clean-shaven. I’m not sure what part of the whole picture surprises me the most. The clothing. It has to be the clothing. I’m used to seeing him in jeans, boots and a rumpled shirt. Normally, he wears his clothes like he’s mad at them. Not today. The suit fits him perfectly, accentuating his powerful build.
Nick might be dangerous. I should flee. Run. But I can’t move because my body won’t obey my frightened thoughts. All I can do is stare at Nick McKinley. In my hotel room. Wearing a suit.
He shakes his head and kicks aside a pizza box. Giving Sydney a brittle smile, he takes his sunglasses off and slides them in his breast pocket. “I’m the baby-daddy.”
Sydney’s eyes flash. “Is that true, Bailey?”
“Yes,” I say, softly. “That’s Nick.”
“The guy from the dance hall?”
“Yes.”
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” She shakes her head in disbelief. Great. Now she’s mad at me too. She’s not enraged like Nick but the hurt is there in her eyes. Suddenly I feel so tired. So empty. I say nothing and go back to my bed and pull the covers over myself. I feel like I have the world’s worst hangover and I just want the world to go away. I close my eyes but not for long, because the blankets are ripped away.
“Get up,” Nick snarls.
“Whoa, there Nick!” Sydney rushes to my side of the bed and tries to get between me and Nick. “She has the day off and she’s sleeping today.”
“She can sleep in my truck. I’m taking her home.”
Nick crosses the room, picks up my bag and tosses it on the foot of my bed.
“To her mother’s?” Sydney asks.
“To my house,” Nick says. He picks up my cowboy boots and shoves them in the bag. “We’re marrying so I can take care of her. Give her and the baby insurance, and a home.”
“Insurance?” Sydney looks from me to him and back to me. “Okay.”
“Yes. Insurance. Also, I don’t want her living in shitty motels.” Next he holds up a pair of jeans. “Yours?”
He directs the question to Sydney who’s still in a state of shock. I would be too if I had the energy.
“Those are hers,” she says.
“I’m not going with you, Nick,” I say softly. I struggle to sit up and hang my feet over the edge of the bed.
He doesn’t say anything. Instead he throws more of my stuff into the bag and Sydney fishes out a pair of her sneakers.
“Why are you so mad at Bailey?” she asks.
“Why don’t you ask her when she planned on telling me she was pregnant?”
She shrugs. “Okay. Bailey, when were you planning on telling Nick you were pregnant?”
I scowl at her.
“How did you find out she was pregnant?” Sydney asks Nick.
“My sister is Olivia Mathews. She was here working a few days ago.”
Sydney nods. “I know Olivia.” I can see her changing her mind about the man she was about to hurl coffee at a moment ago. She eyes him appreciatively, nodding. “Okay.”
“I’m here to take her home.”
“Sounds like a plan. I mean, I like taking care of her, but I need to work too,” Sydney says. “She’s been talking about you.”
“Sydney…” I whisper. She glances my direction and I summon my strength to shake my head. I don’t want Nick to know I was missing him or calling out in my sleep or any of that.
Sydney ignores me and just talks with Nick about which piles of clothing are mine. Not only is she chatting with him about how much I’ve thrown up and how tearful and hormonal I’ve been but, she’s helping pack my stuff.
Now I hate both of them and I want to hurt them anyway I can. Mostly Nick. I want to tear his heart to pieces like he did mine.
So, naturally, I go for the lowest blow I can muster. “I’m not sure he’s the father.”
That doesn’t even phase him and judging from Sydney’s expression she’s not buying it either. I hear him chuckle softly as he goes into the bathroom. She follows him and I listen as they talk about what’s mine and what’s hers.
I close my eyes and the image that
Nick might be dangerous. I should flee. Run. But I can’t move because my body won’t obey my frightened thoughts. All I can do is stare at Nick McKinley. In my hotel room. Wearing a suit.
He shakes his head and kicks aside a pizza box. Giving Sydney a brittle smile, he takes his sunglasses off and slides them in his breast pocket. “I’m the baby-daddy.”
Sydney’s eyes flash. “Is that true, Bailey?”
“Yes,” I say, softly. “That’s Nick.”
“The guy from the dance hall?”
“Yes.”
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” She shakes her head in disbelief. Great. Now she’s mad at me too. She’s not enraged like Nick but the hurt is there in her eyes. Suddenly I feel so tired. So empty. I say nothing and go back to my bed and pull the covers over myself. I feel like I have the world’s worst hangover and I just want the world to go away. I close my eyes but not for long, because the blankets are ripped away.
“Get up,” Nick snarls.
“Whoa, there Nick!” Sydney rushes to my side of the bed and tries to get between me and Nick. “She has the day off and she’s sleeping today.”
“She can sleep in my truck. I’m taking her home.”
Nick crosses the room, picks up my bag and tosses it on the foot of my bed.
“To her mother’s?” Sydney asks.
“To my house,” Nick says. He picks up my cowboy boots and shoves them in the bag. “We’re marrying so I can take care of her. Give her and the baby insurance, and a home.”
“Insurance?” Sydney looks from me to him and back to me. “Okay.”
“Yes. Insurance. Also, I don’t want her living in shitty motels.” Next he holds up a pair of jeans. “Yours?”
He directs the question to Sydney who’s still in a state of shock. I would be too if I had the energy.
“Those are hers,” she says.
“I’m not going with you, Nick,” I say softly. I struggle to sit up and hang my feet over the edge of the bed.
He doesn’t say anything. Instead he throws more of my stuff into the bag and Sydney fishes out a pair of her sneakers.
“Why are you so mad at Bailey?” she asks.
“Why don’t you ask her when she planned on telling me she was pregnant?”
She shrugs. “Okay. Bailey, when were you planning on telling Nick you were pregnant?”
I scowl at her.
“How did you find out she was pregnant?” Sydney asks Nick.
“My sister is Olivia Mathews. She was here working a few days ago.”
Sydney nods. “I know Olivia.” I can see her changing her mind about the man she was about to hurl coffee at a moment ago. She eyes him appreciatively, nodding. “Okay.”
“I’m here to take her home.”
“Sounds like a plan. I mean, I like taking care of her, but I need to work too,” Sydney says. “She’s been talking about you.”
“Sydney…” I whisper. She glances my direction and I summon my strength to shake my head. I don’t want Nick to know I was missing him or calling out in my sleep or any of that.
Sydney ignores me and just talks with Nick about which piles of clothing are mine. Not only is she chatting with him about how much I’ve thrown up and how tearful and hormonal I’ve been but, she’s helping pack my stuff.
Now I hate both of them and I want to hurt them anyway I can. Mostly Nick. I want to tear his heart to pieces like he did mine.
So, naturally, I go for the lowest blow I can muster. “I’m not sure he’s the father.”
That doesn’t even phase him and judging from Sydney’s expression she’s not buying it either. I hear him chuckle softly as he goes into the bathroom. She follows him and I listen as they talk about what’s mine and what’s hers.
I close my eyes and the image that
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