Fair Lakes Series Box Set - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,220

hands it to him. “I’m staying at the Super 8 in town. This is my number. I’ll be there on Monday for the emergency hearing.”

Colton slowly reaches out for the paper, shoving it in his pocket. Laura turns and heads toward the door. “Are you going to change your mind?” he blurts before she exits the room.

The woman turns and gives him another sad smile. She looks at the baby behind him and says, “No, I’m not. I don’t want to be a mother.” The tears in her eyes make the ones I’ve been fighting fall. While I don’t understand her position, I can respect it. Especially because it leaves Milo with Colton, who will love and adore that boy for the rest of his life.

Colton seems to let go of the breath he was holding. “Thank you.”

She nods and turns to Chase. “I’m sorry for the confusion.”

Chase clears his throat. “I’m just glad things turned out the way they did.”

Laura nods again and glances back at Colton. “I’ll see you Monday.”

He doesn’t speak, but follows her to the door and closes it behind her. There’s so much silent tension in the room, you could cut it with a knife. When Colton returns, he goes over and picks up a sleeping Milo and cuddles him into his chest, as if needing to feel him against him.

“That was… wow,” Chase says, breaking the silence.

“No shit,” his brother responds.

“It sounds like the process should be easy,” I reassure Colton, considering the woman isn’t going to fight him for any rights.

Colton nods. “Yeah. Look, I’m going to give this little man a bottle upstairs and a quick bath. I think we’ll turn in early tonight, maybe watch that new Bruce Willis movie on TV.”

Chase laughs. “Dude, that movie isn’t new. It’s been out for two years.”

Colton just shrugs. “Well, when you’re stuck in a desert for months on end, everything is new when you finally get home. Getting my papers for discharge was easier than being a civilian and new dad,” he adds with a laugh.

We both smile at the oldest Callahan brother, who heads to the kitchen to fix his son a bottle.

Chase tucks me into his chest, his arm wrapping around my shoulder as he holds me close. “I can’t believe all that shit.”

“Me either, but at least we finally have some answers,” I tell him, inhaling the familiar scent that clings to his T-shirt.

“Yeah.”

After several minutes, both lost in our own thoughts, I finally pull back a little and look up into his blue eyes. “So what are you doing four weeks from tomorrow?” I ask, fighting my smile with everything I have.

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to check my schedule. I’m pretty busy,” he replies, running his hand through my hair and making goose bumps pepper my skin.

“I want you to meet a woman,” I tell him. That makes him pause. He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“A woman?”

“Yeah, she’s pretty fabulous. Sexy as hell with dark hair and electrifying eyes. She’s a tad on the short side, but I think she’ll fit against you perfectly,” I tell him as realization sets in.

He smiles that dirty little grin and sends warmth flooding my panties. “Yeah? I’m intrigued.”

“She’ll meet you down at the lake, around six o’clock at night. She’ll be the girl wearing the white dress.” My heart hammers in my chest as I look up at the only man I’ve ever loved.

“I can’t wait to fucking meet her. Tell me more,” he says, pulling me even tighter into his chest, kissing my forehead.

“She’s very excited to meet you under the arch as the sun starts to dip in the sky.”

“Sounds perfect,” he says, nuzzling my neck and kissing his way across my jaw.

“I thought so too.”

He pulls back and looks into my eyes. “And that gives you enough time? To get everything planned, just the way you want it? Every time I’ve asked these last two weeks, you’ve been a little indecisive.”

“I know. That’s partly because you’ve been recuperating, and I didn’t want to add more stress to the situation. Then I realized, as long as I have you at the end of the aisle, that’s all I want.”

“You, baby. That’s all I want too. Well, you and our child,” he adds, placing his big, warm hand on my flat stomach.

Throwing my arms around his neck, I turn and straddle his waist. “I can’t wait to live this life we’re creating. Together.” I can feel the