CH 1-10

Summary

Nia is facing an uncertain future after a tragedy rocked the very foundation of her world. Feeling lost, she decides to make a move, to give herself a chance at a fresh start. Lincoln is a grumpy, cold man and while he’s been content to live his life with no one but his siter, Lynn, to care for him, he’s not prepared for his new neighbor, Nia, a pregnant woman who looks like everything he’s not willing to let into his life. Can they find a way to help each other move on, or are some wounds just too deep to heal?

Chapter 1

Niallee

Four Months Ago…

“Oh my god, Nia! That’s fantastic news! I can’t tell you how happy we are and how much we appreciate what you’re doing for us.” My brother, Max, chokes the words out through joyful sobs and my heart instantly swells.

“You and Janey will be great parents, Max. I’m so honored to be able to be a part of getting you both there.” God, it’s so damn true too. My brother is eight years older than me and both he and his wife have been trying to get pregnant since they got married fresh out of high school. It wasn’t until thirteen months ago that they met with a fertility specialist where they found out Jane can’t have children. She was officially diagnosed with Asherman’s Syndrome that they believe is the result of several infections she had as a young teenager that left her uterus covered with scar tissue.

It was a devastating blow and there was no way in hell I was going to sit by and watch their dream slip away when there was something I could do to help them. After meeting with several doctors who agreed I would be a suitable surrogate, I began the process of exams and shots to prepare me for IVF. It took us a while to find an agency that would do it and we had to sign mountains of paperwork and waivers, but we finally did it. Today was my first appointment following the procedure and I couldn’t have been happier to hear the doctor announce that the first cycle took. They were able to use her egg and his sperm while my body is nothing more than the incubator that will grow their child for them.

“You’re the most amazing little sister, Nia. I fucking love you so damn much!” Oh great, now I’m crying and it’s still too early to blame the damn pregnancy hormones!

“I love you too, Max. I’m going to head home, but I’ll let you know when the first ultrasound is so you both can be there.” We say our goodbyes after a few more heartfelt ‘thank yous’ then I finally make the drive home.

Today is the day of my first ultrasound and also the day that marks my eighth week of pregnancy. I wish I could say it’s been smooth sailing, but this morning sickness shit is no joke and it sure the hell doesn’t discriminate! I don’t have ‘morning’ sickness, oh no, I have all damn day and most damn nights sickness. One thing’s for sure, Max and Jane are lucky as hell that I love them.

I arrived at the OBGYN office thirty minutes before my appointment and got a text from Max just as I pulled in saying they’re on their way. That was twenty minutes ago, but they still aren’t here. The drive from Max and Jane’s to the clinic is only a fifteen minute drive, so logically, I assume they’re stuck in traffic.

The nurse has been patient and though the doctor is ready for me, they’re both fully aware of my situation and have been letting me wait. Fifteen minutes past my appointment time seems to be as long as they can hold off due to other appointments and neither Max nor Jane are answering my calls. I finally let them take me back to begin my check up and complete the ultrasound, which they give me a DVD of so that Max and Jane can see the little bean and hear the heartbeat for the first time. Not quite the same as being there in person, but it’ll have to do for now. I make it to my car and get my seatbelt on, but before I can get the key in the ignition, my phone rings with a number I don’t recognize on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Niallee Winters?”

“Yes, and you are?”

“I’m officer Brett Davis from the Fulkerton County Police Department. You’re on the emergency contact list for a Mr. Maxwel Winters.”

“Yes, he’s my brother. Can I ask what’s going on?”

“Ma’am, your brother and his wife were involved in an accident. Would you be able to meet me at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital?”

“Are they okay?!”

“Ma’am, if you can meet with me, the doctor can answer all your questions.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m already there.”

“I’ll meet you in the waiting area for the emergency department.”

I hang up without so much as a proper goodbye and haul ass back into the hospital, not stopping or slowing until I reach the emergency room’s waiting area where two officers and a man in a white coat, which I assume is the doctor, are standing by the front desk talking. Have you ever had one of those moments where something happens and you just know the outcome before anyone even tells you? That’s this moment right now. I see the somber look on their faces and while I want to deny it, I just know they’re gone.

I don’t know how long I sit in that damn waiting room with the doctor and officers explaining to me about the accident and how they did everything they could to save them, but in the end only one thing sticks…they really are gone.

Present…

I slide out of my SUV and take a deep breath, savoring the crisp morning air that’s untainted by the stench of the city. I had tried to live my life there, to carry on the way things were, but that was an impossible task. Everything reminded me of them and with me having a constantly growing reminder already weighing me down every day, I just couldn’t take it anymore…I constantly felt like I was being buried alive.

I made the arrangements for their services, pushed through their funerals then attended the will reading where I found out, much to my surprise, that they both left everything to me, including their house, life insurance and custody of their unborn child. I know they were just being prepared, but it almost feels like they saw this coming…I know, I know, I sound crazy.

Moving here to the small town of Barington, I hope to get a fresh start. I sold their house on the outskirts of the city then used some of the money they left me to buy a three bedroom, two bath, fixer upper house near a quaint little park and all of my things, except the necessities, were delivered to the storage unit I rented. The town is beautiful and the area of town where most of the businesses are located has an old time, country feel to it with the red brick buildings and the wooden signs hanging above the doors.

After carrying in the few suitcases and boxes of breakable items I had stored in my SUV, I decide to head to the grocery store and stock up on enough necessities to get me by for the remainder of the week. With the money left behind by Max and Jane, the money from selling their house and cars on top of what I still have saved from my work and the money I received when our parents passed away four years ago, I don’t have to worry about work. I’ve decided to spend the rest of my pregnancy fixing up the house and focusing on healing, though that truly seems like a monumental task.

An hour and two hundred dollars later, I return to the house and immediately start carrying bags in. I’m just heading back to the SUV to make my second trip when I hear shouting from the house next door followed by the sound of the door swinging open with enough force to make it slam into the wall. I try my best to ignore the commotion, desperately trying to keep to myself, when a sweet, soft voice stops me in my tracks.

“You must be the new neighbor! My name’s Lynn.” I set down the bag in my hand and turn to find a tall, thin woman with brunette hair and brown eyes smiling at me.

“Yeah, just got here today. My name’s Niallee, but everyone just calls me Nia.” She offers me her hand and I shake it quickly before turning to pick up the bag I just set down.

“It’s so nice to meet you. Here, let me help!” Before I can decline her offer, she’s already loading her arms up with grocery bags to carry in.

“Oh, um, thanks.” I offer her a strained smile then lead the way into the house and straight to the kitchen. We set everything down and, with her help, we make the final trip and bring in the last of the bags.

“I don’t live around here, but I visit my brother next door several days a week. If you ever need help with anything, just let one of us know. Lincoln might come across as a jerk, but he’s really a good guy. He works construction, so he might be able to help with some of the fixing up around here.” Lynn seems like a really kind woman and it hurts so much to realize she honestly reminds a lot of Jane.

“I appreciate it. I have about five months to get this place sorted.” I know my baggy shirt is hiding the small baby bump, yet my hands, as they so often do, find their way to it, resting over the little miracle growing inside.

“Oh! Oh my god! You’re pregnant! Congratulations! How far along are you?” Her genuine excitement helps dull the ache a little and I’m thankful for it.

“Almost seventeen weeks.” Her smile lights up her face, making me appreciate, for this one small moment, the fact that I still have a piece of Max with me.

“That’s so awesome! If you ever need help, or anything at all, you just let me know. Here, put your number in my phone and I’ll send you a text so you have mine. You can reach out anytime, day or night.” I take her offered phone and enter my number in then seconds after I hand it back, my phone vibrates with a new text.

“I really appreciate it. It’ll be nice to have someone here I can turn to.” I can’t keep the sadness from my voice, but hell, I rarely can these days.

“Is the dad not in the picture then? What about your family?” How the hell do I explain my situation?

“Um, no…to both.” Her brow furrows as she nods her head in understanding.

“I’m sorry to hear that, but you’re going to do great and I’ll be around to help with anything you need. I work from home, so I can be here anytime you need me.” I’m so grateful she doesn’t push for more information, though maybe it would be easier if she knew the truth. I have a feeling she’s going to become a damn good friend which definitely means I’ll have to open up to her eventually.

“I appreciate that, more than you know.” She surprises me by pulling me into a hug, one of those hugs that makes you feel safe and warm, things I haven’t felt since I walked into the hospital emergency room the day Max and Jane were taken from me.

Chapter 2

Niallee

Lynn and I have been talking for nearly fifteen minutes now about the slew of pregnancy symptoms I’ve dealt with so far and even a little about her current relationship. She’s such a lively, energetic person and it feels like I just can’t stop smiling around her. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I came here, but I know I wasn’t expecting to so easily find someone who makes me feel like things might actually be okay.

“Are you going to find out what you’re having?” This is something I’ve thought a lot about and since Max and Jane wanted to, my answer comes easily.

“Yeah, I am. I set up an appointment for my twenty week ultrasound, so as long as this little bean cooperates, I’ll be finding out then.” She lets out an excited squeal that makes me smile as she bounces up and down, clapping her hands excitedly.

“That’s so exciting! You have to let me know when you find out…or…if you want someone to go with you so you aren’t alone, I’d be more than happy to go with you. You don’t have to do all this alone, Nia.” God, she really is so much like Jane.

“I mean…if it’s not too much trouble.” My sheepish response is met with another excited squeal.

“Mind?! Of course I wouldn’t mind! I would be honored to be there for it!” She gives me another hug that gives me more comfort than she’ll ever realize. When she releases me and tells me she needs to get home to get ready for her date with her boyfriend, I walk her out so I can do a quick check of the SUV to make sure I got everything out of it before I lock it up.

