“Well, she’d like us to buy a place there, but I told her there was no way. Your work is out here. She’s a little disappointed. That’s okay though. It’s like I told you, home is where ever you are and you need to be here.”
I pull her close and put my arm around her shoulder. A little kiss I place on top of her cute little head. “We can get a place there too. After the first of the year we can get started on that. I do think it’s best to stay here until the baby’s born though. No reason to make a move until then. I know your mother will want to be around the baby too.”
“You know you’re beyond wonderful right?” she asks with a giggle.
“It never hurts to be reminded,” I chuckle.
A tall young guy with shoulder length dark blonde curls walks towards the water a little ways ahead of us. A jar in his hand. He opens the lid and a light dust falls out of it, then he reaches in a takes a handful and throws it out over the water. He seems to be saying something as he does it.
“What do you suppose he’s doing?” Peyton asks.
“Don’t know.”
We get nearer to him and hear him say, “I love you, Mom. Here you go, the Pacific, just like you wanted.”
I duck my head as it’s obvious he’s spreading his mother’s ashes and I’m sure he wants no one to bother him.
“Oh my! When did she pass?” Peyton asks and makes us stop.
“Peyton!” I look at her sternly. “I’m sure he wants to be left alone.”
He turns to us with a smile of all things on his amazingly symmetrical face. His eyes are hazel, a brown and blue hazel and even though he’s doing something most people would find a sad thing to do, his eyes say anything but that.
“No, that’s okay. I was just sending my mother’s ashes out to sea like she asked me to. I’m Blake Chandler from Lubbock, Texas.” He sticks his hand out for me to shake, but it’s a little dusty with his dead mom on it so I have to really struggle with myself to shake it, but decency overrides my disgust so I go ahead and shake.
“Kip and this is Peyton, she’s a fellow Texan,” I say and discreetly wipe my hand on my jeans after our handshake.
“Yeah? Where is it you hail from, Peyton?” he asks.
“A miniscule town called Smithville. It’s outside of Austin.”
He smiles. “Been there! They have an outstanding little bar-b-que place there. Me and my parents would eat there every time we went to Austin. Which was once a year. We had our little rituals and finding the best bar-b-que places was one of them. That one beats a lot of them.”
“So you live here now?” Peyton asks.
He shakes his head. “Nope, just had to come to the Pacific Ocean to drop Mom off. I traveled to New York first and dropped Dad off in the Atlantic then trekked it across the whole country for Mom.”
“Sorry to hear that,” I say.
He laughs. “The long trip or about them dying? Cause don’t be sorry about that. They went together, just like they always talked about wanting. It was peaceful too. A gas leak in their home took them out, nice and quiet as they slept. I can’t think of a more peaceful way to go, can you?”
Surprise fills me at his attitude. While kind of healthy it’s extremely odd.
Peyton smiles. “Good for you. What a nice way to look at it. So back to Lubbock you go then?”
“Yep. I’m staying tonight and trek it on back to Lubbock in the morning.” He looks out as the sun is disappearing into the water. He makes a little wave with his hand. “See ya on the other side, Mom.”
“We’ll let you have your moment,” I say. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Hey, just one quick question if you don’t mind,” he says. “The lottery in California, so what’s it up to?”
I shake my head. “I have no idea, I don’t play.”
He smiles and shakes his head. “Neither did I, but my parents did the craziest thing in their will. They left me three thousand dollars, but I have to use every penny of it on the lotteries in every state I pass through in my journey to drop their ashes off on both coasts. I have a hundred left for California.”
Peyton laughs. “They sound like cool parents.”
“They were older when they had me. I was their only kid. To say I was spoiled rotten is really an understatement. I think I turned out okay though. No real damage done. Well, I like to play video games more than some, but other than that I turned out pretty normal. Even though they were taken out a little earlier than say old age would’ve taken them, they did live a nice long life. Dad was seventy-one when he died, he was fifty when I was born and Mom was forty-eight when I was born so she was sixty-nine when she kicked it.”
