The Halo Series Boxed Set

by Kimberly Knight

  She smirked around a mouthful of salad.

  “Okay, spill. I’ll tell you about mine if you tell me about yours.”

  Brooke took a sip of her water. “We went to a barn upstate for dinner—”

  “A barn?”

  “Well, it wasn’t like a barn inside. It was like the ones we see on TV that are redone for weddings and stuff. It was beautiful. We had dinner and then sat on a blanket under the stars. It was a nice night. How was yours?”

  “We went to some rooftop in Manhattan and had dinner and danced under the stars with candles scattered around before going to a hotel for the night.”

  “Sounds like both of our nights were romantic.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, sounds like it. How’d we get so lucky?”

  “I have no idea,” Brooke admitted.

  We took a few bites of our pasta, and then Cheyenne stormed through the front door, slamming it and stomping to her room where she slammed that door too.

  “What was that about?” I looked back at Brooke.

  “Pre-teen.”

  Cheyenne was almost thirteen and giving Easton gray hair. I couldn’t imagine having a teenager yet, let alone a pre-teen daughter who was becoming a woman.

  “Has Aunt Flo made a visit?”

  “Yep.” Brooke nodded. “Last month.”

  “How’d that go?”

  She waved her hand in the direction of Cheyenne’s bedroom. “Just like that. Easton thought my PMS was bad.” She chuckled. “He had no clue.”

  We both laughed. Over the years, women learned how to tame PMS with chocolate, chips, and not to talk to anyone because we’d bite their heads off. But a new woman was like a baby vampire and couldn’t control themselves.

  “Speaking of kids,” I stated. “Avery and I were talking about maybe trying to conceive …” It was on the tip of my tongue to say ‘again’ instead of trailing off, but it wouldn’t be again. We hadn’t tried before. It just happened.

  “That’s exciting. Easton and I talked about it last night too.”

  “Really?” I beamed. I’d love to live out that dream of best friends having babies together and then the babies grow up to be best friends.

  “Well, just in general. I need to get off my meds again before I even think about that.” Brooke was still taking medication for her nerve pain. I didn’t blame her. They cut the T1 nerve at the root, and it was a miracle she still had a functioning hand.

  “Eventually you will.”

  “Yeah.” She sighed and stabbed at her pasta.

  I forked my salad, and before sticking it into my mouth replied, “The nerves will calm down soon.”

  “Yeah, but what about my shoulder? It’s been a year, and acupuncture is barely doing anything.”

  “Think about what they removed, B. Your body needs to heal, and that will happen slowly. It’s more than just a cut on your finger.”

  “I know.” She took another deep breath. “I just want to stop hurting.”

  “What about going back on—”

  Brooke shook her head. “No. No way am I going back on oxy and going through withdrawals again. I will live in pain forever before I do that.”

  I wanted to tell her that I understood, but I didn’t. I had no clue what kind of pain she was in, though I could imagine it. What I couldn’t imagine was missing ribs and having a winged scapula that hindered full range of motion in her dominant arm. “Maybe smoke more weed?”

  She laughed. “No, thank you. I have nothing against marijuana, but it wasn’t for me.”

  “It was funny when you were high that night on purple cheese.” I grinned.

  “I felt happy, but I was also tired. No way can I function like that daily.”

  “They have some that won’t make you sleepy.”

  “How do you know?”

  I shrugged. “I’m a nurse. I know things.”

  “For now, I’ll just stick to acupuncture and relaxing.”

  “Have Easton give you massages.”

  “Oh, he does.” She smirked.

  We were silent for a few minutes while we ate the rest of our food. It was nice having dinner together. We used to do it all the time in Boston before we moved, but now we were two married ladies who spent more time with our husbands than each other.

  “When are you and Avery going to start trying?” Brooke asked as she washed the saucepan after dinner.

  I shrugged. “I need to stop taking the pill and then we’ll see what happens.”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t gotten preggo again while on the pill.”

  “I guess life is weird that way. The whole experience brought Av and me closer, and maybe that was the reason we knew we wanted to be together and get married?”

  “Probably.”

  I handed her the large salad bowl to clean and then put the dishes that fit into the dishwasher.

  “Brooke!” Cheyenne shouted as I heard her door open. “Can you take me—” She stopped talking as she turned the corner into the kitchen and saw me standing there. “Oh, hi, Aunt Nicole.”

  “Hey, C,” I replied. “Everything okay?”

  Cheyenne’s light blue gaze flicked to Brooke. “Can you take me to the mall tomorrow and drop me off—”

  “No,” Brooke simply replied.

  “No?” Cheyenne whined. “Why not?”

  “Do you think your father would approve of that?” Brooke questioned as she dried her hands on a dishtowel.

  “Don’t tell him,” Cheyenne countered.

  Brooke chuckled. “Right. Where do you want me to tell him you are?”

  Cheyenne shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “You know,” I spoke up. “I need to go to the mall. What if you come with us, and then just meet us somewhere when it’s time to leave?” I looked over at Brooke, and she nodded slightly in agreement.

  Cheyenne puffed out a breath. “Fiiiiine.”

