“Thank you.”
The door is barely shut when Raven stands and dances around the room. “Baby boy Burke!” She cheers. “We’re going to lunch to celebrate, and we need to get the gang together. When can we do that?” she asks as she rambles on.
“This weekend?”
“Tonight?” she counters.
“This weekend is better. I’m tired. I really want to go home and get some rest for the workweek.” We close the salon on Sundays and Mondays, which makes it nice for all of my appointments, that is until I start going twice a week closer to the end, but we have some time before that happens.
“Fine. This weekend. How in the hell am I going to keep this quiet until then?”
Grabbing my phone, I start a group text including everyone except for Clayton and Hudson, ignoring the ache that causes.
Me: It’s a boy!
My phone beeps like crazy with each reply of congratulations and the guys bragging about who’s going to teach him what. I’m truly blessed to have them in my life. Our friends are the family we chose, and we made a damn good choice.
I’ve done nothing but toss and turn since I came to bed three hours ago. So much for getting rest. I can’t stop thinking about Hudson. Maybe he didn’t get my letter? I know that’s possible, so I’ll send another one. I’ll give him one more shot to acknowledge the miracle we made.
Climbing out of bed, I make my way to the kitchen, grab a notebook and pen from the drawer, sit at the island, and start to write.
Hudson,
This is my second letter to you. The first I sent several months ago. This one is going to say pretty much the same thing, so here goes.
I’m sorry. I’m sorry for so many things. First, running out on you the night of your party. I was scared. I didn’t know if you would remember our night together, and I was worried it wouldn’t have happened had you not been drinking, and I couldn’t handle the rejection. Not from you. Not when I’ve loved you for years.
Yeah, that’s the second thing. I’ve crushed on you since we were kids, and now here we are as adults, and that crush is so much more. I hate that I’m telling you this in a letter, but you're gone, and it’s on my list, so there it is.
Third. I saw that I missed calls from you that morning. I came home, put in my earplugs, turned my phone off, and crashed. I just wanted a little time, time we didn’t have because I didn’t get to say goodbye to you. I’m sorry about that.
And finally, this is the big one. It’s something I don’t want to write. I’d rather be telling you in person, but here we are. Hudson, I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby—a baby boy. I’m twenty weeks along, and the baby and I are both healthy.
I’m sorry to tell you like this, but I want you to know that I’m prepared to raise him on my own. I don’t need anything from you, but I want you to know and give you a choice. Please know that I don’t expect you to be with me because of our son. Yes, I love you, but I’m a big girl. I know a baby does not mean that we’re going to live happily ever after. It does, however, mean we’re going to be parents.
I haven’t told anyone about our night together. Raven thinks it’s a random guy I dated who doesn’t really exist. It’s a long story, one I’d be happy to tell you when I see you. That is if you’re interested.
I hope to hear from you.
All my love,
Riley and baby boy
CHAPTER 14
Hudson
“My bones actually hurt,” Clayton says as we walk into the shack.
“This was your idea,” I remind him.
“You don’t realize how much you miss the comforts of home or take them for granted,” he says, plopping down on his bed. “This fucking bed,” he groans as he twists and turns, trying to get comfortable.
“Yeah,” I say, grabbing my journal and pen before plopping down on mine as well. At this point, we’ve been here for six months. My time here is halfway over. Clayton’s not so much.
Six more months until I can see her. I open my journal to write that same sentiment when there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Clayton calls out.
Peter steps into the room, holding a large box. “Something came in the mail today,” he says in a high-pitched voice before laughing at his own antics. “This one is addressed to both of you.”
“Raven,” Clayton and I say at the same time.
“This Raven must be special.” He looks back and forth between the two of us. “I don’t want to know.” He shakes his head.
“Raven is my best friend.”
“I thought he held that title?” Peter points at Clayton.
“He does,” I say at the same time Clayton says, “I do.”
“What is she to you?” Peter asks, confusion marring his features.
“Raven is… everything,” Clayton admits.
“So she’s your best friend and your everything?” Peter clarifies.
“We’ve all been close for years,” I explain.
“Well, she sent you both something. My guess is a little bit of home.” He sets the box on the foot of Clayton’s bed. “I’ll leave you to it. Great job today,” he says before disappearing out the door.
“That’s a big box,” I say, staring at it.
“It’s for both of us.” Clayton confirms what Peter said, looking at the label.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s see what she sent.” It’s December, the week before Christmas, and I’m missing home. I miss my parents, I miss the farm, the feed mill, our friends, and I miss Riley with a ferocity I never knew was possible.
“Let’s see,” Clay says, pulling the knife out of his pocket and slicing through the packing tape. He puts his knife back into his pocket before pulling out an envelope with both our names on it. He holds it up to show me.
“Keep digging.” I nod toward the box. If I know my best friend, there are some treats in that box. I’m not much of a junk food junkie, but after six months of being here, I’ve come to appreciate it.
“Cookies, crackers, chocolate,” he says, holding up each item. “There is two of everything.”
“Of course there is. This is Raven we’re talking about. She spoils us.” I don’t mention that I expected the same from Riley, but that’s before our night together, before she ran out on me.
“Chips, gum, hard candy, nuts, and beef jerky,” he says, pulling the rest of the items out of the box.
“And the envelope?” I’m desperate to see if she mentions Riley.
“And this.” He digs through the haul on his bed and pulls the envelope out from underneath.
“Read it.” He nods and tears into the envelope. Something falls out, but I can’t tell what it is from here.
Hey, guys!
Merry Christmas. I hope that this reaches you in time. I miss you both something terrible. There have been a lot of changes since the two of you have been gone. Well, not a lot of changes. It’s just weird not having the gang all together. Yes, I said gang, and I don’t care that Riley says that makes us sound like a real gang. In a way, we are.