My smile spread wider. “Good, because I’m afraid of monsters.”
Tristan giggled. “Monsters aren’t real, silly. Don’t be scared.”
I laughed and messed up his cap. Vendors were walking up and down the aisles as more people filled in the seats surrounding us. Ethan looked at me and asked, “Hey, you want a beer?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Ethan stood as he waved the vendor down and got two beers. He handed me one as he sat back down. I tipped the cup to him. “Thanks, bro.”
Tristan tugged on Ethan’s shirt sleeve. “Daddy, I want fries—the ones with all the stuff on them. And a hot dog, too.”
“Don’t forget the ketchup,” I added.
Ethan took a drink and set it in the cup-holder. “Okay, buddy. Let’s go.” They both stood before Ethan looked at me. “You want anything?”
“Nah, I’m good, thanks.” I took a sip from my beer.
Ethan picked up Tristan and nodded. “We’ll be right back.”
They pushed through the growing crowd of people toward the concession areas. I watched the players warm up on the field as I thought about how much my life had changed over the past couple of months. Six months ago, I never would’ve believed that I’d be at a Red Sox game with my brother and his kid, let alone be expecting one of my own.
If it’s even mine.
Damn it, don’t think like that.
I tried to push the thought away, but it always lingered in the back my mind. Every single time. There was no reason for me to question Kaiya, but I couldn’t shake the doubt that hung over me. The scars from my past still affected me; I’d probably never forget the pain they resulted from.
When Ethan and Tristan came back and sat down with their huge order of chili cheese fries and a hot dog, Ethan gestured to the food. “Help yourself. We won’t finish them all.”
Tristan stabbed a clump of fries with his fork. “Yeah, Uncle Ryker, they’re so good. Have some.”
I laughed as he stuffed the food in his mouth, making his cheeks bulge out as he attempted to chew. Ethan’s mouth twitched as he fought a smile while halfheartedly scolding, “Tristan, don’t put so much food in your mouth. You could choke.”
Tristan continued chewing his food before looking up at Ethan. “Sorry, Daddy.” He rubbed his stomach in circles before patting it. “They’re just so good.”
A loving smile spread over Ethan’s face. “I know. Just be careful, son.”
Tristan continued eating as Ethan directed his attention to me. “So, how’s everything?”
“Pretty good—we’ve been looking for a house.”
Ethan’s eyebrows rose in interest. “Really? How’s that going?”
“We found the perfect house, but we don’t have enough—the seller denied our offer.”
Ethan’s face fell slightly. “I’m sorry, bro.”
I shrugged. “It’s okay—not your fault. They gave us a good counter, even offered to cover the closing costs, but it was still about ten thousand too much.” I sighed, feeling defeated. “I just feel so bad that I can’t give Kaiya the dream house that she deserves.”
Ethan reached behind Tristan and patted me on the back. “You’ll find something—don’t worry about it.”
I nodded. “Yeah.” I took another drink from my beer before changing the subject. I hated thinking about the devastated look on Kaiya’s face when we found out we couldn’t afford the house. “How’s everything with you?”
“Work has been great. I’ve been selling a ton of prime property above market value.”
Ethan sold commercial real estate in and around Boston, which had proved to be a profitable career for him. He lived in a luxury condo in the Wellesley area of Boston and earned enough where Molly didn’t have to work.
“And…” Ethan’s eyes lit up as a wide grin spread over his lips. “Molly’s pregnant.”
“That’s great, bro.” I swallowed the lump that inexplicably formed in my throat. “Congratulations.”
I didn’t understand the uncomfortable twisting in my gut. I should’ve been happy for my brother, but I guess I wasn’t completely over what had happened yet. Whenever Molly’s name was mentioned, it caused anger to rush through my veins.
Ethan broke through my thoughts. “She’s not as far along as Kaiya, though. Molly’s only seven weeks. How many weeks is Kaiya now?”
I thought for a minute, trying to push aside the negative reaction I was having to Ethan’s news. “She’s about eighteen weeks. We find out the sex of the baby at her next appointment.”
