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“I agree,” Emma said, following her in. “I mean, look at this nursery. All you’d have to do is move in. Heck, maybe you could even get the furniture included.”
Megan nodded then moved to the window with the white curtains. She stared down at the backyard. On the patio was a grilling area with a stone bar and fireplace. But there was enough grass for a swing set. Maybe even a dog. “As beautiful as it is, this house is on the high end of my budget,” she admitted.
“Can’t you ask your dad for help?” Harper asked. “I mean, isn’t he a gazillionaire?”
“Not quite.” Megan laughed, turning around to sit on the windowsill. “Besides, he’s the rich one, not me.”
Emma dropped into the rocking chair. “Still, if you asked . . . ?”
“I’m sure he would help,” Megan said. “But that’s the last thing I want to do. I want my stuff to be mine, you know?”
Harper gave a firm nod and a quick smile. “And that’s what makes you so friggin’ awesome.” She moved to the crib then leaned her back against the wooden bars. “What about Nash? You’ll live together eventually, right? Maybe he could help you.”
Megan let out the loudest sigh of her life, feeling a thousand pounds pressing against her shoulders. “Right now, I’m trying to figure out how to make Nash and my dad get along, let alone move in to a place with Nash where my father would never go.”
Harper looked on with pity. “I’m sorry you heard us talking about your dad in the hospital.”
“Don’t be.” Megan’s throat tightened. She swallowed, pushing past the thick emotion. “I’m used to it.”
“You shouldn’t be used to it,” Emma said softly. She paused, her eyes turning sad. “It’s just hard, you know, with the history of your dad and stuff.”
“Yes, I know,” Megan agreed. “He’s been really awful to the Blackshaw family. But Nash doesn’t help that. And it doesn’t really change the fact that he’s my dad and he’s never been awful to me.”
Maybe it was something in her voice or her expression, but both Emma and Harper moved closer. Emma leaned forward and placed a hand on Megan’s arm, the warmth of her touch easing the tightness lingering in Megan’s chest.
“We’re here for you, babe,” Emma said. “Whatever you need from us. Whatever we can do to help you, we’ve got your back, and you know that Shep and Chase are there for you too.”
Harper gave a firm nod. “Always.”
“Thanks.” Megan smiled, knowing it probably looked sad.
“Thoughts?” Jannie asked, entering the room, oblivious to the swell of sadness in the room. “Should I draw up an offer?”
Megan nibbled her lip and pondered. She really did love this house and could see herself and the baby in it. “That’s the million-dollar question.”
“Well, no,” Jannie stated firmly. “It’s a two-hundred-thousand-dollar question.”
* * *
Beneath the big shade tree next to the small creek that ran through Blackshaw land, Nash sat in his cedar Adirondack chair in his backyard. The day was too nice to sit inside on the couch, and Gus had whined to get out. Nash had spent the past ten minutes throwing a tennis ball to Gus to get some of his steam out, and enjoying the sunny day. The dog caught the ball then ran back along the grass until he reached Nash, tossing the tennis ball up to land in Nash’s lap. “Good boy,” Nash said.
Being careful not to turn his body, he threw the ball as far as he could, keeping his injured arm still on the armrest. Gus beelined for the ball, doing what Labradors do best. The burn on Nash’s shoulder was an annoying pain until the area was cleaned. That job had been left to his mother, who had come this morning and would return every night to rebandage him up. Which was why his shoulder felt raw and achy.
“Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”
Gus spun around and ran turned toward the voice. Nash glanced over his shoulder finding Shep standing behind him with his arms crossed over his black T-shirt that read BLACKSHAW SURVIVAL. A black blur beelined to Gus announcing Houdini’s arrival. And next to Shep, Chase wore a white T-shirt with BLACKSHAW CONSTRUCTION on his chest. Nash didn’t like the mood that seeing their logos put him in. Of course, he was happy for and proud of his brothers. Damn, they were good at what they did. Shep had government contracts to train soldiers to survive in the wilderness. Chase was currently building a multimillion-dollar log resort out in Colorado Springs. But sometimes, their successes only reminded Nash of his failures. Which maybe got to him more today because his damn shoulder kept him at home.
Staying busy turned his head off.
“I am resting,” he finally answered, turning back as Gus tossed the ball into his hand. He threw the ball again, and Gus went running, and so did Houdini. Gus got to the ball first, but then he dropped the ball for the puppy, who began chewing the ball.
Chase laughed then dropped down next to Nash, handing him a cold beer. “Megan would kill you if she saw you giving me beer,” Nash told his brother. “Apparently meds and beer don’t mix.”
“Good thing she’s not here, then.” Chase lifted his bottle.
Nash clinked his to Chase’s, then chuckled. “Brave when she’s not here. Tightlipped when she is. You’re such a pussy.”
Chase snorted, and after he lowered his beer from his mouth, he said, “It’s not about bravery. It’s about survival.”
