Holiday Baby Scandal

Laney patted his back, meeting Ryker’s gaze over Braden’s shoulder. “I’m fine. The only time I’d ever been in physical danger was with Shane.”

And thanks to Ryker, Shane was a nonissue.

Laney stepped back, smoothing her sweater over her torso. “Since we’re talking work, I have a house out in Bradenton that has several antiques that could be of interest. The owner actually called me today asking if we could come look and discuss adding them to the spring show. I’ll give you a heads-up. The price they’re wanting is a bit over what I would estimate. But I haven’t seen them.”

“I’ll go.” Ryker shoved his hands in his pockets. Laney wondered if that penny was still there after his emotional purging session the other night. “Now that the scrolls have been found, I won’t be so tied up and consumed with them. I’ll do something normal for a change.”

Laney held her breath while Mac and Braden stared at Ryker. After all that had happened—her pregnancy, finding the scrolls—Laney prayed her brothers kept Ryker in their brotherhood.

“You do that,” Braden finally said. “Good change of pace for you, and it’s only thirty minutes away.”

Laney let out the breath she’d been holding. “I’ll let them know you’ll be there the day after tomorrow.”

“All this excitement has me exhausted.” Zara circled the group until she came to stand next to Braden. The look she gave her husband implied that she was more than ready for their company to leave. “Ryker, thank you, and please don’t think a thing about tearing up the staircase.”

Shifting in his stance, Ryker rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “I’ll fix it, you have my word.”

“I’m going to head on home,” Laney told them all. “I’m pretty tired, and it’s way past my bedtime.”

She gave her brothers a hug, said her farewells to Jenna and Zara, and when she turned to Ryker, there was no mistaking that hard look he gave her.

“Fine. You’ll drive me home, and I’ll get my car tomorrow. You don’t even have to say it.”

“Just to make sure she’s safe,” Mac chimed in.

Laney whirled. “Not now. We’ve had a good night. Let’s not get into another pissing contest. His eye still hasn’t healed.”

“I can speak for myself,” Ryker added. “I’ll take her home, and from that point it’s nobody’s business.”

Braden opened his mouth, but Zara elbowed him in the side. “You love them both. Let them figure out their own relationship.”

Braden kept his eyes on Ryker, but Ryker only let out a slight grunt. “I get it,” he said, holding his hands up. “If I hurt her, you’ll bury me, nobody will find me. You all are the only ones who would look anyway.”

Laney placed her hand on Ryker’s arm. “Braden and Mac will get over it. We’re having a baby. Let’s focus on that for now.”

She couldn’t help but borrow his earlier verbiage. Everything that was happening between her and Ryker was going minute by minute. That’s the only way her brothers could take it, as well. Besides, how could she tell them what was going on, where she and Ryker were headed, when she didn’t know the answers herself?

Silence surrounded them, and Laney was beyond done with all this veiled testosterone tossing.

“Get her home safely,” Braden finally said before Laney could open her mouth.

“That’s what he’s done for years.” She had to remind them of how loyal Ryker truly was. And wasn’t that ridiculous? He’d been around for decades and had proven himself over and over. “Ryker isn’t the one who betrayed you. Remember that.”

Laney marched from the room. Still thrilled about the scrolls, she tried not to let her brothers’ archaic attitude ruin her mood. She didn’t care where Ryker took her, his house or hers. She intended to show him just how thankful she was about his discovery.

Sixteen

Whether it was due to the euphoric state of finding the missing scrolls or the fact that he held Laney until she fell asleep, Ryker didn’t know, but he’d been unable to relax in her bed. Last night, after they’d left Braden’s house, Ryker had every intention of going to his place, but Laney had nearly crawled in his lap in the car, suggesting they go to her house because it was closer. Who was he to argue?

Now he wished he were anywhere else. As he sat in the middle of one of the spare bedrooms, Ryker glanced at all the pieces to this crib. How did all of these damn pieces go together? The picture on the large box in the corner showed what he should end up with, but he’d never built a crib before. Hell, he’d never built anything. His hands had always been used in other not-so-innocent ways.

Ryker glared at the directions, trying to make sense of the pathetic diagrams. Why the hell didn’t the company just send someone to assemble the damn thing when you ordered it?

He’d known she’d been looking at furniture, but until he’d walked past the spare bedroom this morning on his way to get coffee, he’d had no idea she’d actually bought a crib. He couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to wake Laney, so he figured he?

?d give it his best shot.

He’d stood in the doorway so long just staring. It had never occurred to him where the nursery would be—her house or his. Both? This was where things started to get even murkier. He didn’t want to concentrate on all the reasons this path he was on could go wrong.