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

by Nicole Edwards

  But that was where the problem lay. They were two men. The same but vastly different, yet still two. And while, sure, she had fascinated about what it would be like to be Kylie in a Travis and Gage sandwich, Bristol wasn’t sure she was as strong as Kylie, didn’t think she’d have the ability to deal with the gossip and rumors that would most certainly go around about her.

  In the same sense, she wanted to be strong and independent like Kylie Walker-Matthews. She wanted to hold her head high and not worry about what others thought of her. Most importantly, she wanted to let her wild side free. She’d never been able to do that before, always maintaining the sweet, polite facade so as to ensure she fit in wherever she went. Bristol wasn’t the sort to speak her mind freely, determined to always be politically correct and never ruffle feathers. Sometimes it was a curse, others it was a blessing.

  Keegan had been right on the money that first night when he made that statement about what the parents of her students would think. She had a business to worry about, right? The last thing she wanted the parents of her kids to think was that she was some hussy who liked to mix it up with multiple partners. She was terrified of what might happen when it came out that she was pregnant with their baby, and she still didn’t know how to go about dealing with it.

  What she did know was that she wanted to keep seeing them. Just on the down low for now. While they hadn’t seemed entirely pleased by her request, their lack of argument made her believe they would respect her wish. Hopefully she’d be able to get past her hang-up sooner rather than later. After all, she wouldn’t be able to hide her pregnancy forever. Eventually she would start showing.

  As for right this very minute…

  Bristol wanted to spend time with them.

  Grabbing her phone, she tapped out a message to both of them in a group text: If you haven’t eaten, I could make something for lunch. You know, as a thank you.

  She sent the text and felt her face flame. She hadn’t meant it the way it sounded.

  She quickly added: For my car. To thank you for my car. Not for … you know.

  Within a minute, she received two responses, at the exact same time: We’d love to.

  Her heart skipped a beat. Was that how they did everything? Together?

  Now that she thought about it, when one was around, the other was usually close by. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever been to a function when only one of them was there. Were they that close? Was that why they were into sharing women?

  Funny. Bristol had never really thought about it, though she’d been around the twins enough to have picked up on certain nuances. She’d always considered Braydon and Brendon inseparable, but she knew that wasn’t true. Though she’d heard rumors that they’d shared women in their younger years, they’d opted for separation when it came to their families.

  She thought about all the times she’d been around Kaden and Keegan, how they interacted with one another. They finished each other’s sentences as though they’d had the exact same thought. It was almost eerie, yet oddly fascinating at the same time.

  Kinda like their first night together. They’d been so in sync, if it hadn’t been for the intermittent pausing so they could alternate, she would’ve considered them one.

  Realizing she could get lost in her thoughts and find herself pressed for time, Bristol forced herself out of bed. She made a beeline for the bathroom.

  It took half an hour, but she managed to shower, dry her hair, and apply makeup. Another ten minutes to figure out what to wear before she was making her way out of her bedroom, her mind already going through the list of lunch options. She’d made it across the living room when she heard the deep rumble of an engine out front.

  After hurrying to the window, she peeked through the blinds to see Kaden parking his truck behind Keegan’s, the two of them getting out.

  Her heart fluttered. “Oh, Lord.”

  What had she been thinking?

  *

  Keegan had been expecting a nothing-special sort of day. The kind of Saturday spent getting his chores out of the way and then parking it in front of the television, video game controller in hand. It was how he used to pass the time most weekends, because what else was he going to do? Perhaps it was a tad pathetic, but he didn’t much care.

  Only, it hadn’t started as a nothing-special sort of day.

  He’d woken up in Bristol’s bed, which made it … well, pretty extraordinary right off the bat.

  Keegan hated that he’d left without waking her, but they had chores at the ranch that couldn’t be ignored, so he’d woken Kaden and they’d slipped out just before dawn.

  Then Bristol had offered an invitation to lunch and his entire day was suddenly on a new course. He was no longer considering which room they would tackle for renovations or which video game he would conquer, because he was damn sure not the kind of guy who would pick a video game over a woman. He’d seen those videos online where the woman greets her man while he’s playing a video game. She’s supposedly buck naked behind the camera because it was all about seeing his reaction. One guy—the smart one—tossed the game controller in his pursuit of his woman. The other … well, the other was simply a jackass, because come on. Seriously. What the hell kind of guy could resist the temptation of his woman? Especially if she went to the effort to capture his attention?

  Needless to say, Keegan’s online teammates were on their own if his woman were to greet him like that.

  His woman.

  Their woman.

  He couldn’t believe he was actually thinking of Bristol as theirs, but there was no way he could deny it. As far as he was concerned, he was in the same place Kaden was. She was their end game.

  Even if Bristol did want them to keep it a secret for the time being. He could respect that. For a little while, anyway.

  Rather than let his insecurities get the best of him, Keegan had decided he would be the man she needed him to be, the one she could and would love the same as she loved Kaden. He would not be the one to keep distance between them. Not this time.

