Chapter 12
One month later
Hudson finished his run on the beach, huffing out a breath. Sweat dripped down his skin, and his muscles ached with exertion. The burn felt good though. It made him feel alive. Real. He ducked down to grab a towel, wiping the sweat from his face. Chugging some of his water, he sank down into the sand, waiting for his teammates to catch up.
Wyatt was closest, with Aaron and Ryan not far behind. Austin had stopped to give a quick kiss to his girlfriend Alexa. She had an early morning photography shoot on the beach, and conveniently, she was actually doing the photo session near where they were training. Sawyer was probably hitting on her client, knowing him. Never mind that Alexa often shot pictures of newly engaged or married couples. If he saw a pretty girl, he’d be going for it. Dude loved the attention.
Aaron and Ryan stopped a few feet away, almost looking like they were arguing about something. Briefly, Hudson wondered if it involved Aaron’s sister. While she’d only been on the island briefly a while back, she and Ryan had hit it off. But it wasn’t like she was moving to Oahu the way Hudson’s girl was. Not that Layton was his girl—far from it. They’d exchanged a few brief texts since the day she’d told him he was going to be a father, but she’d flown home to Virginia to wrap up her life there.
Guilt churned through him. According to Aaron, Layton was moving here next week. Renting a home in Oahu. It burned him up that his buddy knew before him. That Aaron knew more about her life than he did. And the kicker was that it was his own damn fault.
Wyatt jogged over, coming to a stop in front of Hudson. His team leader had been watchful of Hudson ever since the day Layton returned. His teammates knew about the baby. As soon as he’d blown things with Layton, fucking left her sitting at the picnic table, Emersyn had let Aaron and the other guys know that he was going to be a father. He was grateful he’d learned before his friends, but shit. Nothing about this had gone right.
Wyatt took a pull of water and eyed him. “You good?”
Hudson stared out at the waves crashing on the beach. “Yep.”
He was saved from further questions as Wyatt’s phone buzzed, and Wyatt began speaking in a low voice to their commanding officer. Sawyer didn’t have the same decency to keep away. He came jogging up and sank down right beside Hudson in the sand, sweaty and tired. “You look like someone kicked your puppy or something.”
“I don’t have a puppy,” Hudson muttered.
“So why the hell are you a grumpy ass moping around like some teenage girl?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Complicated like it involves a pretty real estate agent new to the lovely island of Oahu?”
“Don’t be a dick.”
“So what’s the problem?”
Hudson huffed out an exasperated sigh. “She’s moving here next week. She didn’t tell me though. I found out about it through Emersyn and Aaron.”
“Why didn’t she tell you herself?” Sawyer asked.
“When she told me that she was pregnant, I—I didn’t react the best. I told her I couldn’t be a father.”
Sawyer let out a low whistle. “Shit.”
“Yeah. Shit. It’s the damn truth though. I never had a father figure in my life. And she didn’t tell me she was already a mother. If I’d known….”
Sawyer shot him a look. “If you’d known, then what?”
Hudson shook his head. “I still have her fucking panties. The night we spent together was seriously one of the hottest in my life. And she’s somebody’s mother.”
Sawyer howled with laughter. “Shit, Hudson, she’s a mother, not a nun. How do you think she got pregnant with that sweet little girl in the first place? Wait, wait—that’s right, you already know how it works. You knocked her up with baby number two.”
Hudson glared at him. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
“And there you go. A protective asshole like you will make a damn fine father.”
Hudson looked at him in disbelief as Sawyer smirked. “What? I like kids. I’ve dated all kinds of women, well, spent the night with them, at any rate.” He chuckled but didn’t look a damn bit ashamed of himself. “Single moms. Women who are just looking for a vacation fling. Hell, I even slept with a pregnant woman once. And before you judge, her asshole of a husband left her. She wanted one last fling, a carefree night, and I’ll tell you what—it was fucking hot.”
“Jesus.”
Sawyer clapped him on the shoulder. “Call her up and apologize. Send flowers or something. Women love that shit.”
