TKO: Total Knock Out (TKO 1)

“Oh God, someone get the helium away from him! You are such a jackass!” I slap his arm, but I can’t help but laugh. My face turns a few shades of red; I am mortified but no one seems to be paying attention, thank God.

“Wow, he’s really rooting for us, huh?” Garrett jokes, reaching out to touch me; he gets too close and I move back. His magnetism is drawing me toward him. His tenderness is melting my soul.

“Yeah, seems like he is.” I wander off, ready to get this party started, and after popping a pepper jack cheese cube into my mouth, it’s time.

Too many presents later and a few garbage bags full of trash, it was time to play games. Whitney wanted to smack the shit out of everyone who tried to guess the size of her belly and guessed way too big. She informed us she was not a whale and just for that, she wasn’t announcing what they were having until after the baby was born.

Ah-ha, so she does know the sex of the baby. I can’t believe she hasn’t slipped up and told anyone yet. Howard just smiled at her and went along with all of it. He opted out of playing that game because he said, “I want to make sure I get lucky tonight.”

Well played, Howard.

After all the festivities, everyone sat around talking until it got dark. No one managed to bring up the fights or anything that would cause any sort of awkwardness. I watch Whitney and Howard being so intimate with each other, and wonder if things hadn’t gotten so twisted with Garrett if we could’ve been that way. Hiding my feelings from him is torture. The hardest part of the evening is seeing him watch me walk out. I wondered if he would come after me, but when he didn’t, I continue to my truck with my head held high. So far I was doing just fine.

Chapter 19

Garrett

I think I fell even more in love with Raegan when I found out she wanted to throw Whitney a baby shower. I’m not too sure how this kind of stuff goes since I’m a guy, but I know most pregnant women have one, and with Mom being gone, I wasn’t sure how she would.

Yes, I love Raegan. How do I know since I’ve never been in love? I just know. It’s the way my day begins and ends with her. She’s the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing in my mind before I go to bed. She consumes my every thought but unfortunately we’re both so damn stubborn we get nowhere.

My attempt to speak to her at the shower went fairly well until Lance’s dumbass solo. I wouldn’t just fuck Raegan, I’d make love to her. God, what is this woman doing to me?

Just when I thought she was the only woman pissed at me, Whitney practically lost her head when I misjudged the size of her belly. I should have been smart like Howard and just opted out.

Lance’s way of helping to clean up was deflating more balloons; I walked up and smacked him in the back of the head. “Aww, dude what the fuck was that for?”

“I had her talking to me and you walk up singing that ridiculous fucking song.”

“You know that was genius, so don’t give me that shit, Garrett. You wanted to sing along, admit it.”

I threw a plastic cup at his head and when it hit the ground, Raegan just glared at me. To make peace I immediately picked it up and tossed it in one of the many black trash bags that covered the floor. I swear I

saw the corners of her mouth curl up but she would hardly let me see. I adore her smile, I love everything about her but she’s so damn guarded. I helped Howard move all the presents into the baby’s room while the girls had their talks; I didn’t care to listen to any of it.

“Damn, ya’ll racked up,” I commented, shoving more presents into the nursery. “So are you going to tell me whether I’m having a niece or a nephew?”

“Yeah, so she can punch me in the nuts later?” Howard shook his head. “Sorry, your sister would kill me.”

They went neutral with the gifts; I bought a swing and a playpen and immediately hated it once I began putting it all together. Too many screws and tiny pieces.

“Why don’t you go try to catch Raegan before she leaves and talk to her, then come back tomorrow and you and I can get this room set up for Whitney. She would love it and it would take some stress off her shoulders.”

“Yeah, man, sounds good.” I stand up, making my way out of the baby’s room, which had been painted a soft cheerful yellow. But when my gaze meets Raegan’s, she hurries out the door. As badly as I wanted to run out and talk to her, instead I sat beside Whitney and talked to her and my niece or nephew. I told them all kinds of stories about their mom and uncle. Stories from when we were younger playing in the tree house Dad built, and camping at the lake. Whitney tears up from laughing but her tears soon turn distraught when I tell the baby how much their grandparents would have loved to meet them.

She rests her head on my shoulder and sobs. Times like this, we miss our parents so much. The advice, the love, we miss all of it. Whitney won’t talk about it but I know she misses them, especially Mom. Every woman needs her mom around when she’s getting ready to have her first baby, get married.

“They would be so proud of you, Whitney.”

“Yeah, I know. They would also tell you to fight for what you want.” I knew she was right. Howard emerges from the baby’s room and sees her crying and asks if everything is all right.

“Yeah, babe, I was just missing Mom and Dad. I’m good though, I have you and Garrett. I love ya’ll so much.”

Howard sits beside her, cradling her in his lap, and I took that as my cue to leave. “I love you too, sis. Howard, I’ll be back tomorrow to help set all that up. Ya’ll have a good night.”

Driving home seemed to last forever because Raegan was still on my mind. I wish my Mom were alive to give me advice about her but Whitney was right. Mom would tell me to fight for what I want, and dammit, I want Raegan. No more excuses, no more backing down. I’m Garrett fucking Johnson and I don’t back down for anything. I’ll fight for her; I’m in love with Raegan Montgomery and there’s nothing anyone can do to change that.

Chapter 20