Page 95 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

I followed her out of the room and down the hallway, back into the living room. She went right for the couch, covering a yawn with the back of her hand, before snuggling right back underneath her blanket.

“Can I show you something?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

“Okay. Hang tight.” I went right for the door, hustling outside. Then I jogged over to the cabin, noticing the charred backside that had escaped me before.

There was one more thi

ng I wanted to do tonight. One more thing to bring me closure. And now that Piper knew about Shannon and the baby, I wanted to do it with her by my side.

Rushing inside the house, I went straight to the bedroom closet, retrieving the box I’d stashed there. I tucked it under one arm, then grabbed the duffel bag I’d dropped earlier on the couch. It was full of the clothes and toiletries I’d bought in Bozeman for my stay there. I took it all back to Piper’s, leaving the duffel by the door and settling next to her on the couch.

“Sorry.” She jerked when my weight hit the cushions, her eyes popping open.

I set the box on the coffee table. “We can do this later. Why don’t you go to bed?”

She shook her head, sitting up a bit. “No, it’s okay. What’s in the box?”

Leaning forward, I flipped off the lid. “When I left Bozeman, this box was the only thing I brought with me other than my truck.”

Piper sat up just as I lifted out the pink baby blanket. Then I pulled out one item at a time, handing them to her to see. Beneath the blanket was a grainy black and white ultrasound photo. Next to it was the list of baby names Shannon and I had been debating.

Ten on her side. Ten on mine. All but two had been crossed off.

Morgan and Beckett.

“Shannon didn’t want to know if we were having a boy or a girl. We’d been in the middle of narrowing down names.” She never got to know that we’d had a girl.

The last item in the box was a pair of tiny, pink work boots that were the same style as the ones I wore every day.

I grinned as I pulled them from the box. “My mom bought these. She told me that even if we had a boy, he’d have to wear them because she couldn’t find blue.”

“They are so cute.” Piper smiled. “I’m glad you kept them.”

“Me too.” I leaned into her side, and she leaned back. “I haven’t looked at all this in years. I just boxed it up and set it aside. Kind of like I have with a lot of things. But . . . I’m trying.”

“I know you are,” she said softly.

“Thanks for letting me show you.”

She rested her hand on my knee. “Anytime.”

We stared at the items for a few moments, then Piper and I both carefully repacked the box. When the lid was closed, a weight had been lifted.

Piper lay out on the couch again, righting her blanket. I bent down and untied my boots, then kicked them off and relaxed into the seat, stretching my legs under the coffee table.

My eyes landed on the book of baby names. “I told my mom about you and the baby. I’ll have to call her tomorrow and tell her we’re having twins.”

“My parents are excited too. My mom keeps sending me baby gifts.” Piper shifted, trying to get comfortable. But she was doing her best to keep her feet off my side of the couch.

I took both of her ankles in my hands and pulled them across my lap. When her bare feet were resting on my thighs, I took one and began massaging the arch.

“My god,” she moaned, the sound going straight to my dick.

“Have you picked out any names?” I asked, hoping it would distract me enough I wouldn’t get hard.

She hummed. “I was thinking about Robert and Gabe if they’re boys, after both of my granddads.”