The Second Choice (Love Hunters #3)

Chapter 1

ONE

LARS

Exhaustion hit Lars like a freight train on the drive back from the bar. It had been a very long day at work, then he’d gone to Perrington to hang out with some friends for a few hours when really, he should’ve just gone home to crash. Not that it was more relaxing there.

Making his way into the house, he shut the front door behind him then toed off his shoes before removing his jacket.

It had been so incredibly hot today in the factory, even up in his office, but the second he’d stepped outside, he’d been glad he brought it.

The temperature had dropped this week, finally making it feel like fall.

Stretching out his spine, Lars listened to the chaos upstairs that was bedtime. He grinned and headed up toward his family. Despite the bone-deep weariness, nothing made him happier than coming home to his girls.

“No. Stop jumping,” Mel said with a grunt, as if catching their second daughter mid-jump. He had no doubt it was Chloe causing the madness. She was the wildest of their three young daughters.

He quickened his pace to the older girls’ bedroom and indeed found Mel holding their three year old. Chloe was leaning backward, trying to get away.

“It’s bedtime, Chloe.” Mel sighed, her own exhaustion clear in every feature.

Guilt coursed through Lars. He shouldn’t have gone out.

Even though Mel had insisted since it had been months since he’d done anything outside the house and work, he should’ve been here.

She’d gone out a couple weeks ago and told him it was his turn though.

Plus, she was leaving for Chicago tomorrow for a work conference this weekend.

Chloe cried, shaking her head. On her own bed against the opposite wall, her older sister, Allison, covered her ears and groaned. “Make it stop.”

“I’m trying, Allie,” their mom said.

Lars stepped into the room, and she turned to face him with a look of relief. He reached for Chloe without hesitation. “Come here.”

“Daddy!” both girls shouted simultaneously. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck, and he rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down.

“Why aren’t you listening to Mommy?” he asked her. “You know it’s time to lay down and close your eyes.”

“She’s been annoying all day,” Allie said.

Chloe let out a noise that was somewhere between a whine and a scream.

“Okay, okay.” He gently put a hand behind her head. “Allie, that doesn’t help.”

Mel went to the six year old and guided her to lie down. She tucked her in, kissing her forehead, while Lars gently swayed from side to side. This girl in his arms hated bedtime more than anything in the world. Which made sense considering she had more energy than anyone he’d ever met.

“Story?” she asked.

He looked at Mel, who shook her head and held up three fingers. Rolling his eyes, he fought a smile as he said, “You’ve already heard three tonight.”

“Not from you,” she said, leaning away to stare up at him with big blue eyes and a pout. A deadly combination he struggled to say no to.

But he managed to shake his head. “How about this? Tomorrow, I’ll read you four stories, but only if you go to bed now like you’re supposed to.”

She pursed her lips to the side, lifting a finger to her chin like she was actually debating on whether to accept.

With a sigh, he sweetened the deal. “And I’ll see if Uncle Aaron can come to the park with us on Saturday.”

At that, her frown instantly vanished, replaced by a grin. Aaron was her favorite person, and she made no attempt to hide it. Ever. She nodded with enthusiasm. “Okay!”

Kissing her cheek, he carried her to her bed. He got her all settled and tucked in, sweeping some of her blond curls out of her face, then pressed another kiss to her forehead. “Goodnight, Chloe.”

He and Mel switched places. Leaning down, he brushed his lips against the top of Allie’s head. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Night, Daddy.”

Once in the hall, he waited for Mel before turning off the overhead light and shutting the door. Melanie let out a breath. “One of these days, we’re going to have to figure out how to do that without bribing her.”

Lars chuckled and nodded. “Is Maddie asleep?”

“Yeah, she was practically falling asleep during dinner.”

He grinned and peeked into the nursery across the hall.

Sure enough, it was quiet and dark other than the dim light from her starry mobile rotating above the white crib each of his girls had used.

He crept in close to look down at the sleeping eighteen month old.