“Lynn? What are you doing? I thought you left?” The deep, raspy voice from the other side of the short chain link fence startles me and when I look up, I’m confused as to how the hell I didn’t notice the large man’s presence when we first walked out my door.

“I was about to, but then I met your new neighbor and helped her carry groceries in, but then we got to talking. You know how I get..” She says it all with a huge smile on her face and my lips curl into an amused grin until I notice him scowling in my direction.

“You just can’t help yourself, can you?” His cold tone and equally cold grey eyes instantly erase all the warmth I felt from Lynn and I can’t understand what the hell I did to piss him off when this is the first time I’ve ever even seen the man.

“Oh, stop it, Linc. Not everyone is a miserable sack of crap like you. Lucky for you, she’s a nice neighbor and not some grumpy twat!” His scowl goes from cold to damn near nuclear in the blink of an eye.

“I don’t know why you’re bothering to make friends when the renters never stay long. That house needs more work than it’s worth and once she figures that out, she’ll leave like all the others. It’s best not to get attached.” I don’t know if it’s the pregnancy hormones or his dickish tone, but I can’t stop the words from coming out.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not renting. I bought it and for the record, I know exactly how much work it needs. So, like it or not, it looks like you’re stuck with me. Lynn, thank you again and I’ll text with the date and time for the appointment. I really do appreciate you.” Lynn gives me another hug and pulls back, still holding my shoulders.

“You don’t need to thank me. Like I said, I’m honored to be the one standing at your side for something so exciting. After the appointment, I think we should go pick up a few things…like some cute outfits…OH! And some adorable little baby shoes!” I feel like shit for not being as excited as she is, but I still manage a smile.

“Great, you’re pregnant? Shouldn’t the father be the one going to the appointments for your baby, not my sister that you just met?” I feel the tears stinging my eyes as my lips pull into a tight smile, trying like hell not to let this prick see me fall apart.

“Yeah, he should, but that’s simply not a possibility, so I’ve been doing this on my own.” My words catch in my throat as my voice softens to a near whisper at the end.

“Lincoln, that’s enough! What the hell is your problem?!” Lynn’s shout is completely ignored as he doubles down on his asshole behavior.

“God, do you even know who the father is?!” My body reacts before my mind does and next thing I know, I’m inside the house with my back against the now closed and locked door as I slowly slide down it, my chest feeling tight and tears streaming down my face as the muffled sound of Lynn’s shouts struggle to get through the door. I don’t know how much time passes before I hear the vibration of my phone on the kitchen counter. I force myself to get up, suddenly remembering the groceries I still need to put away, which will offer a distraction…for a few minutes at least.

Once the groceries are sorted, I tidy up the kitchen, unpacking the few boxes I have that go in it then break down the boxes and finally move to the small dining room to sit down and rest my aching feet. I’ve been ignoring my phone for too long, so I finally pick it up to find it’s been almost two hours since the text came through and, unsurprisingly, it’s from Lynn.

Lynn: Hey, I’m SO sorry about Lincoln. I told you he’s a jerk, but he had no right to say what he did. Please text to let me know you’re okay and don’t forget, call if you need ANYTHING, even if it’s just someone to talk to.

Me: I’ll be okay. If you have time tomorrow, you can come by for coffee or tea. We can talk then.

Lynn: Thank god, you’re okay! I can be there at ten. I’ll bring brunch.

With our plans set, I decide that Lynn is going to be the first person I let in on my struggles because now more than ever, I need to feel like someone has my back, to have someone who can understand. I spend the rest of the day unpacking and rearranging everything to where I want it then start the list of things I need to get so I can get started on fixing this place up before I finally pass out on the couch around nine, unable to muster the strength or energy to even make it to my room.

Lynn arrived a few minutes before ten and after we ate the brunch she brought us, I told her my story. We began with my parents’ unexpected death then moved forward to Jane and Max’s inability to have children naturally and covered the extremely detailed process of getting me artificially inseminated, probably giving more detail than was necessary, if I’m being honest. When I reached the point of my story where I explained how I lost the last two people I had in my life, we were both in tears and she proved I made the right choice telling her when she pulled me into a hug and simply held me while we both cried.

“Do you have any pictures of them? I’d love to put faces to the people you loved enough to grow a life for them.” I’ve been telling her a lot about my brother and Jane and just finished telling her about how they met their junior year of high school.

“Yeah, hold on.” I get up from the chair at the dining table and go to my room to grab the photo album that has all the pictures I had taken of the two of them. I return to my seat at the table then slide the album to her, watching in silence as she sees a rare glimpse of happier times in my life.

“My goodness, you two look so much alike!” Her fingertips gently skim over my brother’s face in the photo that lies beneath the clear plastic sleeve.

“My mom used to always complain that she spent nearly twenty months pregnant just for us to both come out looking like our dad.” The memories of the many times she said that to us are so bittersweet.

“You’re an amazing woman, Nia. I don’t know many people who would do what you did for their family. Not only putting the time into it, but also putting your body through all the changes so you could help their dream come true…and now you’re going to love and cherish their little miracle…you’re truly amazing.” I give her a wry smile and shake my head.

“They wanted this baby more than anything in the world. There was no way I could sit back and watch their dreams fall apart just because they were dealt a shit hand. Adoption is such a painful process and they could’ve been waiting years to get through all the red tape, so I did the only thing I could. If the roles were reversed, Max and Jane would’ve done the same thing for me.” I spend the next hour with Lynn, telling her stories about Max while crying, but they aren’t just tears of sadness. For the first time since they passed, I’m looking back at memories of them both and feel the happiness I did when those memoires were made.

Chapter 3

Lincoln

It’s been three days since Lynn was last here, since she yelled at me for being a dick to the new neighbor. Could I have voiced my thoughts a little less harshly? Sure. It’s not that I automatically assume every woman is some lying, cheating slut, but when your girlfriend tells you she’s pregnant and lets you think the kid is yours because the real sperm donor decided she wasn’t worth more than a few nights of hot sex…that shit changes you. Hell, I think I’m even more messed up about it because when I found out the baby wasn’t mine, I found out she didn’t know exactly which one of her side pieces managed to knock her up.

So, yeah, I might be a little bitter and the new neighbor might have caught the shit end of it. It’s not like I know her or anything about her, but the fact that her baby daddy isn’t around probably says something about her, right? That’s the thought I’m trying to hold onto when I see Lynn walk through my front door with a cold glare aimed in my direction while I try to enjoy my first cup of coffee for the morning.

“You’re a fucking asshole, do you know that?” I assume this is about the neighbor, but with my ability to flood her with reasons to think I’m an asshole, I decide assuming might not be wise.

“Why now?” Her brow raises which tells me I’m definitely an idiot for asking.

“Why now?! Maybe because you were a prick to your new neighbor for no damn reason! Your new neighbor who’s currently pregnant with her brother and sister-in-law’s baby, a baby they’ll never get to meet because they died after she found out the IVF round was successful! She’s not Heather! She didn’t fuck half the town…hell…she’s never even had sex!” Okay…I wasn’t expecting that…I wasn’t expecting any of that. A fucking pregnant virgin?!

“Why the hell would a virgin agree to have a kid for someone else?” Yeah, this shit doesn’t make sense.

“Her brother and his wife found out she couldn’t get pregnant, so Nia volunteered to have a baby for them. She knew how much they wanted to be parents and chose to sacrifice her body and time to help them.” Have you ever had a moment where you realize you’re a piece of shit? No? Well, I’m having one right fucking now. Instead of admitting that to Lynn and owning up to my asshole behavior, what comes out of my mouth is…

“What the fuck was she thinking buying the dump next door when she’s knocked up?!” Yep…real smooth.

“She said she wanted a place she could make her own.” She offers the response with a casual shrug, as if a pregnant woman doing manual labor is totally fucking normal.

“There’s not much she’ll be able to do on her own and if that’s the house she chose, she probably doesn’t have money to do half the shit she needs to in order for that house to be safe to raise a kid in.” Man, I just went from asshole brother to asshole contractor in a flash.

“Well, she definitely has the money and I gave her a few names for people who can help her out with some of the stuff she can’t do or shouldn’t be doing. She said her dad taught her some things, so she’s going to get started on the stuff she knows how to do and hire people to do the rest.” Lynn stays for nearly three more hours, but we move on from talking about my new neighbor to discussing her and her boyfriend, Caleb, as well as my most recent project that was just completed. By the time she leaves, all I can think about is my new…pregnant…neighbor.

It’s been almost a week since finding out my neighbor is practically a fucking saint and I still haven’t managed to apologize to her, something Lynn has made sure to remind me about every time she speaks to me. I finished up one of the smaller projects I had scheduled for Frankie over at the hardware store and just got home to take a shower and have a beer. By the time I get out of the shower, it’s close to six, so I order a pizza then grab a beer and head out to sit on my back patio. What should be a relaxing wait for my pizza is quickly interrupted by the soft, velvety voice of my new neighbor spewing a rather amusing string of profanities from her own back patio.

“You stupid fucking piece of shit. Could you just fucking…ugh!” I should just ignore it, god knows I should, but instead I stand up and look over the fence. I guess I didn’t really consider what I would see when I looked over there, but it wasn’t the sight of her wearing a pair of barely there shorts and a crop top that shows off her baby belly while she holds a metal pipe that looks like it came from under her sink as she tries to remove a coupling fitting off one end with a damn wrench.

