Kaden & Keegan (The Walkers of Coyote Ridge Book 9)

by Nicole Edwards

  Bristol could feel tears coming on even as she beelined it for her front porch. While she appreciated Kaden and Keegan driving her home and offering to help with her car, she couldn’t be around them right now. Not if she expected to keep it together.

  What had she been thinking letting Keegan talk her into a dance? Worse than that, though … what had she been thinking dancing with some stranger? It had creeped her out, but at the time, it had been the only way she could keep from breaking down into an emotional mess, something she’d been battling for a couple of weeks now.

  As she approached her front door, she was hyperaware of Keegan walking beside her. She could still smell him, that intoxicating scent that was unique to them. It was cologne, she knew. Nothing overpowering, but enough to tie her up in knots at the memories the scent evoked.

  “You okay?” he asked when they stepped up onto her porch.

  “Fine,” she muttered, fumbling for her keys inside her purse. Thankfully it was a small purse, or she would’ve risked breaking down in her attempt to find them.

  “You really should replace that bulb,” Keegan said, nodding his chin toward the porch light.

  “Yeah. I know. It’s just…” Shoving the key in the lock, she turned it. “It’s just one of many things that I need to do around here.”

  “I can do it if you’d like.”

  Oh, God.

  Why did he have to be so … nice? He wasn’t supposed to be nice. Keegan was supposed to be pissed off at her, angry over the events of the past. She wouldn’t do well if he was nice to her.

  Bristol swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. “Thanks, but no.”

  “It’s not a problem, Bristol. It’s not safe for this light to be out.”

  Again, why was he being nice to her? After what they’d been through…

  “It’s all right,” she whispered. “I’ll…”

  Oh, hell.

  The tears were coming and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

  Not wanting him to see the epic meltdown she’d been holding back, Bristol shoved open her front door and raced inside, heading right for the bathroom. There was no time to argue with him, and slamming the door in his face seemed incredibly rude after they’d driven her home.

  “No, no, no,” she muttered, pacing the small space as she fought to regulate her breathing. Her stomach was twisting, her chest felt tight, her sinuses were burning as she fought to contain the tears.

  Bristol turned to stare at herself in the mirror, something she’d done constantly these past few days.

  As she looked into her own eyes, the tears continued to well.

  “Bristol?”

  Oh, God. Now Kaden was inside, too.

  “Are you all right?”

  No. No, she was most certainly not all right.

  But she would be.

  Eventually.

  Maybe.

  “Go back out there, thank them, and send them on their way,” she told the woman in the mirror as she gripped the pedestal sink until her knuckles were white. “Lie. Tell them you just had too much to drink. They’ll believe it.”

  “Bristol.”

  The tone was harsher—Keegan’s—and filled with concern.

  “Either you come out or we’re comin’ in.”

  Oh, crap. She could actually picture them busting down the door. Then she’d have just one more thing that needed to be replaced in this house, and on top of everything else, she—

  Bristol shrieked, jumping nearly a foot off the ground when a fist started pounding on the door.

  “You can do this,” she told her reflection. “You can.”

  She took a deep breath and turned around, reaching for the doorknob. A small smile formed when she realized she hadn’t even locked it. They could’ve simply turned the knob and walked in on her.

  Bristol shoved her hair back from her face, straightened her spine, and opened the door.

  “Sorry about that,” she said without looking at either of them. “I had to pee.”

  “Do you always talk to yourself when you pee?” Keegan asked, clearly skeptical.

  “Only sometimes. When I’ve had too much—” Nope. Not going to lie.

  For one, it was wrong. And two, if they honestly believed it, they could use it against her later.

  Without looking back at them, she headed for the front door.

  “Thanks again for bringin’ me home. If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with the car, I’ll just have someone else pick it up.” She opened the door, stood there staring out into the night. No way would she risk looking at either one of them. “Just let me know.”

  Silence.

