Malone's Fate (Haven, Texas Book 14)

Chapter 15

“Ababy?” Raid repeated. “What the fuck?”

“I know.” Tanner leaned an elbow on the table in Raid and Hannah’s kitchen.

He’d stayed here last night, not wanting to drive back to the Ranch. Besides, the bunk house was kind of quiet and lonely now that all of his brothers had moved out. It was just him. Sure, Alec and Mia were close by in the big house. And Flick and West weren’t far away. Neither were the others, really. Only Raid and Hannah had moved into Haven.

But he’d always been closest to Raid. And Alec.

“Fuck, it can’t be yours, right?” Raid asked.

“No, but she must have been pregnant when I met her.”

“She didn’t look it.”

“But neither did Flick until she was further along, right? I just can’t believe I didn’t know . . . that she didn’t tell me.” He felt sick. “And what is she doing working nights and leaving the baby home?”

“She must have had someone watching the baby. She’s really in Linc’s guest house? How does he know her?”

“I dunno. But I’m going to find out.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Raid asked.

He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because she fucking ghosted you, man. You were upset for ages about it.”

“I wasn’t upset.”

“You were. You cried like a baby each night. Moped around like a dog without a bone.”

“I did not, you asshole!” Tanner grabbed Raid in a headlock right as Hannah walked in.

She shook her head at them. “Do not break any of my furniture.”

“No, ma’am!” Tanner winked at her.

“Or my man,” she added.

“He can’t break me, I’ll break him.” Raid elbowed Tanner. Hard.

“Ouch, fucker,” he muttered as he let him go.

Raid moved to Hannah and took her face in his hands, kissing her deeply.

When he drew back, Hannah was staring up at him with a dreamy look on her face.

Tanner wanted that.

Fuck. What? No, he didn’t, right?

He didn’t need a relationship.

No? Then why the hell are you back to being obsessed with Lilac?

It was only that he wanted an explanation.

“Sorry the date didn’t work out last night, Tanner,” Hannah said sweetly.

“Nothing for you to apologize for, darlin’,” he told her. “We just make better friends.”

“So, you going to tell me about the girl in the bar?” Hannah asked.

“I met her six months ago in Hopesville,” Tanner told her. “We spent some time together and then she just left without a word.”

“What? Not even a text?” Hannah asked, looking shocked.

“No, I was supposed to meet her that last night, but she never turned up. Never answered my calls or texts.”

“That’s so rude! And then she just turns up where you live? That’s a weird coincidence.” Hannah frowned.

“Or not a coincidence at all,” Raid said.

“You think she came back for you?” Hannah asked Tanner. “Maybe to apologize?”

“No.” He shook his head, thinking it over. “I don’t think that’s it. I told her about Haven, so I don’t see how it can be a coincidence that she’s here. And if she came to apologize, she’d have searched me out immediately, right? She has my number. Why not just text? Why get a job here?”

Hannah frowned. “That’s true. Do you know where she’s staying?”

“Linc’s guesthouse,” Raid said. “And she has a baby.”

“What?” Hannah gave Tanner a shocked look.

“Not mine,” he said quickly.

“Linc’s?” Raid guessed. “Since she’s staying with him?”

He frowned at that idea. But no . . . Linc wouldn’t have his baby in the guesthouse.

“No. I don’t think so. I don’t know how he fits into this.”

“But you’re going to find out,” Raid said.

“Yeah, but I don’t think she’ll be receptive to telling me,” Tanner said as he poured himself another coffee.

“Well, why not?” Hannah demanded. “She owes you.”

“Because she’s scared of me.”

“Why would she fear you?” Raid asked.

Because he’d been a bit of a dick. But he’d thought he was going to marry that girl . . . and then she’d left him.

“I don’t know . . . but perhaps I should give her some time to get settled.”

But what if she left again?

Fuck. He didn’t know what to do.

“I’m gonna head to the Ranch,” he said. “Thanks for the coffee and for letting me crash last night. I’ll see you later.”

He needed some time to think about this.

* * *

“You know,Tanner is a good man. And he doesn’t deserve you treating him this way.”

Lilac jolted, dropping the packet of cold medicine. She turned to look at the woman speaking to her. She looked familiar.

Then she realized she’d been with Tanner at Dirty Delights the other night. Not the woman he’d been with, the one sitting with Raid.

Just then, the other woman raised her hand and Lilac spotted a large rock on her ring finger.

Raid’s fiancée?

“I know he is,” she replied quietly, bending down to pick up the cold medicine.

Ryleigh wasn’t feeling well, which was worrying. Because when Ryleigh got ill, she usually got really ill.

At least they had a warm, dry place to stay thanks to Linc. He’d been working night shifts, so they hadn’t seen him much. Which Lilac was kind of relieved about. She didn’t need him asking too many questions.

She’d really thought that Tanner would turn up at Dirty Delights last night. When he didn’t appear, she’d had to battle with her disappointment and relief.