“Yep, fuck this. Probably less of a headache to buy a new one anyway.” She tosses the pipe on the ground, quickly followed by the wrench, then plops down on the edge of one of the chairs with her elbows on her knees and her head cradled in her hands.

“Christ, let me see the damn thing.” Her head snaps up and her jade green eyes lock onto mine while her brow furrows.

“It’s fine, really. I’ll just buy a new pipe and fitting. Oh, or I could call one of the possible baby daddies to help since, you know, I’m apparently some kind of whore.” She rolls her eyes and does that awkward thing pregnant women do where she stands up with her back stiff and a hand on her rounded stomach.

“Or…you can let me get that fitting off so you can fix whatever it is that you’re fixing tonight instead of waiting.” She shoots me a glare and mumbles something that sounds an awful lot like ‘I’d rather swallow broken glass’. Man, and here Lynn calls me stubborn.

“Suit yourself. I was just trying to be neighborly.” The way her face flushes red and her small hands clench into fists at her side, that was apparently the wrong thing to say.

“Sure, like you were neighborly when you asked if I knew who the baby’s father was? Look, I don’t know why you decided to hate me before we even met, but I honestly don’t have the fucking energy to care either. I don’t need your fake niceties and if you’re trying to be nice because Lynn got on your ass, don’t worry, I’ll tell her we’re good. Have a good night, Lincoln.” Even with how irritated her tone and expression was, she doesn’t storm into the house, she doesn’t slam the door, she simply walks in and gently closes the door behind her. I honestly don’t know why that little detail affects me so much, but it really does.

By the time I finish my beer and the pizza arrives, I’ve let myself get so caught up in my own head that I can’t unwind, so I sneak over to Nia’s backyard, grab the pipe then take it into my garage where I spend thirty minutes getting that damn fitting off. After getting the inside of the pipe cleaned out for her, I sneak back over and set it on the patio table before heading inside to go to bed.

I had thought that I would be sleeping in this morning since I have the day off, but the sound of banging and what sounds like a power sander shatter any dreams I had of getting extra sleep. After nearly twenty minutes of non-stop noise, I finally drag myself out of bed, run through my morning routine then head to the kitchen to make coffee only to find a take-away cup from the coffee shop in town sitting on my counter. I know Lynn is the only other person with a key to my place, so I assume it’s from her until I see a message written on the side of the cup.

‘Thanks for fixing the pipe and sorry in advance for the noise.’

The cup is still hot, so I know it was dropped off recently which means Lynn is probably still next door. I slip on my shoes and step out onto the back patio with my coffee in hand, easily spotting the source of the noise. Lynn is standing on the back patio, cutting pieces of wood laminate flooring and I assume the sander I can still hear is being used to rough up the floorboards before they install the flooring.

“Hey, Linc! Good morning! Nia made breakfast, so there’s a plate in your microwave.” I furrow my brow as I stare at my sister like she’s lost her damn mind. I’ve been a total dick to this woman, yet she made me breakfast and got me coffee? All because I pulled a fitting off a pipe for her? I hear a sound that honestly sounds like someone tearing down a wall that’s followed by a screech and a string of swear words as Lynn yells Nia’s name while rushing into the house.

“Shit! Hold on, Nia! Linc!” My body reacts before my mind does, but that’s likely due to the sheer panic in her voice when she calls for me.

Chapter 4

Lincoln

It takes only seconds for me to reach her backyard and only seconds more for me to make it to the living room where I see Lynn holding Nia’s hand while the woman’s leg is stuck in a hole in the floorboard.

“The hell happened here?” Lynn looks up at me then back down at Nia.

“I could be wrong, but I think I found a floorboard that needs to be replaced.” I can’t fight my smirk because even though her leg is stuck in a damn hole, she’s still managing to be sarcastic.

“Alright, let’s see if we can get you unstuck, yeah?” I walk over to her and inspect the situation more closely. What was an amusing situation is now more serious because I can see the blood on the wood that’s digging into her milky white flesh on her thigh.

“Linc…” I look at Lynn and know she just saw it too.

“Okay, Lynn, I need you to help slide her leg out while I lift her.” She nods then prepares to handle her task. I know I have to be cautious with how I lift her since I don’t want to risk harming the baby, so I straddle her and have her wrap her arms around my neck while I wrap my arms around her with my hands linked together under her ass…her nice, firm ass, but that’s not important.

“Ready? One…two…three…now!” I lift her slowly, a lot easier than I expected to be able to, and thankfully, Lynn is able to free her leg, but then I hear her gasp.

“Shit…we need to get her to the hospital.” Nia tries to pull out of my arms, looking down to try to see what has Lynn so worked up, but I pull her tighter against me. When Lynn stands up and I see the color has drained from her face, I know it has to be pretty bad.

“Alright, get some towels, grab them from my place if you have to. We’ll wrap the injury then load her into my truck.” Lynn bolts out of the back door while I continue to hold Nia.

“Fuck, am I going to die? I don’t want to die from falling through a floor! Oh god! My obituary is going to suck!” I can’t stop the laughter from escaping me. This woman is something else.

“You’re not going to die. Just hold on and we’ll get that leg wrapped then we’ll get you to the hospital.” I doubt she even realizes that her body relaxes from the simple reassurance, but I sure the hell notice.

“I got towels!” Lynn runs up and I carefully adjust Nia’s legs so the injured leg is facing her with the injury fully exposed then take a seat on the wooden chair that I assume belongs in the dining room, though it’s currently in the middle of the bare living room.

“Alright, it needs to be wrapped tight so it puts pressure on the wound.” Lynn gets to work and I finally see the large gash on her thigh. It’s bad, but I’m fairly confident it didn’t hit anything vital, like an artery. Once she sinches the towel tight, Lynn rushes over to my place to grab my keys, wallet and phone while I carry Nia to my truck.

“I’ve got everything. I grabbed your purse too, Nia.” Nia’s head rolls to the side toward Lynn, but I can see the color in her face is fading and I hope like hell she isn’t going into shock. I know she’s lost a decent amount of blood, but it wasn’t enough to be life-threatening…or I hope not anyways. We get her strapped in and Lynn places Nia’s purse and my things on the center console.

“I’ll follow you in my car, that way if you need to leave, you can.” I nod and as soon as she steps back from the truck, I take off. We reach the hospital in fifteen minutes and I’m through the door, shouting at the nurse to get a wheelchair, in less than four. Instead of a wheelchair, the nurse leads us straight back to a room where she has me lay Nia on the bed. I explain what happened as soon as the doctor walks in then stand back as they check out the damage.

“Alright, Niallee, can you tell me how far along you are?” Her face is so pale that I’m genuinely starting to worry that maybe it’s worse than I realized.

“Seventeen weeks today.” The doctor whispers something to the nurse who quickly rushes out of the room.

“Okay, so what we’re going to do is clean up this wound, make sure there’s no damage to the muscle tissue then we’ll get you stitched up. I asked Nurse White to order an ultrasound just so we can check and make sure the stress didn’t cause any issues for the baby. I noticed that you’re a little pale, are you feeling alright aside from the pain in your leg?” Nia nods, but then quickly switches and shakes her head.

“Do you think I hurt the baby?” My eyes lock onto hers just as a tear spills from the corner of her eye and slides down until it disappears into her hair.

“I can’t say for certain until we check everything out, but if you aren’t experiencing any cramping or vaginal bleeding, I think you’ll both be okay.” She nods her head, but even more tears are falling now and as soon as Lynn walks through the door, she lets out a choked sob.

“Hey, it’s okay, hon. They’re going to get you stitched up and you’ll be alright.” Lynn hugs her and keeps telling her it’s going to be okay, though I’m not sure who she’s trying to convince…her or Nia.

“Okay, let’s get that wound cleaned and stitched up so Haley can come do your ultrasound.” Lynn holds Nia’s hand through the entire process of them cleaning the gash and stitching it closed. Sixteenteen stitches later, they have it bandaged up and the ultrasound technician is wheeling in a machine. Part of me feels like I shouldn’t be here for this, but my legs refuse to move as I watch the tech lift Nia’s shirt over her baby bump, pour gel onto it then she places the wand on her belly and gently presses on it while sliding it around. She clicks several buttons then, next thing I know, the room fills with a whooshing sound.

“Well, Niallee, your baby looks perfect. Did you want to know the sex, or are you waiting to find out when the baby’s born?” Lynn looks beyond excited and Nia looks like she’s about to start bawling her eyes out again, not that she exactly stopped.

“I want to know.” Her voice is barely more than a whisper, but the tech must’ve heard because she gets back to moving the wand and clicking buttons then stops and points at the screen.

“Congratulations! You have a baby boy brewing in there!” Lynn has an ear splitting, bright as the sun smile while Nia is now covering her mouth as tears fall like rivers from her eyes.

“Oh my god, Nia! A boy! You’re going to have a son! Now you just have to think of a name!” Nia shakes her head and her hand finally drops to reveal the beautiful smile it had been hiding.

“No, Max had always wanted to name his son after our dad. His name is Michael Maxwel Winters.” Lynn leans in and kisses Nia’s forehead.

“That’s a perfect name.” The tech wipes off the wand and puts it away before wiping off Nia’s belly and pulling her shirt back down.

“I’m going to let Doctor Sanders know that everything looks good and we’ll see about getting you out of here. You take care of yourself!” Nia smiles and nods her head, but her thoughts are clearly elsewhere.

“Okay, I know you wanted to do some of the work yourself, but I’m going to have to insist that you hire help. You’re not risking that precious little guy’s safety ever again.” Nia doesn’t even hesitate to respond and I’ll admit, her answer even gives me some relief.

