“And she’s not even close to being done with us.”
“Happy birthday, old man.”
“Thank you, young lady.”
“Are you excited about going home?”
“I’m excited about getting away from here for three days so that woman can’t bother me.”
“Oh, I know. Me too.”
It’s going to be like a fucking vacation.
Charlotte has been upping her game, especially after Frankee and I went to the police.
Multiple trips to the emergency room for a variety of reasons. Contractions. Bleeding. Water breaking. Pain. Falling in the shower—of course, because I wasn’t there helping her. There is no end to the hell she is inflicting upon us.
I don’t go to the hospital because I know everything she’s doing is a ruse to get me there.
The boy who cried wolf. One day there’s going to be something legitimately going on with her or the baby, and I won’t know. At least probably not until it’s over.
“I hope she’s not crazy enough to show up at your parents’ house.”
“Are you kidding me? She’s totally crazy enough to do that. She’d love nothing more than to meet Katherine—the baby’s namesake.”
“It irritates the fuck out of me that she’d choose your mother’s name when she doesn’t even know her. She probably snooped around on my social media before I blocked her and figured out that I have a close relationship with Kit. She’s probably choosing her name because she thinks I would want to name our daughter after your mom.”
“I love hearing you say our daughter. Say it again.”
“Our daughter.”
Porter pulls me to him and presses our foreheads together. “It’s so unfair that our lives can’t move forward until this shit is over with her.”
I use the word over but that won’t be the case if the paternity test says the baby is mine. It’ll only be the start of my hell. And as much as I love Frankee and want her as my wife and mother of my children, I don’t know if I can drag her into this burning hell with me.
“It’s your birthday. I want you to enjoy it without stressing. Let’s agree not to talk about her the entire weekend.”
“You. My mama’s cooking. And zero conversation about Charlotte and the baby. That’s exactly what I need for the perfect birthday weekend.”
“What time do you want to leave?”
“I was thinking two, but I say let’s hit the road right now.” I want to get out of here before anything happens.
“I don’t have anything pressing, so let’s do it.”
Things are quiet when Frankee and I enter my parents’ house. “Mom? Dad?”
No answer. “I’m not sure they’re home.”
“Both cars are in the drive. Would they be out on the four-wheelers?”
“Mom’s not a big rider.”
“Maybe they didn’t hear us because they’re out back.”
I poke my head out the patio door and call out for them. Nothing.
We go into the house. “Maybe I’m unnecessarily on edge, but I don’t like that no one is answering me.”
We walk down the hallway toward the bedrooms, my fear growing with every step. “Ohh… uh… ooh…”
I stop dead in my tracks. “Turn around. Go back,” I whisper.
“What is it?”
“Gabe…”
Frankee’s eyes widen and her mouth parts before she chuckles. “Oh shit.”
“Go. Now.”
We tiptoe to the living room and sit on the couch, both of us bursting into laughter at the same time. “I can’t believe we just almost walked in on your parents having sex.”
“It’s the middle of the day.”
“We have sex in the middle of the day. All the time.”
“But we’re not in our sixties.”
“Well, we will be one day. And when we are, I hope we still have sex in the middle of the day.”
“I hope I’m still getting some of your pound cake in thirty years.”
“My pound cake?”
“Yes, baby. I love your pound cake.”
“You are so silly sometimes.” Frankee pinches my mouth and kisses my lips. “They’re going to know we’re sitting on the couch because we went looking for them. Should we go to the truck and come back in, so they don’t know we caught them?
“Mom caught us. Seems only fair to return the favor.”
“Porter? Is that you and Frankee?”
“In the living room, Mom.”
“Okay. Give me a minute. I want to put on my head scarf.”
“No rush.”
“I bet she needs to put on more than a scarf.”
“Shut up, Frankee. That’s my mom.”
“I think it’s wonderful they haven’t let her illness stop them from being intimate.”
“I don’t want to talk about my parents being intimate.”
They come into the living room and my mom goes to Frankee first, pulling her in for an embrace. “Sweet Frankee. I’m so happy to see you.”
My mom doesn’t say the words, but I know they’re in her head. She didn’t think she’d ever see Frankee again after she found out about Charlotte’s pregnancy. She thought she’d leave me for good.
“It’s good to see you, Kit. You look well with your rosy cheeks.”
“I got some red blood cells earlier this week. It’s helping with my color. And my stamina.”
No kidding. I know Dad doesn’t mind that.
“Glad you’ll have some energy during the birthday boy’s visit.”
We’re sitting at dinner when Charlotte’s first text makes my phone vibrate. Frankee cuts her eyes at me, and I know she’s unhappy. “It’s on silent.”
“This would be so much easier if you could block her.”
“I know. I wish I could.”
“Ignore it for now. Let’s enjoy being with the family, and we’ll deal with it after dinner.”
I love being home. And I love seeing Frankee bond with my family. I can’t wait until she is officially a Beckman.
Frankee is in the bathroom washing her face. “What does clusterfuck want?”
I take out my phone and read the series of texts that came through during dinner.
Charlotte: Where are you?
Charlotte: Stop ignoring me.
Charlotte: I’m coming to your house if you don’t answer me.
I read the texts aloud to Frankee. “What do I say?”
“Let her know you’re out of town. If she knows you can’t be reached, then maybe she’ll leave
you alone.”
Porter: Out of town.
Charlotte: Where?
“She wants to know where.”
“Lie. You sure don’t want her to suspect you’re here.”
Porter: Nashville.
Charlotte: I wanted to give you your birthday present.
How the hell does she know it’s my birthday? I didn’t tell her.
Frankee comes into the bedroom and I turn my phone around so she can read her response. “What do you think my present could be?”
“She’s probably wanting to give you some dookie chute.”
Fuck, no, she didn’t just say that. “You’re gross, Frankee.”
“I’m gross? She’s the one trying to get you to bang her in the shitter.”
“That didn’t happen with her. It’s never going to happen with her. So let’s stop that conversation right there.”
“Did you check the room?”
“Forgot.”
I get out of bed and look under it. No Bennett or Callan.
Frankee points to the closet and I yank it open. No Bennett or Callan.
Her eyes widen and she points to two pairs of feet sticking out from beneath the drapes. “I don’t guess the boys are hiding in here tonight.”
“Nope. I think we’re in the clear.”
We prowl toward the window like predators after our prey. I hold up one, two, three fingers and yank the curtain back. “RAWWWR!”
Bennett and Callan scream and two streaks take off running for the door. Serves their little asses right.
“Do you smell that? I think one of them shit their pants.”
Frankee grins. “I think you’re right.”
It’s impossible not to fall across the bed laughing our asses off.
“That was sort of mean of us.”
“No way. They deserved that.”
“We have to start checking the room earlier. They do not need to hear conversations about dookie chutes.”
“I don’t need to hear conversations about dookie chutes.”
“Power off your phone. I don’t want our sexy time to be interrupted.”
“Ooh. We’re having sexy time?”
“We’re having birthday sexy time. But you have to be very quiet so no one hears us. Can you do that?”
Fuck, I keep forgetting to tighten the frame on this bed.