Page 18 of Thaw My Heart

I know that look he’s giving her. He’s genuinely interested in a woman who is way out of his league. “I’m sure she’d recognize you from the high school yearbook,” I tease. He’s known Averie his whole life. Local celebrity or not, they both grew up in the same small town.

“I was different then. And she was… you know. Averie Knox,” he gestures towards her glittering image on stage.

She started out as a small-town country girl, singing folky music that I loved, but recently her sound has become more poppy. Trendy. Not my style, but her fame has been growing because of it. And looking at her now, she’s all glitter and glam. A very different girl from the one we both remember.

“I think she meets a lot of people, Ryker.”

Besides, I’m pretty sure she’s still dating an actor, or so I read in the local newspaper a few months ago. Living a big, fancy life that he wouldn’t be able to fit into.

Ryker nods, looking sad for a moment as he stares at his glass before knocking it back.

“Kit?”

A familiar woman’s voice chimes beside me, brushing my shoulder. I turn to find Alaska Rivers standing there, smiling at me with blush in her cheeks. A rush of relief flows through me at her presence.

“Hey,” I pull her in for a hug, stopping abruptly when my eyes snag on the small bulge in her stomach.

Holy fucking hell.

Alaska is… pregnant? Her black hair is up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing a long, silky teal skirt with a fluffy white sweater tucked into the round curve of her belly. A curve I can’t stop staring at, blinking multiple times just to be sure what I’m seeing is real.

She scrunches her midnight brows. “After six months, all you have to say is holy fucking hell?”

My eyes snap to hers. “What? No, I—I didn’t mean…” Did I curse out loud?

She places a reassuring hand on my arm. The guilt swirling inside me turns sour at her fake smile. “It’s okay. I know it’s… a lot.”

Ryker stands, pulling her in for a long hug. Telling her how happy he is for her while I’m still trying to process my feelings. He gestures for her to sit, and I plop down next to her, taking her in. Her blue eyes are darker than I remember, but her golden native complexion is just as bright, if not even more glowing than usual.

“So, how far along are you?” Ryker asks.

“About four months,” she responds.

“And who’s the lucky man?” he grins at her.

Alaska’s face pales. “He’s not really in the picture. After he found out he… well, he wasn’t ready to be a father.”

Ryker’s expression turns sad. “That’s—” The words stop with the tilt of his head. A moment of pause, before his brown eyes narrow on me with a wide expression.

Did he think that I did this?

“Do you think—it’s not mine, Ryker!”

I’d kissed her six months ago, our first and only kiss, and that was the extent of it.

Red blush fills her cheeks. “It’s not Kit’s,” she confirms.

Ryker recomposes himself. “Just checking.”

I shake my head, cursing Ryker in my mind for even thinking such a thing. Not wanting to curse again in front of her unborn child.

“Anyways, I’m surprised to see you here on a Thursday night,” Alaska shuffles closer to me. “I thought you hated stuff like this.”

I’m very thankful for the change in conversation. “I do. I’m not here by choice, that’s for sure,” I glare at Ryker.

Ryker tilts his beer glass towards me. “I couldn’t let him miss Thirsty Thursday.”

My mouth opens to antagonize him, but before I can respond, Alaska places her hand on my face, brushing the short brown stubble on my jawline. “You’ve changed, too.” She smiles, a genuine Alaska smile. “This is a good look on you, Kit. Makes you look… softer somehow.”