“You’re right. I’ll start calling the contractors on that list you gave me.” It makes absolutely no damn sense, but the idea of her having random guys coming into her house to fix shit bothers the hell out of me and Lynn must sense it which her next comment only confirms.

“Well, you could call them, or we can have Linc check out what needs to be done and give you a quote. You’ll be paying for the work to be done, so it’s better to have someone you know doing the work, right?” Nia’s brow furrows and she glances up at me then back at Lynn.

“I’m sure he’s already got a lot of work without adding my mess to it.” I can see why she wouldn’t want me to be in her house, working for weeks on end around her. I haven’t exactly been a ‘good neighbor’ or even a ‘decent guy’.

“I’ll do it. I only have one other project lined up right now and it’s nothing big. Once we get you out of here, we’ll go to your place and get a list of everything that needs fixed then I’ll get prices for the materials and we’ll go from there.” She gives me a soft smile and nods, but then Lynn cuts in with something that has Nia’s smile widening almost instantly.

“Oh shit! We can start getting things for the nursery!” I watch Nia’s hands as they come to rest on her bump.

“And I can start buying clothes now too. I was really hoping to make his crib myself, but I guess I’ll have to look at buying one since my handywoman skills are out of commission.” She seems genuinely disappointed that she won’t be able to craft the crib for the little guy and that has my mind flooding with ideas, something I know Lynn doesn’t miss, her smirk giving it away. I don’t want to let myself get attached to Nia, but surely making a crib for her unborn son will be a good way to apologize, right?

As soon as we got back from the hospital, I jumped right into fixing the broken floorboard and checked the rest of the house to make sure there weren’t any more needing to be replaced. Once that was finished, I spent a little over two hours thoroughly inspecting the house for repairs that need to be made, compiling a rather extensive list. To her credit, Nia seems completely unphased by it all and simply told me to get her a price quote for materials and labor, not so much as batting an eyelash.

After verifying the list of materials I’ll be needing, I head home for the night, spending almost three hours getting the prices for everything. Once that’s finished, I start working on the design for the crib and figuring out what all I’ll need to get it done. The planning and design take a lot longer than expected, leaving me finally heading to bed somewhere around two in the morning.

Chapter 5

Niallee

It’s been eight days since the incident that landed me in the emergency room with sixteen stitches in my leg and every day since, with the exception of the day after, Lincoln has been here working on the wide array of repairs. I feel bad seeing him show up every morning looking like he’s barely slept, but I’m afraid to say anything about it because, with how nice he’s been, I’m worried I’ll manage to upset him and I really don’t want things to go back to the way they were when I first moved here.

Today is a big day for me because less than fifteen minutes ago, he finished the work in the room that will be Michael’s nursery. I already had the paint that I want to use for the walls, so once Lincoln moves on to another room, I start laying the drop cloth and placing the tape so I can get to work on the walls. With my music playing through the Bluetooth speaker and the window open and fan on to vent the fumes, I get to work.

“It’s coming along nicely! Why don’t you take a break and I’ll help you finish the rest after lunch?” I turn and see Lynn standing in the doorway with a bright smile on her face. It isn’t until this very moment that I notice I’ve finished two of the four walls already.

“Yeah, sounds good.” I cover the paint tray, put the lid back on the paint can then follow her out to the kitchen so I can wash my hands. Just as I’m finishing up at the sink, Lincoln walks in, apparently having the same idea, so I step aside to give him room while I dry my hands on the kitchen towel that was sitting on the counter.

“I got you a burger, Linc. Nia, I know you like your steak, but this place isn’t that classy, so you got a burger too.” I chuckle softly as I shake my head at her.

“A burger is fine. I’m honestly not as picky as you seem to think I am. This little demon has me craving meat in general, so as long as there’s some kind of grilled, seared, fried or baked meat in it, we’re good.” It’s not even an exaggeration. My last shopping trip was almost three hundred dollars because I bought mostly meat and my snack food consisted of every kind of jerky I could find and some celery stick because, you know, got to be a little healthy.

“Good. Let’s get him fed!” I take a seat across from Lynn and Lincoln soon is sitting down at the head of the table between us while Lynn hands out the containers with our lunch.

“So, any luck with shopping for baby furniture?” I look up at Lynn and offer a strained smile as I shake my head.

“Not really. I want either dark stained or cherry wood stained furniture, but everything I’m finding is light wood or white. The cribs all have pressboard crap and…shit…I’m just being too picky aren’t I?” I’ve searched every damn website and anything I find in the colors I like are a design I don’t like or made of materials I don’t want.

“You’re not being too picky, Nia.” Lynn’s reassurance does little to help me, but I offer her a smile for at least making the effort.

“I was thinking about making a trip to some antique shops up in Galviston, but then if I find things I want, I’ll need to rent a trailer to get them here. I just really like the craftsmanship of the older furniture, the stuff made with real wood that’s actually built to last.” I catch a strange look that passes between Lynn and Lincoln, but Lynn speaks up before I can question it.

“Well, I know someone who might be able to help out. I can see what they can do and, as long as they have something you like, we can stain the pieces any color you want. Out of the dark wood and cherry wood, which would you prefer?” I don’t even have to think about my answer for that one.

“The dark wood, like a dark walnut or coffee brown.” She nods her head and types out something on her phone.

“I’ll see what we can find. For now, why don’t you worry about the clothes, bath stuff, and bedding.” I nod in agreement while chewing on one of the steak fries that came with my burger.

“Sounds good. I can manage that. I already have an ungodly amount of clothes in my online cart on several websites. I’ll get them ordered after I add some baby hangers to the list so I can wash them and hang them up. Anything that goes in the dresser can stay in a bag till I find one.” We finish our lunch while talking about what Lincoln is currently working on then Lynn and I get back to work painting Michael’s room. We finish painting just before it’s time to break for dinner and I end up shocked when I find out that Lincoln has already finished all the repairs and electrical work in the master bedroom and has already started working on the master bathroom which needed the pipes redone, tiles regrouted and several other small things like new trim and the linoleum is being ripped out and replaced with the same wood laminate flooring as the rest of the house.

“Damn, Linc, you’ve been busy!” I can’t stop noticing the bags under his eyes and every time I see them, I feel more and more guilty.

“You’ve been working so hard over here, Lincoln. Why don’t you take a day or two off and get some well-earned rest?” I really hope I don’t upset him, but I just can’t stand thinking he’s going to burn himself out and it’ll be because of me.

“She’s right, Linc. You’ve been working your ass off. Take a day or two to recharge.” He looks hesitant, but not mad, so I’ll count that as a win for now.

“Fine, two days, but that’s it. We need to get this place fixed up before the little guy gets here.” His comment surprises me because in all the times we’ve talked, he’s never really said anything about the baby. The closest he’s come is asking how I’m feeling, but I always assume he means my leg, not my ever-expanding baby belly.

“Good. Now, what are we going to do about dinner?” I look at Lynn, somewhat surprised she’s mentioning dinner when she’s spent most of the last week with me instead of her boyfriend.

“Don’t you want to spend some time with Caleb? I think you should take the next two days off too. Your poor boyfriend is probably having withdrawals.” She sighs loudly then nods, knowing I’m right.

“Fine, but you call if you need anything and I do mean anything, got it?” I give her a mock salute which earns me an eye roll from her before she gives me a hug.

“I’ll call if I need anything, but I should be good. I don’t get the stitches out for another five days and I’m set on food and snacks.” She bursts out laughing as she shakes her head at me.

“Okay, but if there’s an emergency, you can call me anytime, day or night.” She places a hand on my baby bump for emphasis. I honestly don’t know how I’d be able to deal with all of this without her help and support. I was truly lucky to meet her.

“Go show Caleb you haven’t forgotten about him and we can meet back up in a couple days.” With one last hug for me and one for Lincoln, she heads out and leaves us standing in the living room alone.

“I guess I should head home and get out of your hair.” As strange and surprising as it is, Lincoln almost looks…nervous?

“Oh, okay. I really appreciate you doing all this.” What I really want to say is that I don’t know what the hell I was thinking when I took on this mess…that things weren’t supposed to be like this. The life I’m preparing for is a life that wasn’t meant to be mine and it hurts to know that I’ll be the one raising the child that my brother and Jne had wanted so badly.

“Hey, it’s not a problem, Nia. Besides, it’s the least I can do after the way I treated you when we first met. I’m sorry I was such a dick to you. As much as it probably felt personal, it really wasn’t. I’m glad I can help you get things ready for the little guy.” Of all the things I might have expected to hear come out of Lincoln’s mouth, an apology honestly wasn’t one of them.

“It’s okay, Lincoln. We all have our shit, I just can’t hide mine as well as most people.” I point at my protruding belly and he lets out a deep, rather beautiful laugh.

“Fair enough. I’ll get out of here, but if you run into anything that you need fixed right away, let me know.” I walk him to the door after agreeing to his offer then lock up behind him, deciding to take a nap before dinner.

Chapter 6

Niallee

Well, my nap turned into a ten hour sleep session and with how much better I feel, I can’t bring myself to regret it. The only downfall to my extended nap is the ravenous hunger I woke up with, but I’m currently working to fix that now. That’s right, I’m making a steak at three in the morning. Once I finish cooking the steak, I take my plate and a glass of water out to the back patio and take a seat at the patio table to cool off while I feed the little monster. It doesn’t really surprise me when I hear noise coming from Lincoln’s garage, but I honestly had hoped he’d manage to sleep in at least a little today.

