Keep Me Close Page 4

  Lately, Tiff had been trying to get me to have a relationship with my other half siblings. I had seriously mixed feelings about it. The whole thing was a fucking mess. I had seven half siblings in Fireweed Harbor, a small town in Southeast Alaska. I'd never even visited there. Apparently, my mother had worked a summer job there and gotten pregnant just before she married my dad.

  “Tiff, please let me figure this out at my own speed.”

  My sister’s sigh filtered through the phone line. “All right. I'm sorry.”

  “I know you want to fix it. You've connected with them, and they sound great, but I just need a little bit more time.”

  “I know, I know. Can you promise not to blow off my calls? That’s what gets me worried.”

  “I promise. I really was busy.” I was always busy with life, but I knew I was grabbing onto an easy excuse. “You coming home anytime soon?”

  “Yeah, I'll be there in a few weeks.”

  “Good. What else are you calling for?”

  “Just to see how you're doing.”

  “Well, I've got news, and it's pretty big.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’m going to be a dad.”

  “Excuse me? What?!” Tiff exclaimed.

  “Yep. I'm as shocked as you.”

  “When did you find out?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “Why didn't you call me right away?” I could practically hear her choking up. My sister was emotional and a total sweetheart.

  “I promise I was gonna call. I was just adjusting to the news before I talked to anyone.”

  “That’s you,” she said softly. “So, um, I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

  “Well, uh, we weren’t dating. I want you to know straight up we used birth control. This is a shock for her too. She wants to have the baby.”

  “And she wants you involved?”

  “Well, she came and told me, Tiff.”

  “Well, but—”

  “Don’t go worrying that she’s some kind of flake. She's not. Her name is Hallie Thomas, and she's a nice person. Her brother's the police chief in Diamond Creek. I'm pretty sure I don't have to worry about her background.”

  “I'm really glad she told you, Chase.”

  “Yeah, me too.” While my brain was still wobbly with the enormity of the news, I was relieved Hallie hadn’t kept this from me.

  “When is the baby due?”

  “In five months.”

  “Wow. Oh, my god. I'm so excited!” Tiff squealed. “Have you told Dad?”

  “I'm having dinner with him soon, so I’m planning to tell him then. I’d rather tell him in person.”

  “Oh, Chase, you know if—”

  “Tiff,” I warned. “Please let me take this one step at a time. I’m not ready to talk to my new family about the baby on the way that I just found out about yesterday. They've invited me out to meet them, and I'll go when I'm ready.”

  “I know. It’s just, your baby will be their relative.”

  “I know.”

  “All right. I'll back off,” she said, her tone softening.

  “No, you won't,” I replied with a wry chuckle. “But I love you anyway.”

  My sister laughed. She had a giant heart, and she was kind to everyone.

  “Can I meet Hallie?”

  “I have to sort things out with us. And, yes, you will meet her, but I'm not going to force you on her immediately. I've only seen her twice.”

  “When are you going to see her again?”

  “I'm going to meet her in Anchorage next weekend. She’s already said I can come to her doctor’s appointments.”

  “Oh, well, that's a good sign.”

  “That's what I thought.”

  “If and when you decide to reach out to your brother, please let me know.”

  “As if you wouldn't know before I even did,” I teased lightly.

  Tiff let out a sigh. Although she might be pushy about family in general, she didn't defend our mom because she had her own crosses to bear on that.

  “Love you,” she said. “Please keep me in the loop.”

  “Love you too. You're totally in the loop.”

  She laughed again, and we ended the call. Because she couldn't help herself, she texted me right after we hung up. You can ask Archer about Rhys Cannon. He'll tell you all about him.

  Archer Cannon was a friend I’d gone to elementary school with. He’d moved away and come back this year. Turns out, Archer was actually my cousin through this whole convoluted situation. Rhys was his cousin and my oldest half brother from the family I hadn’t known I had. Small fucking world.