  No footsteps, no nothing. Their response was complete silence.

  Which meant she had to look back to see what they were doing.

  When she did, she saw them standing nearly shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed over their chests, watching her as though she might break into a million tiny pieces.

  Truth was, she wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t.

  Kaden dropped his arms and moved toward her. Rather than back away from him, Bristol stood her ground, focused on her breathing. She could probably face off with Keegan with less risk of falling apart because with him she could draw from the well of anger that boiled inside her. Unfortunately, he remained where he was.

  She lowered her gaze, studying the hideous mauve carpet.

  “Bristol…”

  “Hmm?”

  Kaden’s warm hand curled around her cheek, his thumb sliding beneath her chin, gently tipping her head back.

  It was a childish move, but she closed her eyes so she didn’t have to look at him. Only way to save herself.

  “Talk to us. Did somethin’ happen?”

  “No. Of course not. I’m just tired.” That much was true. She was exhausted. Both mentally and physically.

  His fingers brushed her cheek. Just a light graze that made her chest clench painfully tight.

  Do not fall apart. Do not fall apart.

  “You should really…” Bristol breathed in and out a few times, slow and steady. Holding back the sobs although they tore at her chest. “You should go.”

  His hand firmed on her cheek and she opened her eyes.

  Stupid, stupid, stupid move on her part, because the instant she saw the concern on his handsome face, the tears spilled over.

  The next thing she knew, Bristol was in his arms, her face buried in his shirt. Every ounce of emotion she’d bottled up for the past month boiled over. Between her broken heart and the news she’d learned just a couple of days ago, it was a wonder she hadn’t lost it sooner.

  The fact that Kaden didn’t bombard her with questions helped, but it wasn’t enough. The emotional chaos chose to use this outlet now that it was available. She clung to him, holding on tight, scared to let go. This was where she’d wanted to be for so long now and here they were.

  “I’m sorry, Bristol. So fuckin’ sorry.”

  Keegan.

  He was behind her, his hand warm on her shoulder, his words spoken softly near her ear.

  A sob ripped through her. Did he not know he had the power to break her? He was not supposed to be nice.

  “Come here,” Keegan whispered, the torment in his voice too much.

  She cried harder, then spun around and slammed her head into the brick wall of his chest, throwing her arms around him. There was nothing for him to apologize for. What had happened that night … well, it had happened. And there was nothing they could do to change it. Nothing at all.

  But she wasn’t losing it over what happened all those weeks ago. Did it hurt? Absolutely. She’d spent the past five weeks in a daze, going through the motions, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and ignoring the pain in her chest brought on by the jagged pieces left of her heart. It wasn’t easy, but she was managing.

  Or she had been.

  “We need to talk about that night,” Kaden said softly from behind her. “If for nothing else
, we need closure.”

  Closure?

  Bristol didn’t want closure. It was too late for that.

  “That’s not…” She fought to level her breathing, releasing the death grip she had on Keegan’s shirt. “That’s not what this is. I mean, yes. It is, but it isn’t. I…”

  Crap. How in the world was she going to explain this?

  “Talk to us,” Keegan insisted, his big hands gripping her shoulders and shifting her back.

  Bristol swiped the tears away with the backs of her knuckles then with her fingers.

  You have to tell them, Bristol. They deserve to know.

  Rex’s words rang in her head and they helped to calm the storm. She’d needed someone to lean on, and since he was her oldest and dearest friend, she’d gone right to him although she swore she wouldn’t. Not only had Rex listened and consoled her, he’d also encouraged her to talk to Kaden and Keegan. It was her intention to do so, but she hadn’t yet figured out that plan.

  But here they were. What better time than the present, right?

  She managed to take a step back, feeling a little steadier. When she looked up at them both, she swallowed the tears that threatened to come.

