red. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be.”
“Silas, you kissed me and I threw up.”
“I sometimes have that effect on women.”
“Shut up,” I said. I groaned. “That’s the first time I’ve gotten sick.”
“I’m glad I was here for it.”
I reached for the washcloth and blotted my lips and chin.
I kept the washcloth over my mouth as I turned.
“Silas…”
“Hey,” he said. He cupped my face. “I’m right here, Mila. Right here.”
I nodded.
“But,” he said. “I’m going to get dressed and go handle some stuff. Okay? My phone will be on. Call me if you need anything.”
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t worry about it yet,” Silas said. “Just trust me. I’m not leaving town or anything.”
“Okay,” I said. “Sorry again. I was hoping to fool around.”
Silas kissed my forehead. “You just take care of our baby, okay?”
Our baby… whoa…
“I puked in front of Silas,” I said to Olivia over the phone.
“Oh, Mila…”
“He came back. He came home without me telling him what was going on. It was the most romantic thing I ever lived through, Olivia. He knew something big was happening. All that worry and fear of him…” I sighed. “I threw up.”
“On him?”
“No. Just in front of him. A little bit ago. I woke up and he was next to me in bed and it was just…”
“Ah,” Olivia said. “You wanted some morning love, huh?”
“Big time.”
“I guess the baby thought otherwise.”
“I don’t like throwing up. And to throw up in front of Silas…”
“What was his reaction?”
“He ran into the bathroom to take care of me. He pulled my hair back. He got me a washcloth. He rubbed my back.”
“Sounds like you have nothing to worry about.”
“Probably.”
“Want me to make you feel better?”
“Yes, please.”
“I threw up in front of Tyler the other day.”
“Yeah?”
“It gets better,” Olivia said. “I thought I was done but then came that last heave. And I… I kind of peed myself. I was in gray shorts. Nothing else. It was, uh, very visible.”
“Oh, Olivia,” I said.
I snorted.
“Are you laughing at me?”
“I think I am,” I said.
I snorted again.
“Fucking pregnancy,” Olivia said.
Then we both began to laugh.
Chapter Ten
SILAS
I parked my truck and looked at the office.
I rubbed my jaw for a few seconds and reached across to the passenger seat.
Last night changed everything in my life
Seeing that ultrasound picture. Seeing the look on Mila’s face.
The woman I loved had been apprehensive to tell me she was pregnant with our baby.
All because I left town to play some shows.
Everyone knew why I left. Why I felt I had to leave.
Now came a new tour.
My tour of redemption.
Better yet, my tour of planning for my future.
I stepped out of my truck and slammed the door behind me.
I crumbled up the papers with my right hand and walked with purpose. Also in my right hand was a small, leather bag that zipped up.
No way was I going into that office to grovel.
If the story was as true as told, the person sitting behind the desk should grovel to me.
Even though I knew there was no way in hell Tyler Justa was going to do that.
I didn’t bother knocking.
I just opened the door.
The office was piled with filing cabinets, folders, and paperwork. There were pictures on the walls, some older than others. I caught sight of Mila’s father and couldn’t believe how much Tyler looked like him.
Tyler stood behind the desk and stared at me with the shock I expected to see on his face.
I closed the door behind me and approached the desk.
I put the papers down and spread them out.
“You’re going to either build me a house here,” I said, pointing to one of the pieces of paper. “Or you’re going to fix this one up.”
My finger moved to the other piece of paper.
“Silas,” Tyler said.
“Did you hear me, Tyler?”
“Oh, I heard you.”
“You tell me what’s a better choice,” I said. “A new build will probably take longer because of designing and all that bullshit, so I’m going to take a chance and say we go with the renovations on this house. It’s perfect, too. Your sister is going to love it.”
“My sister,” Tyler said. “Right. So what is this? Buying her love or what?”
“I didn’t come here to talk or argue, Tyler,” I said. “I came here to hire you to do a job. This is a contractor, client relationship right now.”
“Is it now?” Tyler asked.
The cocky look on his face made me want to punch him.
I put the small, leather bag on the desk and unzipped it.
I flipped it over and out