“Wow, so you’re what, twenty-one then?” I ask.
He nods. “Yep, just turned legal last month.”
It’s getting dark pretty quick now so I wrap my arm around Peyton and start to head up to the car. “Got to get her inside before she catches a chill. Nice to meet you, Blake.”
“Nice to meet you guys too. Take care of each other. And congrats on that baby,” he says as he walks with us back up to the parking area. “It is both you all’s right? Shit! If it ain’t, I apologize.”
Peyton giggles. “It’s ours. We’re getting married as soon as possible. This is the second proposal this man has given me and I plan to get it done before either of us messes it up.”
“You two look cute as a bug in a rug, if you don’t mind me saying,” Blake says with a chuckle. “I bet the kid’s gonna be a real cutie.”
Peyton looks at him. “You have a girl, Blake?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. No one girl has tickled my fancy yet.”
“I assume that’s how we were built, to need another person. It is different,” I say and shudder with a chilly wind.
Peyton gives my ribs a little jab. “I hope that shudder was for the breeze and not cold feet.”
I kiss the side of her head. “It was the breeze, baby.”
We get to the car and wave goodbye to Blake as I open the car door for Peyton and help her in.
I slip into the driver’s seat. “His story was sweet in a way about how his parents died together. In bed. I wonder if his father got some before he passed on.”
A sharp blow from Peyton’s small hand hits my shoulder. “Kip! How inappropriate!”
I shrug. “What? It would be the perfect way to go. A little loving, go to sleep, wake up in Heaven together. What’s so inappropriate about that?”
She shakes her head as I pull away. “It does make me think about when you die before me. How will I handle that?”
“Whoa! How come I’m dying first? It could be you. You’re much higher strung than I am. I can see a stroke taking you out. Then what will I do?” I ask as I pull out of the parking lot.
She shrugs. “You’re older than I am. You’ll definitely go first.”
“Well, I could make sure we go together. A little gas leak and vavoom! I would definitely get a piece of your action before we kicked it then,” I say and then laugh. Her eyes go wide and she looks at me like I’m actually serious.
How damn gullible can she be?
“Kip! That’s a terrible thing to say. What about our kids?”
I pull onto the freeway to head back to Beverly Hills. “They’ll be grown before I kill us.” I don’t even break a smile.
“Oh my God!” she says with a huff and crosses her arms. “You are crazy! So when we get old and if you come to bed all randy, I’m always going to be wondering if that’s the time you opened the gas valve and soon will be dead.”
“That’s right, baby,” I say and see her frown. “You know I’m just kidding right, love?”
Her eyes soften and she looks at me with relief in her hazel eyes. “Of course I know that.”
The way the tension leaves her body tells me otherwise though.
She is beyond precious!
Peyton
“The salt is behind you, not anywhere near the fridge. What are you doing way over there?
” I ask as Kip is supposed to be handing me the salt but instead he’s pulling a beer from the fridge.
He pops it open and takes a long drink. “Okay! Better! Now, continue bossing me, please.”
I stop stuffing the turkey and take my hand from its butt. “Salt please.”
He hands me the salt, finally and kisses the tip of my nose. “So, are they going to meet us in Vegas next week?”
“Yes, and now that you have kissed my nose, it’s tickling or itching or something and I have turkey ass all over my hands so will you please do me a favor and fix that for me?” I ask as I blow little puffs of air at my nose.
He takes a napkin and rubs it. “So my kisses itch or tickle, huh? You must be allergic to me then.”
With a smile, I say, “I’m sure I am. It’s not love that has me going nuts, it’s an allergic reaction.”
His arms wrap around me from behind and his mouth is hot on my neck and I wiggle to get away. “It’s love, baby. Pure, unadulterated, love.”
I give him a little jab in the ribs and he pulls away from me fast and shouts, “Ow, fuck!”
He’s holding his lower right side and his face is turning red. I’m positive I used my left elbow so what the hell is he faking hurt with the wrong side.
