Chapter 43
Six Weeks Later…
Trystan
Rain pounds against my windshield from the late summer storm, casting rivulets all around in a mesmerizing manner as I stare up at the apartment in front of me.
It amazes me how it can rain so hard, yet the sun is still peeking through the clouds.
Maybe it’s a bit like my life lately. I sit waiting for the storm to end, feeling despair like none other at the prospect of it all being washed away…
It damn near breaches my breaking point when I glimpse a ray of sun in the form of a blonde beauty in her window.
That glimpse of light blonde waves pulls me back, reassuring me that right now may be bad, but the sun is going to come out again.
Eventually. This is just a shit season of my life. Of our lives.
A dad. I was a dad for a whole minute. Then it got ripped out from under me like a cruel joke.
A cruel joke that I found out about years later after the fact.
I don’t know what hurts more. The fact that I missed the few moments there were, the fact that she didn’t tell me at all, or the fact that I wasn’t able to be here for her.
What did she go through? How far along had she been when it happened?
Was it extremely painful? Would she have let me hold her?
There are answers for none of it, and it makes me feel fucking awful.
Rubbing my hand over my aching chest, I pray for the incessant weight to lift.
I’ve given myself heartburn over this mess and have the empty, minty acid reducer bottles to prove it.
This is wrecking me. I lay awake at night with images of her alone and crying.
The look she’d given me in my truck before bolting to her apartment haunts both my waking and dreaming moments.
I just wish it were as simple as walking up to her door and knocking.
I don’t even know if she’d answer or slam the door in my face.
So here I sit, for what seems like the millionth time in the past six weeks, just trying to summon the balls to go talk to her about our baby.
I’ve never been one to skirt around what needs to be said until now.
This situation just seems a whole lot more…
delicate, and I don’t want to say the wrong thing and stick my foot in my mouth. I care how she feels.
Vibration up my leg tells me one of the guys is calling. I look down and see Mark’s name across the screen. Shit. There’s another complication. How the hell am I going to tell him?
“Hey, man, the rain should let up in about fifteen minutes according to the radar and minutecast. Still up for fishing? We could go to the rockier area so we’re not sitting in mud this time.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I’m going to swing through a drive through and grab us all burgers. I’m starving. See you in a few.”
“Good deal. I’ve got to get away from the moms for a bit.”
I chuckle under my breath. I don’t envy the man right now.
Ava keeping watch over him for the past six weeks along with rehab has been enough, but throw two momma bears who decided to basically set up camp into the mix?
Well, that’s a whole lot of estrogen and mother henning.
He definitely needs to get out of the house for a bit.
???
Mark
“Burger me!” I bellow in a deep voice when Trystan arrives and climbs out of his shiny black truck. The rain definitely gave her a good wash.
Trystan shakes his head at my antics, leaving his window down to let in the fresh air.
He turns on some music and cranks it up a bit since we’re alone out here today.
Colin should be here any minute, that is unless he got tangled up in the sheets with his bride since it was raining.
I wouldn’t be much surprised if he’s a smidge late.
Hell, if I didn’t have two hovering, well-meaning moms around all the damn time, I’d probably have attempted to get a little tangled up in the sheets myself.
Trystan lightly tosses me my bag and hands over a Dr. Pepper.
“They’re still living with you guys?”
“Practically. Up my ass every chance they get. Over the last two weeks, they’ve started taking turns more.
They’re not both there twenty-four/seven like they had been for a while.
I know Dad and Anthony are over it and want their wives back as well.
I appreciate all the cooking and helping around the house, don’t get me wrong, but it’s getting to be a bit much.
I should get cleared for normal activity any day now.
Fuck, they better clear me, man. I’m about to lose my damn mind. ”
Trystan lets out a hearty laugh, reaching into his bag for a couple fries before unwrapping his burger.
Shit, these hit the spot. It’s definitely better than another warmed up casserole.