Ethan smiled knowingly. “You want a boy, right?”
I shrugged. “When we first found out, all I could think about was that I wanted it to be a boy.” I chuckled and shook my head. “But lately, the thought of having a little Kaiya running around has been going through my mind a lot.”
“That would probably be better than having another Ryker terrorizing everyone,” he joked as he shoved my shoulder.
I bit my lip and clenched my eyes shut as a sharp pain shot up my neck and through my chest.
Ethan’s humorous tone flipped to concern. “Hey, are you okay? I didn’t think I hit you that hard.”
I exhaled through my nose as I grit my teeth. “You didn’t. I just have an injury that I haven’t fully recovered from yet.” I slowly rotated my shoulder and winced again. “You hit it in just the right spot.”
“Injury? What injury?” Ethan asked in confusion.
I opened my eyes as the pain subsided. I could see Tristan out of the corner of my eye, oblivious to us as he munched on his hot dog. I sat up straight and moved my shoulder again to work out the remaining stiffness and lingering pain. I turned to meet my brother’s perplexed eyes. “I was shot.”
Ethan’s eyebrows practically sprang up into his hairline. “What? When? And by who?” His voice rose angrily with each question.
“About six months ago. Kaiya had been shot at by her brother, and I blocked her and took most of the impact from the bullet.” I rubbed my hands together anxiously as I remembered the shooting. The anguish of almost losing Kaiya felt fresh when I thought about that night. “But it still went through me and into her. I… I thought I’d lost her. The doctors said it was only inches from piercing her heart.”
“Wow.” Ethan’s mouth hung open as he stared at me. “That’s crazy,” he said in disbelief.
I nodded and took a sip from my cup. “Yeah.”
Our eyes locked. “Why didn’t you call me?”
I held his gaze silently for several seconds before responding, “The only thing I was concerned about when I was in there was Kaiya. You didn’t even cross my mind.”
A flash of hurt crossed over Ethan’s face before he forced half a smile and covered his heart. “Ouch, bro.”
“Just being honest.” I shrugged. “I learned to block out most of the pain and anger, but to do that I also had to block out the source.”
He nodded in understanding before breaking eye contact. “How is it now?” He gestured to my shoulder with his head.
I followed his gaze. “Ripped some the muscles in my shoulder and chest and fucked up the nerves.”
“It still hurts?”
“Always. The pain dulls, but never completely goes away.”
His eyes came back to mine. “That sucks. I’m sorry.”
I glanced away to look at Tristan, who was back to eating his fries. I quickly grabbed one and ate it before licking my thumb and index finger. I laughed as Tristan looked up at me and narrowed his eyes. “Hey!”
Darting my hand out, I snatched another fry from him and stuck it in my mouth. Tristan giggled as I looked up and away, pretending that I hadn’t done anything.
“Daddy, Uncle Ryker keeps eating my fries,” he tattled playfully.
My eyes widened in mock shock as I looked back at Tristan and tried to keep a straight face. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Tristan, you need to share,” Ethan said in a parental tone.
; “You sound just like Dad.” I chuckled. I imitated my father. “Ryker, don’t touch that. Get off your brother. Put that down. Go to time-out.”
Ethan roared with laughter, and I did the same. Tristan stared at us like we were crazy as we continued laughing like hyenas.
“Daddy, are you okay?” Tristan asked in a confused voice.
Our laughter subsided. Ethan patted Tristan on the back. “Yeah, buddy, I’m fine.”
More people began filling the seats around us. I took another drink of my beer and settled back into my chair. One of Boston’s mascots started dancing around on the field, getting Tristan’s attention. “Daddy, look!” He pointed enthusiastically in the direction of the oversized, cartoon red sock.
“I see it, buddy.”
Tristan stood on his seat. “I can’t see, Daddy. Lift me up.”
Ethan picked up Tristan, then stood and set him on his shoulders. I smiled as I watched them laugh and talk about the performance on the field. My grin spread as I pictured myself one day doing the same with my own son.