Hudson let out a deep breath. “And then what?”
“It’s up to you, buddy. Date her. Fuck her. Marry her.”
Hudson glared at him.
“At least get on speaking terms with her again. Even if you’re not going to be with Layton, you don’t want your future kid to hate you.”
Hudson stilled. As crazy as Sawyer was, he had a point. Hudson had been so worried about how this would upend his life, he hadn’t put the priority where it should be—on his child. Just because Hudson had a messed-up childhood didn’t mean his kid would. Not if he got his damn head on straight and got involved like he should’ve been in the first place. Not if he got back on speaking terms with the woman carrying his baby.
Had Layton had any doctor appointments yet? Was she lifting heavy things trying to pack up her home? Damn it. He should’ve offered to help or at least hired some movers for her. What if she was putting their baby at risk?
“You know something? You’re right.”
“Course I am,” Sawyer said with a grin.
Hudson rose to his feet, noting that Wyatt was still watching him. “I’ll see you on base,” he told Sawyer. “I need to make a phone call.” And then he was jogging toward his car, his muddled thoughts suddenly clearing. He needed to shower, eat, and then head in for the day’s training. It was already afternoon in Virginia, however, and he didn’t want to wait until tonight. Calling Layton out of the blue to apologize would surprise her, but hell. Despite their few terse exchanges, he hadn’t said the two little words she deserved to hear.
***
“I’m sorry.”
Layton frowned as she held her phone to her ear, Hudson’s deep voice coming over the line. Her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she hurried toward her real estate office, Layton feeling polished and put together in her dark suit. The pants were already snugger than they’d been a month ago, but supposedly, your body changed faster with subsequent pregnancies. Even now, the baby was growing. Time rolled on whether she wanted it to or not.
She was at her office for the last time to tie up any and all loose ends. Hand over her keys to the building. Pass on her existing clients. She had exactly one week to finish packing up her home and life, get her daughter ready, and ship off her belongings. Then she and Caroline would be flying to Hawaii. To their new home. To be closer to her sister. To…start fresh.
“What?” she asked Hudson, sure she’d misheard him.
Layton paused in the Virginia sunshine. It was a pretty spring day, although nothing like a balmy tropical island. With the time zone differences, she knew it was still morning in Honolulu. And Hudson was calling her out of the blue. They hadn’t spoken since that afternoon, only exchanged a few quick texts. She knew the team trained early from what Emersyn had told her, but Hudson had shocked the hell out of her by randomly calling.
For all Layton knew, Hudson had essentially shelved the entire situation, pushing it to the back of his mind, and moved on to the next woman willing to spread her legs.
Layton cringed at her line of thought. Whatever they’d had, it hadn’t been cheap sex. She’d trusted him. Felt safe with him. Shared something special. And both of them could’ve stopped things at any time. It had happened, and my God, it had been good. The last time they’d been alone, truly alone, he’d literally been inside her. She’d ridden him to ecstasy the night on the beach, wild and free. His hands had been on her bare breasts, his thick cock buried so deep, she swore she could almost still feel the way he’d marked her forever.
He had, she supposed.
The baby growing inside her was proof enough of that.
That night had been a fantasy, and now, she was back to reality.
Hudson cleared his throat, continuing. “I said that I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have rushed off and left you sitting there at the beach. It kills me that I handled it so badly. You told me you were having my baby, and I left you there alone.”
“You did,” she said in a clipped tone.
“I’ve been regretting it more every day. I was shocked and upset, but it was a dick move to leave you there by yourself. That’s not who I am, not that my behavior would lead you to think otherwise.”
Layton huffed out an irritated sigh.
Was he expecting her to forgive him just like that? Because he called a month later to apologize? That was rich. If she could act like a grown-up and plan for the unexpected pregnancy, so could he. The man literally deployed on complex, dangerous missions around the world. Briefed with his teammates and commander. Juggled a million different things. Surely, he could’ve handled an adult conversation with her.
