Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

He wanted to hear the whoosh, whoosh on the monitor and know the baby was fine.

Sam looked more uncomfortable than Cole had ever seen him. Given that he was the easier-going brother, Cole’s nerves were strung even tighter.

“Just say it.”

Sam eyed him with pity. “Look, Erin said now that Victoria isn’t a threat, you don’t need to watch over her.”

Fuck.

“She’s scared, she’s upset, and she’s been under more stress than she can handle. Just give her some time to calm down and see things more clearly,” her brother said, steering Cole toward the door with a hand on his back.

Cole let him, only because he knew better than to cause a scene and upset Erin, never mind that his entire body had gone into shock. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead at the realization that Erin was ending things.

Doing exactly what he’d told her needed to happen. He’d said himself, when the threat to her was over, he’d be gone. Back to undercover work. Out of Serendipity and out of her life—except for the minute details of raising a child, something they’d never gotten around to hammering out.

Erin had been smart. First she’d tried to make him see they could have a real relationship, but he’d withdrawn or rebuffed her every time. From the moment she realized he couldn’t give her what she wanted, she’d put her armor on. Which was why she’d pulled away the minute she knew his father was out of the woods.

She’d known this day was around the corner, and she was protecting herself. He didn’t like it, hated it in fact, but he respected her

decision because her instincts were right.

It was time for him to wrap things up here and return to his world. His job. The job he loved, Cole was forced to remind himself, even as his stomach clenched and rolled in denial.

“Cole?”

He realized Sam was trying to talk to him. “Yeah.”

“You’re good?”

He forced a nod. “I’m fine. Erin’s right. Victoria’s under guard. When she’s stable she’ll be booked. Your sister’s safe. She doesn’t need me anymore.”

• • •

Erin lay in the hospital bed, hooked up to the fetal monitor, an IV in her arm . . . just in case. She hadn’t asked in case of what. She didn’t want to know.

All her thoughts and whatever energy she had were going toward positive thoughts, calming breaths, and keeping this baby inside her. That was the main reason she’d sent her brother out to the hall, to make sure he waylaid Cole before he was able to get through the red tape and come check on her. The other reason she’d sent Sam to intercept Cole was that she was a coward. She didn’t want to face him and burst into tears. She needed time to get herself together, and to do that, she needed the baby to be okay. Then she’d put the pieces of her broken heart back together.

“Knock, knock!”

Erin recognized the voice. “Come in, Macy!”

The minute her best friend lowered herself next to Erin on the bed, she let the tears she’d been holding back run free. Macy knew exactly what Erin needed and sat while she cried, not questioning her, not asking which part of her completely screwed-up life she was crying over, just hugging her and running a hand over her hair until her tear ducts ran dry.

“Thank you.” Erin wiped her eyes on a too-rough hospital tissue.

“Any time. Where is everyone?”

Erin sniffed. “Mike got an emergency call and Sam’s out doing me a favor.”

Macy nodded. “Okay, so what can I do for you?”

God, she loved her friend. “Can you head over to Nick’s place where I was staying and pack up all my things? You have the spare key to my condo, right?”

Macy nodded.

“Just drop everything off there.”

“Will do. Anything else?”