Worth the Risk (Carolina Rebels 5)

Raelynn rolls over and squints at me. “Elias?”

“Hey. I figured you may want to use a real pillow.”

She glances down at her textbook. “Oh. Yeah. Thanks.” Raelynn closes it and I take it from her so she doesn’t have to get up to put it on the dresser with the other one. She sits up, criss-crosses her legs, and grabs a pillow to hide the fact she’s braless. “Good trip?”

“Yeah.” I sit on the edge of the bed, briefly wonder if I’m crossing a boundary, and then ask, “Are you in school?”

Raelynn grabs the hem of the pillowcase and twists it around her fingers. “Yep. I’ve been working on a business degree for practically forever. I don’t know what I’ll do with it, but at least I’ll have a degree.” She rubs her eyes. “What time is it anyway?” There she goes again. She gave me more than I was expecting, which was a simple yep, but it didn’t take long before she deflected the subject away from her.

“Late enough. Go back to sleep; I was just checking in on everyone.” I stand and walk to the door. “Oh.” I turn around to face her. “My parents, maybe my sister, and a friend of mine are coming here for Christmas during my time off. I only have a few days, but they’ll be here. If it’s okay with you, I thought Jackson could stay in here with you, so my parents could sleep in his room. Derek will sleep on the couch, maybe, so my sister can sleep in Bree’s room. I think that’ll work. What’s the matter?” I ask since she’s frowning, but the moment I ask, it disappears.

“Nothing. Your parents can have my room. Derek or your sister can have Jackson’s. We won’t be here.”

“You won’t?” I ask with surprise. Where is she going? Before I can ask, she speaks again.

“I think I’ll see about visiting a very old friend of mine who I haven’t seen since I left home.” She twirls a strand of her hair. “Yeah, we’ll do that.”

“Oh, okay. Well, you’re more than welcome to stay here with us.”

Her hand drops from her hair as she nods. “Thanks for letting me know. We should get some sleep. G’night, Elias.”

“Yeah, good night, Raelynn.” I leave her room and cross the hall to mine. Well, I learned a few things about Raelynn tonight. She’s earning a degree. There’s a possibility she isn’t from here if she left home, as she said. And I don’t think she likes the idea of me being home for Christmas.

That bugs me a hell of a lot more than it should.

The next morning, I find out when Elias’s Christmas break is and book a hotel room for Jackson and me during that time. The idea of being here during the holiday and intruding on his family time nearly made me sick to my stomach when he told me about it. I didn’t even know he had a sister because he hadn’t mentioned her. Just like I need to ask about Bree’s mom, but for some reason, I haven’t done that yet.

I felt horrible wasting my money on a hotel room, too, but I can’t imagine being here during that time. It was a bit awkward spending Thanksgiving with his teammate. Nice, but I felt out of place. I can only imagine how much worse it will be if it’s a holiday with Elias and his family.

“Hey, Raelynn?”

I look up at a nervous-looking Elias and am immediately on guard. “Yeah?”

His mouth opens and closes. “I want to ask you something, but I don’t know how without sounding rude.”

“Oh. Just ask then.”

“Are those all the toys Jackson has?”

My cheeks flush with embarrassment. Thankfully, I’ve always been tan enough that it’s hard to tell when they’re flush. “Yep,” I say, popping the p like usual and trying to sound nonchalant. “He lost a few during the move, but we normally play pretend or build a fort or read books.” Damn it. Maybe I should’ve bought Jackson some more toys while Elias was on his road trip, but I didn’t think about it. I went with what he needed.

I want to save up as much money as I can with what Elias pays me. Who knows when I might lose this job or need that money for a rainy day. My current rainy day fund is nonexistent, so it definitely needs to be built back up. Jackson hasn’t even asked for anything lately. Have I been too distracted by Bree that I’ve neglected him somehow?

“It’s fine, Raelynn,” Elias says as if he can read the panic on my face. “Can I pick him up from school today?”

“Why? No.” I shake my head before he can tell me why he wants to do this. “He won’t know to look for you and it might freak him out.”

“Like it’s freaking you out right now,” he lightly teases me. “I just want to pick him up and take him somewhere. You and Bree can come.”

“Where do you think you’re taking my son?” My heart beats wildly in my chest as if he told me he planned to kidnap him. I’m officially crazy.

Before Elias can answer

, the doorbell chimes a sound throughout the house. He stands and goes to answer it, Bree on his hip.

“Is Raelynn here?”

My body freezes at that voice. It’s older, manlier, but it sounds like...no. It can’t be.