5. Lachlan
Lachlan
I’d been anxiously waiting for her to get here all damn day.
The parts and equipment I’d ordered for the AC in her car were sitting by the edge of the porch…
right where the auto store guy had delivered them earlier in the day.
Of course, everything I needed was in there, but that didn’t stop me from eyeing the bag suspiciously.
If something wasn’t in there that I needed, there was no way I’d be able to fix her AC, and then she’d suffer more—because of me.
“Are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Hayes asked, his eyes narrowing as he sat back in the rocking chair next to me.
“Nope.”
“Fair enough.” He laughed. “I was asking if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. I’m watching Connor for Colt and Violet so they can have a date night. Figured maybe you could come over to my place and just have some no pressure time away from here.”
Shit. I sighed, running my hand over my face.
Because my older brother was just trying to do the same thing our parents and our other siblings did.
They were trying to give me a reason to get off the porch.
To motivate me. But what they didn’t know was that all that pressure—well intended or not—just reminded me how much I was still drowning. It made me feel like a failure.
“I’ll think about it,” was the only answer I managed to come up with.
“Yeah, okay.” Hayes groaned as he got up from the chair. “Like I said, no pressure. I could always bring Connor over here and we could hang for a bit. I’ll shoot you a message—”
“You don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. You asked, I answered. I’ll try, but I’ll still fail. Because I’m trapped here,” I grabbed my cane and stood up from my chair, tapping it against the wood of the porch before bringing my right hand up to tap on my head, “and I’m trapped in here.”
“You’re working on it, and that’s more than enough. Everyone feels that way. Ma, Dad, Colt, Beau and I. Hell, Jessie and Hawk were just talking about how impressive it is that you make it out here every day. A couple months ago, that was unthinkable.”
I nodded, unable to get past the emotion starting to make my throat sting. I was done being a prisoner in my own home. In my own mind.
“Alright. I gotta go get ready for shift. These assholes at the fire house need to stop requesting one night off at a time. It’s wrecking my sleeping pattern.”
“You love it, don’t try to pretend you don’t. I know you’re eating up all that ‘lieutenant’ shit,” I teased.
“Of course I am.” Hayes ran his hand through his hair.
“I want to be selected as Mr. July again for the charity calendar. I know we just did the photoshoot a few weeks ago, but I’ve already got a lot of ideas for how next year's shoot could go. I’m thinking flames and burning buildings and me carrying Mrs. July—”
I snorted. “And who would play that part?”
“Fuck if I know,” he groaned. “But two of our brothers and our little sister have found their person, so I figure I gotta be next. I’m older, and my face is definitely better to look at than your grumpy mug.”
“Get off my porch, Hayes.”
He laughed all the way to his truck, pulling out of my driveway with a wave, his smirk still plastered across his face.
I’d heard her car coming long before I could see it, but the tightness in my chest eased when I saw it was still in the same shape as last week. At least it hadn’t gotten worse.
Lainey’s eyes ran over me, the line between her furrowed brows growing deeper the closer she got to the front porch.
“How far’d you make it today?” she asked, huffing as she walked up the stairs. I held out my hand and waited as she put the two trays into my outstretched arm.
“To right here,” I grumbled, waiting for the quick comment I knew she’d make about my lack of progress. I set the trays on the bench, turning to make sure I could give her hell while she tried.
But the second I turned around, my stomach dropped. All the color had drained right out of her face, and Lainey was swaying dangerously close to steps. Christ, if she fell…
I lurched forward, hating the pain that burst in my leg from the sudden, overextended motion. I pushed myself, and in three quick steps, my hands were on her waist, steadying her.
I expected Lainey to push me away. To scream in my face and tell me I’d overstepped. But she didn’t say a peep as her hands rested on my chest.
“You okay?” I whispered, wondering how the hell I was going to keep her upright if she collapsed. Her lashes fluttered. “I think you should sit down.”
“Mm. Just the heat…lots of deliveries. You’re the last. I need some cool air.”
I looked at the piece of shit car she was driving.
“There’s still no AC in it,” she mumbled, watching my face. “But I’ll cool down when I drive with the windows down. You can let me go, I’m better—”
“You better not be trying to run away, Trouble. You almost just passed out in front of me,” I growled, hating how hot her skin felt under my hands.
