Years later, when he told me he was “struggling with temptation,” he made it sound like he’d only been flirting around, not cheating. Not that I condone either behavior, but clearly he was sugarcoating the truth.
Tori chews on her nail. “Why didn’t you know about my driving record? Didn’t you do a background check?”
“That was Logan’s doing. He said he had it covered and that you were cool. I should totally kick his ass for lying to me, but I can guess what he was thinking. That he liked you as a person and knew Kat and Brady and trusted them.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve said something when he brought up my internship at the law firm.” Her lips twist, and her eyes cast down. “All of this stuff in my past was so embarrassing, and I didn’t want you to see me differently or think I couldn’t handle watching Cody and Mila. Didn’t want you to see me the way my family does.”
That gives me pause. “What are you talking about? They love you. Did you see the same woman I did today? Delivering Kat’s baby in a pick-up with nothing but towels from a diner, hand sanitizer, and a turkey baster? You’re a hero, honey. I’m not sure I would’ve been so even-keeled, and I’ve delivered a dozen foals over the years.”
She laughs through her tears, the realization of what she did shining in her eyes. “I did do that, huh?”
“You kicked ass. I’m so fucking proud of you.” I drag my lips against hers, moaning when she opens to me. I’m ready to make all kinds of promises to this girl when the door bangs open, and we pop apart.
A nurse wheeling in a very pregnant woman glares at us, and I laugh as I help Tori put on her scrubs. “Sorry ’bout that, ma’am.” Grabbing Tori’s hand, I drag her out, because we need more time to talk.
Ethan
The windshield wipers thump noisily back and forth on my truck, barely swiping away the rain before my visibility drops to zero again.
“This is crazy,” Tori murmurs next to me.
“Nothing like a summer storm.” This one blew in out of nowhere, darkening the afternoon sky and backing up traffic.
Tori wanted to love up on Cody before she returned to her sister’s to prepare for the baby’s arrival, so I said I’d drive her. Told her I didn’t mind dropping her back off at the hospital tomorrow either. Life is hectic for both of us right now, but if I have to play chauffeur to see her a few minutes each day, then so be it. Because I need to be with my girl.
Despite our talk at the hospital, she’s been quiet on the drive to the ranch. I’m about to ask her if she’s okay when the rain gets so intense, I have to pull off down an access ramp. I’d rather wait out the storm for ten minutes than get in an accident.
We take the first exit, winding along an isolated road, and end up in a parking lot behind a deserted warehouse. I shift my truck into park.
“Whatcha thinking about over there?” I thread my fingers through hers. “Lay it on me.”
Her thumb slides back and forth across my hand. “How is this supposed to work?” With a sad sigh, she pulls away. “I understand everything that happened with Jamie, and I totally get where you were coming from and what happened last night with him. But what I can’t reconcile is where I stand with you and Allison. Jamie told me you guys were talking on the phone every day, and you have photos of her all over the house—”
“Let me clear this up.” Tori is jealous. Glad I’m not the only one who loses it over this kind of thing. “Allison called me every day. Left messages. To ask about stupid shit or tell me she had invited someone else to the party. Since you left to your sister’s, I’ve only talked to her once on the phone.” I reach for her hand again. “As for the photos, I never wanted Mila to miss her momma. She started having nightmares, and I thought keeping pics of our family might help her, but she stopped having those a few weeks after you moved in with us, so maybe it’s time to tuck them away.”
That wrinkle in her forehead smooths for a second, but then reappears. “Oh. No.” She shakes her head. “The kids should have the photos. That makes sense. Ugh. I sound crazy.”
“No, you don’t.” I kiss her wrist. “What else? Tell me what else happened last night.”
Her shoulders slump. “It was bad.” She swallows. “She threw me out of your house, Ethan. She threatened to call the cops for a whole host of made-up reasons.”
She fills me in on how Allison told her off after I ran to check on Cody, and my blood starts to boil all over again, making me even more confident in my decision. “Baby, I don’t want you to worry. There is no me and Allison.”
“How can you say that? You guys are signing that co-op deal this week, and she made it clear she intends to reconcile with you.”
“Trust me when I say it won’t be a problem.” That gets me an eye roll. She huffs and turns toward the window, which is fogged over. Unclicking my seatbelt and then hers, I scoop her out of her seat and into my lap. That gets me a glare.
“Seriously?”
I shrug. “What? I want to make sure you’re hearing me when I say this. Are you listening?”
After another eye roll, she nods and settles in my arms.
“This is simple. I’m not going through with the co-op. Not with her at least.”
“What are you talking about? How do you plan to pay her back that money?”
I rest my hand on her thigh. “Logan and I talked about it in the ER last night.”
“After I told Logan what happened in the kitchen, he and I decided we’re not moving forward with Allison as a partner.” I’ve never been more grateful than last night to have my brother by my side. Once he knew Cody would be okay at the hospital, he got a ride home from a friend so he could get back to Mila, who was with our mom.
“We love the co-op idea, though, so we’re spending the next few weeks trying to find an investor or two, just not Allison.” I run my thumb along the hem of Tori’s scrubs. “She showed her true colors yesterday, and I plan to fight for sole custody with no shared visitations if she threatens me.”
“Oh, wow.”
“I haven’t wanted to play dirty, to drag her through the mud, but I will if she pushes me. I’m tired of her shit and disgusted with the way she treated you. The way she treats the kids, like they’re an afterthought. The idea of getting back with her is so fucking insane, I’m still shocked she went there.”
Allison didn’t even bother to come to the hospital last night. After she saw our son wailing and hurt and crying for her, she left with Felicia. That’s all I need to know about where her loyalties lie.
I tangle my fingers in Tori’s hair and move her closer. “I feel like crap I wasn’t there to protect you. My house is your home too, and I want you to be comfortable there.”
Her eyes get misty. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”
“You mean a lot to me. You mean everything.” I stroke her soft cheek. “I love you, Tori. So much.”
“I love you too.” Her eyes shift down, and an embarrassed smile tilts her lips. “I’ve sort of had it bad for you for a while now.”