I’m sick of casseroles. I’m hangry, and I’m horny, and the wife won’t let me test my limits.
I can’t blame her much though. She had to witness me bleeding out on our living room floor for fuck’s sake.
I know she doesn’t want to do a damn thing to jeopardize my recovery.
I grunt with all the pissiness that I can muster as I chow down. Colin pulls in, hopping out of his truck with his hair a disheveled mess. That fucker had himself a nice Sunday morning.
“Oh, please tell me you brought me one of those,” he growls, prowling toward the picnic table. I grab his bag and pull it closer, and Trystan chuckles.
“Yeah, I brought you your own. Pissy Face is pouting because you got laid and he still can’t. You’ll have to pry it from him.”
Colin laughs and runs his fingers through his hair, and I let my guard down for a millisecond looking toward the lake. He’s too fast and strikes, slapping me upside the shoulder good and snatching the bag at the same time.
“Soon, bud,” Colin commiserates with me, all the while holding back a grin as he climbs into a spot at the table.
“I have cockblockers.”
“You haven’t even been released. They’re cockblocking for a good reason. I bet they’ll leave after you get cleared at your appointment tomorrow.”
“They better fucking clear me! Then I’m locking their asses out.”
“So testy,” Colin mutters with a mouthful of burger.
“You would be too,” I mumble back.
“Who is the other bag for?” Colin points over to the lone bag.
“I invited Garrett. He said he was on his way.”
“Sweet,” Colin answers.
“Speak of the devil,” I say, eyeing his bag as well when he pulls up.
“I haven’t fished in ages, ya’ll, so no laughing while I get back in the swing of things.”
“I’ll laugh as I eat your burger,” I tease.
“Try it, and I’ll push your clearance out a couple more weeks.” Garrett flashes me crazy eyes, and I rescind my grasp over his bag. “That’s what I thought.”
“You fuckers are mean to me,” I whine, and they all laugh.
“I recall I held your guts in a few weeks ago when I could’ve just let you bleed,” Colin teases me, and I give him my best snarky face along with the bird.
“Yeah, I guess you regret that decision now, don’t you?”
Colin shakes his head, snickering at my pity party.
“Mmm, this burger is so good!” Garrett announces with gusto as he bites into the gooey cheesiness. “So, pity party aside, how’s the great elopement planning coming along? What are we doing?”
A grin lights up my face, because this, this I’m excited about.
“We are going to go to Tennessee. We want to get married in the mountains. I found a huge cabin for all of us, and bonus, there’s a lake right by it that we can fish at. Think you all can swing a few days off?”
I pull up the details on my phone and pass around the pictures. They all look about as psyched as I am.
“You really want us around on your honeymoon?” Colin asks.
“Getting married without you all isn’t an option. Yes, we want you all there. This will be fun. A lot of things have happened this year, and I think we could all use a few days away from reality. Last hurrah before it gets cold and babies start coming. So what’dya say? You in?”
“We’re in.” Colin grins. Trystan looks like he’s got something on his mind, but he nods happily.
“Jane will love the little babymoon. You know she keeps talking about how you all need to get to work knocking up her friends.”
I spit my drink out, not having expected that. It’s a very Jane statement though.
“I’m going to need a couple more months before I start entertaining that idea,” I shoot back.
“Yeah, well, I can’t knock up a fantasy,” Trystan barks, standing to gather his gear and head for the rocks.
“Somebody will eventually marry your ass,” I grumble and follow it up with a grin. “I don’t know who though.”
Trystan turns and chucks a blue bobber from his tackle box at me.
“Okay, okay. I’ll quit being a dick.”
“Last one to catch a fish buys beers at Phil’s!
” Garrett hollers out, tossing his line into the water.
It may have been a while since he last fished, but the man’s got good form, I’ll give him that.
Seeing the other two on their way to find their spot to hunker down in, I realize I’m bringing up the rear.
Shit… Looks like I’m going to end up being the one buying beers.
I was…