Page 53 of The Run Home
“I got you,” he murmured, stroking my back gently.
I forced the nausea back, refusing to puke in front of him again. I’d nearly died of mortification two days ago.
“This happen often?” he asked. Almost kindly. Gently.
I looked up at him from the inside of a trash can, still in shock. “It’s been getting better.”
He kept stroking my back, and I kept taking deep breaths. When the wave of nausea ebbed after a few minutes, I placed the trash can between my feet and straightened. His hand fell away.
“Shae, I?—”
“Boon,” I interrupted again, holding a hand up. The bout of nausea had given me a chance to figure out what was going on here. He felt obligated. And a marriage proposal under such conditions was yucky. I’d already been married once to a man who barely liked me. I had no intentions of doing it again unless it was for the kind of sweeping romance that books were written about. “I’m not getting married because of the baby. I will not do that to a child. I will not raise him or her in a household that doesn’t have love.”
He crossed his arms over his chest again, back to looking stubborn. “I already had one child I wasn’t expecting and I failed at being a good father. I refuse to fail again, Shae. Believe me,going between two houses isn’t exactly an easy route for the child either.”
I stood, feeling like I didn’t have a whole lot of choices here, but this was one I could still dictate. “I won’t marry you. I won’t marry anyone unless it’s for love.”
Boon worked his jaw for several long moments, then dipped his head. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew they’d be hard. Frustrated. Maybe angry.
“I guess we’re at an impasse,” he finally said.
“I guess so.”
And then he walked away. Again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Boon
“I promiseto have her back by eleven, sir.”
Tatum had been nothing but respectful picking up Kinsley to take her on their first official date, and yet I was way too close to wanting to yell at him to go home. It wasn’t even his fault. It was me. I was having a shit day and Tatum was the collateral damage.
I looked to Kinsley, the stress of this conversation clearly etched across her young face as her eyes darted between us. I thought about what Warrick had said.Just fuckin’ do better.Straightening my spine, I clapped Tatum on the shoulder. Solidly and not with an underlying threat.
“I trust you, son.”
And it was even true. I’d gotten to know him as the captain of the team the last few months. He was a good kid, and Kinsley was crazy about him. He’d asked her out and insisted on picking her up. Kinsley had spent all afternoon after school getting ready, her and Mom giggling every few minutes. If this kid couldmake my daughter that happy while also showing a high level of respect, then I could only wish them well. No threats required.
Tatum dipped his head and stepped back, holding out his hand for Kinsley. Her face transformed into an ear-to-ear grin. She took his hand, but doubled back to quickly kiss me on the cheek.
“Thanks, Dad,” she whispered, then whirled around in a puff of perfume and walked with Tatum to his truck. She looked so much older than her seventeen years. She was pretty like her mother and had my athletic grace. She was stunning.
Tatum helped her into the passenger side and then rounded the hood. He locked eyes with me for a moment before climbing behind the wheel and we had a wordless exchange that only men could understand. I knew Kinsley would be okay. And he knew if she wasn’t, he would soon not be okay.
I watched from the base of the porch stairs until the taillights disappeared. Mom stuck her head out the front door.
“You ready to tell me what’s had your head up your ass all week?”
I rolled my eyes, biting back a grin. Mom saw everything. It was annoying as fuck and yet comforting to know she’d either have my back or whack some sense into my head, depending on the situation. I turned and climbed the stairs.
“Actually, I asked everyone to come over tonight so I can talk to all of you.”
Mom’s eyes went wide. “A family meeting?”
I dipped my head in affirmation, putting my hand on her back and steering her inside the house. I didn’t need to be out here any longer than necessary. Seeing Shae right now was not ideal. I had some shit to figure out now that she’d turned my marriage proposal down. Figures…the one time I actually asked a woman to marry me, she’d turn my ass down.
Mom didn’t pepper me with questions while we worked in the kitchen, getting out drinks and freshly baked cookies. Warrick and Emmerleigh were first to arrive, Georgia making a beeline for her Gigi. Mom swooped her up and covered her with kisses before giving her the biggest cookie on the plate. Emmerleigh offered Vivian a bottle while she was strapped to her mama. Warrick put a six-pack of beer in the fridge and offered me one long-necked bottle.