I’m halfway through my late dinner, or, more accurately, early breakfast, when I feel a flutter in my stomach that has me dropping my fork on the plate as I sit very still, waiting to see if it happens again. A few minutes go by with nothing, but then it happens again, only this time my eyes were on my stomach and it was a hard enough kick that I saw the movement with my own eyes. I feel an odd rush of conflicting emotions that have me both smiling and bawling like a crazy woman on my back patio.

It’s exciting because it’s a milestone and it’s a firm reminder that the little one tucked away in there is alive and well. It’s devastating because the two people who should be here to witness each of these milestones are gone and will never get to be here for any of it. They’re going to miss the pregnancy, the delivery and most importantly, they’re not going to be here to see their son grow up. Ultimately, the devastating part outweighs the excitement and instead of being a smiling, crying mess, I’m just a depressed, sobbing disaster.

“Nia? What are you doing awake? Wait, are you crying? What’s wrong?!” I hear Lincoln, but I can’t stop crying long enough to get even two words out. I hear him walk over and I hear the chair across from me scrape across the concrete, but it still takes another five or so minutes to calm the hell down.

“He kicked…I…I felt him kick.” God, I must sound like a damn lunatic.

“I’m lost. Isn’t that a good thing?” I nod my head, but I know it’s confusing when I’m still crying.

“Yeah, it is.” I look up and see the utter confusion plastered on his face and now, I’m a laughing, sobbing mess again.

“Is this one of those pregnancy hormone things?” I’m honestly a little surprised that he knows what pregnancy hormones are.

“Yes…no…maybe? I was just…I was excited when I felt him move…but then I remembered that Max and Jane aren’t here to be a part of this and then I got to thinking about all the things they’ll be missing out on with him.” Ugh, and now I’m back to all out bawling again.

“That’s your brother and his wife?” I nod my head and he sighs loudly.

“I won’t lie and say I know how hard this shit is, but I’m pretty damn sure he’d be proud of how you’re doing. You’re making a home for you and little man and you’re taking good care of the both of you.” I can tell he feels uncomfortable with my emotional hysteria, but that just makes his words comfort me that much more. The fact that he’s even here means a lot more than he’ll ever know. At least he’s not being the grumpy bastard he was when I first met him.

“God, being this emotional all the damn time is bullshit.” His soft chuckle causes me to burst out laughing.

“Yeah, it’s definitely an interesting development. So, I was going to wait to show you, but since it’s almost done and you’re awake, why don’t you come check out my latest project for your place?” He gets up and offers his hand, which I take because my giant belly makes getting up unassisted a bit of a challenge. We walk over to the back door to his garage and he leads me inside where I freeze when I see what he’s been working on. Sitting in the center of the concrete floor is a beautiful crib that’s stained the perfect shade of coffee brown and closer to the garage door is a dresser that’s waiting to be stained.

“Oh my god…you made this?” I move closer to the crib, gently running my fingers over the smooth wood as a new batch of tears pool in my eyes.

“Yeah. You think it’ll be okay for him?” Is he serious right now?! The man built me a crib!

“Okay?! It’s amazing. I…I don’t even know what to say…” Oh, wait…is he blushing?!

“As long as you like it, you don’t have to say anything. The dresser needs to be stained then I’ll varnish them both. I should have them done tomorrow.” I have to assume I misjudged him because this man is nothing like the man I met the day I moved in.

“Thank you, Lincoln. I just…thank you.” I can already picture the dresser and crib in Michael’s room and I can’t even get rid of my smile now.

“So, you have two days without me and Lynn invading your space. Got any big plans?” I can tell this small talk isn’t something he’s exactly comfortable with, but he’s making an effort, so I decide to humor him.

“Oh yeah, huge plans. I’m going to sand down the cupboard doors and maybe get to work staining them. I think after I finish that, I might work on the ones in the bathrooms next.” He shakes his head at me, but I catch his smirk before he can hide it away.

“If you get to work in your condition, then so do I. I can help you get the cabinet doors stained and work on the rest of the wood while you sand shit. You shouldn’t be around those fumes, it’s not good for the baby.” Once more, he surprises me with his knowledge of pregnancy related crap.

“No, you need a break from working on my crap.” My mouth pops open when I see him roll his eyes at me.

“No. I’ll get the dresser stained then I’ll be over to help you. This isn’t up for discussion.” While I do roll my eyes at him, I have to admit that the idea of not spending the entire day alone after my mini-meltdown sounds pretty nice.

“Fine, but while you take care of the dresser, I’ll go get us coffee and breakfast burritos.” He seems more than okay with the offer, so I make my way back to my house to shower, change and head to fetch us the morning essentials. By the time I make it home, it’s almost seven and my clothes feel like they’re suffocating me. I put the coffee and food on the kitchen counter then head to my room and change into an old pair of cotton sleep shorts and a tank top that already has a few paint stains on it. When I head back to the kitchen, I see Lincoln sitting in one of the chairs on the back patio, so I open the door and wave him in.

“Sorry, I had to change into something more comfortable. The coffee with the stopper is yours and there are two burritos in the bag for you.” He walks in behind me and heads straight for the cup of coffee, wasting no time taking a large drink before setting it down.

“So, kitchen first then bathrooms?” I grab a burrito and start unwrapping it as I answer him.

“Yeah, sounds good to me.” He takes one of his burritos and copies my meticulous method of unwrapping it without tearing the foil wrapper.

“Everything going to be the same color?” I nod, unwilling to vocalize my response since I have a mouthful of burrito. The rest of our breakfast is finished in silence, but it’s a lot more comfortable than I would’ve expected. As soon as we’re both done, he starts removing the cupboard doors and their hardware before setting them on the counter for me. I take them to the back patio and sand each one down before putting them aside for him to stain when he’s done. We work together and by five, we’ve finished every one of the cupboard doors and he’s finished both bathroom vanities, leaving only the kitchen drawers, the trim below the counters and the trim of the cupboards above the counters.

“Well, I think this is a good stopping point for the day. You need to feed you and little man.” I’m sure he’s heard my stomach growling for the last hour, so I can’t even argue his point.

“Yeah, I might try to get to bed at a reasonable time instead of passing out before six.” Apparently, my sleeping mishap is amusing to him because he bursts out laughing and shakes his head at me.

“I assume that’s why you were up so early?” I groan and nod my confirmation of his very accurate assumption.

“This kid is killing me already. He definitely takes after his father.” I hadn’t meant to say it, but somehow, the idea of baby Michael taking after Max isn’t really upsetting to me.

“I’m guessing your brother was a pretty good guy?” I sit down at the kitchen table with my bottle of water and nod.

“He was the best. Our parents died a little over four years ago and he was my rock through it all and then there was my one and only serious relationship that went to complete shit…Max and Jane got me through that mess too. They were both the most amazing, selfless people I’ve ever met which is why I didn’t even hesitate to offer to be their surrogate when Jane found out she couldn’t have kids. I wanted to give them something that would mean as much to them as everything they did meant to me.”

Chapter 7

Niallee

After the way things started with Lincoln, I never thought we’d be here, having a somewhat normal conversation. Lincoln sits down in the chair next to me, listening intently and taking a moment to let my words sink in. Maybe, if I just give him a little insight, he might be less cold and abrasive toward me.

“How did your relationship go to shit?” Well, this is mildly embarrassing, but here goes.

“The guy decided that sex was more important that building a relationship with me. We were together for five months and he got tired of waiting, yet he wasn’t putting in any effort to actually build our relationship, so I wasn’t willing to give in to him. He told me that I wasn’t worth waiting for around for.” I remember when, not too long ago, those words had such a hold on me. They were enough to break me over and over, constantly lingering in the back of my mind. Now, they’re just the words of someone irrelevant to my new life, a person who never truly belonged.

“My ex…Kylie…we were together for almost two years. She ended up getting pregnant and I was so fucking excited. I bought baby clothes, blankets, a crib and car seat. When she was eight months pregnant, she went into labor early. I was by her side the entire time, holding her hand and supporting her through it all. When her daughter was born, she had dark skin and dark curly hair. I knew then and there that she wasn’t mine, but the foolish part of me thought that maybe, just maybe…she could be. Kylie’s dad was half black and half Hispanic, so I fought to convince myself that it was from his side.

“I brought them home with me and it wasn’t until she was two and a half months old that Kylie started taking off to go party with her friends…that’s when the doubts came back. I ended up having a paternity test done behind Kylie’s back and for the two days it took to get the results, I was wracked with guilt and felt like the shittiest person in the world for doubting her. Obviously, Carly wasn’t mine and once I confronted Kylie with the results, she confessed, but the real kicker is that she didn’t even know who the father was. It turns out she was screwing around with random guys at the club while I was working six days a week She tried telling all the possible candidates, but none of the were willing to step up or submit to a paternity test.

“I honestly never had trust issues till then and I think that’s where my angry outburst toward you the day we met came from. I was messed up for a long time, hell, I guess I kind of still am.” Holy…shit! Not that it excuses his behavior toward me, but something like that would be enough to mess anyone up!

“Damn…that’s…shit! What the hell was her issue? I don’t care if you were a total dick to her, nobody deserves to be put through that. I want to say I’m sorry, but no amount of apologizing can excuse that crap.” He gives me a strained smile and it makes me feel even worse for him.

“It was a pretty shitty time in my life, that’s for sure.” I don’t know why I feel the need to ask my next question, but it comes out before I can really think it through.

“How long ago was that?” His grey eyes meet mine and I can tell he’s thinking, probably trying to figure out why the hell I asked in the first place.

“Six years.” Wait…what?!

“Wait a minute, how old are you?” That at least earns a soft chuckle from him.

“Thirty-two. How old did you think I was?” Clearly, my shocked expression gave away the fact that I honestly didn’t think that would be his answer.

