Chapter Eight
McKenna
“Pork chops are ready.”
I slid on my “Always Use Protection” oven mitts and pulled out the glass baking dish, savory aromas filling the kitchen.
The timer had jerked me out of my thoughts, which was probably a good thing. My mind was a damn mess.
I had no clue how to feel about Pee Wee and his sons suddenly being in my house.
Our house, as he kept reminding me, though it had never felt that way when he always went home to Diana.
Setting the baking dish on a trivet next to the mashed potatoes, green beans, and mac and cheese on the island, I fought back another wave of nausea.
The smell that had my mouth watering seconds ago now made my stomach do a somersault.
“Boys!” Pee Wee called out, his chest pressing against my back as he reached around me to set the plates and silverware beside the food.
I turned my head slightly and caught his mossy green eyes. He looked tired, but somehow more relaxed than I’d ever seen him.
Brody and Bentley appeared in the kitchen, both of them eyeing the food like they hadn’t eaten in days.
“Looks good,” Bentley said, reaching for a plate.
Pee Wee’s hand shot out, grabbing his wrist. “Ladies first.”
Bentley’s eyebrows shot up, but he stepped back, nodding respectfully. “Right. Sorry.”
My cheeks warmed as I fixed my plate and headed to the table. I’d made myself a smaller portion than usual, not trusting my stomach after the episode at Angel’s.
Pee Wee and the boys loaded their plates like they were preparing for hibernation and joined me at the table.
“Holy shit,” Brody mumbled around a mouthful of pork chop. “This is amazing.”
“Language,” Pee Wee warned, but I could see the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Sorry,” Brody said, not looking sorry at all. “But seriously, this is good.”
“Mom just orders takeout,” Bentley added, spooning mashed potatoes into his mouth. “When she remembers to order at all.”
Pee Wee shot him a look, but didn’t comment.
“How was school today?” he asked instead, changing the subject.
I watched, fascinated, as the boys launched into stories about their day—football practice, teachers who were on their shit list, girls they were interested in. This was a side of Pee Wee I’d never seen before.
Dad mode.
And he was good at it.
He listened attentively, asked questions, gave advice.
There was an easy bond between them, a connection that spoke of years of love and commitment.
My hand drifted to my still-flat stomach.
Would he be like this with our child? Or would he resent me? Would he think that I’d trapped him like Diana had?
God, what was I going to do? I’d made an appointment for tomorrow morning to confirm what I already knew in my heart. I was pregnant. And my life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.
“McKenna?”
My head jerked up. “Huh?”
Pee Wee was watching me with concern in his eyes. “The boys were saying thank you for this kickass meal.”
“Oh!” I swung my gaze to the twins, my cheeks heating. “Thanks. It’s nothing special.”
“Are you kidding?” Brody said. “This is way better than anything we’ve had in forever.”
“Yeah,” Bentley agreed. “Dad usually just throws something in the microwave.”
Pee Wee snorted. “Ingrate.”
The boys laughed, and for a moment, I could almost imagine this was normal. That we were a family sitting down to dinner after a long day. That his sons had always known me. That I wasn’t just the woman being forced into their lives because their mother had lost her damn mind.
When dinner was over, Pee Wee stood and started collecting plates .
“You two clean up,” he told the boys, nodding toward the kitchen. “McKenna cooked, so you’re on dish duty.”
Both boys groaned, but got up without further complaint.
“I don’t mind helping,” I started to say, but Pee Wee shook his head.
“Not tonight,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me to my feet. “Tonight you’re gonna relax.”
He led me down the hall to our bedroom, then into the en suite bathroom, where he started filling the large soaking tub.
“What are you doing?” I asked, even though it was pretty obvious.
“Running you a bath,” he replied, adding some of my vanilla bath salts to the water.
My chest tightened with emotion. He knew I loved a hot bath after a long day.
While the tub filled, he stepped closer, his hands finding the hem of my shirt. “Arms up.”
I complied, letting him pull my tank top over my head. His fingers went to the waistband of my yoga pants next, pushing them down my legs until I was standing in just my bra and panties.
His eyes darkened as he took me in, and I felt a familiar heat pool low in my belly. One look from him could set me on fire.
He reached behind me to unhook my bra, then dropped to his knees to slide my panties down my legs.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to my hip bone.
I shivered, threading my fingers through his hair.
He stood back up and started stripping off his own clothes. First his shirt, revealing that magnificent chest covered in tattoos, then his jeans and boxers.
God, he was gorgeous. My mouth went dry at the sight of him.
Once the tub was full, he stepped in first, then held out his hand. “Come here, baby.”
I took his hand and climbed in, sighing as the hot water engulfed me. I settled between his legs, my back against his chest, his arms encircling me.
This. This was heaven.
We sat quietly for a few minutes, just soaking in the warmth and each other’s presence.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he finally asked, his voice a low rumble against my ear. “You’ve been somewhere else all night.”
I tensed slightly. “Just tired. It was a long day.”
“Mmm,” he hummed, not sounding convinced. “How was your sister? ”
I sighed, deciding to focus on that part of my day. “Not good. She found out Jake was cheating on her.”
“Motherfucker,” Pee Wee growled. He knew how much I cared about my sister. “She kick him out?”
