Jack's Surrender (Holiday Cove 5)

“Yeah, it’s kinda fucked up right now. But that doesn’t mean you can’t turn it into something great. She’s pissed off right now. Hurt. All these woman things. And I bet that baby growing inside her has her girlie hormones all fucked up. But she’s not going to stay that way forever. And even if she does, you two will figure it out.”

I scoffed softly. “You keep saying that, but so far it’s all gone from bad to worse. I really can’t see a light at the end of this particular tunnel.”

“I’m saying it because I believe it.”

“She thinks I want to be with Kourtney. She saw us talking in the hangar.”

“Do you?”

I scoffed. “No, I want Holly. Ever since the day we met.”

“Did you tell her that?”

“Like a million fuckin’ times.”

“Then I guess it’s time for a million and one.”

I looked over at him. His face was stone-cold serious. Aaron wasn’t the kind of guy to talk about happily ever afters or things like soulmates or destiny. He wasn’t bullshitting me or spoon-feeding me what he thought I wanted to hear. He truly believed there was still hope and at that moment, clinging to his hope was the best I could do because all of mine had vanished.

The following morning, I woke up before the sun even started to rise and went for a long run down the coast with Princess. Hunter was still snoozing on the couch when we left, which was fine with me. Holly hadn’t trained him to be a good running companion. He would get distracted by seagulls, large chunks of driftwood, or even his own paws if I tried to get him to keep up for a run. The run was supposed to clear my head and help me get re-centered, but even after logging six miles, I returned to Aaron’s house feeling cagier than before.

As soon as I grabbed a shower and a cup of coffee, I grabbed my rental’s keyring and headed to the hospital. I had no idea what time Rachel and Carly were planning to arrive, but I wanted to be there first thing to see if maybe overnight she’d changed her mind on letting me see her. Aaron came down the stairs as I was getting ready to head out and Gemma wasn’t far behind.

“Are you going to the hospital?” Gemma asked as she breezed past me on the way to the kitchen. She was already dressed in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and a ballcap over her long ponytail. Aaron, on the other hand, looked half-asleep as he zombie-shuffled to grab a cup of coffee.

“Yeah. Visiting hours start about now, don’t they?” I already knew the answer, having asked the nurses the day before, and I wanted to be there if by some chance, she asked for me.

Gemma nodded and grabbed a cup of yogurt from the fridge. She tore the top off, grabbed a spoon and braced a hip against the counter. “She has some tests this morning though, so it might be a little while before she’s back in her room. They’re doing an ultrasound and some additional tests to make sure she and the baby are all right. I wouldn’t expect to see her before noon.”

“Shit.” I sighed, feeling like a suddenly deflated balloon. “Guess I need to reschedule my flight and call my boss.”

Aaron perked at this. “You’re still going back?”

“At some point, yes.”

Aaron glared at me. “Even with a kid on the way?”

“Aaron…” Gemma said, shooting him a warning look.

“What am I supposed to do? Go back to flying tourists around?” I countered, my temperature rising. “You know the reasons I left a few months ago. None of them have changed. Well…”

“Woah, hold on. This is from the guy who told me last night, right out there—” he gestured out the garden window over the sink to the gravel driveway beyond— “that everything had changed now that he’s going to be a father. Which is it, Boomer? Nothing has changed? Or everything?”

“Aaron, it’s really none of our business,” Gemma said softly.

“Hell yes, it’s our business,” Aaron replied.

I held up a hand. “No, it’s fine. I’ll answer the question.”

Gemma sighed and went to make her own cup of coffee.

I fixed Aaron with a cold stare—not that he even flinched. “My life has changed, or is going to change, in a huge way. But I still need to make a living. I still need a house to live in and money in the bank.”

“And what? I wasn’t paying you enough?”

“Not enough for Holly apparently!” I threw my hands in the air. “She’s not happy unless I’m some…some…well, that boss of hers. Some big shot guy with a boat and a mansion—or two.”

Gemma turned back and glared at me. “That’s not fair and you know it, Jack. Now, I totally understand if you don’t want to do the tourist flights if that’s not your thing, but you can’t pin that shit on Holly. She works her ass off to run her business and now at her new job. She’s not some entitled bitch who spreads her legs for some sugar daddy. I know you’re angry and hurt right now, but she’s my friend and I will not let you paint that ugly picture of her just because you’re pissed off!”