by Rayne, Piper
“As long as I’m the only new resident you welcome.”
I laugh against his lips. “Definitely.”
I step back and his lips don’t leave mine as we secure ourselves behind the apartment door three twenty-two. Maybe it was fate all along.
Epilogue
Six Months later…
Brooklyn
All of our faces are glued to the window of the restaurant. Wyatt’s hand on my hip, his face right above mine.
“I’m not sure we should be watching,” I say.
“Then he should’ve done it in his Jeep behind Lucky’s,” Savannah says.
“I’m with Savannah, you don’t want witnesses, don’t do it in public,” Rome chimes in.
Austin has Holly in the gazebo in the middle of the square where Rome’s new restaurant is located. It’s late winter and it’s still cold out though not as frigid as the past few months. Snow falls to the ground around them and they’re all bundled up. He goes down on one knee and Holly’s hands fly to her face.
“It’s so romantic. Who was in charge of photos?” Juno asks.
We all get up and scramble, looking around. “Austin is going to kill us,” Sedona says, jogging out the door with her cell phone.
“Glad I still have an excuse.” Denver sits down on the chair, not as enamored about Austin’s proposal as the girls in the family are.
“I need to head back to the kitchen if you guys want to eat,” Rome says.
Grandma Dori smiles out the window with a satisfied grin.
“They better give me some promo work. They might be my very first marriage.” Juno rests her chin in her palm.
Phoenix shakes her head.
“For the millionth time, you didn’t get them together,” Kingston says.
“I did. And these two.” She thumbs to me and Wyatt.
We stare at one another. “I guess she did dodge out of the way of the book that hit me.” Wyatt shrugs, sitting next to Denver clinking his beer bottle.
“I got them together,” Grandma Dori says from the window. “I’m the one who told him to look out for her and I gave you those coffee mugs.”
“You gave Wyatt coffee mugs?” Phoenix asks.
“Uh-huh. He was supposed to go back to his lonely New York apartment and put that pretty mug with Alaska on it next to what I assumed would be a purchased set of new coffee mugs and remember he was missing out on being where people love him. Lake Starlight.”
I glance to Wyatt who raises his shoulders in a shrug of agreement.
“Do any of you listen to me?” she asks. “A man with matching coffee mugs is a man no one loves.”
We all nod. “Got it, G’ma,” Juno pats her shoulder. “Just keep those keepsakes away from Savannah.”
Savannah flips her off. “Oh, he’s sliding the ring on her finger!”
Juno, Savannah and I all sigh.
Holly wipes tears from her face and she jumps up into his arms. He picks her up and backs her into one of the pillars while they kiss frantically. “Do you think they realize what they’re doing? I mean they’re going to be in the Buzz Wheel tonight for sure and it won’t be the announcement of their engagement, it’ll be a picture of them half naked with their tongues down each other’s throats.” Savannah shakes her head and we all move back to the table Rome arranged so we could have dinner together before his opening next week.
We all sit down, talking over one another, asking for this or that when it comes to what we’re drinking.
Holly and Austin come in a while later with Uncle Brian and Karen following. Sedona trails behind looking like a wet dog from the snowfall and having no coat or hat on.
“Good thing I had back up on the picture thing. You’d think after raising all of you, one of you could take some pictures.”
We ignore Austin and all the girls jump up and hug Holly and then our brother. The guys fist bump Austin and lightly hug Holly, welcoming her to the family.
“We all know who’s next,” Austin says, sitting down with Holly on his lap.
“Do you plan on eating your entire dinner with her on your lap?” I ask, ignoring his comment.
I’d love to be married to Wyatt but I’m not rushing into anything this time around and when I do, I hope that Wyatt’s in agreement that we should either have a small wedding or sneak away just the two of us. Right now he’s still working hard to make the resort what he envisions and I’m still getting my own business off the ground.
“Since I really want to lay her out on the table and feast on my soon-to-be wife, you should be happy we’re here.”
Holly shoves him in the chest but then kisses him, the two going way overboard in the PDA department as always.
“You guys ready?” Rome calls out from the kitchen.
“I’m hungry and I have to get back to the center before the roads turn icy,” Grandma Dori says.
“It’s okay, Wyatt’s driving you in his brand-new truck,” I announce.
Wyatt’s cheeks flush red.
“Now you’re a true Alaskan.” Kingston laughs.
“Aw, trust fund boy had a little extra in the bank to pay for a new vehicle?” Denver says with a grin.
“Piss off,” Wyatt says and tosses a napkin in his direction.
“I hope it’s not too high because —” Austin stops speaking when a rush of cold air hits the table.
The door of the restaurant opens and in walks an attractive blonde woman with a baby on her hip.
She catches my eye. I smile and start to stand to see if I can help her with directions or something, but her eyes move and fixate on Denver.
“I’m sorry, this is a private party. Family only,” Savannah tells her, sliding out of her chair.
“Well, then I guess we’re in the right place,” the woman says.
We all exchange looks, but everyone is confused.