  Me: Tiff, love you. I’ll talk to Archer about this when I’m up for it.

  She sent me three hearts and hug emoticons in return.

  Aside from finding out my father wasn’t my bio father, I never knew my bio dad, and by all accounts, he’d been a decent guy. Now, he was dead. My mother had sliced him out of my life. I was profoundly grateful for the father of my heart, but I kept wondering what I’d missed.

  To make matters even more complicated, this newly discovered family was seriously wealthy. An attorney had been in touch about ensuring I was included in the family business. I had mixed feelings about that because I didn't want it to seem like I wanted the money. For fuck’s sake, I didn't need money. My life was perfectly fine just as it was.

  That evening, I decided to text Hallie.

  Me: Hey, how's it going?

  She replied quickly.

  Hallie: Good. How are you?

  Me: Pretty good.

  Hallie: Are you going to start texting me every day?

  Me: I just might. Is that a problem?

  Hallie: No, it's not. Maybe we can get to know each other this way. Tell me your three favorite things to eat.

  Me: Macaroni and cheese. Fresh king salmon cooked with butter and lemon. This tater tot casserole my dad made when I was a kid. Unhealthy and delicious. What about you?

  Hallie: Ditto on the mac and cheese. My second would be fresh halibut. Love it. My third is this gooey scallop potato casserole that my mom makes. It's really good and loaded with cheese. Now, I want to try your tater tot casserole.

  Me: I can make it for you.

  Hallie: You can?

  Me: Sure, my dad taught me to cook, and this recipe was a staple in our house. If you'll let me, I'll make it for you sometime.

  Hallie: Deal. Let's do this every day.

  Me: Do what every day?

  Hallie: Three things.

  Me: Okay. So I'll see you at your place, or should we meet somewhere?

  Hallie: Let’s start at my place.

  Me: You got it.

  Hallie: Good night, Chase.

  Me: Good night, Hallie.

  After we stopped texting, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I'd had the hottest night of my life with Hallie, and now she was pregnant. Something was almost innocent about trying to get to know her like this. I couldn't wait to see her again. I was chafing to press for more sooner. Yet we had to get this right. There was a baby involved.

  Chapter Nine

  Hallie

  Lifting my phone, I scanned the screen, double-checking the grocery list I’d texted to myself. My eyes scanned to the text from Chase below it. I couldn't help but smile to myself again. I'd read this silly text more times than I could count all because of how it ended. I can't wait to see you.

  I couldn't wait to see Chase. It had been barely a week since I’d seen him. I already felt like I was showing more. I looked down at my belly, smoothing my hand over it.

  I was nervous, more nervous than I wanted to be. I kept telling myself it wasn't like this was the first time I was going to see Chase. I needed to get used to the idea of him being a part of my life.

  My cheeks got hot all over. Every time I thought of him, vivid memories of the night we spent together came rushing back. I’d felt vulnerable and raw with him in a way I'd never felt with anyone. At the time, I told myself it was because it was a one-night stand and we were never going to see each other again. I’d let my guard down more. So much for one night.

  If my pregnancy was healthy and I had this baby, Chase would be a part of my life for years and years to come.

  I kept telling myself not to want anything from him, not to expect anything, but it was hard.

  “Excuse me?” a voice said.

  I glanced over my shoulder quickly to see a woman behind me. I was blocking part of the cheese section at the grocery store. “Oh, I'm sorry.” I hurried out of the way.

  Chase and I had kept up with our three things a day, which was turning out to be a low pressure way to get to know someone. I felt like this was all happening backward. We'd had hot sex, we were having a baby, and now we were getting to know each other. Funnily enough, I kind of liked it.

  I returned home and put away the groceries. One more night until I saw Chase, and I was seriously impatient. I was sitting on my couch, distractedly watching television when my phone rang. I glanced down to see my sister-in-law’s name flash on the screen.