  When Brooke and I were growing up, the mall was the place to hang out, and our parents would drop us off. But, times were different and scarier. I knew that Easton wouldn’t be okay with Brooke just dropping Cheyenne off, and it would be good for Brooke to get out of the house.

  Plus, retail therapy was always needed.

  I felt off, and I didn’t know why. For the past week, I felt as though something was wrong. Everything with Nic seemed to be fine. Everything with Halo was the way it should be, and I felt healthy.

  Maybe I wasn’t.

  I couldn’t pinpoint what I was feeling. It was just a weird sensation in my body that something wasn’t right.

  “I think I need to go to the doctor,” I stated to Easton as we lifted at the gym.

  “You’re sick?”

  I shrugged. “Just don’t feel like me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know.” I blew out a breath and did my remaining reps before putting the incline bench down. “I feel like a shoe is going to drop or something.”

  Easton arched a brow. “What shoe?”

  “I don’t know,” I replied as we switched places. “It’s just a feeling I have.”

  “And you think you need to go to the doctor?”

  I lifted a shoulder. “Maybe I’m coming down with something?”

  He did his reps and set the weight down to the resting position. “Maybe just take a few days off. You’ve been working non-stop for almost two years.”

  Easton was right. I hadn’t been on a vacation since my honeymoon, and that was because of everything that happened with Brooke. I wasn’t faulting him at all. I was happy to cover for him while he took care of her, but he was right. It had been a long time since I’d had a break. Maybe it was also stress. The summer was always busy for us, and I felt like I needed a week away with my wife. Plus, since the night on the roof last week, I’d been trying to think of ways to put more romance into our marriage.

  “Would you cover for me if I took a weekend to take Nic out of town?”

  “Of course.” Easton did another set
of reps. “I owe you anyway.”

  “Nah,” I stated. “It’s what friends do.” We moved to the bench press, and I switched the weights to the amount I wanted.

  “Where are you thinking of going?” Easton asked.

  “I don’t know. The thought just came to me.”

  “A weekend away will be good. Once Brooke is feeling better, I’ll probably do the same thing.”

  “Nice. Any suggestions?” I laid back onto the bench, reached up, and grabbed the bar. Easton was behind me, spotting me as he spoke.

  “Jersey Shore, Montauk, Ocean City, the Hamptons, Boston for some reminiscing on her part.” He paused, thinking. “Ghost hunting in Salem or what about the Poconos?”

  “You just pull all those places out of your ass?” We set the bar back in place, and I sat up.

  He grinned. “Just thought of places within driving distance.”

  We switched places so I could spot him. “I’ll research those places and see what’s available.”

  “Well, school will be starting soon, so people are probably getting all their last minute vacations in.”

  “Shit. Speaking of school, how’s my niece doing?”

  Easton grunted and put the bar back in place. “Hormonal.”

  “Hormonal?” I laughed.

  “Can we not talk about that shit?” He glared at me as though I’d done something wrong.

  “Wait.” I chuckled. “She started her period?”

  Easton groaned and stood. “Not going there.”

  “Whatever happened to that boy she liked?” I asked to rile him up. I had to admit that talking to him was making me feel slightly better. Or maybe it was the endorphins from working out.

  “Are you trying to give me a stroke?”

  I threw my head back and laughed. “It’s an honest question. I want to know more about my niece.”

  “No,” he retorted and started to walk toward the locker room. “You already know the answer.”

  I did know the answer. Every Sunday at the Crawfords’ we all got the updated drama on Cheyenne’s life. Drama with girls, boy drama, softball drama. There was always something with her, even during her summer vacation. “Remind me,” I pressed.

  “Fuck off. Your time will come.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed with a smile.

  “Wait.” Easton stopped walking. “Yeah?”

  I shrugged slightly. “Nic and I recently discussed having a kid.”

  “That’s great, man.”

  We entered the locker room and went to our lockers. “I don’t want to jinx it. Whatever happens, happens, you know?”

  He slapped me on the back. “Yep, I get it. For Brooke and me too.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Well, not yet. She’s still on meds, but I think it will happen eventually.”

  “I think so too.”

  After everything the four of us had been through, together and separately, I knew that things happened for a reason, and all the pieces would fall into place.

  “Pack your bags, baby. We’re going out of town for the weekend,” Avery boomed as he came into the house.

  I turned from my place on the sofa. “We’re what?”

  “I booked us a hotel for the weekend. Just you, me, and no clothes.”

  “We’re going on a mini vacay?” I beamed.

  “Yep.” He moved into our bedroom. “Thought we needed to get away.”

  I followed after him. “Where are we going?”

  Avery peeked his head out of the closet and smirked at me. “Now you should know me better than to ask me that.”

  “Another surprise?”

  “Just pack a bag for the weekend.”

  “Will I need the red dress?”

  “No.”

  “Will I need a bikini?”

  “Probably.”

  “Will I need—”

  “Nic, pack a fucking bag. If you don’t pack something you’ll need, we’ll buy it there.”

  I smiled. “So, there will be shopping?”

  Avery blew out a breath as he tossed a bag and clothing onto the bed. He glared at me.

  I held up my hands. “Okay, I’ll pack a bag.”

