Stealing Hearts (Wild at Heart #1)(72)

That’s when Cash and Trig McAllister walk up, and Trig yells, “Damn, Walker. Were you keeping your friend with bennies on standby in case your marriage didn’t work out?”

My eyes widen.

Rhett whips around, and when he sees me, his face goes blank. What does that mean? Is Trig right?

What the hell? Did Rhett deliberately not end things with Darlene in case he and I went south?

Cash elbows his brother. “Don’t listen to him, Paige. Trig’s just being an asshole.”

But it’s too late. I heard it. So did the rest of the town. The Amber meltdown was bad enough, but now the gossips will be talking about this for months.

I turn on my heel and race through the crowd. Baylee follows me, and when we reach the parking lot, she hugs me.

Over her shoulder, I see a woman giving some guy a blow job. Headlights flash across the man’s face and recognition hits me. He’s older now, but still familiar. Kacey Miller’s still a player. Some things never change.

Behind me, someone calls my name, but I’m not ready to talk to anyone, much less Rhett. Baylee takes my hand and pulls me to her car, and I jump in.

“Take me home.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come to my place?”

It’s tempting. Because right now, I want to hide under a rock for the next ten years until the humiliation of tonight wears off. I have a feeling it’s going to take that long to get over this.

Except I know I can’t do that.

Even though I’m hurting, if I want this marriage to have a shot, I can’t run away when times get tough.

When I get back to the ranch, it’s dark and quiet. The boys are asleep. I thank Pauline for babysitting, and she heads home.

Truthfully, I have no idea what I’ll say to Rhett. When I reach our bedroom, I’m too upset to crawl into our bed, so I grab my pillow and some blankets and curl up on the couch. I’m exhausted. If I fall asleep, I suppose we can talk in the morning.

I try to wait up for Rhett, but sleep overpowers me.

And in the morning, he’s already gone.





37





PAIGE




Wordlessly, I flip pancakes on the griddle.

“Is it okay that we’re having pancakes for lunch?” Gabriel asks.

“Of course.” Frankly, I don’t give a fuck if Rhett has a problem with it. That asshole left for work this morning without a word. It’s past time for lunch, and he still hasn’t returned. Neither have his brothers.

In fact, now that I think about it, their text message group has been strangely silent.

It makes me wonder if they cut me out of it. Or if they started a new one without me.

My throat closes up, and I take several deep breaths so I don’t lose it.

When I finish making lunch, I serve the boys, and the three of us sit down to eat. I force myself to smile and chat. It’s not their fault their father is a dickhead.

I could call him, but damn. He’s the one who made a scene with his former hookup in front of the whole town. Why isn’t he calling me?

I clear my throat. “Boys, did you see your father this morning?”

Gabriel nods as he shovels a huge bite into his mouth. “He was mad because of the cows.”

“What’s going on with the cows?”

He shrugs. “Dunno.”

That’s helpful. “I know I said we could go to the gym this afternoon, but I’m feeling really run-down.” I hope I’m not coming down with something. “Want to watch a movie when we’re done? You two can pick it.”

After lunch, we curl up in front of the TV, but they can’t decide on what they want to watch.

I hand Gabriel the remote, and he starts clicking through the channels and stops on a show about sharks. “I love Shark Week,” he says. “It’s a whole week about sharks. How they attack. Where they swim. What they eat.”

Shark Week. As I nod, something bothers me. Like I forgot to turn off the stove. I check the range, but I turned everything off after I finished cooking.

Shark Week!

Dread spreads through my chest.

When was the last time I got my period?

“Boys, I need to go to the bathroom. Be right back.” I grab my phone and rush to the bedroom. The screen lights up with another notification from the Gazette, which I swipe away.

I wanted something to take my mind off Darlene. Well, I found it.

Frantic, I scroll through my digital calendar. I got my period after the truck sex. It was super light, but I didn’t note anything last month.

Hoping I’m misremembering, I riffle through the cabinet in the bathroom and grab my box of tampons, which is almost full.

I close my eyes.

I’m not misremembering anything. I definitely didn’t get it last month.

I speed-dial the only person I trust to help me figure this out. When Baylee answers, I blurt out, “I think I’m pregnant.”

“Whoa. Whoa. No. Really? Shut up.”

I start to hyperventilate. “I still haven’t spoken to Rhett about Darlene. I slept on the couch, and he was gone this morning. It’s Sunday. He usually doesn’t take off at the ass crack of dawn on Sundays, but he did today.”

“Motherfucker. I’m going to string that man up by his balls.”