“I was thinking closer to my age, like maybe twenty-five at most.” Now he’s the one with a shocked expression and, I’ll admit, it’s pretty damn funny.

“Twenty-five? Wait, how old are you?” Well, I wonder how this will go over…

“I’ll be twenty-two next month.” I can tell that isn’t at all what he was expecting, but it’s a dead give away when his eyes are wide, his lips parted and he slouches down in the chair.

“Shit, I assumed you were at least twenty-five. You became a surrogate at the age of twenty-one?! Is that legal?” That definitely get’s a laugh out of me, but mostly because of the look of shock he’s sporting.

“Yes, it’s legal. I had to go through all kinds of tests to make sure I was healthy enough to do it, but I was and it took on the first try.” It’s a little crazy to me that he’s over ten years older than me, but then again, most people couldn’t believe that Max was eight years older.

“Damn. I honestly didn’t realize you were so young. It’s pretty impressive that you’re twenty-one and you’ve bought a house that you’re fixing up, you’ve got a kid on the way and you seem more responsible that most people my age.” Considering how he treated me when we met, these compliments are absolutely shocking to hear.

“God, I went from not feeling a damn thing to him not sitting still for more than ten minutes. I swear, he’s practicing his mosh pit skills in there.” My hands are holding my stomach as Michael throws a party, kicking and hitting me like it’s his life’s mission.

“Does it hurt?” I shake my head because, as of right now, it doesn’t hurt, but feels really weird.

“No, not really. It feels really strange, but kind of cool. I’ve read up on it and I guess later on it might hurt and that his kicks and hits can get harder as he gets stronger, but the scariest thing I read is that he can get himself stuck under my ribs. I had nightmares about that for weeks in the beginning.” His brow raises and his eyes widen, clearly that was something he didn’t already know.

“I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have something rolling around and partying it up inside me. Hell, I can see him moving in there!” He chuckles as Michael gives a particularly firm kick that’s definitely visible to us both.

“Have you never felt a baby kick before?” The thought just occurred to me, though it seems strange to me that he would be with a woman through her pregnancy and have never felt the baby move.

“No. Kylie didn’t want anyone touching her when she was pregnant, or maybe she just didn’t want me touching her.” I reach forward, grab his wrist and pull his hand to my stomach just in time for him to feel a series of firm kicks right before Michael settles down a little. Lincolns eyes are as wide as saucers and his lips are parted slightly as he stares at where his hand is sitting. For a second I worry that he’s shocked by me putting his hand on my belly, that maybe I offended him, but then his lips curl up into the most genuine, heart stopping smile.

“Holy shit…that’s…that was amazing.” He slowly retracts his hand, though he almost looks like he doesn’t want to.

“Like I said, it’s strange, but cool.” As soon as I say that, my stomach growls rather loudly, causing him to let out a deep belly laugh.

“Why don’t I have pizza delivered? We’ve worked pretty hard and that boy needs to be fed.” As if to answer, my stomach growls again, this time even louder.

“I think he agrees to your offer. Are you sure you want to spend more time over here? I’m sure you’re getting tired of my hormonal mess by now.” He smiles and shakes his head.

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t sure, Nia. Your hormones are nothing compared to Kylie’s. She made the idea of being around pregnant women terrifying. In comparison, you’re pretty mild. Okay, what do you want on your pizza?” I know it’s a silly and small compliment, but with how bad my hormones have been raging, it’s nice to know my grumpy neighbor doesn’t think I’m too bad.

“Honestly, anything with meat. Sausage, peperoni, chicken, ham, salami…literally any kind of meat will do.” He pulls his phone out of his front pocket and quickly unlocks it then gets to work placing our order.

“Alright, an extra-large meat lovers with extra sausage and extra peperoni. Sound good? You want breadsticks or anything with it?” I shake my head, feeling more than a little excited at the prospect of dinner.

“Just pizza is perfect. I can pay for it, I just have to grab my wallet.” I go to stand up, but he puts a hand on my shoulder and gently pushes me back into my chair.

“No, you bought breakfast, I’ve got dinner.” In a matter of minutes, he’s placed the order and put his phone away.

“How long do you think it’ll take for us to get everything finished in here?” I haven’t a clue why a sudden wave of worry hit me, but the idea of not finishing everything before Michael gets here is utterly terrifying to me.

“Since I don’t have any other jobs I’m working on, a week, maybe less.” His words offer instant relief and I couldn’t be more thankful. Lincoln and I spend the next two hours talking about everything from the baby to telling stories about our siblings when we were younger then he goes home, insisting I head to bed since I couldn’t quit yawning. By the time I’ve brushed my teeth and put on clean pajamas, I’m barely keeping my eyes open, so once I lay down, I have no trouble falling asleep.

Chapter 8

Niallee

Lincoln’s estimate of a week was pretty spot on. It took six days to get the house finished and he spent the seventh day helping me and Lynn get the furniture out of the storage unit I had it placed in and put into the house. It’s been four days since we finished everything and Lincoln has been over for dinner twice, both of us surprisingly enjoying each other’s company. A routine that started during our renovations and has continued on is me bringing him coffee, much like I’m preparing to do right now. As soon as the coffee is done brewing, I fill a travel mug and head over, making my way to his front door. I knock on the door and wait for a few minutes then prepare to knock again, but the door opens just as I lift my hand.

“Can I help you?” I’m momentarily startled by the unknown woman’s presence and her bitchy attitude.

“I was just bringing coffee for Lincoln.” My hesitant tone has her smirking like she won some great battle that I wasn’t even aware was taking place.

“Well, that’s not necessary. I already made his coffee and just finished cooking breakfast. I can assure you that whatever you were hoping to accomplish with this little gesture, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. He would never be interested in someone like you, especially in your current condition.” The way she looked at my stomach when spitting out the word condition like it was poison on her tongue instantly pisses me off.

“Good to know.” I turn and walk away, knowing I can’t do a damn thing about her when I’m currently sporting a baby bump the size of a basketball. I spend the rest of the morning trying and failing to forget about the encounter with the evil bitch, but I can’t help wondering who the hell she was…which is why I’m presently sitting at the dining table with my sandwich, typing out a text to Lynn.

Me: Do you know who the girl at Lincoln’s place is?

Lynn: I wish I didn’t. That’s Kylie, his ex. I know I didn’t get around to telling you about her, but she’s a royal bitch.

Me: I know she is, Lincoln told me and I got to find out firsthand when I tried to bring him a cup of coffee this morning. Why is she even there? She was awful, so why would he let her back into his life?

Lynn: Girl, if I knew, I’d tell you. He sent me a text that she showed up around eleven last night, but hasn’t responded to my texts since. What did that bitch say to you? I swear, I’ll kick her ass if she said anything about you and my adopted nephew.

Me: She didn’t say anything worth repeating. Pretty much just told me to stay away from Lincoln.

Lynn: Fuck her. The only person who can tell you to stay away from Linc is Linc. That’s it, we need a distraction. Get your cute ass dressed and be ready in thirty.

Me: Okay. Oh, my next doctor’s appointment is tomorrow at three! I get to see the little monster and I paid extra for the 3-D ultrasound!

Lynn: Uh, I’m invited, right?

Me: Of course you are! Okay, I need to inhale this sandwich and get dressed. See you in thirty.

Lynn: See you soon!

It takes me almost the full thirty minutes to get ready, but I manage to throw on a dark blue sundress and sandals while still managing to make my hair look presentable. Lynn and I spend three hours browsing the local shops and end up buying what will probably be more things that I’ll end up needing, but the distraction was worth it. Once we get back, we get to work unloading the bags from her trunk and are grabbing the last of them when Lincoln’s front door opens and both Lincoln and his ex walk out.

“Just ignore them. If he wants to let that lying, cheating slut ruin his life again, that’s on him.” I keep my head down, but that’s clearly not enough for his ex.

“Oh, Lynn! How have you been?” While I’m glad she didn’t draw attention to me after this morning’s fiasco, I don’t like the idea of her being a bitch to Lynn any better.

“You mean since you ripped my brother’s heart out and left him a complete wreck? I’ve been doing fantastic. I’d ask how you’ve been, but I honestly don’t fucking care.” I want to laugh, god how I want to laugh…but I don’t! I manage to choke it back and settle for a smile that she can’t see since my back is to both her and Lincoln.

“Lynn! That’s enough! You don’t need to be such a bitch!” My body goes rigid and so does Lynn’s. Why the hell is he defending her?!

“Are you serious right now?! You may have forgotten what she did to you, but I sure the hell haven’t! As if her past actions aren’t bad enough, how about we look at how she talked to Nia this morning!” I shake my head at Lynn, wanting her to stop before this blows up even more than it already has.

“What the hell are you talking about? Kylie was with me all morning! The only time I wasn’t in the room with her was when she was making breakfast and I took a ten minute shower!” It is pretty impressive that I apparently showed up during the only ten minutes they weren’t together.

“Man, she’s already blinded you again. I love you, Linc, but I won’t be helping you pick up the pieces this time. Come on, Nia, let’s get you inside.” I couldn’t be happier for the escape. Lynn helps me get all the new baby stuff put away before heading out for a date night with Caleb.

Today marks twenty-three weeks and ever since my 3-D ultrasound three weeks ago, I’ve been working on putting together a collage of Max and Jane’s pictures that will be getting framed and hung in Michael’s room. I also got my stitches out, thank god! I wish I could say that things with Lincoln, Lynn and I have improved, but I haven’t even had a chance to talk to him since he and Lynn had their argument in my front yard. Kylie has been like a shadow, constantly at his side. I know the whole thing bothers Lynn, especially since she’s so used to visiting him several times a week, but she hasn’t seen or talked to him either.

