Page 160 of The Rebel

“Rhett’s not leaving his side, is he?”

She shook her head. “He’s taking it the hardest. I mean, we’re all a mess—you know that, you see that. But Rhett and Dad are so similar. I’m worried about him. Hell, I’m worried about the both of them. It’s consuming me.”

Since the news broke, Rhett’s change had been the biggest. Witnessing the way he was processing his father’s illness wasn’t easy to see. Not even knowing him that well, I could tell how badly he was hurting. All three of Ray’s kids had been greatly affected. But the only positive that had come out of this was that Rhett was becoming an easier person to be around. There wasstill a lot of improvement needed, but at least the two of us were talking. We could have conversations without wanting to fight, where he wasn’t fucking snarling at me. He’d even offered me a congratulations on the baby and shook my hand.

One day, we’d probably be friends. It was just going to take time.

Going to Walter and Ray was the best thing I’d done. Even though, at the time, I hadn’t known why there was so much beef between the families, I knew Ray was the one who would have to fix what was happening within his. And I knew once he told them about his illness—something I’d learned from Jo because Walter had had too much wine and spilled the news—I had a strong feeling the dynamics were going to change.

And they had.

“Nothing is going to happen to Rhett,” I promised her. “I know you’ve got him, and I know you’ll coddle him as much as he’ll let you, but I’ve got him too.”

Her other hand joined my face, cupping both sides. “What would I do without you?”

“You won’t ever have to know.”

Her eyes suddenly widened, and at first, I thought she was reacting to what I’d just said, but then she grabbed my hand out of nowhere and placed it where my lips had been kissing her belly.

“Cooper, feel.” Her hand went on top of mine, moving it around until she found the spot she was looking for. She pushed on the back of my palm, holding it tightly against her. “Did you feel that?”

There was a slight patter, like rain hitting the windshield.

“The baby …”

She nodded. “That’s the first time I’ve felt anything like that.”

“Is it a kick?”

“I think so.”

I pulled my hand away and put my face there instead, my eyes closing, listening for the movement, any beat I could hear inside. “How could I love something so much and not even be able to hold it yet?” I turned my face to look up at her.

“Because it’s a part of you.” Her hand was now in my hair, running through my locks. “This is what love is—what it looks like, feels like.” She took a breath. “This is fulfillment, Cooper.”

“With the baby.”

She searched my eyes. “And with us.”

I remembered the conversation we’d had at the bar when she told me she’d never experienced love before. She’d mentioned that it was something she learned from her previous job when she worked the floor and saw the way couples interacted.

“Words that cause a smile,” I said softly, repeating the statement she’d said back then almost verbatim. “A look of complete contentment and security. The comfort in certain acts—easy ones, like holding someone’s hand.”

“You listened to me,” she whispered.

I winked. “I tend to do that a lot.”

“God, I love you.” Her hand went to her stomach. “And I love you.”

I gave her belly one more kiss, and I stood, clasping my fingers with hers. “Come with me.”

I walked her outside onto the patio, taking a seat on one of the couches in front of the fireplace.

Our new home had a different view of the Hills than the previous houses we’d lived in. The lot here was much larger, higher up, the scenery vast and open to the hills of homes.

With my arm around her shoulders, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small box, setting it on her lap.

“What’s this?”

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