“Yeah,” I said, leaning my head back against his shoulder. “But now she’s worried about how she’s going to support three kids on her own. She doesn’t have a job, and Jake’s always been shitty about money. I’m worried he’ll skip out on child support.”
Pee Wee’s arms tightened around me. “I can help her find something. The club’s always looking for help at the different businesses.”
My heart swelled at the offer. “That’s really sweet, but I don’t know if she could handle any of those jobs with a newborn. Childcare is expensive as hell.”
“We’ll figure something out,” he promised, his lips finding the sensitive spot behind my ear. “Maybe she could do some admin work from home.”
I nodded, trying to focus on his words and not the feel of his lips on my skin or his rapidly hardening cock pressing against my back.
“You’re a good man, Pee Wee,” I whispered, turning in his arms to face him.
His eyes went dark. “No, I’m not.” He shook his head. “But I’m trying to be. For you.”
I pressed my lips to his, soft and sweet at first, then with increasing urgency. His hands slid down my back to cup my ass, pulling me closer.
“Bedroom,” I gasped when he broke the kiss to trail his lips down my neck.
He shook his head. “Right here. We gotta be quiet.”
The thought of his sons just down the hall should have been a mood killer, but somehow it only made me want him more. Like we were stealing this moment, just for us.
When Pee Wee finally slid inside me, I had to bite down on his shoulder to keep from crying out. He moved slowly, deliberately, his eyes never leaving mine.
“I love you,” I whispered against his lips.
He stiffened for a fraction of a second, then crushed his mouth to mine in a bruising kiss.
He didn’t say it back; he never did.
“Ms. Lewis?”
I looked up from the magazine I wasn’t really reading to see a nurse standing in the doorway of the waiting room. With a deep breath, I gathered my purse and followed her down a sterile hallway to an exam room.
The nurse took my vitals and asked a series of questions, then left me alone with a paper gown and instructions to change.
I was sitting on the exam table, paper crinkling beneath me, when the doctor knocked and entered.
“McKenna,” Dr. Anderson greeted me with a warm smile. “What brings you in today?”
“I think I might be pregnant,” I said, the words feeling strange in my mouth. “I took a home test yesterday, and it was positive.”
She nodded, making a note in my chart. “When was your last period?”
I thought back, trying to remember. “Maybe five weeks ago?”
“You’re on birth control?” Dr. Anderson looked up from her chart.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I’ve been taking the pill for years to help regulate my period.”
“Have you missed any pills recently?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m pretty religious about taking them.”
“Any illnesses? Changes in medication?”
I started to shake my head again, then stopped. “ Wait. I had a sinus infection about two months ago. I was on antibiotics.”
Dr. Anderson nodded. “That would explain it. Certain antibiotics can interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. We usually recommend using a backup method during antibiotic treatment and for seven days after.”
Fuck. No one had told me that.
“Let’s do an exam and confirm the pregnancy, then we can talk about your options,” Dr. Anderson said kindly.
The exam felt like it took forever, but finally, Dr. Anderson removed her gloves and smiled at me.
“Congratulations, McKenna. You’re definitely pregnant. Based on your last period and the exam, I’d estimate you’re about ten weeks along.”
Ten weeks. Jesus Christ. I’d been pregnant for over two months without knowing it.
“You said you’re on the pill,” she continued, “so I’m guessing this wasn’t planned?”
“No,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Definitely not planned.”
She nodded sympathetically. “I understand this is a lot to process. There are options available if you’re not ready to have a baby right now.”
I placed a protective hand over my stomach. “No, I want to keep it. I just... I need to figure some things out.”
Dr. Anderson prescribed prenatal vitamins and gave me a stack of pamphlets about pregnancy and what to expect in the coming months. My head was spinning as I scheduled a follow-up appointment and left the clinic.
Ten weeks pregnant. The reality of it hit me like a freight train as I stepped into the sunshine. I was going to have a baby.
“McKenna?”
I looked up, startled to hear my name, and found myself face to face with Pinky, her bubble gum pink hair pulled up in a messy bun, her baby bump huge under her tight tank top.
“Oh, hey,” I said, trying to sound normal. “How are you?”
“Miserable,” she said cheerfully, rubbing her belly. “Little monster won’t stop kicking my bladder. What are you doing here?”
Before I could answer, Rambler appeared behind her, his eyes taking in the building behind me, then my pale face.
Recognition dawned in his eyes. “Pinky, give us a minute? ”
She looked between us, confused, but nodded. “I’ll be in the truck. Don’t take too long, I want ice cream.”
Once she was out of earshot, Rambler stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Does he know?”
I swallowed hard, shaking my head. “Not yet.”
His face softened. “You have to tell him, McKenna. This isn’t a secret I can keep from my brother.”
“I know,” I whispered. “I’m going to tell him tonight.”
Rambler studied me for a long moment, then nodded. “Good. He needs to hear it from you, not me.”
“I will,” I promised. “Really.”
“Alright,” he said, seemingly satisfied. “Take care of yourself.”
I watched as he walked back to his truck, where Pinky was waiting. They were so happy, so ready for their baby.
In that moment, I realized I wanted that. I wanted what they had.
I just had to figure out how to get Pee Wee on the same page.