Page 30 of Shotgun Spouse

A flicker of unease sparked in his chest. Turning, he headed back to the living room, his pulse quickening as he scanned the empty space. The baby cooed in his arms, oblivious to his rising tension. He gently set her in the car seat, fastening her in with practiced care before grabbing his coat and stepping out onto the porch.

The cold air hit him like a slap, sharp and biting. Snow crunched under his boots as he scanned the driveway. That’s when he spotted Grant, leaning against his car, phone pressed to his ear. Teddy froze, listening.

“Yes, I’ve already lined up three donors,” Grant said, his voice smooth and self-assured. “They’re ready to throw their support behind someone who’s not tied up in scandal.”

Teddy’s jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He strode forward, his boots crunching louder in the snow. Grant turned, spotting him, and didn’t even flinch. He ended his call with a casual “I’ll follow up tomorrow” and slipped his phone into his pocket.

Teddy didn’t waste time on small talk. “Did Bunny come out here?”

“She left with Preston about twenty minutes ago.”

Teddy’s chest tightened. “She left?”

Grant shrugged, his smirk growing. “It’s clear she’s not the baby’s mother and wanted to extricate herself from this mess.And if I had to guess, she’s not sticking around to back a losing candidate either.”

“I take it that means you’re resigning?”

Grant straightened, smoothing his tie. “Obviously. In light of the… circumstances, I can’t be associated with this administration any longer. I’ll be announcing my candidacy for mayor tomorrow.”

“Good luck with that.”

Grant’s smirk faltered.

Without another word, Teddy turned and headed back to the house. The door clicked shut behind him, muffling the sound of the wind and snow, but the tension in his chest didn’t ease. He stared at the baby, now blinking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

Even as frustration and worry churned inside him, there was one thought louder than all the rest: He had to find Bunny. Wherever she’d gone, whatever she was thinking, he couldn’t let her slip away. Not now. Not ever.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Bunny barely waited for Preston to come to a full stop before she unbuckled her seatbelt, murmured a distracted “Thanks,” and dashed out of the car. The icy wind bit at her cheeks as she hurried up the sidewalk to her sister’s townhouse.

She didn’t bother knocking. Her hand twisted the doorknob. Predictably, it turned easily. Unlocked again. She sighed. She’d have to lecture Kitty about that later.

Once inside, Bunny was engulfed in the familiar scent of turpentine, tea, and the faint aroma of burnt toast—Kitty’s signature perfume of chaos. Her baby sister was at her easel, hunched over, adding intricate details to a vase of painted flowers, her brush strokes quick and precise. Birdy was sprawled on the couch, her feet up on the coffee table as she scrolled through something on her tablet, her sharp features illuminated by the screen’s glow.

Neither of them so much as glanced up.

Bunny’s irritation flared. Over twenty-four hours, no calls, no texts, and they were completely unfazed. She planted herself in the doorway, hands on her hips.

Birdy was the first to notice her. She looked up from the tablet, blinking lazily. “Hey, honeybun, what’s new?”

Bunny raised an incredulous brow. “What’s new? Seriously?”

Kitty didn’t even look up, her brush poised mid-stroke. “Did you bring over some agave? I’m out, thanks to someone who thinks half a cup belongs in one teacup.”

“Maybe if you bought groceries like a normal person, you wouldn’t have to ration your agave,” Birdy shot back, not missing a beat.

“And maybe if you didn’t drown your tea?—”

“Hello!” Bunny’s voice cut through their bickering like a thunderclap. Both sisters turned to her, wide-eyed and silent. “Did you even notice I was gone?”

Kitty frowned, setting down her brush. “Gone?”

Birdy tilted her head. “I figured you were holed up at home or, you know, the mayor’s office.”

Bunny threw up her hands. “I was holed up in the mayor’s house.”

That got their attention. Birdy’s feet hit the floor, her tablet forgotten. Kitty dropped her paint brush as she swiveled in her chair to face Bunny fully.

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