“I used my left elbow, funny man.”
“No, something’s wrong, Peyton.” He bends over. “Bad wrong.”
“Are you fucking with me?” I go and wash my hands and see him go sit down.
He moans loudly and beads of sweat break out on his forehead. “I’m not fucking with you, baby. Something's wrong. Call my Mom.”
I dry my hands on a dish towel and walk over to him. I touch his forehead and it’s not hot at all. A bit cool really. He groans and his hand hasn’t moved from the place he put it. “Kip, I’ve never even spoken to your mother yet. And you want me to call her and tell her what?”
“Ask her what to do. There’s something wrong,” he moans.
His cell is on the counter so I go get it and find his mom’s number and call it as he groans. “Hi, baby,” she answers.
“Um, this isn’t your baby, this is Peyton, Mrs. Dixon. Kip asked me to call you. He’s clutching his side and moaning in pain.”
“Hi, Peyton, it’s nice to hear your voice after all this time. Now which side is he clutching?”
“His right side, kind of low.”
“Take him to the hospital or call an ambulance please. Then call me back when you know which one he’s going to and his father and I will get there as soon as we can. We’re in Aspen but we can fly there.”
“Okay, bye.”
I look at Kip who looks horrible and say, “Looks like we’re spending Thanksgiving at the ER, baby.”
I put my arm around him and help him up as he says, “I’ve ruined out first holiday.”
Dim Star
An Alpha Billionaire Romance
Book 10
By Michelle Love
Kip
Pain radiates through my right side and I can’t stand up straight. Forgoing an ambulance ride, Peyton drives me to the nearest hospital emergency room. Her hand pats my leg as we go, trying to reassure me all will be well.
“Don’t worry, babe. You’ll be better in no time,” she says as her lips form a tight line.
“Promise?”
She nods and gives me a quick glance. “Promise. Now don’t talk. Your face pales every time you do that. It must hurt very badly when you talk.”
I nod and lay my head on the dashboard as I can’t stand to sit upright. The thought runs through my head that in just a few months it will be Peyton who I’ll be taking to the hospital in much the same pain I’m in.
“How long have you been hurting, Kip? It must’ve been at least a few hours or so.”
“Three days.” I grit my teeth with the pain the words cause me.
“Three days? You jackass! Why wouldn’t you say something? Why’d you wait until it hurt so damn bad you have to go to the emergency room? Why couldn’t you just admit you were in pain?”
My jaw tight, I answer, “I thought I was hurting over you.”
I turn my head so I can see her face and just like I thought I’d find, she’s frowning, like a whole face frown, no ordinary one. “Damn it, why do we have to both be so stubborn and afraid of our emotions? I have to admit that my stomach has ached as well. I can see why yours would too. We have to promise each other that we’ll both try our hardest to stop being immature assholes.”
I give her a nod and pull her hand off my leg and leave a kiss on it. “I promise.”
The lights of the emergency room fill the car as she pulls into the parking lot. “I’m going to get a wheelchair, you stay put.”
“No worries, mate,” I say then groan.
She gets out of the car and in less time than I expected she’s got my door open and her hand is on my shoulder. “Lean your weight on me, let me help you.”
I try hard not to put too much of my weight on her, but as I move the pain sends white heat through my entire body and not in a good way. “Shit!”
She gets me into the chair and slams the car door, pushing the lock button to make it beep then wheels me in. Straight up to the desk she takes me as I huddle over.
“I need him to be seen like right now!” Peyton tells the nurse behind the desk.
“I need you to fill this form out,” the woman in blue scrubs tells her as she pushes a clipboard towards me. “Then we can get him back into the ER.”
Peyton slams her hand on the desk next to the clipboard. “I’ll fill this out while you take him back to be examined. I need him seen now, not after this shit is filled out. Now!”
“Miss, what’s your name?” the nurse rises and asks.
“My name is Peyton Reed, and this is my fiancé, Kip Dixon.”
A sideways glance lets me see the nurse’s expression change from firm to apologetic.
