Page 8 of Room Twenty: Owning Their Angel

I probably wouldn’t have considered the possibility of being pregnant if I hadn’t been scrolling on social media. That’s where I came across an article about how antibiotics can make some birth control ineffective. The moment I saw it, I remembered being given antibiotics after cutting my hand in the kitchen and needing stitches. Everything clicked in my head and while it wasn’t easy to get a pregnancy test without anyone knowing, I found myself staring at two tests with the same results.

Pregnant.

I panicked. I realize it now, but at the time all I could think about was the judgment everyone would throw my way. Would the club tell my men not to trust me and not believe the baby was one of theirs?

It’s not like we were always good about condoms, anyway. That’s when I remembered Zach telling me about the condom breaking during the night that we spent at Club Sin celebrating Bedlam. I didn’t know if the timing was right considering I wasn’t sure how far along I was.

I just knew I needed to get the hell out of there. So, I made a plan and then I made it happen.

The hardest thing I’ve ever done is walk away from the men I gave my heart to, even though we never said those words.

I didn’t know where to go at first, but then I thought about where I wished I had grown up. Sweetwater Valley is a beautiful town. It’s small enough to be wholesome, but large enough to give you some room to breathe.

I grew up not far away from Sweetwater Valley, in Dogwood Ridge. The rivalry between the two towns was always kind of fierce. Those in Sweetwater Valley looked down on Dogwood Ridge people, and the people I grew up with thought everyone in Sweetwater Valley was stuck up. I thought both sides were wrong, but I had enough problems to deal with growing up with a handsy stepfather who looked at me like a workhorse and a mother who didn’t care either way.

No matter what, I knew Sweetwater Valley was the kind of place to raise a kid.

Since I arrived here about three months ago, people have been welcoming. It’s been like a breath of fresh air. No one here knows my past, including my time with the DSMC as a club angel.

I had some money saved up, but I knew I would need a job when I arrived. I got lucky when I stopped in at Sit & Sip, a coffee shop and bookstore, and was told about Taylor looking for an office manager. It’s not the kind of job I’ve had before, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to apply.

When I met Taylor, she looked me over and I braced for her to become a mean girl right in front of my eyes. She’s gorgeous with blonde hair and a great body. Instead of telling me I was trash, or worse, her face went from curious to sporting a huge grin.

“You’re new to Sweetwater Valley,” she made it a statement instead of a question.

“I am,” I confirmed. Without thinking about it, my hand drifted down to my still flat belly. “I just found out I’m pregnant and I wanted to move to a place where I could raise my baby in a community with good schools and good people. I thought this might be the perfect place.”

Her eyes softened with compassion and understanding. “It is a nice place to raise kids,” she confirmed. “We’ve had a lot of people interested in the town for that reason. We’re not too far from the city and some bigger attractions, but there’s still a small-town appeal here.”

I nodded slowly and bit my lip, unsure how to broach the subject. “I’m going to be upfront with you since you’re being so kind to me.” She nodded, her eyes going wary, as I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I’ve never run an office before, but I can answer phones, make appointments, and keep things organized. I can learn anything else you need me to learn. I want to feel settled, and I want to do a good job, no matter what the job is.”

Taylor stared at me for a long time, long enough I was starting to worry she was going to tell me she wasn’t interested in hiring me. I was close to breaking down in tears, but I also knew it wouldn’t solve anything.

Before I could pull myself together enough to thank her for her time and get the hell out of her office, she smiled brightly and chirped, “You’re hired.” I gawked at her for a moment, probably looking ridiculous and unprofessional, but she just giggled. “I can’t explain it, but hiring you feels right. I’ve learned to trust my instincts over the years. I usually know which house is perfect for someone right away, even if I still show them other options and my success rate is high on my first pick being the one.”

“That’s,” I started to croak before clearing my throat and trying again, “thank you.”

When she smiled at me, I couldn’t help but return it. “If you’re looking for a place to rent, I also know someone who has an empty house at the moment.”

My fucking jaw dropped. It was almost too good to be true, but nothing was blaring in my head that I shouldn’t trust Taylor or anyone else I had met in the few days since arriving in Sweetwater Valley.

I whispered, “Are you serious?”

The kindness in Taylor’s eyes was almost overwhelming. “Lark moved to Sweetwater Valley a while ago with her two kids. She fell in love and bought a house with her new husband. They decided to buy the house she was renting, and they use it as an income property. Her sister stayed in it for a little while until she fell in love with her neighbor and moved in with him.”

“Woah,” I breathed out, “that’s a lot of falling in love.”

Taylor’s laugh was vibrant and not at my expense at all, which made me relax even more around her. “There does seem to be something in the water around here,” there was a note of sadness in her voice, but she shook it off quickly. “Anyway, I know Lark and Maverick don’t have a tenant at the moment. It’s a three bedroom, which might be a little much even with the baby. The rent they charge is a great deal.”

It took everything in me not to burst into tears. Of relief. Of joy. Of sadness and missing my men.

That was three months ago, and things have been going really well. I moved the few things I had into the rental and met Lark, Maverick, and their kids. They’re an amazing family and the way Maverick always looks at Lark and the kids with so much love is beautiful to see.

It also makes me a little jealous.

When Maverick started playing in the backyard with the three kids while they were showing me the property, my hand rested on my belly as I whispered to Lark, “He’s a great Dad.”

“He is.” She giggled, “He had a pretty steep learning curve, but he was determined.”

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