  I adored Risa and considered her one of my closest friends, which was a gift because I was close to my brother, and it would have been awful if I hadn't liked his wife. I’d told them about my pregnancy just last week. I thought Darren was still adjusting. Sliding my thumb across the screen, I lifted the phone to my ear.

  “Hey, how's it going?” I asked.

  “Fine. How are you feeling?” Risa replied.

  “Good. How’s Darren? Or how is he adjusting to my news?”

  Risa’s throaty chuckle filtered through the phone line. “He wants to know how it’s going with the father, and he offered to help.”

  “I found him, and it went well.”

  “Soooo?”

  “So what?” I returned.

  She let out a huff. “What is he like, and what is his last name? You know Darren's going to look him up.”

  “I know, and that's weird. His name is Chase Mills, and he lives in Willow Brook. He's a firefighter for one of the hotshot crews there. He grew up there. He has a sister, and his father is still alive, and they're close. I already told you that the bartender vouched for him.”

  “Right, but who is the bartender?”

  “She's very nice. Her name is Delilah. She works at Wildlands.”

  “Oh, I think I've been there once. I'm going to ask Jasmine about him.”

  “Huh?”

  “Jasmine Ward. She runs the gallery there.”

  “Oh, that’s right! Chase mentioned he knows her.”

  “I'm sure she knows all about him because Levi Phillips is her brother. He's a hotshot firefighter, and she's married to Donovan, who’s also a hotshot firefighter,” Risa added.

  “Oh, my god. The world is too small,” I muttered. “It doesn't feel right to have you nosing around about him.”

  “You know you want me to,” Risa teased. “Be honest with me.”

  I burst out laughing. “Okay, fine. Maybe a little info would be good.”

  “I might as well get as much information as I can. This man is the father of your baby.”

  “Does Darren think I'm irresponsible?”

  “Whoa. You’re an adult. If you want to have a no-strings one-night stand at any time, that is completely within your rights.”

  “Well, I know that, but he is my older brother, so he might have an opinion.”

  “Yeah, whatever. I don't think he cares. He just wants to make sure the guy is decent and going to be there for you financially.”

  “I think he will be.”

  “I bet he has good health insurance since he’s a firefighter. Maybe you should get married.”

  “Oh, my god,” I sputtered. “You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

  “You're having a baby. That's more serious than getting married,” she replied, her tone pragmatic.

  I sighed. “I know. I hope it's okay. He seems nice, and we'll be okay. Is Darren around?”

  “Actually, he's covering the evening shift because one of the cops is on vacation this week. I thought it was the perfect time to call and get the scoop. I'll follow up and give him all the details so he's prepared when you talk to him.”

  “Poor Chase, he has no idea what dealing with my nosy police chief brother might be like.”

  “He's not stupid. I'm sure he knows your family is going to look out for you. I’ll do my homework on your behalf and talk to Jasmine and have her scout out all the information.”

  I shook my head even though she couldn't see me, laughing softly. “Wow. Well, I guess this is a bonus then.”

  “Totally is. When did you say you were seeing him next?”

  “He’s coming to Anchorage tomorrow, and he’d like to come back and attend my doctor’s appointments with me.”

  “Wow, that's serious.”

  “I don't know. Is it good or bad?”

  “Well, he wants to be involved. I think that's good.”

  “I hope so. I just hope he doesn’t turn out to be a jerk.”

  “Did you think he was a jerk the night you met him?”

  “No, but it was just one night.”

  “Here's the question I have that I don't expect you to answer for Darren: Was it good?”

  I burst out laughing, my cheeks flashing with heat. “Uh, yes. It was the best night I ever had.”

  “Oh my,” Risa said with a low whistle.

  Meanwhile, I was hot all over. Feeling like I needed to shake the heat off my body, I stood from the couch and paced in a little circle around the coffee table.

  “All right. Call me after you see him again. I want to hear about it. Are you going to let him stay the night?”

  “I don't know. Oh, god, I don't know how to do this. I feel like we did it all backward.”

