in between and hadn’t shown up in any of the dreams. She would have to wing it.
Chance’s mouth opened, but he snapped it shut. The muscle in his jaw twitched with tension.
She composed herself and spoke again. “It’s very kind of you to offer, but—”
“Kind of me?” He leaned forward, his dark eyes blazing. “Who in the hell are you? Where is the Kyndal Rawlings I know? The one in the cave who…who…”
“Go ahead and say it. The one in the cave who seduced you. She promised there would be no clinging. No strings attached.” She leaned back to gain some distance from his penetrating eyes. “That’s me. That’s who I am. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time if you haven’t noticed, and I don’t need you or anybody else taking care of me and my baby now.”
“Our baby.”
“Yeah, our baby. We’ll be a team until you start feeling ‘smothered.’” She punctuated the word by forming quotation marks with her fingers. “Before long, you’ll be running for that judgeship or some other office. You’ll feel me holding you back and stifling you. You’ll have to step out for some fresh air so you can breathe and poof!” She blew out an exaggerated breath. “You’ll be gone just like before.”
“That’s not fair, Kyndal. I was young then—a kid.”
It was her turn to be incredulous. “It has nothing to do with age. It has to do with me! I’ve never been good enough for you, and my love has never been enough to hold you. You said I was your everything, which sounds like love, but you still left. If that was love, it was pretty ineffectual. And you think we can base a marriage on it?”
Chance stood up and pointed a finger in her face. “You wouldn’t know love—ineffectual or not—if it jumped up and bit you in the ass!”
Kyndal rallied from her chair and swatted his finger away. “Oh, really? And you would? Where would you have learned that? From your dad? The man who may not have left physically, but withdrew emotionally from your mom at the time when she needed him most? That may even be worse.”
“Seriously, Kyn? You want to talk about dads?” He leaned his face close to hers and held his chin in a thoughtful pose. “Well, you’re the expert, I guess. How many have you had?” He pretended to count on his fingers. “Hmm. Let’s see. Four legal ones and how many that stayed for a week or two? That string of men your mom paraded through your life has you royally screwed up!”
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that, William Chance Brennan.” Oh! She wanted to wipe that smart-ass smirk off his face, but she restrained herself and gave him a shove instead. “Get out.” She pointed toward the door.
He met her glare with an unwavering stance and silence.
Her body trembled, shaking her words loose on a shout. “I…said…get…out!”
A shadow darkened his face. Without a word, he turned and stalked across the room, slamming the door behind him.
Kyndal hobbled into the living room, her breath coming in ragged spurts as she watched Chance’s car back out of the driveway.
Anger and hurt and frustration all bubbled to the surface at the same time, converging into hot tears that scalded her cheeks.
“This isn’t the way it was supposed to be.” The grief of sudden loss made her dizzy, and she reached out to steady herself against the sofa table. Her hand fell on something soft and lumpy.
A yellow bag of peanut M&M’s.
In a gesture of raw emotion, she flung it across the room against the closed door. The force shattered the wrapper and sent a spray of rainbow-colored candy in all directions.
A perfect reflection of my life.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHANCE FOUGHT THE BED all night and got up at dawn on Thanksgiving morning. His mind was already racing, fueled by thoughts of the baby, telling his parents and Kyndal’s refusal of his marriage offer. Might as well add some caffeine to the mix.
While the coffee brewed, Chesney came to him, wagging a sleepy tail, nosing his hand. He plopped down on the kitchen floor and gave her a hug. Accepting the invitation, she crawled into his lap. He scratched behind the Lab’s ears, and she closed her eyes in unabashed pleasure.
Kyndal Rawlings was a piece of work. Most women in her situation would jump at the opportunity to marry a successful attorney from a well-to-do family who also happened to be the