“Oh! I had no idea. Take him to the side door and I’ll buzz you both back.” The nurse takes the clipboard. “You can fill this out while the attending physician checks Mr. Dixon out.”
Peyton smirks and pushes me to the door. “Your name certainly makes miracles happen, Kip.”
I wish it could save me from this pain as well. Now that’s the kind of miracle I need right now.
A small room we follow the nurse to and they take my blood pressure and ask me a lot of questions about all kinds of things that don’t make a difference in my opinion. She asks about my pain and I let her know it’s a ten.
Finally, the nurse wheels me to an examination room and a man in a white coat comes in. “I need you to get into the bed, Mr. Dixon.”
“Then I need help, because I can’t stand up, much less climb into that bed.”
Peyton gets in front of me to help me up and I shake my head. “It’s hurting much more now, and I’m afraid I’ll knock you down.”
She looks back at the doctor who looks like he weighs maybe a buck fifty. “Get someone!” she barks the order, and he moves like the wind to do her bidding.
“Damn, baby!”
“They’re taking too long to get you taken care of and it’s pissing me off,” she says as she runs her hand over my head.
The doctor returns followed by a giant man and in no time I’m in excruciating pain as he moves me to the bed and presses me to lay out flat, which nearly kills me. Stars fill my head and I nearly black out. “Christ!”
“Be easy with him!” Peyton shouts.
“Miss, I’ll have to ask you to leave if you don’t let us do our job,” the doctor says with an air of authority.
“She stays, no matter what,” I say through gritted teeth.
Deep breaths I take as the pain only grows worse. The doctor moves my hand from my side and pulls up my shirt. His hand is freezing as it touches my skin and I scream as it feels as if he pressing into a horrible bruise.
“So that hurts then?” he asks.
“Fuck yeah!” I shout as my body throbs with the man
’s touch.
“Help him!” Peyton shouts. “Just hurry. I can’t stand to see him in pain like this!”
The doctor turns to her. “I need to order an ultra-sound. I think he has appendicitis. But I need to confirm that. I’ll be right back, and Miss, I am doing all I can as fast as I can, so please help me to keep him calm.”
Peyton shudders and wraps her arms around herself. “Sorry, please just hurry.”
She takes her cell phone out and starts pressing the screen like a mad woman. “What are you doing?” I groan and hold my side.
“Googling appendicitis. Man, I hope it hasn’t burst. That’s going to complicate things if your appendix has burst,” she says with a frown. “I’d show you the pictures I’m looking at but that wouldn’t do a thing to make you feel better, I’m afraid.”
“What if it has?” I ask, not really wanting to know.
She shakes her head. “Let’s not speculate about that until we know for sure.”
She puts the phone in her pocket and comes to my side. Gently she runs her hand over my sweat soaked head. “Peyton, please call my mum and pop and tell them to come. I need them and you right now, more than I ever needed any people in my life.”
She takes my cell from her other pocket and makes the call. “Hey, we’re in the ER, it’s probably appendicitis. The doctor is about to run an ultra-sound and Kip wants you two to come. Can you do that?” She nods at me. “Okay, just call when you get here and I’ll come find you and take you to him.” She puts the phone back in her pocket.
“Thank you.”
“Shh. You be quiet and rest. I’ll be here and soon so will your parents. Everything is going to be fine.” Her hand rests on my chest and she smiles.
A young man pushes a cart in and asks her to step back. She moves to the other side of me and takes my hand. He pours some cold goop on me then presses something on top of it and I shriek in agony. “Holy shit!”
“Sorry, sir,” the man says as he moves it around causing me to nearly pass out with the pain. “A necessary evil, I’m afraid.”
After a torturous few moments he stops his torture and throws a tissue over the goop on my searing flesh. He looks at Peyton. “It might be better if you help him clean this off. He may punch me.”
The Shameless Billionaire Series: Billionaire Romance Box Set (An Alpha-Male, Billionaire, Bad Boy, Bad Girl, Romance) Page 48
