Chapter 20
She couldn’t hide forever. Greer knew that without a doubt. After Kurt’s dramatic retreat, she’d hurried inside to her own suite. She didn’t emerge from it until Genny got home and demanded Greer let her in.
She only complied because it had been Genny’s first day back to work after someone in the ER had nearly killed her. Greer wanted to know how the sister closest to her in age was. No one would ever forget how close they’d come to losing her.
Especially Gunn and Guthrie. They’d both been there and had watched it happen in horror. Gunn was being a bit…overprotective over Genny now, too. Well, so was Guthrie, too, for that matter.
There were nightmares in her brothers’ eyes now that hurt her to see. And she just wanted to grab her sister and hold on tight. Genny…was the heart…in their family. No denying that.
“Ok, toots. You have some explaining to do. What’s going on?” Genny didn’t exactly sugarcoat or soft foot anything. Especially lately. “You are going to tell me everything about Kurtland Chase and this baby-Greer you are carrying and how I can help you not hurt so much.”
“You could invent a time machine? Or a Greer-not-so-stupid machine?”
“Do you want this baby?”
“More than anything in this world. I just wish I had chosen a totally different father.” Greer told Genny exactly what had happened, every detail.
“Sounds to me less like a revenge plot, and more like a man-got-terrified-at-the-absolutely-worst-time moment. They can do that, you know.”
“The only thing he wanted from me was revenge.” Greer told her older sister, the sibling she was probably the closest to. “For what happened before.”
“That…might be something the two of you need to talk about. Clear the air about. Because whether you like it or not, he’s going to be in your life forever now, baby girl. And I don’t think you’re going to be able to shake him anytime soon. He seems a wee bit persistent.”
“Please. Don’t call me that.” She’d always hated being called baby in any way shape or form—probably from being the youngest of eight—until Kurt that first time. She’d told him she’d hated being called baby.
And then he’d whispered it in her ear the first time he had ever really touched her.
“I need ear bleach or something.”
“So what do you want to do about him? I have an army of Hiller brothers—and probably some Fields brothers to add a tiny touch of rationality—at your disposal. Short of murder, anyway.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. So…how did today go?”
“Caine insisted I work a half shift. Sitting down. He can be a bit ridiculous. Super overprotective—much worse than our boys. I bet he drives his wife crazy. Of course, Caine was only half as bad as Dr. Chadwick-ed Fields. I swear, he was watching every move I made. And he didn’t even have a single patient in the emergency department today.
I think he and Caine colluded, actually. ”
“So is this the real deal, then?” She hoped so.
She wanted her sister happy. Chad had been looking at Genny like she was the center of his universe ever since the attack.
Rather like Gene had been looking at Chad’s younger sister.
Genny’s best friend. It was so perfectly romantic to even think about. “With Gene and Chantal, too?”
“I…” Genny’s cheeks turned flame red. Her eyes were big and soft behind her glasses. “Yes. It is. He’s…already talking about moving in together. When I’m ready. Apparently, having Gunn around here when we are making out is really cramping his style.”
Greer had to snicker at that. She couldn’t see getting down and dirty with Preacher Gunn in the room next door, either. “And Gene and Chantal?”
“If Gene had his way, Chantal would be moved in here tonight. But with her parents so dependent on her now…I’m not sure how we’re going to make things work. But we’ll figure it out, I am sure.”
“What about the old foreman’s house on the Fields’ ranch? It’s halfway between here and there.” It wasn’t nearly as big as this place, but it could be a comfortable four-bedroom home.
“Yes. Chad and I have been discussing it. We were going to mention it at dinner tonight. But I think your life will be much more entertaining. I heard Gene is still getting mud out of his ears and other places. Calvin wanted to know why he couldn’t play in mud like his daddy. He said it’s not fair.”
“I just want…my baby to be happy, safe and taken care of. And…” Greer looked at her sister, just as her door opened firmly.
Her oldest sister stood there, a look of warrior queen on her face. “Okay, tell me what’s going on, and whose ass I need to kick, and I’ll do it right now.”
Just like that, the tears started all over again.
But…she was definitely glad she’d come home. This was exactly where she belonged. And exactly the kind of life she wanted for her baby, too.
If Kurtland Chase couldn’t handle that, well, she’d just drop him down a deep, dark well. Right on to his far too gorgeous head.
That toad wasn’t getting her baby, and he definitely wasn’t getting her. Ever again.