“Coulter changing your mind?”
“Possibly…” She arched a brow. “How about you?”
I startled at the question, then let out a breathy laugh. “Oh, hmm… also a maybe, I guess.”
“It’s a big commitment. I was so focused on my career. Making detective was all I cared about for years. And I hadn’t met a guy I’d want to have kids with.”
“Yeah, that makes all the difference.” My gaze drifted to the ocean outside the window, endless blue stretching on forever.
“I’ve seen how hard it is to balance kids and a career,” Faith said, pressing the pedal smoothly to pass a line of cars. “Women end up shouldering most of the responsibility, even with a good partner.”
“I just realized I’ve never asked Corinne what their plan was after the baby came,” I said. “She mentioned more than once she couldn’t wait to get back to the lab.”
Faith nodded. “Yeah. She’ll start back part-time in a few months. Fortunately, a generous benefactor offered to hire a nanny for them.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The owner of Paradise Key has a soft spot for her.”
Clifton. That made sense. “I noticed he treats her like family when she took me out there.”
“Her parents are in California, so it means a lot.”
“Fortunately she has lots of friends here too.”
Faith grinned. “You know we’re all going to line up to take that baby for a few hours. And I’ll bet we’ll be seeing a lot more of Ava once the baby’s here.”
The thought warmed me. “I hope so. I really like her.”
“Me too. Lord knows we need more female energy with all those Rodman men.”
“They’re certainly manly, no doubt.”
Faith laughed. “Yeah. Big, loud, stubborn. But when they love you? It’s ride or die.”
Heat flushed through me, warmth spreading in my chest at the truth of it. Kai.
Faith flicked me a knowing glance before turning back to the road. “Things are good with Kai?”
I grinned, finally settling back in my seat. “Yeah. Much better now that we aren’t worried about smugglers following us around.”
Her smile faltered, guilt shadowing her face. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to apologize for that. You told me to forget you ever said anything. And I… well, I didn’t. Sorry.”
“Considering you solved the problem without dragging us into it, there’s no apology necessary. I said my fair share of sorries with Kai. But he was grateful too.”
Her knuckles whitened on the wheel. “I can’t believe you lived with that terror for weeks.”
For a second, panic spiked sharp and cold, but it washed through me as quick as it came. I forced a breath out. “Yeah. It sucked. Glad that’s all behind us.” I’d probably never forget, but I could live with it now.
The Charger ate up the miles, the Overseas Highway unspooling ahead in a blur of asphalt and turquoise water. Pelicans skimmed the waves, fishing boats bobbed against the horizon, and the sunlight flashed so bright on the water it made me squint. The longer we drove, the more my pulse began to match the rhythm of the road, steady and sure instead of skittering panic.
By the time Faith whipped us into the Key West hospital lot, my knuckles ached from gripping the armrest. We screeched to a stop, and I let out a shaky laugh as I unclenched my fingers.
Inside, the waiting room was thick with nerves. A tall man paced tight circles, phone clutched to his ear, muttering, “Yes, Mom. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as the baby comes.”
Spencer sat forward in a chair, elbows braced on his knees, while Spence hovered close by, his usual calm stripped thin.
The moment Faith and I stepped in, Spencer and Spence rose to greet her. Spencer pulled her into a fierce hug. “Glad you made it.”