Tristan crashed out about halfway through the sixth inning. How he was able to sleep through all the cheering and commotion was beyond me, but he stayed asleep until we left the stadium.
Once we got through the mob of fans celebrating the Red Sox victory, and made it to Ethan’s SUV, I stopped and faced him. “This was great. We should do it again.”
He disabled the car alarm and opened the door to the back seat. “Definitely.” He carefully set Tristan in his car seat and strapped him in before quietly shutting the door. “Just let me know when.”
We clasped hands and hugged. “Will do, brother. See ya later.”
“Sure thing. Drive safe,” Ethan called out as I walked away.
When I got home, Kaiya was sitting on the couch with her Kindle.
I tossed my keys on the table. “Hey, Warrior.”
She closed her case and set the device on the end table next to the couch. “Hey. How was the game?”
I sat down next to her and pulled her legs into my lap. “It was good. Sox won nine to six.”
“That’s good. How was it meeting Tristan?”
I smiled. “He’s a good kid. Looks just like Ethan.”
She looked down and placed her hands on her stomach. Her belly was starting to look noticeable. “I hope our baby looks like you.”
I followed her gaze and put my hands over hers. “I’d want our little girl to look just like her momma with gorgeous, blue eyes.”
She scrunched her nose in displeasure. “I don’t want them to look like me.”
I didn’t ask why because I already knew the answer. Kaiya had always battled with her appearance because of Kaleb. Having a kid that looked like her would remind her of him.
I tilted her chin up to look at me. “Our baby will be beautiful no matter who they look like.”
She gave me a soft smile and nodded. After a few seconds of silence, she asked, “Speaking of babies, have you thought of any names you like?”
Honestly, I hadn’t really thought about it. “No. Have you?”
“Of course. I’ve been thinking about names since we found out.”
I chuckled. “Well, let me hear them.”
Kaiya’s smile spread over her face. “For a girl, I like the names Jocelyn, Harper, and Piper.”
“And if we have a boy?”
“For a boy, I like the names Hayden, Asher, and Noah.”
One name stuck out to me. “I like Hayden.”
She brought her eyes to mine. “Yeah?”
I brushed my knuckles down her cheek. “Yeah, Warrior. I do.”
“And if it’s a girl?”
“Piper is cute. Harper is too. But we’re having a boy so it doesn’t matter,” I joked.
Kaiya softly laughed. “Is that a fact?”
“Yep, boys run in my family.”
Those full lips curved up at the corners. “A little Ryker wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Neither would a little Kaiya.”
She shook her head. “You’d have your hands full with two of me. You wouldn’t know what to do.”
“Hey, I have a way with women. I’m sure I’d be fine.” I smirked.
Kaiya rolled her eyes and changed the subject. “You hungry?”
“Yeah, baby. You want me to go grab something?” I asked as I rubbed her legs.
She bunched her lips together to one side. “Let’s order in—take-out or pizza?”
I rubbed her stomach. “Whatever you and the baby want.”
“I have a craving for Pad Thai. Extra spicy.”
“Pad Thai it is.” I pulled out my phone. “Which place?”
“Sugar and Spice. I like theirs the best.”
I called the restaurant after Googling it. In the middle of placing our order, Kaiya tugged on my shirt sleeve and whispered. “Ooh, get some veggie dumplings, too.”
I tickled her sides and she squirmed out of my grasp. “Can I also get an order of the veggie dumplings?” I paused as they confirmed my order. “That’ll be it. Great, thanks.”
I hung up the phone. “They said about thirty to forty-five minutes.” I settled back onto the couch and started rubbing Kaiya’s legs again. “How was your day, baby?”
She laid back on the couch. “Amazing. Nori and I went to this relaxing spa and got mani-pedis.” She wiggled her toes and spread her fingers out in front of her. “You like the color?”
I looked down at her hot pink nails. “Yeah, babe.” I could care less what color her nails were, but I complimented her choice anyway. “Looks great on you.”
She gave me a shy smile as her cheeks turned a little red. “Thank you.”
