Page 66

“I wasn’t planning on staying forever, Mason. I’m just…cutting my trip a little short. I love you, kid.” I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. “You’re doing great here. I’m proud of you.”

He stepped outside fully and shut the door behind him.

“I thought you and the guys were…together?”

I looked down and shook my head.

“No.”

“Rea…”

I hugged him again, even tighter.

“I’ll call you as soon as I get back. I’ll be with Harley, of course.”

“You can’t go back there, Reagan. Just stay here. If you don’t want to stay in the main house, you could stay in one of the cabins. The guys would let you.”

I pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled.

“Love you. The guys will have Lucky half the time, so don’t worry about missing the little man and his attitude.”

I didn’t give him a chance to keep arguing. I hurried back to Jolene’s truck and told her to go. I didn’t look back at Mason to see if he was still standing there, watching. I couldn’t. I was already so close to fully breaking down.

I said goodbye to Jolene without giving her a chance to say more, just as I had with Mason, and then I hurried up to my room to pack my things. I didn’t have much so it didn’t take long. What took time was sitting down and writing out what amounted to a custody schedule. Writing down the times I’d be forced to give Lucky up felt horrible but I couldn’t be unfair. I wouldn’t do that to the guys.

The longer I stared at the paper, the more I started to worry I couldn’t go back to Dallas. I wasn’t sure I could be that far from Lucky at any given time. Staying at the ranch wasn’t an option, though. I didn’t know what to do.

Lucky’s angry cry startled me from my emotional dumpster fire. He was hungry and he screamed until he latched onto my breast. That was another issue with being away from him. He liked breastfeeding more than he liked bottles. He’d eat no matter what but he was never as happy with a bottle. Walking away from the ranch meant leaving Lucky without his favorite means of eating.

He fell asleep within minutes of feeding and I settled him in his bassinet while I held the notebook again. Staring at him while holding the sheet of paper that would take him from me fifty percent of the time made me feel like a monster. I was giving him up. I was so lost in thought I didn’t hear the guys arriving home or coming up the stairs. I only realized they were home when my bedroom door swung open.

I didn’t have time to hide the notebook I was staring at with a distraught expression on my face.

CHAPTER 44

Reagan

West’s eyes ate up the paper with a fierce intensity. When he looked up at me again, he looked as distraught as I felt.

“No.”

Tate came into the room and took the notebook from me. His big body tensed more and more as he read my words.

“West is right. No. This isn’t happening.”

I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged them tight.

“It is. This…This isn’t working. I want something on paper for us so there’s no confusion.”

“There’s a hell of a lot of confusion if you think you’re leaving and going back to Dallas.” Tate dropped the notebook on the bed beside me and squatted in front of me. “Come downstairs and talk to us.”

I looked over at Lucky and took a deep breath.

“I’m all packed up. I should go so I can get a room for the night.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Mills’ jaw muscles worked as he clenched and unclenched his teeth. “Come downstairs, Reagan.”

Frustration at being ignored bubbled up and I unfolded my body from the bed.