“Where are you?” he asked as several horns honked in the background, suddenly sounding concerned.
“Just walking into my office for the last time. I’ve got a ton to do before I move, and there are a few items I need to close out before I can go.”
“But you answered my call,” he insisted.
“Well, yeah. I thought something was wrong. You never call me.”
She heard his whoosh of his breath. “Well, shit, Layton. I feel like a dick.”
“You should.”
“Ouch. I deserve that,” he admitted, his voice low and sincere. “I didn’t treat you the way I should’ve. Exchanging a few brief texts isn’t the same as having a conversation, discussing our situation, and I know that. I realize that now, so I called to apologize.”
“What time is it there in Hawaii?”
“Oh-six-hundred. The guys and I just finished an early run on the beach. I need to shower and head into base soon, but I wanted to call you to say I’m sorry.”
She crinkled her nose in confusion. “You finished your workout and then immediately called me?” She could almost picture him in sneakers and running shorts. Shirtless, because despite her annoyance at Hudson, the man was hot as sin. That was sort of what had gotten her into this predicament in the first place.
“Well, yeah. When I realized I’d reached out via text to ask if you were okay but never actually apologized, I felt like shit. I called you as soon as we finished up. Left the guys on the beach wondering where the hell I was going.”
“Hudson.”
“I’m trying to do the right thing here, princess. Emersyn told me you were moving to Hawaii next week. I should’ve been the one telling everyone that. I should’ve known when you were arriving, how you were doing. I should be helping you.”
“We’re not a couple,” she said softly. “I thought you weren’t interested in being a father.” Something twisted inside her, a stabbing pain that had nothing to do with her pregnancy and everything to do with her heart. Her own husband had relinquished parental rights for Caroline. Why would a guy she barely knew want to help raise his baby with her? Men left. Moved on to the next pretty woman that caught their eye.
Layton should’ve learned by now not to ever get her hopes up. Hudson had been the vacation fling she wanted. Of course, that little fling had an ending she never saw coming.
“I want to be involved, Layton,” he said, surprising her. “I know I didn’t handle this right, and I know nothing about little kids or babies, but I’m not going to abandon my child. I might’ve had a shit upbringing, but I’m not going to let my own kid be raised without a father in his life.”
She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, shocked to her very core. “You sure?” she challenged. “Because it sure the hell felt like that in Waikiki.”
There was a pregnant pause—pun intended, she thought with a smirk. She’d have to tell that one to Emersyn later. Her sister would appreciate it.
“I deserve that,” he said diplomatically. “I was a jerk to leave you there, especially since you were visibly upset. It was a dick move, and I own up to that. It won’t happen again. I want to be involved in our baby’s life, Layton. I want to be there for you, too. I won’t fight you about things like your ex-husband, but I don’t want to be shut out. I can support you.”
“I have a job,” she said, suddenly annoyed again. “I don’t need your support.”
“Well, I’ll help with the baby. I’m not exactly sure how that would work given my deployments, but I want to see him or her. I want to be a father.”
Now she was the one sighing, feeling sad all over again. Sure, Hudson might seem eager now, but what if he realized how hard caring for a child was? Life was never the same after a baby was born. She already was a mother, but Hudson? He literally was a clueless male when it came to having children. And what if he met someone further down the line? Her own husband had deserted her. Found someone more exciting that he’d rather sleep with. It wouldn’t be long before Hudson got bored of playing unconventional family. Even if they raised this child together, they weren’t dating. He’d made her no promises about a future for them—about seeing what happened. His concern was simply for their baby.
“We’ll talk when I’m there, Hudson. I have to get going. I’ve got a few meetings lined up this afternoon.” Without waiting for an answer, she ended the call. Her heart felt like it was being shredded. It was impossible to deny him if he wanted to be involved in their child’s life, but could her heart handle it? Could she send her baby off with Hudson and whatever woman he ended up with? Even the thought of it killed her.
Steeling herself, she marched into her office. It was time to wrap things up in Virginia and then face her new life head on.