Pulling her thin, little blanket up over her—because she’d clearly been squirming around and had kicked it mostly off of her body—he gently rubbed her tummy before leaving.

Mel was waiting in the hall when he returned, standing in a faded band t-shirt and some leggings.

Her blond hair had started falling down around her face, presumably from chasing after Chloe all evening, making her appear even more tired.

Still, she was beautiful. The girls definitely took after their mama.

Except Allie, who had his eyes. Mel gave him a small smile as he shut the door. “How was everyone?”

“Fine. They asked about you.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to her. “You should come next time; my parents would probably be happy to watch the girls for us…” His words trailed off at the narrowed look she gave him.

“You really think that’s a good idea?”

“Yes,” he said confidently. “They’re your friends too. They miss you.”

She slowly shook her head. “They were your friends first.”

“You’ve known most of them nearly as long.” Lars ran a hand through his hair. “I thought we agreed it wouldn’t be like this.”

With a sigh, she started toward the end of the hall farthest from the stairs. He followed, not wanting the girls to hear them. Mel went into the bedroom and sat against the end of the large, king-sized bed. “I know. It’s just… hard. I feel bad for lying to them.”

Lars walked to her and slowly tugged her into a hug, waiting to see if she would stop him or pull away. But she didn’t. His wife wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder.

Kissing her temple, he said, “Then, let’s tell them. At least our closest friends if that makes you feel better. Aaron knows, so I don’t see why the others couldn’t. They’d be supportive.”

“I’m not ready to tell our parents though,” she said in a firm tone.

He let out a laugh. “Oh, God no. Definitely shouldn’t tell them yet.”

Her soft chuckle made him smile. He hated seeing her upset or worried; he always had.

Hell, that was partially why they were here.

It was why he’d proposed to her during their last year of high school when they found out she was pregnant.

It was why he got two jobs instead of going to college.

Because Melanie was one of his best friends, and he wanted to take care of her. Her and their precious babies.

“We’ll figure all of this out,” he said against the side of her head. “I promise.”

“Just like we always do,” Mel agreed quietly.

“Just like always.”

They stood like that for another moment before she pulled away. “I should get ready for bed; I’m exhausted.”

Lars nodded. “Yeah, same. I need sleep too.”

Hesitating, he considered how to proceed. Even after all this time, this part of their nights seemed the strangest. She met his gaze with a sad smile, as if feeling the same sense of loss.

“Goodnight, Mel,” he whispered before turning to leave.

As he opened the door, she said behind him, “Goodnight, Lars.”

He clenched his jaw and walked out of the bedroom, closing the door.

Instead, he went to the spare room down the hall—the one his closest friend, Aaron, had used for nearly four months earlier this year when his own relationship fell apart.

But where Aaron had left his fiancée at the altar in front of basically everyone they knew, Lars and Mel had separated in the quiet privacy of their own home. And no one but Aaron knew.

They’d decided to continue living together for the girls. It wasn’t a difficult decision, honestly. They were best friends who just… weren’t in love anymore. They still cared for each other deeply and got along well. But the truth was, they hadn’t been in love in a long time.

They’d tried everything—couples counseling, taking a trip with just the two of them, trying new things in the bedroom—but nothing brought that spark back. Sure, they had fun together, but that was it. There was nothing more between them, and he hated it. He felt like he’d failed somehow.

They hadn’t officially divorced yet, but it was coming.

He knew it; she knew it. They were just stalling because it hurt to admit this was over.

Even though it had been for more than a year now.

He’d moved into the spare room last fall, only returning to the master bedroom with her when Aaron stayed here in the spring.

And the occasional relapse of falling in bed together when one or both of them were tired of being alone. But that had become a rare occurrence. It hadn’t happened in… six months, he realized. Groaning, he flopped backward onto the spare bed.

He hated this, but he appreciated that they were able to remain civil, that they could live together in peace. Because even if they were no longer in love, they were still a family. No matter what. And he hoped that never changed.