“Want us to keep an eye and ear out for Hutton?” Wyatt asks.
Nodding, I release my hand from around my neck. “That would be great. I think she’s a little nervous about me going, worried for me, about us, all those things, anyway. The last thing she needs is Chelle trying anything, which I don’t really think she’ll do.”
“We got you, brother,” Louis says.
One by one, the men turn around and head toward the dining room where the food is all set up. I’m starving, and kind of want this party to get going and get over so that I can fall into bed and inside of Hutton.
“This is a lot happening all at once,” Rylan says. He hasn’t moved from his spot and until now he hasn’t spoken a word.
“It is.”
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
Inhaling a deep breath, I let it out with a long exhale. “Nervous. The tour will be okay, but me and Hutton. I’m thinking I possibly made a mistake by starting this now, instead of when the tour was over. I’m going to take a long break, I should have started things then,” I admit.
“You’re talking to a man who got out of prison and within weeks fell in love with a woman who was pregnant with another man’s baby. When something is meant to be, the timing isn’t always perfect, but it’s always exactly what it needs to be.”
Chuckling, I take a step forward, wrapping my fingers around Rylan’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze along with a solid shake.
“Fuck, but you’re right. Okay, yeah. It’ll work out.” I nod, trying to talk myself into it.
“It will.”
Together, without saying anything else, we walk into the dining room, meeting the rest of the group.
Chapter Twenty
HUTTON
The group is a little overwhelming, but they’re all so nice and filled with good intentions. Exeter asks me about coloring her hair, which I advise that she doesn’t do. Her hair is gorgeous. I do talk to her about adding a few highlights though. Sun-kissed highlights are my absolute favorite look for brunettes.
“I’m a little thirsty, do you guys want any water?” I ask them.
They both decline, deciding to drink the sweet tea in front of them. I haven’t had nearly enough water today, and I can tell. I feel a slight headache coming on and my skin feels dry. Making my way toward the kitchen, my feet stumble and I stop when I hear male voices.
It only takes me a moment to figure out that it’s Beaumont and one of the men from the party, but I can’t tell who the other voice is.
I shouldn’t be listening to his conversation, obviously he wants it to be private because he’s having it away from everyone else. But I can’t stop my nosy ear from turning to the side so that I can hear a bit better.
“Nervous. The tour will be okay, but me and Hutton. I’m thinking I possibly made a mistake by starting this now, instead of when the tour was over.”
My heart stops beating inside my chest. Immediately, I turn around, not wishing to hear anything else. I don’t know what the context is, but it doesn’t matter. I knew it. Deep down I knew that he thought we were a mistake. That I was a mistake. I’ve been questioning him, questioning us, because I just knew that something was off.
My feet carry me quickly into the dining room, but I’m halted when I slam into a hard body. Lifting my eyes, I look up into Ford’s gaze. Why can’t I feel for him even an ounce of what I feel for Beaumont when I look at him? Ford is so handsome, he’s from here and not ever looking to leave. He lives on a farm for heaven’s sake.
“Hutton, you okay?” Ford asks.
I bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste the copper tang of blood, but don’t answer him right away.
Honestly, I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to tell him what I heard, he’s not my friend, he’s Beaumont’s. None of these people are my friends, not even Channing and Exeter. These are Beaumont’s people and I’m just here as his for-now-girl. Let’s face it, that’s what I am, too.
“I’m fine,” I lie, shaking my hair and blinking back the tears.
Ford’s brows furrow and he lifts his gaze from me to over the top of my head and looks behind me, then flicks his eyes back to meet mine.
“Okay.” He nods.
I watch as he turns his back and walks away from me. He’s wearing jeans that hug his ass and thighs but flick out slightly at the calves and ankles to make room for the shaft of his boots. His body is thick, but muscular, every ounce of his bulk earned on his farm. Once again, I curse myself for not being attracted to him the way that I am Beaumont.
A warm hand presses against my stomach just as Beaumont’s lips touch the side of my neck. “Hey, darlin’ girl, let’s get you something to eat,” he murmurs against my skin.
I inhale a trembling breath, then nod. Taking a step forward, I’m unable to go any farther. His hand at my stomach holds me completely unable to move. Slowly, I turn around in his arm, looking up at him, blinking as I wait for him to say or do something.
Beaumont frowns. “What happened?” he barks.
The chatter in the room quickly dies down at his hard tone. “Nothing,” I lie.
He shakes his head once. “Lie. Tell me, what has happened between walking through the door and now?” he demands.
“Beaumont, why don’t you let the girl eat somethin’? Worked all day long, I’m sure she’s starvin’” Ford drawls.
I send him a silent thank you that he can’t hear or see, because I’m staring into Beaumont’s almost angry gaze. I watch as he clenches his jaw, a muscle jumps in his cheek then he nods his head once.
“Fine,” he hisses, releasing me.
I pissed him off. But, his words, they didn’t make me angry—they hurt.
The rest of the party isn’t very exciting. I stay huddled with the girls and baby Reese, while the men all hang out together and talk in low murmured voices.
“You okay?” Exeter asks after we’ve finished eating.
Nodding, I give her a fake smile. “I am. I’m good.” She eyes me, not calling me on my lie, but no doubt seeing it.
“How about dessert. I don’t know why, but the cake at HEB looked so good, I decided to just buy one,” Exeter practically shouts.
Channing’s eyes slide over to me, her lips turning up into a sly smile as Exeter hurries toward said cake. I glance at it and lick my lips. I have to admit it looks fantastic. It’s a tall chocolate frosted cake with chocolate ribbons adorning the top and dusted in powdered sugar.
“I think she’s pregnant,” Channing whispers, leaning over to me.
Turning to her, I know my eyes are wide. “You do?” I ask.
She nods. “Yeah, I mean I’m not sure she even knows. But I do. Not only did she just have to have that cake. She also commented in the deli that the smell of cheese made her nauseous. I couldn’t smell any cheese.”
“Oh my,” I breathe.
“Wyatt will be over the moon if she is.”
“Really? I mean, they’re still young and didn’t they just get married?”
Channing shakes her head, her gaze shifting from Exeter to me, her look is so soft that it takes me aback slightly. “Wyatt loves kids. Rylan told me that he’s been wanting to start a family for years. He has a good career, owns two homes. He’s been preparing for this since he was sixteen.”