe under his touch. It hadn’t taken him long to figure me out, and he exploited that knowledge in the best way. The fingers of his free hand dug into my hip, pulling me closer, and I arched my back just slightly, allowing him to submerge himself. A low, subdued hum emanated from his throat, and I could feel my body tighten around his penis even more. He was struggling to stay quiet, gently biting my shoulder. Even from behind, he made love to me, another first I’d experienced with Trex. He reached for my jaw, turning me to face him, sliding his finger into my mouth. I closed my lips, using my teeth to keep it in place, and tonguing his finger with the smallest bit of suction. Trex’s rhythm slowed, and he held me close to him, concentrating on his fingers between my thighs. He kissed my neck, moving inside me in small circles, heightening the sensation. I whimpered, and he covered my mouth, allowing me to come how I wanted. The orgasm swept over me like a tsunami, wave after wave, rendering me helpless until it was over.

Once my body relaxed, Trex gripped my hips with both hands, sliding himself into me deep, and then pulling away, his rhythm faster than before. I flattened my palms against the shower wall, jutting out my backside to again give him full access. His fingers tightening around my hips, a strangled moan trapped in his throat. He rocked into me twice more, pausing between, his entire body tense for a few seconds before he hugged me against him, pressing his cheek against mine, breathing hard.

I looked over my shoulder to smile at him, my wet hair plastered against my shoulder. Trex pulled the strands in his way to the side. “It’s hard to believe,” he said. “For someone like me, who’s done what I’ve done, to get everything I’ve ever wanted.” He turned me around and cupped my face with his hands, brushing specks of water from under my eyes with his thumbs.

“It’s hard for me to believe that I’m all you’ve ever wanted.”

He kissed my cheek and slowly turned me around again.

I laughed. “Really?”

He chuckled, reaching for the shampoo. He poured some into his palm, rubbed his hands together, and began to massage it into my hair. “Did you know that I used to have nightmares every night? I’d wake up soaked in sweat. I don’t do that on the nights I stay with you. If my mind wanders to things that happened, I just replace them with thoughts of you or our future, or the day I meet Bean.”

“I didn’t realize the FBI was so intense. I’m glad it’s getting easier.”

He paused, thinking about his next words. “Not easier. Better. The dreams have haunted me for years, and I automatically default to thoughts of you when they come. I know you deciding to trust me with this wasn’t easy. It might even be going against every instinct you’ve built over the years. I admit I’m feeling impatient because I’ve been waiting so long for you. I’ve had over a decade to prepare for this, and I forget it’s all new for you. I want this more than anything, and nothing makes me happier than knowing we’re buying our first house together. I know this is the best thing for Bean, but…”—he sighed—“I also don’t want to pressure you into anything you’re not ready for. Either way, we’ll make it work. So, you tell me what you want—really—and I’ll support you. I’ll help you get an apartment, and we can work it in a way that’s comfortable to you. That said, if you really do want to move in together, I’m making you a promise right now. I’ll spend every second of every day proving to you that I’m not him, or your mom, or anyone else you thought loved you. Even if you’re mad at me.”

“Even if I yell at you?”

“Even then.”

I turned to face him. “I am sorry I yelled.”

He kissed my forehead. “Not half as sorry as I am for making you cry. I never want to do that again.”

I leaned back, letting the water rinse the suds from my hair, and Trex kissed my neck, stepping closer to me.

I wrapped my arms around him. “I’m beginning to think it’s just a turn-on for you to have sex with your parents down the hall.”

“I’m not even going to lie. Unauthorized sex is the best.”

I giggled against his mouth. “You sound like a soldier.”

We went for a quick second round and then dried off, dressed, and returned to his bedroom.

“Hailey,” Trex said, surprised. “You’re still here.”

She arched an eyebrow. “You forgot about me, didn’t you? No wonder she’s pregnant.”

“Hailey!” he half scolded, half laughed at her.

I sat on the bed, feeling sheepish. Trex sat next to me, and I listened to him laugh and reminisce with his little sister, and watched his eyes light up when Hailey asked about baby names. He told her about the game we’d played on the way to Kansas, and she seconded his favorites.