Rome walks out of the kitchen with a plate of beef, placing it on the table. “Why is everyone so quiet?” He looks over to the woman and child.
The woman’s face falls, her mouth hanging open and she has to prop her daughter higher up on her hip. “There’s two of you?”
Denver tilts his head and Rome rounds the end of the table to get closer.
“I’m sorry, how can I help you?” he asks.
The woman’s eyes narrow. “You can tell me which one of you is the father of my little girl.”
For the first time in Bailey family dinner history, the entire table is dead silent.
One of the twins is a dad?
Buzz Wheel is going to have a field day with this.
* * *
Hot bachelor one day-baby daddy the next! Grab the next installment of The Baileys now for the special PRE-ORDER price. CLICK HERE Scroll ahead for Chapter One
Chapter One
Harley
I hoist Calista higher on my hip, our suitcase bumping along the half-melted ice as I drag it up the quaint path that leads to the front door of Cozy Cottage Bed and Breakfast.
This is the cheapest place to stay in Lake Starlight. The place doesn’t look as rundown as I expected. It actually looks well cared for, but a little…peculiar. I’m not a judgmental person—not with my own past being what it is—but most people wouldn’t match pink siding with yellow trim. The plethora of garden gnomes and metal sculptures poking out from the clumps of snow around the yard ramp up the weird factor. I don’t remember them from the online pictures when I booked, but it wouldn’t have made a difference.
I’m here for one reason and one reason only—to track down my baby daddy.
God, that sounds so cliché but it’s true.
Denver Bailey.
My one-night stand turned my baby daddy.
I had no intention of seeking him out. It wasn’t until his picture was plastered over the news about a missing pilot in Alaska that had been in an accident with a famous Hollywood music producer that I even knew his last name.
But now six months later, here I am in his hometown. Only beca
use I need something from him.
Calista fussing draws me from my thoughts, and I stop to readjust her. I don’t have a chance to knock before the door whips open revealing a waiting woman.
She’s middle-aged, maybe mid-fifties, wearing a colorful dashiki with black leggings. Her shoulder-length grey hair sticks out from under the scarf wrapped around her head. She frantically waves with dried paint-covered hands.
“Heeelllooo,” she draws out the word with a huge smile on her face. “You must be Harley!”
She steps onto the porch, wraps both my daughter and I in an embrace. My back stiffens and I let out a breath of relief when she pulls away, directing her attention to Calista. “Hello you sweet thing.”
She scoops up Calista and my arms instinctively reach out to grab her back, but the woman pulls her securely into her chest. I open my mouth to say something, but she beats me to the punch again.
“Bring your suitcase in. You’ll catch your death out here. It’s not too spring-like yet.” She turns and heads into the house with my daughter. “Is this your first time in Alaska? How was your flight? What brings you here? I’m Selene, by the way, like the Greek goddess of the moon.”
My brain stutters to keep up with her rambling. I have no idea which question to respond to, so instead I drag my suitcase through the door and close it.
Selene undresses Calista from her heavy coat.
I peek around what will be our home for the next few days. The inside is just as colorful as the outside. Bright abstract oil paintings cover the walls and trinkets decorate every available surface which will be a nightmare now that Calista puts everything into her mouth.
“Did you paint all these?” I ask Selene who’s busy tickling Calista under her chin, but Calista isn’t giggling. She’s staring at her like she just stepped off a UFO.
“I did. I’m not only a patron of the arts but I’m an artist myself. Made all the lawn decorations you saw outside, too.”
I smile. “Cool.”
An awkward silence hangs over the room and I use the moment to get another word in before Selene starts up again.
“It was a long day of travel, so I think we’re just going to go lie down for a bit before we head out to get a couple things done.”
Selene frowns. “I can keep her with me if you want to rest.”
She seems genuine, not like a crazy murderer who will hurt my daughter but I’m not about to leave my infant daughter with someone I don’t know.
“That’s okay, she’s due for a nap, too.” I reach out to take her from Selene. “I think we’ll just go lie down and I’ll grab my bag and unpack if that’s okay?”
“Of course. No problem at all. Dinner is at five. Is that too early for you? I’m an early riser which means early to bed, but I know some people prefer to eat late.”
Calista whines because at this point, we’re way past nap time, so I bounce her on my hip hoping to speed this conversation along. I worried about staying at a bed and breakfast instead of a hotel because of the nosiness from owners and guests, but it’s not like I have money to blow on the Glacier Point Resort.
“Five is great.”
Selene claps her hands and startles Calista. “Perfect. We’re having zucchini noodles with avocado pesto. It tastes better than it sounds, I promise.”
I smile and head toward the stairway. Guess I’ll grab something to eat while we’re out.
“You’re in the light blue room.”
“Thanks.”
“By the way, what’s your daughter’s name?”
I stop to face her. “Calista.”
“Calista.” She smiles. “Most beautiful. Did you know that’s the meaning? In Greek mythology Calista was a mythological Arcadian who transformed into a she-bear, then into the Great Bear constellation.” She ends the conversation in baby talk like she’s telling Calista instead of me.