Maybe he really had thought of her as a brief fling. It was better that way, right?

It wasn’t like she’d come here for him . . . to rekindle things with him. All she was here to do was to find a safe place for her friends. For Kye.

Then she was going to take care of Stefan.

“Then why did you ghost him?” the woman asked.

Wow. Okay. This wasn’t what she’d expected. She pushed back a wave of fatigue. They’d sequestered Ryleigh in one bedroom, then Opal and Kye had the other bedroom while she was on the sofa. Opal looked after Kye while she was working, then when Lilac got home, she took over.

Which would generally be fine since Kye was a good sleeper. But these last few nights, he’d been really unsettled. It could be because he missed Ryleigh. Or just a stage. Or it could be that he was feeling under the weather too.

Please don’t let him get sick.

She didn’t know if there was anything you could do if a one-month-old baby got ill. She’d have to ask the pharmacist.

“Look, I get that you’re just trying to look out for Tanner, and I’m glad he’s got good friends and family. However, it’s none of your business,” she told her.

The other woman stared at her in shock as if she hadn’t expected Lilac to tell her to butt out.

God. She just wanted to sleep. But even if Kye was doing okay, sleep was hard for her to come by.

Maybe it would help if you ate something.

Shut up, brain.

“You need to tell him why you ran off. And why you’re here. It’s not fair to leave him wondering. Why are you here?”

“Wow, you’re nosy, huh?” Opal asked as she walked up, carrying Kye.

Shit. This was just what this situation needed.

The other woman blinked at Opal. Today, she was wearing thigh-high boots with a pair of daisy dukes and a tight corset-like top.

“Who’re you? And why are you giving my best friend here the shake-up?” Opal asked.

“Shake-up?” the other woman said.

“She means shake-down,” Lilac explained. “This is my friend, Opal. And this is . . .”

“I’m Hannah.”

“Well, Hannah, if you don’t mind, we got some shopping to do. This place is fucking stocked, considering we’re in small-town Texas, huh?” Opal said loudly. “This town is too cute. Did you know they even have a sex toy shop?”

Lilac sighed as everyone in the pharmacy turned to look at them in shock. Reaching over, she took Kye from Opal, pressing him against her chest. She kissed the top of his head, then glanced up to see Hannah staring at Kye softly.

“You should have told him,” Hannah said. “He’s a good guy. If you were in trouble, he could’ve helped you.”

Turning, she left.

“Well, she’s lots of fun, huh?” Opal said.

“I’m going to grab this stuff. Can you go to the grocery store?” She needed another job.

“You bet, sugar. Damn, there’s some real eye candy around this place.” Opal eyed an older man who was walking down the aisle.

He gave her an admiring look back.

Lilac had to smile. There was no one quite like Opal.

* * *

Lilac moved through Dirty Delights,fatigue making every movement hard.

She could do this. Tomorrow was Sunday and she had the day off. Perhaps she’d see if she could find a second job.

“Lilac, sit down,” Devon ordered.

“I’m fine. I’ve got another order to take out.”

“Sit. Down.”

Her eyes widened at the stern words, and without thought, she took a seat on a bar stool next to Jeremy, who sent her a smile. Jeremy was a regular customer who was here every night the bar was open. Which kind of made her sad. She wondered about his home life, but he never seemed down or upset. He always had a smile for her and the other girls.

“Hey, girlie.”

“Hey, Jeremy,” she said.

“You look like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

“I’m fine. I didn’t need a break,” she complained to Devon, who just gave her a stern look back.

“If you don’t take your breaks, then you’ll get tired and make mistakes. This is for me, not you.”

Uh-huh.

Devon disappeared out the back and returned with fish bites sitting on a bowl of fries and some mayo and ketchup. Damn, that smelled good. They didn’t offer meals at Dirty Delights, but they did have bar snacks.

Devon placed the bowl of food in front of her. She frowned. “Oh, you want me to deliver this? Where is it going?”

“It’s for you,” he replied.

She couldn’t afford this and they didn’t get food with their wages.

“I’m fine. Thank you, though.”

“Eat the food, Lilac,” Devon said sternly.

“I didn’t order it, though.”

“But you’re eating it before you go back to work.” Devon disappeared down the other end of the bar.

How rude.

Who did he think he was?

“Better do as he says, Lilac,” Jeremy advised. “Devon’s got a real stubborn streak, and he means what he says.”

She sighed and pushed the bowl toward him. “Want some?”

“I’m not eating until you do.”

She picked up a fry and forced it down. Her stomach grumbled. When was the last time she’d eaten? Shit. She couldn’t even remember. Her hand was shaking; in fact, she felt incredibly weak. Fuck. Maybe she should eat something.

After a few bites, though, she was feeling uncomfortably full.

“I’ve eaten. I’m heading back to work.”

Devon frowned, taking in how little she’d eaten, but he nodded.

Getting up, a wave of dizziness hit her, but she ignored it. She had to keep moving forward.

There was no going back.