“Yup, that’ll do.” Megan’s mouth watered at the very thought of all that grease. She’d blame her love of grease on the baby, but she had always loved burgers. Now she just really loved burgers. “Cheese and bacon and anything else you can think of to make it greasier is what I’m looking for,” she called, as Harper moved to the computer at the end of the bar.
Harper’s shoulders shook with her laughter. She hit some buttons on the monitor before she returned with her expression more eager than Megan had ever seen it. “Lunch is on its way,” she said. “Tell us everything.”
Megan took another long sip of her lemonade, gearing up for this conversation. “He was all, We’re going to be fine. Let’s finally be together. Be happy,” she said with the straw between her teeth. “I think this baby is making me all soft because I melted right there on the spot.”
“You guys are going to be so good together,” Emma said. “We’ve all told you that forever.”
“Yep. Exactly.” Harper nodded.
Megan glanced between her two good friends, admitting a truth. “It’s no secret that we have feelings for each other. But then Nash fights with my dad, and all those things seem so complicated.”
“This feud between the families is stupid,” Harper stated snippily. “Both Nash and your dad need to get over themselves. I don’t get why they hate each other so much anyway. Chase and Shep don’t seem to care about your dad at all.”
Megan agreed with a nod. “Well, that’s because Nash and my dad are a lot alike. Both are stubborn, hot-headed, and protective of their families.”
“Which gets neither of them anywhere,” Emma said with a roll of her eyes. “I’ve told Shep a thousand times, this feud between the families has to stop. The saddest part is that you’re the one stuck in the middle.”
Yeah, and that was what truly sucked. Megan swirled the straw, moving the ice around the glass, reeling in the raw and unruly emotion flooding uncontrollably through her. For the few weeks after she’d been with Nash, they had fallen back into their normal banter. During the next couple weeks, she had begun to get . . . emotional. And that wasn’t her. Ever.
The pregnancy had caused all this, she was sure of it.
When she got control of her emotions, she said steadily, “I wish they would both stop fighting long enough to look at me standing there, seeing how much I care about them.”
When things got silent, real silent, Megan glanced up, finding Harper and Emma staring at her. “What?” She laughed awkwardly, suddenly feeling like a spotlight was shining directly on her head.
Emma’s lip was pouty. “My heart hurts for you.”
Harper nodded softly. “It shouldn’t be this way at all. Have you told Nash how his fighting with your dad affects you?”
Megan shrugged. “Again, it’s complicated.”
“It can’t be that complicated,” Harper said gently.
“Yeah,” Emma interjected. “I mean, everything is fixable, right? Nash will do the right thing where it comes to you and your father.”
Megan smiled, wishing, hoping that were true. But she didn’t live in a land where everything was rainbows and sunshine. The dark days of the feud were still there, even with Nash’s father’s passing. “Either Nash or my dad will have to throw up the white flag. And I honestly can’t see either of them doing that.” She forced another smile, not wanting to get too far ahead of herself. “I guess for now, we’ll have to see how all this plays out.”
Harper and Emma nodded.
That’s when a waiter sidled up next to Harper carrying a plate with the burger and salad. “Thanks, Marcus,” Harper said, taking the plate from him and setting it in front of Megan.
“Oh, my God.” Megan’s mouth watered when she picked up the huge burger.
“Wait,” Emma squeaked.
Megan turned her head. “Yes?”
“Are you going to talk to Nash about the feud and stuff?” Emma asked.
“Food first,” Megan muttered, focusing back on the burger. “Then I’ll figure everything out later.” She bit into the burger, and the flavor exploded in her mouth. She shut her eyes and moaned, with Harper and Emma’s laughter surrounding her.
A woman had her priorities.
* * *
Later that evening, Nash rode Bentley back to Shep and Emma’s farm after ending his day at the guest ranch. His thoughts were on Megan and the baby. He’d learned from his days as a professional bull rider that happiness was temporary. Dreams came and went, and all a man was left to do was roll with the punches. Though Nash held out hope that this step forward with Megan was permanent. He finally had what he wanted. Her.
All he had to do was not fuck it up.