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“If you don’t know by now, then there really is no hope for us.” She pushed back her chair. Standing, she looked down at me with regret and pain darkening her eyes. “I love you. I always have. Stupidly enough, I probably always will. But it’s time for me to move on, Jace. Because you can’t give me what I need.”
Chapter 17
Kin
After no sleep the night before, as soon as I held my precious baby goddaughter, I went home and crashed. My brain shut down, refusing to think about what happened with Jace in the hospital cafeteria, and for that, I was grateful. Making my dreams blissfully nonexistent.
My phone was what woke me up the next day. Groaning, I peeked an eye open, trying to determine what time it was from the way the sun was shining through my bedroom window. My phone was still ringing, sounding almost shrill to my still sleepy ears.
Wanting it to stop, I picked it up, ready to send the caller to voice mail, only to see it was Derrick. Again. He’d called multiple times the day before, but I was too tired to talk to him. And then after the whole scene with Jace, I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
Curious as to what he wanted that had him calling so often, I picked up before it could go to voice mail.
“Hello?”
“Wow, she’s alive,” he murmured with amusement lacing his voice. “I was starting to wonder after getting your voice mail all day yesterday.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” I sat up in bed, pulling the covers up to my chest. I was dressed in my usual tank top and short pajamas, but I felt oddly exposed. As if he could see me sitting there with my messy bedhead and crusty eyes. “Lucy had the baby yesterday. We were at the hospital all night, and then she finally had the baby in the afternoon. It was kind of chaotic.”
“That’s cool. How is she?”
“When I left the hospital last night, both mommy and baby were perfect. Hayat has Lucy’s dark curls and her daddy’s dimples. It’s too early to tell, but I suspect she’s going to have Harris’s eyes.”
“I bet she’s beautiful,” he said, sounding wistful. “I was starting to worry about you, though. Next time, send me a text or something so I know you haven’t been kidnapped.”
A smile teased at my lips. “Sure thing, Dad.”
Derrick laughed, and I suddenly felt more at ease. The first time he’d called me, I didn’t know what to think, but he was a nice guy and I couldn’t hold who his sister was marrying against him. It wasn’t his fault Shannon had sucky taste in men.
“Are you busy today?” he asked, surprising me.
“I was going to stop by the hospital to check on Lu and the baby, see if Harris needs anything, but other than that, I don’t have much on my plate.”
“Would you like to grab some dinner with me?”
I hesitated, unsure how or even if I wanted to answer that question. I drew my legs up to my chest, pushed my hair back from my face, and pressed my forehead to my knees. It was a simple question, but I didn’t have a simple answer.
Derrick was hot, and I would grudgingly admit I was still attracted to him. But I knew nothing could ever happen. For one, there was no way I was going to mix up the family with his sister marrying my dad. That was just gross to me on so many levels. I couldn’t even picture myself kissing the guy.
Yet, I liked his company, and it would be nice to find out more about him, maybe even learn more about the woman who was going to be my new stepmother come spring.
I was torn.
“Just as friends, Kin,” he assured me when I didn’t answer. “I admit I find you incredibly attractive, but the truth is, it freaks me out a little that you’re going to be my niece. I mean, hell, girl. I have two nieces already, and it creeps me out to even think about you like…that.”
Relief filled me, and I laughed at the disgusted tone of his voice. “Yeah, that was kind of what I was worried about. If I’m honest, I pictured kissing you, but then I imagined it would be a lot like kissing my stepbrother, and I totally grossed myself out. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. We know where we stand. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to know you better. You’ll be family soon, and we keep family close.”
“Does that mean I need to start calling you Uncle Derrick?” I teased.
“Please don’t,” he groaned. “You’re what? Twenty-two?”
I laughed. “You’re funny. I’ll be twenty-one my next birthday.”
“I’m only twenty-five, and hell, but Shannon is only twenty-three. This is fucked up, so no, please don’t go calling me Uncle Derrick.” He grunted. “And what the hell were you doing drinking in the club the other night? Huh? Do I need to take away your fake ID?”
“You touch my fake ID, and I’ll kick you in the balls, buddy!” I threatened, knowing he was only kidding—I hoped.
