Chapter 19
Her grandma’s house seemed smaller now that it was empty of everything that was Reagan’s.
The closets were no longer stuffed with clothes and shoes, the kitchen counters no longer lined with gadgets like her favorite blender or the air fryer.
She stared at the house, roof dappled with afternoon sunlight, and smiled.
Even though her grandma’s passing had been difficult to weather because she’d lost a confidant and beloved family member, the house had given her a place of refuge away from her mom.
She hadn’t realized how much her mom talked negatively around her until she’d been free of it all in the little house with the red front door just made for hanging seasonal wreaths.
“I’ll miss having you as a neighbor,” Darla called from her porch. “But I’m so very happy for you.”
“I’m going to miss you too,” Reagan said.
Indio locked the front door and joined her as she walked over to Darla’s. She handed her a brown paper bag and Reagan opened it, finding a knit pastel baby blanket inside.
“Oh! I love it, it’s perfect. You made this already? You’ve only known about my pregnancy for two weeks!”
“I knit fast, girl,” Darla said with a laugh. “This is newborn size, but when you find out if you’re having a boy or a girl, let me know and I’ll make a larger one in whatever color you like.”
Reagan hugged her, tears stinging her eyes at her sweet friend’s kind gesture. “You’re the best. Thank you.”
“Take care of yourselves, both of you,” she said, as Indio bent to hug her petite frame.
“We will, you too,” Indio said.
They said goodbye and got into the SUV Indio had borrowed from the park’s employee fleet and buckled up. Her stomach churned suddenly.
“We don’t have to do this now,” he said as he backed out of the driveway and honked the horn twice at Darla.
Reagan waved with a smile and then settled back in the seat. “I’d rather do it now than have it hanging over my head.”
The last week while they’d packed up the old house and moved her into the home underground had gone by fast. They’d gone out on a few dates outside of the park, including a double date with Rhomi and Mercer, and a group date with the elephants and their soulmates.
But the whole time, it had been hanging over her head: she needed to turn the key over to her mom and tell her she was now moved in with Indio.
Her stomach churned at the thought of what her mom might say about all this.
While she’d technically known Indio since the beginning of November, after waiting three weeks to reconnect with him, they’d only spent two weeks together.
Her mom would say it was too much too fast, that she was just looking for heartbreak.
But that was her mom’s opinion, and Reagan didn’t have to be beholden to it.
Resolve filled her. She reached for Indio’s hand and gripped it tightly.
“It’ll be okay,” he assured her.
“I know,” she said. “Because I love you and I’m having your baby and we’re making a family together. And no matter what she says, she can’t change any of that. I think she might actually want me to fail in this relationship, want to be right that all men leave and you’ll leave me too.”
He hummed. “I think you’re right. I’ve just met her the one time, but from all you’ve told me, she’s probably hopeful that she’ll be able to say I told you so while your life falls apart.”
Reagan straightened in the seat as her mom’s house came into view. “Well, she’s not going to be right. Because you are well and truly stuck with me, Indio.”
He laughed and brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “Baby, you’re well and truly stuck with me too.”
They got out of the SUV, and Reagan clenched the house key in her hand as they walked up to the front door. Her stomach was still churning; in fact, she kind of thought she might barf up her lunch of a ham and cheese sandwich with apple cider donuts for bread.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he murmured. And then he knocked twice and opened the front door.
“Mom?” Reagan called.
“I’m in the family room.”
Closing the door behind them, Reagan led Indio into the house and found her mom doing a crossword puzzle from a spiral-bound book with a TV show on low volume.
“Well, what’s this visit for? I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”
Reagan walked around the couch and put the key in the empty candy dish. “I’ve moved out of Grandma’s house, here’s the key. It’s clean and I put the trash out for Tuesday pickup.”
Her mom’s eyes narrowed slightly and her gaze darted to Indio for a heartbeat before settling back on Reagan.
“Is that so? Moving in already? Honestly, you’ve known him for hardly any time at all.
You’re walking away from a paid-for home for a guy you don’t know who didn’t have the sense to wrap up his dick when you guys had a one-night stand? ”
Reagan sucked in a sharp breath, her mom’s words hitting her like thorns.
Indio was there a moment later, tucking her against his side. “Hold on just a minute,” he said, his voice going low with anger. “I’m not going anywhere, and you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “Flowery words don’t pay the bills, or make men stick around. Mark my words, when things get tough, when the mood swings come and you get fat with the baby, you’ll find yourself out on your butt and come crawling back to me.”
Something snapped inside Reagan. Maybe it was the baby, maybe it was the image of Indio finding her during the storm, or maybe it was just what happened when a woman finally found real love for the first time in her life.
Whatever the catalyst, Reagan felt like a different person.
“If only I’d listened to my heart and not you when I met Indio, I would have had even longer with him.
I wouldn’t have been miserable and alone, ashamed of my behavior because of your particular brand of toxic mothering.
Ever since my dad left, you’ve said that all men leave.
But that’s your life, not mine. And Indio is not my dad and I’m not you.
” She tilted her chin slightly. “If you want to be part of our lives, you’ll keep your terrible thoughts to yourself.
I won’t let you poison the life we’re building together.
So you can call me when you’re ready to apologize for hoping that my relationship crashes and burns, or you can just enjoy being alone. ”
Her mom’s jaw ticked as she pressed her lips into a thin line and said nothing.
And that was all Reagan needed.
“Let’s go,” she said, taking Indio’s hand.
They left the house and got back into the SUV. As he shut the door and walked around the front to get behind the wheel, she buckled up and stared at the house she’d grown up in.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I thought I might cry, or be sad, but I actually just feel free.”
“You are free,” he said. He backed out of the driveway and drove off, her past disappearing behind them. “You closed the door on your past but you didn’t lock it. Your mom can reach out if she wants to, but it’s under your conditions. She can’t be toxic to you anymore.”
“Or you or our baby,” she said, resting her hand protectively on her belly. She looked down at her stomach and whispered, “I’m going to make sure you’re so loved. You’ve got the best dad.”
“And the best mom,” Indio said.
“Thank you for being there with me,” she said.
“You don’t fight storms alone anymore, remember? You and me, hell or high water, against the world.”
“It’s you and me and our baby,” she said. “But we’ve got your circus family, your park family, and my best friends and their mates. With all of that, we’re not losing out on anything, we’ve got all the love and support we could possibly need.”
“You’re home for me, Reagan,” he said, glancing at her before turning his gaze back to the road. “We’re going to build a life together that’s better than either of us ever imagined. The future’s looking pretty incredible.”
“Definitely.”
Indio was home for her too. Protective, safe, and full of love.