  Rex was right. They did deserve to know. She just didn’t think now was the right time to tell them. Maybe tomorrow. When she was calmer. When she’d gotten some sleep. When…

  “I’m…” What she meant to say was I’m better now, thank you. What came out was, “I’m pregnant.”

  They cast quick looks at one another then their attention returned to her. Kaden stepped forward, cupped her face, and said the one thing she never, ever, ever would’ve predicted he would say.

  “Please tell us that’s a good thing.”

  Yep.

  More tears.

  *

  If Keegan had ever been at a loss for words, he couldn’t remember it.

  Right now … well, hell, he’d be hard-pressed to tell someone his full name and birthdate.

  Pregnant.

  He’d always wondered how some guys reacted to instances such as this. An accidental pregnancy. Unplanned at the very least because, yes, there was always a risk, but seriously. They were always safe. Always. Whenever he’d thought about what might happen if some woman sprung that sort of news on him, he’d always felt a little queasy.

  So why not now?

  God, he had no fucking clue.

  He knew he should’ve been freaking out, probably backing up to the door, asking for a do-over, because there was no way this could be possible. They’d had sex once. One freaking time and they’d used condoms. Of course, there was always the possibility one of the condoms had broken. He had no idea because he’d been so pissed off that night, he hadn’t bothered to pay attention.

  Pregnant.

  “Let’s sit,” Kaden said to Bristol, leading her over to the ugly flower couch.

  Sit. Yes. Probably a good idea.

  Before he could guide her down, Bristol spun around to face Kaden while Keegan stood there, still dumbfounded.

  “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” She sounded incredulous.

  “What would you like us to say?” Kaden asked, his tone a bit surprised but still calm.

  “I don’t know.” She glanced his way. “What about you?”

  Him?

  What about him?

  He didn’t know his own fucking name.

  She must have recognized his confusion because she tacked on, “You’re not gonna ask if it’s yours?”

  “If it wasn’t, would you be tellin’ us this?” he asked because, you know, that seemed logical.

  “Well, no.”

  Keegan shrugged and he felt a little better. “Then there’s your answer.”

  Her gaze bounced between them. “You have nothin’ else to say? Not ‘how did this happen, Bristol?’”

  “Seems pretty self-explanatory,” they said at the same time.

  Bristol’s eyes were wide, her shock evident.

  Keegan knew how she felt. He was shocked at his own response, too.

  “But it was only one time,” she argued, as though they’d brought this news to her doorstep.

  Keegan realized his brother was simply staring at her.

  When she looked at him as though expecting some sort of rationalization, Keegan said, “I didn’t pay all that much attention in sex ed, I’ll admit, but what I do recall is that it only takes once.” He lifted his eyebrows. “Am I wrong?”

  “Well, no,” she bit out. “But we used condoms.”

  “Which are only ninety-eight percent effective,” Kaden challenged.

  What he said. And if they took into account they were both fucking her at the same time, pulling out repeatedly, two times one divided by ninety-eight percent, carry the… Oh, who the fuck was he kidding? He didn’t know the math for that. But it actually wasn’t all that difficult to believe that this could’ve happened. After that one amazing, incredible night…

  Bristol huffed and eased down onto the couch, drawing Keegan from his wandering thoughts.

  Kaden took a seat beside her, but Keegan remained on his feet. He wasn’t sure sitting was a good idea just yet. For one, his hands were shaking, and he was a bit out of sorts. Not from the news, though. Which was really fucking odd. He should’ve been panicked or at the very least defensive. He was neither. More like nervous because what he said to her from this point forward would have to make up for what he’d done before. As much as he wanted to pretend he’d doubted whether she would stick around, he knew deep down it was all him. His own insecurities, his fears … they’d gotten the best of him and he had royally fucked shit up.

  But this … this could be his second chance.

  “When did you find out?” his brother asked.

  “Earlier in the week. But I went to the doctor yesterday. Just to, you know, confirm it.”

  “Then why were you drinkin’ at the bar?” Keegan wondered aloud, then shook his head when he realized that came out like an accusation.

