We talk about anything and everything for another fifteen minutes or so before Knox starts to stir. “Looks like someone’s hungry.” I point the phone back to him so she can see him. His little lip, which was just tilted in a smile, is now jutted out. He’s getting ready to cry. “I better change him and get him fed.”
“Give him a hug from me.”
“Will do. Talk to you soon. Hey, uh . . . Reagan’s coming over Saturday night to watch the fight with us. You and Dawn are welcome to come.”
“I have plans with my parents’ this weekend.”
“Right, of course. Well, if you change your mind, you know where we’ll be.”
“Okay,” she says softly.
“Goodnight, sweet girl.”
I slide my phone in my pocket then walk through the house, turning off all the lights and locking the door. Upstairs, I change his diaper and settle into the rocker to give him his bottle. He takes it like a champ as always, and then he’s right back to sleep. After placing him in bed, I make sure the monitor is turned on and quietly close his door.
I take a long, hot shower and feel exhaustion setting in. Slipping into some boxer briefs, I climb into bed. As soon as my eyes close, I hear the vibration of my phone on the nightstand. I debate on letting it go until morning but decide against it. I reach for it and see a new text message.
Kendall: Good night.
Me: Good night.
I drift off to sleep with a smile on my face and thoughts of the beautiful Kendall.
Chapter 26
Kendall
Today has flown by. I had a text when I woke up from Ridge—just a “good morning, have a good day,” but really it was more than that. It’s the fact that I was on his mind when he woke up. He’s on mine too, been there for days. Mom called about two hours ago and said they were on their way home from the airport. They invited Dawn and me to dinner this evening, but I suggested we bring dinner to them. They’ve been traveling, and I’m sure going out to dinner is the last thing they want to do. Mom happily agreed, so I told her we’d be over around seven.
“You sure you’re good with hanging out with my parents’ tonight?” I ask Dawn.
“Seriously, Kendall? I can’t wait to hear about their trip.”
“Okay, just thought I’d check.”
“I’m ready to go, you?” she asks.
“Yeah, I just need to grab my phone from my room.” I grab it, throw it in my purse, and we’re off to pick up the pizza.
My parents’ are on the front porch when we pull in. Their arms are around each other, and they’re both wearing relaxed smiles.
“You two look great,” I say in greeting.
“That’s what two weeks of pampering will do for you,” Mom replies.
“We need to take a cruise, Kendall,” Dawn says.
“I agree. We should look into that, for sure.”
“Come on in, girls, and fill us in on what we missed,” Dad says, holding open the door.
“We want to hear about the trip,” I tell him.
“Your mother took a ton of pictures.” He laughs.
We devour the pizza and listen to them tell us all about their vacation. “Tell us about you two. What have we missed?” Mom asks.
“Kendall has a boyfriend,” Dawn sing-songs.
I smack her arm. “What the hell?”
Mom and Dad laugh. “Oh, really? And who is this guy? Is he worthy of my little girl?” Dad asks, amused.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“He wants to be.” Dawn laughs.
“What do you want?” Mom asks.
Have I mentioned that my parents’ are amazing? Not one day growing up did I not ever feel loved and wanted. I owe them everything.
“I-I don’t know.”
“Liar,” Dawn taunts.
I seriously need to look for a new best friend.
“Fine, I . . . like him. Okay, there, I like him.”
“And . . . ?” Dad urges with a smile.
“And, he says he likes me. He’s a single father.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Mom asks.
I sigh. “Nothing. His baby is adorable, but his mother, she didn’t make it. He’s only a month old and I just . . . I don’t think he’s ready, and I don’t want to be the rebound girl.”
“How do you know you will be?” Dad asks.
I just stare at him, waiting for him to say more.
“How do you know what the relationship was? I can tell you that if he loved her, he wouldn’t be ready to move on, telling you that he likes you,” he says.
“Thank you!” Dawn exclaims. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her for days now. She needs to get his story.”
“We’ve talked about it, but he said he wants it to be face to face. We just haven’t had the time. We both work, and he has his baby to take care of.”
“Bring the baby to us, and you two can have a night out,” Mom suggests. “It’s been years seen I’ve had a little one to cuddle.”
“Speak of the devil, that’s his sister calling now,” Dawn says, holding up her phone.
“Do we know them?” Dad asks.
“Do you remember Reagan Beckett? I graduated with her?”
“Yeah. Nice girl, that one,” he says.
“It’s her older brother, Ridge.”
“Beckett Construction?” Dad laughs. “I take it having you check in on him worked out for both of you?”
“It didn’t hurt.” I cross my arms over my chest. I really want to laugh too, but I’m biting my tongue.
“Sure, thanks for the invite. I’ll talk to Kendall and one of us will get back with you,” Dawn says, ending the call. “Reagan invited us over to Ridge’s house tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, they’re all watching the fight.”
“Did he invite you?” she asks.
I nod. “He invited both of us, but I told him I wanted to catch up with Mom and Dad.”
“Nope, not happening, sweetheart. Do not hide behind your mother and me,” Dad mock-scolds me.
“I already turned him down,” I whine.
“Yeah, but you didn’t turn Reagan down.” Dawn smirks.
“That will make me look desperate.”
“No, it will make you look interested, which you are,” my mother corrects me.
“What is this, ‘gang up on Kendall day?”
“No, it’s helping Kendall see what’s right under her nose. Help her see that risking getting her heart broken is worth it. It’s trying to get you to see that there is that one person out there who will love you like your father loves me,” Mom says defiantly.
“Hey, Reagan, it’s Dawn. Hey, listen. I talked to Kendall, and we’re in. We’re with her parents now, so we are suddenly free tomorrow night.” I hold my breath, waiting for what she’ll say next. “Okay, great, see you then.” She ends the call. “We’re supposed to meet Reagan at her place at seven. I guess the preliminary fights start at eight.”
Taking a deep breath, I slowly release it. “What do we need to bring?”
The three of them cheer at my acceptance of the situation.
I love my crazy family.
The next day, Dawn and I tag-team cleaning the house then just kick back and relax in the afternoon. She keeps grinning at me, more excited about this than I am. That’s when it hits me—there must be more.
“What are you so happy about?”
“I want you happy,” she says.