“That’s good to know.”
My chest weighs heavy as I walk up the stairs. I hope she is a she-bear because she’ll need to be fierce for what lies ahead.
***
Selene was right. Dinner was actually better than it sounded. I grab our coats and button Calista up to venture out to find out more about Denver. Lake Starlight appears to be a small town where everyone knows one another and hopefully I run into someone who might be able to tell me where he lives or hangs out.
As luck would have it, the Uber drops me off downtown in front of the local hardware store, Hammer Time. He was good with his hands. The memory of his skilled callused fingers over my nipples surfaces, but I shake my head to push those thoughts away.
The bell rings on the door when we enter. Once I’m inside I inhale a deep breath, loving the smell of cut wood and building materials.
“Can I help you find something?” A man stands behind the counter bearing a genuine smile.
I return the smile and walk over, taking a quick glance at his nametag. “Hi Jack. This is going to sound strange but I’m wondering if you can tell me where I might find Denver Bailey?”
“Well I talked to Austin earlier and he had some big plans tonight, but then they were all going to meet over at Rome’s new restaurant. It looks over the town courtyard. It’s not open yet but I’m sure if you knock, they’ll hear you. It’s just down the street to your right a couple of blocks. Called Terra & Mare.”
“Great, thanks so much for the information.” I turn and head for the door.
“Hey, what’s your name?” Jack calls out.
“It’s not important,” I say, the door chime ringing as I leave.
I poke Calista in the belly. “Your mommy made a smart decision by going into that store. Jack is like an encyclopedia.”
She giggles and I kiss her forehead.
As I walk the streets of Lake Starlight in the direction Jack sent me, my stomach turns over and bile creeps up my throat. Calista busies herself staring up at the sky, her mittened hand jutting out to catch snowflakes.
Only minutes later, the sign Terra & Mare in gold script with a maroon background comes into view. It’s definitely a classy place. When I peer inside, the restaurant is empty except for a long table in the center surrounded by a bunch of people.
I don’t see Denver, but a few guy’s backs are to me, so he could be one of them. It’s been more than two years since I’ve seen him, so I’m going on fuzzy memories at best.
I inhale a deep breath, remind myself of the reasons why I’m here. The wind picks up when I push the door open and a cold draft travels into the warm restaurant behind me. All heads simultaneously turn in my direction.
I quickly take each one of them in as I step toward the table. I scour for familiarity but when my eyes land on Denver, my heart beats triple time.
All the memories of that night and what drew me to him rush to my mind. His good looks and hazel eyes. The way his arms and chest fill out his shirt. How the stubble on his face scraped against my inner thighs.
But he’s clearly not on my trip down memory lane because there’s zero recognition on his face, which stokes my anger.
“I’m sorry, this is a private party. Family only,” a pretty blonde woman says, sliding out of her chair.
“Well, then I guess we’re in the right place,” I snip.
Everyone at the table exchanges looks of confusion.
A man in a chef’s uniform emerges from the kitchen, walks across the dining room carrying a platter of beef.
Wait… What the hell is going on?
I glance from the chef to Denver.
The chef doesn’t notice me, placing the tray in the center of the table. “Why is everyone so quiet?” he asks, following the other’s gazes over to myself and Calista.
My mouth drops open and I prop Calista higher on my hip. “There’s two of you?”
Denver tilts his head and the chef rounds the end of the table growing closer.
“I’m sorry, how can I help you?” he asks. The fact there’s zero recognition in the chef’s eyes either fuels my ang
er like gasoline thrown on a fire.
My eyes narrow. “You can tell me which one of you is the father of my little girl.”
Everyone’s head at the table swings from one man to the other.
I glance from the chef to Denver, who both wear an expression of panic.
What have I gotten myself into?
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Cockamamie Unicorn Ramblings
Wow… This book was the one that wouldn’t end. In a good way, the characters just would not stop talking to us. Every time Rayne thought she could wrap up their happily ever after, something else arose. She went way past the set deadline, but we try to always keep true to the characters and their story—whether that’s a 70K story, or in this case, a 90K story.
Even though Rayne would groan each time she had to go to Piper and say it still wasn’t done, Piper and Rayne agreed to see it through and Piper would make the adjustments as needed on her end.
As our faithful readers know, we like to see the couple in steamy situations and by the time we said The End, Brooklyn and Wyatt only had one detailed sex scene. We found ourselves once again biting our lip, contemplating if we were disappointing our readers.
We even included four betas this round to make sure we were delivering a good story. In the end, we decided to stand by our couple and their unique strangers-to-friends-to-lovers (Piper’s coined phrase) trope. Brooklyn’s character is not one who would rush into another relationship or into bed with a guy after being left at the altar. And in order for Wyatt to truly change he needed to show the slow growth he did after falling for her.
A few behind the scene tidbits about plotting to paper with this story…
1.Wyatt’s identity was going to stay hidden from readers for the first 50% until Rayne found herself writing his POV the first time and thought how are we going to accomplish this? *Cue emergency call with Piper*