  I should have known not to question my husband. He’d planned our honeymoon perfectly, and he’d planned the night out on the town flawlessly. I had no doubt that our weekend in Montauk would be impeccable too.

  Avery checked us into a small hotel on the beach. The room had a rustic beach feel with teal walls, a driftwood headboard for the king-size bed, and a balcony.

  “You know what balconies are good for?” I asked as I looked around the room.

  He stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. “I do.”

  “Is that going to be a requirement for all future hotel rooms?”

  “Probably.”

  “But this time, people walking on the beach can see us.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  I turned in Avery’s arms. “Um, yeah. I don’t want someone seeing us.”

  He smirked. “I’m teasing you, baby. But we can go skinny dipping tonight in the ocean.”

  I chuckled. “Is that why you booked a room on the beach?”

  “Nope. That thought just came to me. Are you game?”

  “Maybe.” I grinned. “I guess it all depends on how much I drink tonight.”

  “Noted.”

  “What do you want to do first?”

  Avery cocked a brow and looked over at the white bed.

  “No, no. We could have stayed home for that.”

  “All right. Let’s go walk on the beach. The sun will be setting soon, and Google told me that there’s a lighthouse not too far from here.”

  I smiled. “That sounds perfect.”

  We left our shoes and walked down to the beach, hand in hand. The sand was soft, and the ocean was slightly warm as we strolled along, waves crashing against our feet.

  “Thank you for this,” I gushed.

  “I figured we could use time away. While we both love our jobs, it’s nice to have a change in atmosphere.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “Plus,” Avery sighed, “I feel rundown or something.”

  “Are you getting sick?”

  “Not sure.”

  I reached over and touched his forehead as we stopped. “You don’t feel warm.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Monday you can come into my work, and we’ll run some blood tests.”

  “Blood tests?” We started walking again, our fingers locked.

  “Maybe you’re low on iron or something. A blood panel workup will be good for you.”

  “I guess it’s good I married a nurse.”

  I grinned. “I guess so.”

  “I should have told you sooner.”

  “What?” I yanked on his arm, stopping him from moving forward.

  “I’ve been feeling like this for a week or so.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was just waiting to get sick, and nothing came.”

  “And now you feel the same?”

  Avery shrugged. “Not too much, but the feeling comes and goes, I guess.”

  I scrunched my brows in confusion. “Comes and goes?”

  “When I’m concentrating on stuff, I don’t think about it, and I guess I feel fine.” He shrugged a shoulder.

  I stared into his azure eyes that reflected the setting sun. “Monday, first thing, we’re taking your blood.”

  He smirked. “You sound like a vampire.”

  “If I were a vampire, I’d cure you by turning you so we could live together forever.”

  “You think I’m—sick?”

  “Sick as in a cold?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “Sick as in cancer sick or something.”

  “What?” I drew my head back. “Why would you think that?”

  “You said cure.”

  “Let’s not think about this until we ru
n the blood work, okay?”

  Avery nodded slowly and took a deep breath. “Okay.”

  “We should plan that trip to Dublin,” I suggested.

  He balked slightly. “Dublin?”

  I shrugged. “We talked about it a few years ago.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Maybe help to take longer than a weekend away.”

  Avery nodded. “Yeah, Dublin sounds good.”

  We walked down the beach toward where Avery thought the lighthouse was, but the farther we walked, the more apparent it became that the lighthouse wasn’t walkable. The shore started to get rocky, and finally, we’d walked as far as we could. The lighthouse was still in the distance, but since we didn’t have our shoes, we decided to walk back to the hotel.

  “We can drive there tomorrow,” Avery suggested.

  “Sounds good to me. It’s getting dark, and we need to eat before our swim.”

  He pulled me to him as we kept walking. “So, sex in public is okay as long as people can’t see?”

  I bit my bottom lip, thinking about being promiscuous by having sex in public. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

  We walked along the shore, enjoying the warm breeze and the quiet that wasn’t the hustle and bustle of New York City. Avery pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. “A California number is calling me.”

  “Oh?” I asked. “Are you going to answer it?”

  His gaze flicked to mine as we stopped walking. “It’s probably a telemarketer or something.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe or it’s—”

  “I don’t want to talk to them,” he answered, already knowing who I was referring to. Avery’s parents lived in California, but he hadn’t heard from them for years. The phone continued to buzz on silent in his hand.

  “We don’t know for sure.”

  “Then the person can leave a voicemail.” Avery grabbed my hand again, and we continued down the beach. A few seconds later, he stopped and pulled the phone from his pocket again. “It’s the same number.”

  “Just answer it. You can always hang up,” I suggested.

  He slid his finger across the screen and then held the phone up to his ear. “Hello?” Avery was silent for a few moments as he listened to the other end. I couldn’t hear who it was or what was being said, except for his words. “Yes, this is he.” A pause. “What?” I watched all the color drain from his face, and my heart rate picked up. “Are you sure?” Another pause. “How?” He nodded, a blank look on his face. “Yeah. Can you call back and leave the address on my voicemail? I don’t have a pen and paper handy at the moment.” There was another pause. “The soonest will be Monday.” A final pause. “Thank you.”