  So, here he was, waltzing up the short path to Bristol’s front door while scanning the neighborhood.

  Not far from the heart of Coyote Ridge, it was one of the older parts of town. Because Brendon and Cheyenne lived just a couple of streets over, Keegan knew the houses had been built sometime back in the fifties. Most were the single-story ranch, well maintained from the roof down to the manicured lawns. He could see signs of the holidays. A couple of blow-up snowmen sitting in the yards, lights strung from the eaves.

  It was then he wondered if Bristol was the sort to decorate for the holidays. Considering she worked with kids all day, he would peg her for the sort to participate in the various traditions, if for no other reason than to appease the little ones. If Keegan had a house in a neighborhood like this, that would be what he would do. He would go all out for every holiday, just for the kids.

  He smiled to himself. Neighborhood or not, he would soon be putting up Christmas decorations. Next year, for sure. For their own child to see.

  Stepping to the side, Keegan waited while Kaden rapped his knuckles on the front door.

  A minute later, the sound of a lock disengaging was followed by the squeak of the front door as it opened.

  “Hey,” Bristol greeted, smiling up at them. “I didn’t realize you were on the way.”

  “You offered food,” Kaden said as though that was all they needed to drop everything and run. In all fairness, it kinda was.

  “Come in.” She stepped back, gestured them inside.

  Because they’d come over in the middle of the night, been blindsided by the news of the pregnancy, fallen into bed with the sexiest woman on the planet, and slipped out before dawn, Keegan hadn’t had a chance to really give the house a good once-over. He didn’t have the same problem now. And yes, the house was as closed off as he’d thought it was. Then again, that had been the style back then, each room separated and individualized.

  What
really surprised him was the decor. The furniture was dated, as though it had been with the house since it was built. The flowered sofa had seen better days, as had the mauve carpet, the blue and green wallpaper border along the ceiling, and the brass and glass coffee table that he’d shoved aside last night.

  Had he been inclined to learn anything about Bristol based on her house, Keegan would’ve failed miserably. It felt more like a house for an older man than a thirty-one-year-old woman.

  As he followed Bristol toward the kitchen, he noticed the cheap, plastic-framed pictures on one wall did not match at all with the oversized farmhouse clock on another.

  Then it dawned on him. This house had originally belonged to her grandparents, passed down to her father when they died. Her father had moved his family in, vacating the small farmhouse he’d been renting previously. And by the looks of it, this was still her father’s house, despite the fact he’d passed on years ago. Bristol clearly hadn’t updated anything since then. As though she was expecting him to come back at any moment, maybe fall into that ugly blue recliner, grab the clicker, and watch some tube.

  “I’m sorry,” she said when they stepped into the kitchen. “I didn’t have time to put anything together.”

  She made a beeline for the refrigerator.

  Keegan met Kaden’s confused look. He didn’t need to hear his brother’s question to know he was wondering why she was so nervous. She certainly hadn’t been last night.

  “When I texted you, I had just gotten up,” she explained, her head halfway in the refrigerator. “Then I had to shower and get ready. I was about to make coffee, but I heard you pull up.”

  Kaden moved toward her, took her arm, and pulled her back. “Why don’t you take a seat and leave the preparations to us.”

  Bristol stared up at him, horrified. “You want to—”

  “Cook for you,” Keegan supplied, taking her hand as Kaden passed her off. “Yes, we do. So you just sit back and chill.”

  Rather than deliver her to the kitchen table, Keegan pulled her to a stop.

  “Right here.” He patted the countertop.

  When she didn’t move, Keegan smiled.

  “I promise, we don’t bite, Bristol,” he assured her. “Not even in the light of day.”

  “And we won’t burn your house down,” Kaden promised. “I’m rather good in the kitchen.”

  “And I know when to stay outta the way,” Keegan admitted.

  Her pretty blue eyes bounced between the two of them. It took a moment, but she finally smiled, then hopped up onto the counter.

  “Okay. I’ll sit here. You two can do your thing.”

  “You want us to start that coffee?” Keegan asked.

  “That would be amazing. And yes, it’s caffeinated though I should probably have decaf.” Her gaze bounced between them as she rambled on. “I read that too much caffeine’s not good for the baby. I usually have a couple of cups in the morning, a couple in the afternoon but now I’m limiting myself.” She gripped the edge of the counter as though gearing up to jump down. “Maybe I should make it.”

  Before she could move, Keegan put a hand on her thigh, leaned in. “You sit. We’ve got this.”

  Bristol’s breath hitched, stirring that temptation to kiss her.

  For a moment, just an infinitesimal amount of time, Keegan considered it. Leaning in, brushing her lips with his. He could practically taste her, the memories of last night flooding his brain. He wanted to kiss her again, to strip her bare, to sink into the heavenly warmth of her body. God, how he wanted to. Of course, if he did that, they’d miss lunch and, in her condition, she needed to eat.

  So he refrained.

  While Kaden went to work on the coffee, Keegan did an inventory of the refrigerator, then the pantry.