She clapped, her hands in front of her mouth. “I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt. Aunt Hailey. I will be the best aunt! Wait. Am I the only one? Do you have sisters?”

Trex looked to me.

“I have a brother,” I said. “Had. I had a brother.”

Hailey’s smile vanished. “He died?”

I nodded. “We were in a car accident. My dad was in the car, too.”

“Is he okay?”

I shook my head.

“That’s awful,” Hailey said, genuine shock and sadness in her voice. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“It was a long time ago,” I said.

“It doesn’t matter. It might not be an open wound, but it leaves a scar,” she said.

“Wow, Bells, that’s pretty profound,” Trex said, impressed.

“Bells?” I asked with a smile.

She rolled her eyes. “Hailey. Hay bale. HayBells. Bells. That was the natural progression, anyway.” She rested her cheek on her hand. “Can I babysit?”

“We’ll see,” Trex said. “I honestly can’t imagine leaving her with anyone.”

“We’ll have to at some point,” I said. “I have to go back to work.”

He wrinkled his nose. “I make great money. Why would you need to leave her with a stranger so you can go back to work? The hotel is closing, anyway.”

I arched an eyebrow.

Hailey stood. “This is why you don’t get pregnant early in the relationship. You two clearly have a lot to work out still.”

Trex glared at her.

“On that note…”

“Good night,” Trex said, not at all sweet or brotherly.

“Night!” Hailey lilted.

Trex looked at me, seeming exhausted again. “We do, don’t we? Have a lot to work out.”

“I guess that’s the trouble with doing this too quick.”

“It doesn’t matter. Now or over time, we’ll have to figure it out, anyway.” He looked down. “I’m just now realizing how naïve I was, thinking it would be easy. I’d found you, you happened to be pregnant. No problem, I take care of you and the baby, and we live happily ever after.”

“It sounds great in theory.”

“It was a fantasy, I guess. I assumed you’d want to stay home with her. I’d come home to you two, and we’d spend the evenings together. But you need a certain amount of space and independence, and I get that.”

“Maybe I can find something to do from home. Like sell lipstick or leggings or something.”

Trex nodded, reached back to pull his T-shirt over his head, and then crawled into bed, settling into the mattress.

“Why do you look so sad?” I asked, facing him in bed. We were just a few inches from each other, our hands tucked under our faces.

“I want this to be okay.”

“The burden of compromise doesn’t fall fully on your shoulders, you know. I didn’t know staying home with her was an option. I would love that.”

He hooked his arm around me and pulled me closer, resting his chin on top of my head. “You know what I think about? I imagine coming home from work, seeing you and her the moment I walk through the door, our little girl with her fist in her mouth, slobbering everywhere, smiling up at you, and you with spit-up on your shirt, and I need to take out seven trash cans full of disgusting diapers, but I kiss you—and you smell, by the way—and I round up all the trash, put Bean in her bouncy seat so you can take a shower, and start dinner. You come out all shiny and clean, and we cook together and talk about your day—not mine, because it’s classified—and then we sit down and eat a cold dinner because Bean threw a tantrum from exactly the time dinner was done until it had just stopped being warm. Then I take a shower, and we put her to bed and we crash on the mattress, way too tired to even make out.”

“That sounds kind of terrible,” I said.

“No, that sounds like life. An awesome life. A guy I work with, Kitsch, told me that story once. He had two kids, and he said that was one day he thinks about a lot. It was a perfect day. That’s what I look forward to.”

“It’s good to know you have no delusional fantasies about what the reality of all this will be.”

“Nope. It’s going to suck in the best possible way.”

“You said Kitsch had kids.”

“Yeah,” Trex said, pulling me close. “Car accident. His wife, too, while he was out of the country.”

“Oh,” I said, touching my forehead to Trex’s neck. “Poor Kitsch.”

“Yeah. He’s a good guy.”

“Will I ever get to meet any of them, or…?”

He sighed. “It’s complicated. Maybe.”

“Do they know about me?”

He blew out a laugh. “They’re sick of hearing about you, actually.”

“Really?” I said, looking up.

He met my gaze. “I’ve been talking about you since before we met.”

I ducked my head, nuzzling his neck, hoping to dream about things that suck, and hoping the days ahead would be exactly as Trex imagined them.