Kaiya’s phone started ringing in front of me on the coffee table. She quickly swiped it and answered hesitantly after looking at the screen. “Hello?”
Her eyes darted to me, then quickly away as she repeated louder, “Hello?”
She tensed slightly before hanging up.
Strange. I wonder who that was.
I gave her a questioning look. “Who was that?”
She swallowed deeply and avoided my eyes. “Wrong number.”
I couldn’t stop the doubt that crept and settled in my stomach.
What if she’s seeing someone else? This isn’t the first time she’s gotten a call from a “wrong number.”
I shoved the thought away. “Everything okay?” I asked in concern.
“Yeah,” she replied with a clipped nod. “Just tired.”
Something seemed off to me, but I didn’t want to prod her. Work and the pregnancy always wore her out. “Well, lay back and relax, baby.”
Resting her hands on her little bulge, she laid back down and sighed. I couldn’t help but repeatedly glance at her phone sitting right beside her, wondering who had just called her.
After a few seconds, the screen lit up. “You got a text,” I said as I cocked my head toward it.
Her eyes went from me to her phone, then back again. “It’s probably Nori. I’ll check it later.”
Something was definitely going on. My suspicions about her cheating seemed more valid with each passing second. So many calls from wrong numbers, her leaving the room or turning the phone away when she gets a text, not to mention that one time when I answered a call from an unknown number and they hung up.
Maybe she’s still getting those texts from the unknown number. Would she really keep that from me?
“You’re not still getting texts from the unknown number, are you? You’d tell me, right?”
She nodded stiffly. “Of course I would.” She sounded unsure.
Well, then what is she hiding?
“You sure?”
Our eyes locked and she gave me that look that always knotted my stomach; the one that showed her love for me deep in those blue eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure.” She grabbed my hand. “Can we drop this? You just got home. I haven’t seen you all day, and I want to spend some time with you.”
The distrust buildin
g within me started crumbling as Kaiya smiled her beautiful smile at me. She rubbed the back of my hand. “I missed you.”
I looked at her for a second before turning my palm up and linking our fingers together. “Yeah, I missed you, too.”
Kaiya pulled herself up and sat in my lap. She draped her free arm around my neck and placed our joined hands on her stomach.
Exhaling, she laid her head on my shoulder and snuggled into my neck. “I love you.”
No, she doesn’t. She’s probably cheating just like Molly did.
Stop being paranoid.
I didn’t have much proof to warrant my suspicions yet, and I hoped my past wasn’t coming back to haunt me. I’d probably lose my shit completely if I was cheated on again.
Pushing the doubts from my mind, I leaned my head against hers and ignored the remaining knots in my gut. “I love you, too, Warrior.”
Come on, fit!
I sucked in my stomach as I tried to button my jeans for the third time, and just like all my previous attempts, I had no such luck.
Letting go of the waist of my pants, I released a sigh.
No more skinny jeans for me.
I was almost twenty weeks, and had recently started showing. I hadn’t gained much weight until a couple of weeks prior—the doctor said it was probably due to stress and all the morning sickness I’d had during my first trimester.
I’d been able to fit into all of my pants up until now. I frowned at my protruding belly.
I feel so fat.
I rubbed my baby bump. A smile replaced the frown as I thought about my son or daughter inside. The weight gain was more than worth it. Not to mention I had to get new clothes. Hello, shopping spree!
“Babe, have you seen my belt?” Ryker called from down the hall.
I could hear his footsteps approaching me as I answered, “I think it’s in the closet.”
His arms wrapped around my waist as he pressed against me from behind and placed his hands on my bare stomach. I was only wearing my bra and unbuttoned jeans. Leaning back into him, I tipped my head back on his chest. “My pants don’t fit anymore.” I pouted.
He chuckled before moving his hands down beneath the waist of my jeans. His fingers traced the delicate skin, slipping under my panties and sending a small shiver through me. “I guess you don’t need them on anymore then,” he whispered huskily in my ear.
Mending Scars Page 12