She was eight months pregnant, for fuck’s sake!
“You’re coming inside my damn house until you feel better.
” Cool air I could do. “Come on.” I positioned myself behind her a little, switching my hold so my arm wrapped around her low back.
“I shouldn’t…”
“You’re really living up to your nickname today, aren’t you?” I growled, frustrated at the way she was fighting back when she barely had the strength to stand.
She laughed, a little of her color coming back into her face. “I try.”
Lainey stopped in the doorway, still leaning on me as she slipped her shoes off.
“You didn’t need to do that,” I said, helping her over to the sofa.
“I’m not walking in your house with my shoes on. That’s gross.”
I nodded, too focused on what I could do to help her cool down to even really pay attention to what she was saying. I grabbed the remote for the ceiling fan off the coffee table, and clicked it to the highest setting.
“Relax. I’ll be right back,” I instructed as I made my way to the kitchen in the back of my house. I moved around my kitchen like I was a part of a fucking black-ops mission. Water from the fridge…largest glass I had, filled with ice…electrolytes I used whenever my leg started to spasm…
“Here.” I shoved the glass into her hand the second I was back in the living room. “Drink this. I put some electrolyte powder in it. Hope the little one likes citrus.”
Lainey smiled as she took the glass and brought it to her lips. I’d accidentally packed the damn thing with so much ice that I’d had to scoop some out because there was barely any room for actual water in the end.
“That’s delicious.” She sighed as she held the glass against her chest. Jesus, I should have gotten her an ice pack, too.
“I’ll be right back.” I moved back to the kitchen, grabbing one of the ice caps I wore when I got a headache and the last slice of key lime pie Ma had made for me.
If she was feeling light headed, her blood sugar might be low, too.
Maybe I should call Birdie? Shit, that probably should have been the first thing I did.
“What’s all this?” Lainey’s eyes narrowed.
“Just an ice pack and a snack.”
“Wow, getting the five star treatment today. Are you feeling okay?”
I was only half listening to Lainey as I tried to decide whether enough color had returned to her face that I didn’t need to call for help, or if I was really in over my head. “I wasn’t the one playing southern belle just a minute ago on my porch.”
“Yeah, well…blame the little alien. I’m normally very hearty. And you don’t need to feed me. I’m okay. I was just—”
“Overheated. I know. Or, maybe you were so busy with deliveries you skipped lunch? Your blood sugar is probably low. Used to happen to Jessie when she was pregnant with Beckett.”
Lainey rolled her eyes. “It’s not that late. I still have time to eat—”
“It’s 3:00 p.m. It's almost time for supper. Eat.” I sat in the chair across from her, crossing my arms over my chest.
Lainey stared me down for a moment before she brought a fork full of pie to her lips. “Oh, God. I haven’t had your mom’s key lime pie in so long. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.”
We sat in silence until the last bite of pie was cleaned off her plate and she finished the last sip of her drink. It should have felt awkward, but I was hyper focused on watching her. As the color came back to her cheeks, the tightness in my muscles started to recede.
“Thank you for all that. Would have never thought you’d have a Florence Nightingale side, but I appreciate it.”
Lainey’s hands went to the sofa cushion as she went to push herself up, but I was up before she could move, gently pressing my hand against her shoulder, keeping her seated.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I was going to go wash up these dishes.”
“No.” Her eyes rounded at my sharp response, but I didn’t care. “You just almost passed out. I’ll take care of them and get you more ice water. Do you…”
“Do I what?”
“Do you need me to call Birdie? Should she come look you and the baby over?”
Lainey’s eyes widened as she shook her head. “That’s honestly the last thing I need. This can stay between the both of us forever, Florence.”
“You can’t just think about yourself—”
“A girl could get used to this level of concern, but maybe with just a little less grumble…” she muttered under her breath. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing, but I let myself smile as I walked away from her into the kitchen.
“So, what’s Greg’s plan for your car?” I asked as I walked back.
Her brows pulled together as she took another sip of water. “I don’t understand what you’re asking me.”
“He’s going to get your AC fixed, right?
Last week you told me he got a new truck, but that the mechanic in Bell Ridge was going to take care of your car.
” Her eyes dropped. “Please tell me there’s no way he expects his pregnant fiancé to drive around in the summer with no cool air.
What’s he thinking for when the baby comes? ”