  “You can learn a lot about a person by what you find in their kitchen,” he told Bristol as he scanned the contents, finding little to nothing that would make a decent lunch. Or any meal for that matter.

  “What does my refrigerator tell you about me?” she prompted.

  Keegan peeked around the door, smiled at her. “That you don’t eat at home often.”

  Bristol giggled. “If you’re insinuatin’ I don’t have food, then you’re wrong.”

  Holding up a container of yogurt, he waggled it. “This expired two months ago.”

  Her eyes widened in horror.

  Keegan chuckled, then snatched all the stray containers and tossed them into the trash.

  “I haven’t been to the grocery store in a while,” Bristol admitted. “I’ve been busy.”

  “Don’t worry,” Kaden said, “if you look in our fridge, you’ll find a six-pack of beer.”

  “No, you won’t,” Keegan told him. “Drank that last week.”

  “Okay, fine,” Kaden said with a smirk. “Then you’ll find a jar of pickles and some bologna.”

  “Nix the bologna, too,” Keegan told him. “Ate that before we went out last night.”

  Bristol laughed and he realized she was finally relaxing.

  Turning to face her, he leaned against the refrigerator. “Based on my assessment, we’ve got two choices.”

  “Which are?” Kaden prompted.

  “Either we Door Dash it, or we go to the diner.” Keegan looked at Bristol. “So, which will it be?”

  He already knew the answer, but you couldn’t blame a guy for trying.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “In,” Bristol blurted almost immediately. “We … um … we should eat in.”

  Kaden glanced over, watching as she began fidgeting, her gaze bouncing rapidly between them as though she was afraid they might disagree.

  “I can order it,” she quickly added. “Since, you know, it’s my address and all.”

  She was far too nervous. Why? he wondered. Because she thought they might want to be seen in public with her? They’d already agreed to keeping a low profile for the time being. Was it really that big of a deal? Enough that she went into a panic at the thought of them wanting to take her out to lunch?

  He let that thought slip away because he did not want to go there right now. They were on even footing, back to where they were supposed to be, and the last damn thing he wanted was for this to become a pissing match between Keegan and Bristol the way it had been before.

  Plus, Keegan had managed to put her at ease when he’d poked fun at what she had in her refrigerator, and Kaden didn’t want to miss the opportunity to have her relax a little around them. Not to mention, Kaden had really been looking forward to a little alone time with her since she made the offer of lunch.

  So, they argued over whether to order fried chicken or sandwiches—chicken won out—then relocated to the living room while they waited for the meal to be delivered.

  “I love what you’ve done with the place,” Keegan said, a teasing hint in his words. “So very … retro.”

  Kaden’s back stiffened as he watched Bristol, curious as to whether she would take offense to the comment.

  A strangled laugh came out of her as she stared at him. “Do you know you’re the first person who’s ever called me out on it?” Her gaze swung around the room. “I figure if I wait long enough, it’ll all come back in style.”

  “It’s possible,” Keegan agreed. “I mean, record players are a thing again. I’m just not sure green, blue, and mauve were ever a good combination to begin with.”

  Kaden knew Bristol had a sense of style because the daycare had a modern yet rustic flare that somehow suited her personality. This place… He seriously doubted anyone would’ve guessed Bristol Newton lived here if it had been on a test.

  “My parents did some updates when we moved in after my grandparents passed. But my dad never updated anything after my mother left us,” she explained. “This place is still as she left it, and truth is, I hate it, but I haven’t gotten around to doin’ anything about it. Well, other than clean out my father’s bedroom. Bianca insisted I do it because it would help ease the pain of him being gone. It t
ook me about three years to get around to it, but it’s empty now.”

  “Do you plan on stayin’ here?” Kaden asked.

  “First person to ask me that, too,” she muttered, her gaze swinging through the room. “I’ve given it a lot of thought. More so right after my dad passed. It was hard to be here, but at the same time, I felt a connection to him so I moved back in. I don’t know what I’ll do in the long run. I’ve considered sellin’ it, but real estate’s not cheap, nor is it readily available in Coyote Ridge. And honestly, it’s a comfortable place. Needs some updates, probably a new air conditioner.”

  Kaden wouldn’t tell her as much, but he was already wondering how they should approach her moving in with them, which of the other bedrooms would become the nursery. From the moment she’d told them she was pregnant, he’d known that was where she belonged. Then again, he’d thought the same thing before he found out she was having their baby.

  “Well, the first thing you need to do is update the television,” Keegan told her, reaching for the clunky remote.

  He clicked it on, the three of them staring at the blank screen.

  “I don’t have cable, but I did invest in Apple TV, so I can stream whatever I want, though I haven’t messed with it in a while.”

  “You mean that thing’s new enough to have HDMI input?” Kaden asked.

  She chuckled. “No, but the one in my bedroom is.”

  “I don’t remember a TV,” Keegan said with a smirk.

  Bristol blushed.

  Yeah, the television hadn’t exactly been important when they’d been in that room.

  Instead of going down that rabbit hole, Kaden shifted on the uncomfortable couch, smiled. “You’re not here much, are you?”