  “It was Sprite,” Bristol said, waving off the question.

  Well, that made sense.

  “I didn’t know how I was gonna tell you,” she said softly. “I definitely didn’t plan it to go like this, but I knew I had to. I went out tonight to try to get my head on straight, hoping to spend some time with my friends before I had to broach the difficult subject.” Bristol looked at each of them. “They don’t know, by the way. My friends. I haven’t told them yet. Well, no one but Rex. I needed someone’s perspective and he’s my oldest and dearest friend. I trust him.”

  Rex knew? Before they did?

  “He said I needed to tell you, that you deserved to know.”

  Keegan noticed the way she continued to say you. Not y’all. She was speaking to them as though they were one.

  Keegan did some simple math in his head. “That makes you, what? Four weeks along?”

  “Five.” Bristol glanced between them. “I went to the doctor to be sure. He wanted to do an ultrasound, but I asked him if we could wait. Until next week. I … uh … I figured I would tell you by then. That way, in case you wanted to go with me…”

  Admittedly, Keegan knew more pregnancy terminology than he should, but that was because he was around when Zoey was pregnant with Ethan and Beau’s triplets. He’d heard more than his fair share of details during that experience, so he knew an ultrasound was some kind of x-ray thing the doctor did to see the baby.

  “He said we could do a DNA test if you want,” she continued. “I wouldn’t blame you. I mean, I haven’t been with anyone else. Certainly not since you and … well, it was a really, really long time before that night.”

  “How long?” he asked, more for his own curiosity. He liked the idea that Bristol hadn’t been with any man but them in quite some time.

  Her eyes narrowed.

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said defensively, tacking on a smile.

  “That’s his alpha caveman comin’ out,” Kaden explai
ned. “The idea of no man touchin’ you and all that.”

  “Ah.” There was a barely there hint of a smile. “Anyway, if you want, we can schedule to get—”

  “It’s not necessary,” Keegan told her. “I doubt there’s a chance they can determine exactly which of us is the father.”

  Her eyes locked on his. “I wasn’t … I didn’t…” She sighed. “I guess I’m a little screwed up, because in my head, you’re both the father. I mean, what we did … how we did it…”

  “And the fact we’re identical twins,” Kaden noted.

  “Yeah. That, too.”

  The three of them were quiet for a moment.

  “I know we didn’t leave things on the best of terms, but I figured you’d want to be part of the baby’s life,” she said softly.

  “We want to be part of your life,” Kaden corrected. “And the baby’s.”

  When Bristol looked up at him as though looking for him to say something, too, Keegan thought for a brief moment that he might cry. And he didn’t cry. Ever.

  He was the reason they were at this point.

  Not the pregnancy. That was the three of them together.

  But it had been his irrational response to her that had sent her running and kept them apart for the past five weeks. There was no doubt about it, he’d been miserable since that night, since he’d opened his big fucking mouth and shot his chances with her all to hell.

  “That’s not what I’m askin’ for,” Bristol said, her eyes on him. “I told you earlier, I won’t ask anything of you, Keegan.”

  He had no idea what he could possibly do to earn her forgiveness, but Keegan didn’t want her to do this alone. Nor did he want to only be part of the baby’s life. Like Kaden, he wanted to be part of hers. The three of them, together.

  When his brain gave his legs direction, they actually worked, carrying him closer to her. He shoved the cheap brass coffee table out of the way and eased down to his knees in front of her. With her sitting on the couch and him kneeling on the floor, they were almost the same height.

  His intention had been to beg her to give them a chance, but as soon as he was that close, he couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her. So he pulled her to the edge of the cushion, settled himself between her thighs, and fused his mouth to hers. To his relief, she didn’t push him away, didn’t act surprised. In fact, Bristol kissed him back, their tongues doing a slow, sensual slide, hesitant at first but quickly gaining speed.