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After I kiss River good night and tuck her into bed, I walk downstairs. As my foot hits the bottom step, I see John is getting ready to leave for the night. Christopher was actually on time to relieve him from staying too late, for once. We walk out together, and I’m in a weird state of mind. Noticing, he pats me hard on the back.
“Want to talk about it?” he asks as we stand on the front porch. His breath comes out as smoke because the temperature is dropping again. I’ve chatted with John about River over the past few months. He knows our history and how infatuated I’ve been with her ever since. There’s no telling what he’s thinking, especially with her showing up on a whim and staying at the B&B. “I’m so fucking happy she’s here,” I tell him. As we watch the late fog roll in over the ground, I try to find the right words to explain what’s going on.
“I didn’t piece together it was her, or I would’ve given you a warning when I saw the booking. But I’m happy if you’re happy. I just can’t help but wonder why she’s here exactly.” John is as smart as a whip, and I know I won’t be able to end this conversation without telling him the truth.
“River came to tell me she’s having a baby. My baby. So, I guess you’re gonna be an uncle to another little one.” I glance over at him and watch his eyes widen.
“I’m. Well. Damn, I’m shocked,” he finally spits out. “Out of us all, I swore Jackson would be the one to knock up someone.” It comes out as a laugh.
“Yeah, I did too, honestly.” I chuckle. “But you know, I’m actually over the moon about it. Maybe it’s not the traditional way, but I think everything is going to work out just fine.”
He pulls me into a brotherly hug. “I’m happy for you. I’m going to spoil the shit out of that little one.”
Our laughs echo across the pasture.
“So now what?” John tucks his hands into his pockets and starts walking toward his truck as I follow him.
“She’s moving here. We’re gonna raise us a Bishop, together. Here. The best place in the entire world for a kid to grow up, honestly.” As the words leave my tongue, pure happiness covers me. Never in my life would I have expected this, but River makes me want to go from zero to fifty in a heartbeat. I’m just happy I’ll be holding her hand on our next adventure.
“Better tell Mama,” he warns. “I’ll pretend like I don’t know.”
“Good.” I give him one last smile before I walk to my truck, but once I’m inside, I sit there and stare up at the room where River is sleeping. Yesterday, she was a thousand miles away, and today, she’s within arm’s reach. Dreams do come true and good things happen to good people. With anyone else, it would have been a curse, but for me, having a baby with River is nothing short of a blessing.
I sleep like shit. Tossing and turning knowing my woman who’s carrying my baby is at the B&B drives me fucking crazy. I want nothing more than to drive over there, crawl into bed with her, and never let her go. Ever.
But we’re taking it slow.
And I’m going to try to hold back the reins as best I can, but fuck, I’ve missed her so much; it’s going to take all the willpower I can muster to be the proper gentleman.
If I continue to lie in bed staring at the ceiling as memories and fears rush through my head, I’ll drive myself to drink. And we all know that drinking at four in the morning is a terrible idea. So instead of continuing the insanity, I get up before the roosters crow and get dressed. Considering it’s in the mid-twenties this morning, I dress in thick layers. Just as I’m pouring coffee into my thermos, Jackson stumbles in.
“What the holy fuck?” I glare at him. “Where the hell have you been all night?”
His face is full of smeared red lipstick, and his hair is disheveled. What confuses me the most is the hay stuck to his clothes.
“Don’t worry about it, little bro,” he slurs. Jackson’s a hard worker, so I rarely have to get on him for that, but hell if he isn’t a hot mess most of the time.
“Please tell me you weren’t fucking in the barn again? Romping in the hay like an animal. You do realize it’s cold as hell outside right now?” I arch a brow, wondering if he has a death wish or if he’s just crazy.
He laughs, plops on the couch, kicks off his boots, and closes his eyes. “Why do you think I came home? Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to catch a few z’s before I have to be at work in two hours.”
