“I said no. Just leave it be, Beckham.Please.”
From the way her voice strained on her plea, her pain at selling him was obvious. I could get him back, I could drive there right now?—
I forced myself to stop.
Parker told me to leave it, so for now, I’d leave it.
“Alright.” My lips rolled together as I considered the possibility of overstepping. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her away. “I’ll be back later today. You still have my number?”
She nodded. For some reason, that sent an electric shock to my heart.
I rubbed at my chest, backing toward the door. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
With one last look back, I left, making sure to lockthe door behind me in case she decided to go back to sleep. I couldn’t imagine how exhausting it would be to travel so heavily while being pregnant. I was thankful she now had a home base to feel comfortable and safe in, rather than sleeping in that trailer—as much as the absence of it filled me with hurt on her behalf.
When I got to my truck, I hesitated with the driver’s door open and pulled out my phone. I clicked Sage’s text thread and began typing.
Me: What was one thing you bought immediately and loved the most when you first got pregnant?
Sage began replying right away. With her staying home with Avery while running her own bakery from their house, she typically had her phone on her.
Sage: Probably a pregnancy pillow. Why?
Me: Just curious
Sage: Do your brothers know you got someone pregnant?
I snorted. My brothers would be the last people to know if that were to ever happen. As close as I was with my family, they were all loudmouths. If the Bronson brothers knew anything, chances were the entire town of Bell Buckle knew, too.
Me: No, because it didn’t happen
Sage: Did you get invited to a baby shower then?
Me: No, I’m not a woman
Sage: Men can go to those too, you know
Me: Can they?
Sage: You have a lot to learn if you have a baby on the way
Me: We’ll discuss classes next time I come hang out with Avery
Sage: She keeps asking when you’re coming next
Me: Tell her I’ll take her for a ride this week. I gotta go. Thanks for the advice
Sage: I’m always a text away
Me: I know
She replied with an eye-roll emoji before I pocketed the phone and hopped in the truck.
As I started it, I realized that since my mind had been on Parker, I hadn’t had to remind myself to breathe.
Maybe the air was a little clearerwhen she was around. The skies a little less gloomy. And the constant worry in the back of my mind a little more eased.