Everything in this house reminds me of Lincoln, but it’s hard for it not to when he helped turn my broken mess into a home. The last two times I ran into Kylie when Lincoln was at work were no better than the first two…that woman’s a real piece of work. She called me a slut for being ‘knocked up’ at my age and even had the nerve to make a comment about Michael’s dad not being in the picture, I didn’t bother pointing out that I knew about the fact that she screwed so many guys when she cheated on Lincoln that she couldn’t even figure out who her daughter’s father was. I could’ve said something, maybe I should’ve said something, but I didn’t.

I told Lynn about both encounters with her and it took a lot of convincing to get her to not charge over to Lincoln’s and beat the shit out of her. Maybe I should’ve let her. She did send a text to Lincoln to let him know, even though I asked her not to, but he never responded and she’s convinced he doesn’t believe us. This whole mess is why I’m currently fixing something on my own…something I probably shouldn’t be. The ceiling fan in the kitchen kept shaking like crazy and I’m convinced it’s going to shake so hard it’ll eventually just fall on me if I don’t do something about it…which is why I’m on the damn ladder, trying my best to tighten it without killing myself.

Don’t worry, I manage to get the damn fan fixed just fine and I didn’t electrocute myself, so kudos to me. Everything is fine…just perfect…until I try to climb down the ladder. I lower myself to the first step and maybe it’s my belly that throws things off balance, I’m really not sure, but the whole ladder just…falls over. I feel my hip hit the counter and on instinct, my arms wrap around my belly the best they can to protect Michael as I slam into the ground, both my knees and head hitting the floor since my arms weren’t able to stop my fall. I manage to crawl to the living room where my phone is sitting on the coffee table and don’t even hesitate to call Lincoln since he’s the person closest, he can get to me well before Lynn can.

“Nia, I really don’t want to hear any more of the shit you and Lynn are trying to stir up. You both need to grow the hell up. I’d appreciate if you both would stay the hell out of my business.” I don’t even have a chance to say anything before he hangs up. I see the black edging in around my vision, so I quickly push the emergency call button which connects after one ring.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

“I fell…off a ladder. I’m pregnant.”

“Ma’am, what’s your name?”

“Niallee.”

“Okay, Niallee, is your address 160 North Barrington Lane?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, an ambulance is on their way, but I want you to stay on the line with me. Can you tell me if you’re bleeding?”

“I…I don’t know. I feel dizzy.”

“Okay, I need you to try to stay awake. Can you do that for me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you cramping at all?”

“No?”

“Okay, that’s good! Alright, Niallee, the ambulance will be there any minute now. Is there a door that’s unlocked right now, or are you able to make it to the door?”

“Yeah, the front door’s unlocked, but I can’t get up.”

“I just sent a message to the EMT to let them know. They’ll knock and announce themselves before they come in, so don’t be scared when the door opens, okay?” I hear a loud knock on the door followed by a muffled voice just before the door opens and two men in EMT uniforms walk in with a police officer following behind them.

“You must be Niallee. Can you tell me what happened?” I look at the blonde EMT with the blue eyes, but my vision keeps going blurry.

“I was fixing my fan and fell.” I think he smiles at me, but it’s hard to tell for sure.

“Okay, roughly how high were you when you fell?” I squeeze my eyes closed then open them, hoping it will clear my vision, but it doesn’t.

“One step away from the top.”

“The top? Were you on a ladder?” I nod slowly and see the officer step around us and walk to the kitchen.

“Travis, if this is the ladder, she was around five feet up.” I see the blonde’s eyes widen before he speaks in a tone that sounds almost panicked.

“I need the backboard!” The other EMT vanishes out the door then comes back in shortly after. They very carefully shift me to my side and slide the board under me then lay me down on it before strapping me in. They put a neck brace on me then lift the board while the cop is following beside me.

“Is there anything you need me to grab for you, ma’am?” The thought that I didn’t call Lynn hits me and I do my best to nod with the damn neck brace on.

“My purse on the coffee table and phone on the floor.” He quickly turns around and heads back toward my door while the EMTs get me onto the stretcher in the back of the ambulance then strap me to it too. While they wait for the cop, they get an IV started and hook me up to a nasal cannula.

“Alright, I grabbed your purse and phone for you.” I hear the officer, but can’t see him, though I do see the blonde EMT set my purse on my lap.

“Alright, close the doors and let’s go!” I hear the doors slam then feel the world around me move as the ambulance takes off with its sirens blaring. Just when I’m starting to think I might have overreacted by calling them, I feel the world start spinning as I slip into darkness.

Chapter 9

Lincoln

I was in the middle of a call with a client when Nia’s call came through and I shut her down, feeling too exhausted to deal with any more shit. As soon as I hung up on her, I went back to making arrangements with my client then ended the call feeling far too frustrated. I can understand Nia and Lynn being worried about me getting hurt again, but I’m trying to give Kylie the benefit of the doubt, a chance to prove she’s changed. It’s really hard for me to do that when my sister and neighbor are trying to cause problems for me by lying about shit.

“Um, there’s an ambulance and police car parked out front.” Kylie’s confused voice combined with what she just said has me rushing to the front door and looking out just in time to see the officer walking to Nia’s door just as two paramedics walk into her house.

“Shit!” She wasn’t calling to start shit, she was calling because she needed help! What the fuck is wrong with me?! I run into the kitchen and grab my phone, quickly dialing Lynn’s cell number that rings twice before being sent to voicemail, so I dial her house phone and press the phone to my ear with a shaking hand. Thankfully, Caleb answers.

“Look, Lincoln, Lynn doesn’t want to talk to you right now.”

“Caleb, I just need you to let her know there’s an ambulance and cop at Nia’s place.” I hear him shout to her then seconds later I hear her panicked voice.

“What happened? Is she alright?”

“I don’t know! All I know is that there’s an ambulance and a cop car there. I saw two paramedics and a cop go in, but that’s it.”

“Shit, hold on, I’m going to try calling her.” There’s a brief silence then I hear the ringing on the other end which tells me she put it on speaker.

“Hello, this is officer Halbrook.”

“Hi, my name is Lynn and the phone you just answered belongs to my sister Niallee.”

“Yes, your sister had an accident and is being loaded into the ambulance right now. She should be arriving at the hospital within the next fifteen minutes. Would you be able to head down there?”

“Yeah, I’m leaving right now. Thank you, officer!” I hear rustling fabric then her voice comes through the line.

“I’m heading to the hospital. Thanks for calling.” She hangs up and I’m left feeling like complete and utter shit.

“Thank god they’re gone. The lights were reflecting off the TV and making it hard to see.” I’m honestly a little stunned by the fact that that just came out of her mouth.

“You do realize that my young, pregnant neighbor just got hurt bad enough to require an ambulance, right?” The second she rolls her eyes, I realize something I should’ve realized sooner…she never fucking changed and with the six years that have passed since our relationship went to shit, she probably never will.

“You mean your young neighbor who didn’t have enough sense to keep her legs closed? Yeah, I kind of figured she was the one who called them. Oh, shit! You hung up on her too! That’s priceless!” She falls into a fit of laughter and it’s taking everything I have to not jump over and strangle the bitch.

“Get your shit and get the fuck out of my house! You have five minutes and if you open your fucking mouth one more time, I’ll cut that time in half!” I should’ve known better, I should’ve trusted Lynn. I’m a piece of shit! Why didn’t I figure it out when she told me she signed over custody of Carly to her father? The same father that she couldn’t find for the first two years of Carly’s life? I watch as Kylie grabs all her shit and storms out the front door with me locking it behind her. I sit my worthless ass on the couch and wait…wait for a call, a text, any damn thing to at least bring me a little peace of mind. It’s almost midnight when I finally get a text, but peace doesn’t come with it, not even close.

Lynn: She called you and you yelled at her then hung up on her?! What the hell is wrong with you?! I hope you have a nice life with your lying, manipulative cheating whore because I’m fucking done with you!

It’s been three days since everything fell apart, just like Lynn said it would. Nia hasn’t come home and, for obvious reasons, no one’s let me know how she’s doing and if the baby’s okay. I finished the job I had been working, so now I don’t even have anything to distract myself with. It’s almost two in the afternoon when I hear a car door close and it has me rushing to the window where I watch as Lynn very carefully helps Nia out of the passenger seat of her car. I notice the bandage on her forehead and the way she’s limping while Lynn supports her as they walk toward the front door. She’s wearing an ankle length sundress and a sweater, hiding the rest of her away so I can’t tell if she has any other injuries.

I wait until thirty minutes after Lynn leaves, which is only about forty minutes after they got back, then decide to try calling her. She doesn’t answer, not that I expected her to. I try to find things to take my mind off of everything, but it doesn’t work. Around five, I try calling again without success, then again at six. When I call for the fourth time at seven, she answers, practically yelling into the phone.

“What the hell do you want?!”

“First, I need to tell you I’m sorry for not believing you and second, I just want to know if Nia and the baby are okay.”

“Let me guess, the two-faced skank showed her true colors?”

“You can definitely say that.”

“Serves you fucking right.”

“I know. I’m a stupid asshole. I really am sorry, Lynn.”

“You know, if it was just you being a prick and assuming I lied, I might’ve been willing to forgive you. What you did is so much fucking worse. Your little whore was insulting and belittling a pregnant woman who I thought was your friend and you refused to believe it was happening and then when the woman who considered you to be a friend called you for help, you yelled at her and hung up on her. This is one of those times where sorry doesn’t cut it, Lincoln, not even close.”

