“It’s really pretty out here.”
He looks around at the trees and all their changing leaves. “It’s one of my favorite places to be. Ever since I was a kid.”
“It’s really special.”
“We’re you ever going to tell me?” he questions, out of the blue.
I assume he’s talking about the pregnancy, so I answer him honestly. “I probably wouldn’t have told you yet. Rhett was set on keeping it between us until we figured out what to do.”
He nods his head. “Good to know, but I meant about last night.”
“Last night?”
“I came to check on you when I heard you get up. I heard you talking to someone, and there’s only one person you would talk to that late.”
“I didn’t realize you were awake.”
He stares off into the distance as he says, “I came into your room, and you were asleep. I saw your phone resting on your face, and pulled it off. When I did, I saw he was still on the line.”
“Did you hang up?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you say anything?”
“Yeah.”
“Why would you do that? You have no right coming into my room and messing with my stuff. What did you say to him?”
“That we were going to sleep—and that I’d make sure you were taken care of from now on.”
I gasp, covering my mouth with my hand. “Please, tell me you’re lying.”
“Why does it matter? You broke up with him. You said you couldn’t be with him.”
“I’m having his baby. His child!”
“I told you I’ll take care of you. You don’t need him anymore, Kins.”
I rip my phone out of my pocket, trying to dial Rhett’s number, but there’s no reception. I hold the phone in the air, spinning in a circle to get it to work—but there’s still nothing. “I have to call him.”
I hurry back the way we came, slipping a couple times, but managing to make it back to the top on my own. I check my phone again, but there’s no service. “Take me back. Now.”
“Kinsley, you’re making this a bigger deal than it is. It was late.”
I spin around to face him. “No, Carson! You’re rubbing it in his face. Nothing about what you did is okay.”
“Just, calm down. Talk to me, Kins. I love you so much.”
“Carson, no.”
“Baby, this is our chance. We can finally be together.”
I look him straight in the eye, and never second guessing it, I tell him the truth. “I love Rhett. He’s the one I want to be with.”
Carson runs his hands over his face, growling with frustration. He throws his hands up in the air, and starts walking in the opposite direction. Where to, I have no idea.
“Carson, if you don’t take me back, I’ll do it myself!” My threat doesn’t faze him. He just shakes his head and keeps walking.
I straddle the ATV like I did the first time, and turn the key in the ignition. I haven’t actually driven one on my own, but it can’t be that much different than the motorcycle my dad used to have. I get it started, only it’s a lot more powerful than I anticipate. I lurch forward a couple times before I get it going.
“Kinsley! No!”
I hear Carson, but I don’t stop. He didn’t stop for me. I press the pedal all the way down and gun it back to the cabin. The last thing I remember is hearing Carson’s voice in my ear, telling me to hold on.
I never figured out what I was supposed to be holding onto before the daylight was replaced with darkness.
MOM’S GOING ON and on about the pumpkin pie at the club, and how it’s the best it’s been in years. She’s been trying, since she woke up, to get me to go to the social this afternoon. I already told her I wasn’t interested in putting on a suit to eat pie with stuck up people.
Her response? “Then wear a sweater.”
She’s never going to understand that just because she’s living this life, I don’t have to do the same. It was fun when I was a kid, going to huge houses, and parties at the kids’ club, but now, it’s just one big stage for the wealthiest in town to show off.
“You’ll be missing out on a fun time.”
“That’s okay,” I tell her. Luckily, my phone rings, saving me from this never-ending conversation.
“Becca?”
She’s breathing heavy into the phone like she’s been running or something. “Are you at the gym?”
“No, Rhett. I’m just getting to the hospital.”
As soon as she says the words, I start to sweat. I sit down on the couch, preparing myself for what’s coming next. “What happened?”
Before she can explain, she breaks down, sobbing into the phone. “She had an accident on the four wheeler, Rhett. She wrecked and she hit her head. Carson carried her back to the cabin and then we called 911.
“Fuck! I’m on my way.” I hang up my phone, running to my room, grabbing the first pair of pants and shirt I can find.
“Rhett, honey. What is it?”
“Kinsley’s been in an accident. I think it’s bad, Mom.”
She covers her mouth. “The baby.”
“I have to get to her.”
“You can’t drive like this. Let me take you. Your father’s in the garage. We’ll all go.”
My hands are shaking so bad I can barely hang onto my keys. I hand them to her, like she’s going to take my truck instead of her Mercedes. She doesn’t say anything though, only tucking them into her purse.
I message Becca back as soon as I’m sitting in the car, praying she has good news for me.
Rhett: Is she okay?
Becca: I don’t know. They won’t let us see her yet.
I throw my phone on the seat beside me, tipping my head back against the head rest. I spend the next hour and a half reciting every prayer I can think of. I’ve prayed more on the car ride to the hospital than I’ve ever prayed in my life. But I make sure to say each prayer twice—once for Kinsley and once for my baby.
Dad pulls up to the ER and lets me out of the car before going to find a place to park. Once I’m inside, I search for Becca, and I find her cuddled on Wyatt’s lap. “Where is she?”
Kate stands up, walking toward me. “I just left her room. They were prepping her for stitches.”
“Stitches?”
“She hit her head and she has a gash above her eye.”
Becca stands up and hugs me, tears still falling from her eyes. “Go see her, Rhett. She needs you.”
Kate takes my hand, and walks me toward Kinsley. “She can only have one visitor at a time. They’re doing some labs and some tests, but they said it’s okay to sit with her through it all.”
“She’s alone?”
She swallows before shaking her head. “Carson’s with her.”
I take a deep breath before I walk in her room. Carson’s sitting in the chair next to her, holding her hand. Her eyes are closed, but they flutter open as soon as I’m near her. “Rhett,” she whispers.
Carson’s head swings around and I grab him by the back of his preppy sweater, physically removing him from the chair he’s sitting in. It’s my chair. Next to my girl. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“I don’t have to do a damn thing you tell me to do.” He’s about to come at me when Kinsley starts to cry.
“Carson, I need to talk to Rhett. Alone.”
“Sure. I’ll be in the hallway if you need me.” He glares at me before leaving the room with his head hanging. I can’t stand him.
Once I dry Kinsley’s tears, I hold both of her hands, warming them up. She’s so cold she’s practically shivering. “I was so scared. I thought I lost you.”
“The baby, Rhett.”
“What do you mean?” I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t let myself go there on the ride here. I told myself that if she was okay, the baby would be okay, too.