Not to mention that the baby’s father was also in the picture. Soon, Knox and my parents would know it was Tackle. Very soon.
“When are you leaving?”
“As soon as I get my place packed up.”
“So, tomorrow?” I laughed, but I knew my brother. He wasn’t the kind of guy to accumulate a lot of possessions.
He laughed too. “Yeah, probably. I, uh, have something else to tell you.”
“Okay.”
“I asked Tara to marry me.”
I jumped up for the second time and hugged him.
“It’s going to happen kind of quick, which means her friends are hosting an engagement party for us next week. I hope you can be there.”
“Of course I will be. I wouldn’t miss it.”
After lunch, Knox left to pack and tell our parents his news. I planned to join him in Newton, but decided to swing by the Chestnut Hill house first.
Sort of. I never went straight there. First, I stopped at the market and the drugstore. At each place, Cowboy made sure I didn’t have a tail that I hadn’t picked up on myself. Today, like every other day, when I got the all clear from him, I drove to the house and parked in the garage.
“Hey, you,” said Tackle when I came inside and found him waiting for me in the kitchen. “Hungry?”
“No, I met Knox for a late lunch.” He dished himself a bowl of pasta that smelled so good I was tempted to eat again. I followed him into the dining room that was now furnished, as were most of the other rooms in the house. The parlor was one of the only ones on the main floor that wasn’t, since we were waiting to tell Knox about the house and that Tackle was my baby’s father before we moved the furniture over that was in my side of the duplex.
“He called, and I told him I’d see him at his place later.”
“Oh.” We’d been sleeping at the Chestnut Hill house every night since the bedroom furniture had been delivered.
“I thought it might be a good idea if you stayed at your place tonight too, just in case he comes by, looking for you.”
“That makes sense.”
“Sorry about this.”
“Don’t be. I think he’s planning on leaving as soon as tomorrow anyway.”
“One of the reasons I’m meeting him. I’m part of the box-loading muscle team. I’d say that I’d sneak over to your place, but I have a feeling we’ll be back at it pretty early tomorrow morning.”
I leaned over and rested my head on Tackle’s shoulder. “I’m not ready to tell him.”
He kissed my forehead. “I’m not either.”
That surprised me. “Why not?”
“He and Tara haven’t been back together very long. I’d rather let him have time to think about her and only her.”
“You’re a good friend to him.”
“I’d be willing to bet that’s your reason too.”
I smiled. “It is.”
He went in to get another bowl of pasta and came back with one for me too.
“You’re a good guy, Tackle.”
“I’m trying, Sloane. I don’t think I’ve ever tried so hard in my life.”
The next morning, I was headed to my parents’ house to go shopping for baby stuff with my mom when I got a call from Tackle.
“Miss me already?”
“Always, but, um, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Okay.”
“Your brother just left. Can you swing by here?”
“Sure. I’m just on my way to my parents’.”
“I know, peanut.”
“Knox is calling me.”
“See you in a minute.”
I pressed accept on the touchscreen. “Hey, Knox.”
“I just passed you. Did you need something?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you headed to my place?”
“Oh! Uh, no. Just meeting a friend for lunch.”
“Okay, well, see you next week.”
“Yep.”
“God, I missed you last night,” Tackle said when he opened my car door and offered his hand.
I climbed out and kissed him. “What did you need to talk to me about?”
“Let’s go inside.”
I followed him in and sat on a step stool.
“Can I get you anything?”
“You can get to the point of why I’m here.”
“I got a call from Doc. He’s asked me to fly to California.”
“For?”
“There’s something going down that he needs my help with.”
I clenched my fists. “Would you just tell me?”
“Nick has issued an ultimatum of sorts. He’s asked me to fly out and smooth it over. I should only be gone a couple of days.”
“I see.”
“If it was anyone but Doc…”
“I get it. When do you have to leave?”
“Tomorrow morning?”
“You aren’t sure?”
“He asked me to let him know when I was planning to leave. I haven’t yet.”
I was annoyed about him having to fly to California to deal with an ex-girlfriend’s temper tantrum; however, I understood it took guts for her to leave the abusive situation she’d been in. If she needed Tackle’s support to see it through, not allow herself to get pulled back into a toxic relationship, I could be supportive.
“Tomorrow would be better than today,” I said, which made him wiggle his eyebrows. I didn’t want to ask, but I had to. “There’s nothing between the two of you, right?”
Tackle took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“You’re fucking kidding me—”
“Hang on. Let me answer your question.”
“I’m not sure I want to hear it.”
“There is nothing between Nick and me.”
“Why did it take you so long to answer if that’s the case?”
“Because she wants there to be and she’s relentless. Now, before you start swearing at me again, know that I have less than zero percent interest in her. None. I’ve made it clear to her again and again that nothing will happen between her and me, now or in the future.”
“Does she know about me?”
“She knows there’s someone in my life.”
“Does she know I’m pregnant?” God, I hated having to ask all these questions. Why was he weighing his answers so carefully? It was almost as though he was dancing around the truth. “Spit it out. I’m running out of patience.”
“I may have let it slip.”
“Tackle? What the fuck?”
“She was threatening to leave California and
