My mouth drops open and silence fills the waiting room for a few weighted moments.
“You’re pregnant?” Brooklyn screeches.
“No, she ate a watermelon,” Phoenix says. “And she’s moving back home.”
Everyone looks at one another to gauge if anyone else knew, but it’s clear that Phoenix and maybe Griffin are the only ones in the loop.
“Finally!” Harley screams and rushes over to Sedona. “I’m pregnant with someone.” She bumps stomachs with her.
As if someone alerted them that there was a disturbance in the Bailey force, Savannah and Juno walk back into the waiting area and stop dead in their tracks.
“Does G’Ma D know?” Denver asks.
“No,” Sedona says with a frown.
“She’s about to,” Rome says under his breath.
“Did you plan to reveal this in the hospital in case we actually kill her this time around?” Denver asks.
“No.” Some of Sedona’s earlier bravado vanishes.
“Well, I’m just saying kudos if you did because she’s dealt with a lot from us, but this.” He twirls his finger at her belly and shakes his head.
“Next time she wants your opinion, I’ll remind her she doesn’t,” Phoenix says to him, putting her arm around Sedona as if she’s a wounded bird.
Huh. There must be a lot more we don’t know yet.
“A child is a blessing,” Harley says. “No matter the circumstances.”
As if she knows the tension needs to be broken, Calista walks up to Denver. “Uncle Denver, let’s play thumb wars.”
“Sure thing, little one.” He puts his hand in hers, and a moment later, he looks at Sedona. “I’m sorry. You know we have your back and that baby is lucky to have you as a mom.” He leans closer. “But should I book a flight to New York?”
A tear slips from Sedona’s eye.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he says, looking at all the men in the group as though they’re paying Jamison a visit.
“Just to keep everyone in the loop, Stella is back too.” Savannah takes Brinley from Liam, rocking her on her hip.
They all look at one another as though they’re bracing themselves for hurricane Bailey that’s about to make landfall.
Go on a trip back in time.
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With Stella back in Alaska, Kingston will do anything to make her stay but what will he do when he finds out they’re in the same predicament they were eight years ago.
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Chapter One
Kingston
I’m an easygoing guy. Not a lot gets under my skin.
My dad was a man of many quotes. At least when it came to me. Looking back I think it’s because I was the sensitive one in the family. He’d say he wasn’t clever enough to come up with them on his own, so he never recited one without giving the author credit. “Don’t fight a battle if you don’t gain anything by winning” by Erwin Rommel was his favorite to use when I was struggling. Didn’t matter if it was sports or academics, he’d say that quote to me. I didn’t figure out the meaning until years after his death, and even then, my oldest brother, Austin, had to explain it to me.
There was a time in my life when I didn’t fight the battle because I was more afraid of losing something than winning something. I promised myself I’d never make that mistake again.
Which is most likely why the battles I pick now are fires. Whether I’m jumping out of a plane and parachuting into a forest fire, or carrying someone out of a burning house, I always win. These fights feel safer than the ones that could break my heart.
Lou climbs into the firetruck right after me, sitting across the way. The sirens go off as the truck rolls out of the station. Lou and I attended the fire academy at the same time—which was right around the time I lost my childhood best friend and the girl I love.
“Romeo, tell your sister thanks for me,” he says, winking.
A woman once referred to me as her knight in shining armor after I used the Jaws of Life to free her from a wrecked car. She’d plowed her car over an embankment because she was intoxicated. But it was her repeatedly asking me to be her Romeo that earned me a nickname that makes most people—and by people, I mean women—think I’m a player. I’m not, in case you’re wondering.
“Why is that?”
“For the blind speed date thing she’s doing over at Tipsy Turvy.” His perma-smile says he met someone.
“Oh, yeah, I missed that. I had to work.”
Lou’s eyebrows raise. “Is that what we’re calling it? Work?”
Monk blares the siren because people are shitty and can’t take a second to pull their car to the side of the road for us to get through.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I glance out the window because I’m in a crappy mood. Lou is riding high after his speed dating night and I just don’t feel like hearing about it. I’m a shitty friend.
“Proby wan Kenobi was at the hospital and overheard Samantha talking about a date you two went on.”
I roll my eyes. Samantha’s a flirt, and yeah, I went out with her because I was horny. I know that’s not a noble thing to say, but my dick is starting to get excited any time it sees my hand. Doesn’t matter though. Nothing happened.
“We went out,” I admit.
“And?”
Lou’s the kiss-and-tell guy. I’m not. “Nothing. We had some drinks.”
For most of the night, Samantha and I discussed this Adventure Alaska Expedition she’s interested in. I guess she does Spartan races all the time and the next thing she wants to conquer is some seven-day adventure race where you’re with three other people and have to navigate with only physical maps. I will say her excitement, and adrenaline, is a high