“Lynn, I know I fucked up, I get it. All I can do is tell you how fucking sorry I am. Seriously though, Is Nia okay?”

“No, she’s not. She dislocated her left knee, bruised the shit out of her right hip and hit her head hard enough to give her a concussion. To top it all off, she got a call yesterday from her sister-in-law’s parents. They’re taking her to court to fight for custody of Michael. So, Nia is far from okay, Lincoln. She’s fucking falling apart. I’m getting my stuff together right now so I can stay with her and help her out since she can’t get around so well.”

“How the fuck can they do that? Didn’t her brother and sister-in-law put in their will that she gets custody of the baby?”

“Yeah, but they’re saying she’s not fit to be a parent. It’s a whole mess and she has the document from the attorney that lists their reasons and it’s all bullshit, but she still has to go, so I’m going with her. We meet her lawyer tomorrow. Look, I need to go, but I’m going to ask you to stay away from Nia. She’s hurting enough and after what you did, I think it’s safe to say she doesn’t want to see you.”

“I get it. Take care of her, Lynn.”

“No worries, I will.” She hangs up the phone and I know that between her defeated tone and the fact that she used my full first name instead of my nickname, she’s fucking livid still, but she’s just too exhausted to fight with me.

I barely slept last night, but it’s no less than I deserve. With nothing better to do today, I make my breakfast and coffee then once I’m done, I head out to tend to my front yard. Sure, I might be hoping to see Nia, but my yard does need some TLC. I manage to mow my lawn and am just starting to trim the hedges when Lynn pulls up in Nia’s driveway, gets out of her car and heads straight to the front door without looking my way. A few minutes after she went inside, they both come out, slowly making their way down the stairs and toward the car.

“Careful, we don’t have to rush. We are leaving an hour earlier than we planned and your appointment isn’t for another three hours. There’s plenty of time for you to walk slow, not enough to make another trip to the hospital.” It seems that Nia is learning the hard way about Lynn’s ‘mother hen’ mode.

“I know. I just want to get this over with. I can’t sleep, can’t eat and between the bruises and the stress, my entire fucking body aches.” I hate that she’s going through this and I hate even more that I added to the stress that she’s dealing with.

“I know, sweetie. We’ll get this shit sorted out and then I’m taking you to get a big, fat steak dinner.” I watch them get into Lynn’s car then drive away with neither of them so much as glancing in my direction.

Chapter 10

Lincoln

I haven’t seen or heard from Nia or Lynn for two days. They left two days ago to meet with a lawyer and didn’t come back. I’ve been fighting the urge to text Lynn and check in, but my patience is quickly wearing thin. It’s a quarter past one and I’m outside washing my truck when I finally see Lynn’s car coming down the road then turning into Nia’s driveway, but she’s alone. I could leave it alone and, hell, I probably should, but I think I’ve already established that I’m an asshole.

“Lynn! How’d the visit with the lawyer go?” She barely has time to climb out of her car before I assault her with my first question.

“The visit was good, but there were some problems on the way home.” And, of course, she doesn’t plan to elaborate.

“What problems?” She gives me a look that honestly has me thinking she isn’t going to tell me.

“Nia’s in the hospital…preterm labor. They stopped it, for now. The doctor said it was caused by her body being under too much stress. I’m just picking up some stuff for her then I’m heading back. Caleb and I have been taking turns staying with her during the day and I’ve been staying the night there. So, any other questions?” There’s no denying it…she’s still pissed off.

“Lynn, are you ever going to forgive me?” I know she will, but with her it’s more a matter of when she will.

“You’re my brother, so I’ll forgive you eventually.” Even though I already knew it, it’s still good to hear it.

“Do you think Nia will ever be able to?” She shrugs, a gesture that’s much less than reassuring.

“I honestly don’t know, Linc. She’s been through so much in such a short time and she’s hurting right now, not to mention she’s scared shitless. This is all just too damn much for her. I’m really glad you pulled your head out of your ass, Linc. I need to get her stuff and head back. Caleb has to leave for work in an hour.” We say our goodbyes and I get back to washing my truck while she heads into Nia’s house.

An entire week has passed without a single sign of anyone next door, so I’m more than a little surprised when I pull up after finishing a small roof repair job I picked up and see Lynn helping Nia up the stairs to her house. While I hate that they’re both still angry with me, I feel relieved to know she’s finally back home. I sit in my car, watching them like a creep, until they finally make it inside and only then do I get out of my truck and head for my front door. I go through my usual routine of showering and changing out of my dirty work clothes then head to the kitchen, but unlike the last few weeks, Lynn is standing there with a coffee in her hand as she stares out the glass doors to my backyard.

“Lynn? I didn’t know you were coming over…” Okay, so it’s a weak comment at best since she’s never announced herself before, but I don’t know how to talk to her. Is she still pissed at me?

“Linc, you’ve done a lot of stupid shit in your life and I’ve felt a lot of things toward you as a result of them, but this is the first time I’ve ever been completely disappointed in you. You were absolutely awful to Nia when she first moved in and it’s all because of your piece of shit ex…the same piece of shit ex that you let waltz right back into your life. You allowed her to get away with insulting and harassing Nia and you bought her lies, just like you did six years ago. You trusted her, yet refused to trust me, your sister…the one who helped pick you up when you ex tore your life apart! Nia needed you and you hung up on her for fuck’s sake! What if she had blacked out before she was able to call 9-1-1?! What if her injuries had been worse?! What if…what if she lost the baby?!” Less than a minute into her rant, she’s bawling and every damn word is like a dagger to my heart. She’s right, I’m an asshole…a stupid, selfish, asshole.

“I’m sorry, Lynn. I know it doesn’t fix anything, but I don’t know what else I can do to fix this mess.” She lets out a heavy sigh and shakes her head.

“I don’t know Linc. Nia…she’s pretty fucking hurt and with everything else…she just needs some time.” I know she’s probably right, but it doesn’t make this situation any easier.

“Alright, you’re right.” She forces a tight smile then opens the microwave and pulls out a cup of coffee from the local shop and a breakfast burrito then sets them on the counter.

“I brought you breakfast. I need to get going. I’ll see you later, Linc.”

Niallee

Well, I’ve made it to twenty-eight weeks and here’s what’s new in my crazy life! I pee…pretty much one hundred times a day, I can’t see my damn toes, I had to have Lynn drive all the way over to help me because I got stuck in the bathtub, I can barely drive my car anymore since my belly is so damn big and I’m hungry…almost constantly. I’ve dealt with some major ups and downs through this, but the one thing I love the most is feeling him move…and he moves all the time.

Nearly every day has been spent with Lynn visiting, or both her and Caleb coming over to watch movies and eat dinner. Those two are honestly too damn perfect for each other. Today will be the first day where they won’t be here since they’re making a four day trip to Stilton so Lynn can meet Caleb’s family. It took a lot of convincing to get her to believe I would be okay, but I know Caleb appreciated me helping him make it happen.

You know what the worst part of getting used to having company is? How much it sucks when they’re suddenly not there. It’s not that I’m lonely, but the silence and lack of conversation have left me feeling rather bored. We’re going to blame my boredom for why I thought it was a good idea to go outside and pull the weeds around the front porch…which is what led to my current predicament.

Have you ever seen a woman who looks like she’s smuggling a watermelon under her shirt get stuck on her back like a damn turtle? Well, that’s me right now…the damn turtle. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen, but I knocked my phone off the railing and it fell in a spot with very limited space to reach it. While I’m not entirely sure how it happened, I got myself stuck in that narrow space between the house and the porch…on my back…like a damn turtle!

“Nia? What in hell’s name are you doing?!” I honestly hadn’t expected to hear Lincoln’s voice and while I’m still beyond upset with him…it’s not like I have many other options. Lynn is out of town and, yes, I could call 9-1-1, but that would be the most absolute form of humiliation.

“I was getting my phone and now I’m stuck.” God, and I sound like a petulant child with my whiny, sulking voice…just great.

“Shit, let me help you.” I watch as he vanishes, running around the chain link fence to get over here. I don’t want to accept his help, which only makes it more frustrating that I don’t have any choice but to accept it. When he finally reaches me, I try not to look at him…I try not to notice his grey eyes, his slightly tousled dark blonde hair or the way his muscles are straining against his tight, black t-shirt. Nope…not noticing a thing…not…at…all. These pregnancy hormones really suck.

“Alright, we’re going to do this just like when I helped get your leg out of the floor. Wrap your arms around my neck and I’ll do the rest.” Okay, these pregnancy hormones are really kicking my ass. How can something so innocent get me all hot and bothered all while making me want to cry? Especially when it’s Lincoln’s grumpy ass that says it?! Once he’s in position and has helped me to sit up, I do what he said and I swear I try not to focus on the way he hooks his hands under my ass to lift me out of the narrow space I was stuck in. I don’t miss the fact that he hesitates to let go of me once I’m back on my feet, but, god, how I wish I did.

“Thanks.” When he finally lets go and takes a step back, I have to fight the urge to look at him, but then I get a pleasant distraction when Michael starts rolling and kicking…likely protesting since I’m over an hour late for lunch.

“Nia, can we please talk?” I swear, I’m a glutton for punishment…or maybe I’m just too hungry to fight him right now…hell, maybe I feel like I owe him for un-turtling my ass…either way, I find myself nodding before I walk around him and carefully make my way up the stairs and into the house with him following behind me.

“I’m ordering lunch, we can talk while I wait for it to get here.” He doesn’t argue, simply offers a soft ‘okay’ then continues following me into the dining room. I pour two glasses of lemonade then carry them to the dining table where we both take a seat, the whole situation feels so damn awkward.