  “All you can do is deal with what's happened. That's it.”

  I took a breath. “Okay, you're right. That's all I can do.”

  Chapter Ten

  Hallie

  Staring at myself in the mirror, I ran my fingers through my hair. I sighed as I studied my reflection. I had plain light-brown hair with a subtle sheen to it. I was doing that ridiculous thing where I tried to make it look styled without looking like I put any effort into it. I rolled my eyes. I turned my attention to my glasses, contemplating if I should stick with the blue frames or change them. I decided to stay with the blue frames.

  I buttoned one of the buttons on my shirt and then unbuttoned it again. Wearing a silky blouse over a fitted tank top was a typical outfit for me because it was comfortable while still being sort of attractive. I couldn't decide how high up I should button my blouse. All the way up didn't make sense, but—

  The doorbell rang. “Fuck,” I squeaked.

  With no more time to obsess over my appearance, I hurried down the hall. I had a small apartment in downtown Anchorage. The main room was a big rectangle with an angled ceiling and windows with a view of Cook Inlet. The kitchen was set to the back, and a short hallway to the side led to my bedroom and a bathroom with laundry.

  Stopping in the living room in front of the door, I realized at the last second that my feet were still bare. My painted purple toenails looked up at me.

  I took a breath and smoothed my hands over my jeans. I was actually sweating. I was usually cold, but pregnancy made me hot. On the heels of another breath, I opened the door.

  “Hi,” I squeaked.

  Chase’s lips kicked up into a smile, and my belly went wild, spinning with butterflies and sending tingles all over. “Hey, Hallie,” he said, his voice low.

  He sounded calm, the opposite of how I felt. My pulse was galloping. I cleared my throat, trying to take another breath, but not getting much air. I stood there, frozen in place.

  “Can I come in?” he asked.

  His eyes dipped down to my bare feet, and my cheeks got even hotter when he lifted his gaze to meet mine again. “I haven't put my shoes on yet,” I explained pointlessly. “Obviously, come on in.”

  I laughed to myself, the silly moment breaking through my anxiety. I stepped back, and he walked in. I watched his gaze scan the space. “Nice apartment.”

  I shrugged as I closed the door. “It's just me, so I don't need much space.”

  “It feels like you have plenty with the high ceiling.”

  He walked to the windows, sliding his hands in his pockets as he did. I took the moment to surreptitiously look him over. He was wearing a pair of black jeans, faded and comfortably molded to his muscled thighs. The sun was starting to lower in the sky, offering a gorgeous view of Cook Inlet with the colors shimmering on the water.

  “Beautiful,” he commented.

  He wore a long-sleeved Henley atop his jeans. I absorbed the way his shoulders filled it out. Chase was built, but then it wasn't as if I didn't know that. I'd felt his muscled back under my palms when I clutched him against me as he filled me and sent me flying.

  I swallowed, my cheeks flashing with heat again when he turned around. I was still just standing there by the doorway, stuck in place. I shook my head, saying, “Let me get my socks.”

  I hurried down the short hallway into my bedroom, sliding on a pair of lightweight socks before returning to the living room and crossing to where he politely waited by the windows. I glanced up. “How was the drive?”

  “It's a pretty drive from Willow Brook to Anchorage and really not that far.”

  “I suppose it isn't. I just haven't been to Willow Brook much.”

  “Had you ever been there before we met?”

  I nodded. “Once or twice. I usually go to Diamond Creek if I need a getaway from Anchorage.”

  “Oh, yeah. You mentioned your brother lives in Diamond Creek, right?”

  I nodded. “He moved there a few years ago.”

  “It's beautiful down there. I've been to the ski lodge.”

  “Oh yeah, that's a nice place. I'm not that great at skiing, though. I stick to the bunny slopes.”

  Chase’s teeth flashed with his grin. “I prefer the backcountry trails. We should go sometime.”

  My stomach growled, and I slapped my hand over my belly.