Series Starter Firsts in Series Collection - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,102

to make sure my contacting you didn’t shatter your world.

Anyway, not sure how much you know about our mother. She was sixteen and gave us up with the hopes of a better life. We were both adopted, but my first adoptive parents didn’t turn out so great. They got messed up with drugs and God only knows what else, and I was placed in foster care. Don’t be sad though. A few years later, I was adopted by an amazing family. I will forever be grateful for everything they did for me. About eight months ago, I lost them. It was tragic and unexpected, and left me once again all alone in the world.

I’ve thought about you a lot over the years, and well, losing my family has me putting myself out there, reaching out to my sister.

I’m actually going to be in your hometown in a few weeks. That’s a story in itself. You see, I had a one-night stand—a first for me—with a guy who lives there. I didn’t stick around after, running off in the middle of the night. Turns out our little rendezvous created a miracle. I’m pregnant, and even though I’m scared as hell to raise this baby on my own, I want him. More than anything, I want him. I’ve gone back and forth about whether or not I should track down the father and tell him, but I figure he has a right to know. So, in a few weeks, I’m making the trip. I’ve written him too, just in case I chicken out. You might know him, since he’s close to our age. His name is Ridge, and he works for Beckett Construction.

If you’re around, I’d love to meet and have lunch. If you would rather not, I get that too. I just wanted to send out that olive branch if you ever decide you’d like to meet me. I hope you’re happy and life is treating you well. I’ve enclosed all my contact information just in case you want to meet up, now or in the future.

Best wishes,

Melissa Knox

I let the letter fall into my lap, tears falling from my eyes and dripping onto the paper. I feel tight arms around me and realize I’m in Ridge’s lap. I was so zoned out from her letter I didn’t even notice.

“Baby, you’re scaring me. Please tell me what’s wrong,” Ridge pleads.

Shit.

Ridge.

Knox.

Melissa.

I jump off his lap, the letter falling to the floor. Ridge grabs it before I can. “Baby, I won’t read it if you tell me what’s wrong. If you don’t, I have to. I have to know what’s causing you to be so upset.” He steps toward me and I take a step back.

“Ridge,” Mark says, cutting him off, placing a hand against his chest.

“Get off me.” His voice is menacing. “I have to hold her,” he tells Mark.

“Give her a minute, man. Just let her process whatever it is she read.”

“Kendall.” His voice cracks. “Baby, tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”

Dawn comes to me slowly and wraps her arms around my waist. I hug her back because I need my best friend. My entire world just came crashing down and I’m going to lose him, lose both of them. As soon as he finds out I’m Melissa’s sister, he’s going to be done with me. Won’t he?

“Sweetie, can we read it?” Dawn asks. “Can we read the letter?”

My eyes find Ridge, and although he’s blurry as I try focus through my tears, I can see the anguish on his face. I nod and he sighs with relief.

He plops down on the chair, opens the letter, and begins to read.

Chapter 41

My fucking heart is about to beat right out of my chest. Something in that envelope has her emotionally a wreck, and I want to know what the fuck it is. How am I supposed to fix it if I don’t know what it is? I just need to hold her. Once I have her in my arms, I can get her to tell me, I know I can.

When Dawn asked her if we could read it, and she agreed, I returned to my seat. I read it once through and then again, thinking my mind is playing tricks on me.

Is this real life? Have we not been through enough already? Did she know she was adopted? I didn’t know that about her. Is that why she’s so upset? I need to hold her.

“Kendall, baby, can I please