Page 20 of Pirates in Calusa Cove (Everglades Overwatch #2)
CHAPTER 17
A week later…
Keaton rolled his truck into Trinity’s driveway, rubbing his chest. He had no idea what she would think of what he’d done to his tattoo. It didn’t change his past. He hadn’t gotten rid of Petra’s name. But he’d felt the need to add Trinity, so he had.
Hopefully, she’d appreciate it.
Part of him hated that he’d moved into one of the free cabins at Dawson’s place. But he couldn’t live at his house anymore. That place needed to be bulldozed and rebuilt.
However, he’d half-expected Trinity to invite him to stay with her, and when that invitation hadn’t come, it had crushed his heart a little. It shouldn’t. They had promised each other to take things slow, date, and do all the everyday things couples do when they first get to know one another. Just because they loved each other didn’t mean they needed to work at warp speed.
But the heart wanted what the heart wanted.
Trinity waved from the front porch. The swelling on her face had gone down. Her nose wasn’t bent quite as badly as he’d expected. The bruising had disappeared. Her shoulder was healing.
Her father was now home, and he was the lucky dog. Emily had moved in with him. Keaton wasn’t jealous. Not one bit. Okay, he was over the moon jealous.
But he didn’t let it show because Monty and Emily were good people and deserved a little slice of heaven.
Keaton had no doubt that he and Trinity would get there. They loved each other. They had a good relationship. They would be going to Oregon together in a couple of days to visit Foster. Life was good.
He slipped from the driver’s seat and jogged up the steps. “Hey, babe.”
“Hey, yourself.” She set her book aside. “How was work?”
“Pretty boring, which is exactly how I like it these days.” He leaned over, giving her a damn good kiss. It was hard, romantic, wet, and sloppy. It was every emotion he could muster into a kiss on the front porch where all her neighbors could see. “What did you do today?”
“Don’t get mad, but I spoke with Fenton.” She crinkled her forehead.
“Not mad.” He eased onto the plush sofa. “What did he have to say?”
“He officially resigned from my father’s dealership, though my dad said he’d give him a good recommendation.”
“That’s nice of him.”
“Even though I think Fenton is a jerk, it’s the right thing to do.” She patted Keaton’s leg. “And Fenton apologized for like the millionth time.”
“You’re a very kind and forgiving woman. I wouldn’t speak to the man.”
“Yet I know you have.” She lowered her chin. “And don’t deny it.”
He raised his hands. “I won’t. But if he told you that we spoke, he should’ve also told you that I told him to stop calling you and telling you that he loves you. That does piss me off.”
“No, he didn’t mention that, but he didn’t tell me he loved me either, so there’s progress.”
“Progress would be for him to go away. If Dawson could’ve found something plausible to arrest him with that would have stuck, he?—”
“Don’t go raising your blood pressure.” Trinity laughed but lowered her gaze, and her cheeks turned red. “At least not right this second because I might be doing that in a minute.”
Keaton arched a brow. “What exactly does that mean?”
“I have been searching for a way to tell you this for a few days.”
“Blood pressure going up.” He jerked his thumb toward the sky but laughed. These days, it took a lot for this woman to make him mad. She could fluster him. She could make his blood run hot, but angry? No, that would take a flat-out lie.
“Remember when I had to go stay at your place, and you forgot to bring over my pills?”
He nodded, crinkling his nose.
“And you were going to get them and pick up a Plan B option, but then I got kidnapped. You remember all that, right?”
“I do, but why are you bringing it up?” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “You’re at home. Pills are up in the bathro—” He tapped his chest, which squeezed and tightened. He struggled to suck in oxygen. “We never got the Plan… What are you saying?”
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
He opened his mouth, but no words tumbled out. He slammed it shut, cleared his throat, and tried again, but got the same result. He blinked and inhaled sharply. A vision of her with a swelled belly filled his brain, and his heart immediately swelled. He swallowed.
“Don’t freak out.” She inched closer. “Breathe, Keaton. Come on, don’t panic on me now. We have options if you don’t want this?—”
“Don’t want it?” He glared. “Of course I want it. I love you. What on earth ever gave you the impression I wouldn’t want a baby with you?”
“Oh, um, I don’t know. The fact you might have mentioned you weren’t sure about having kids. Your past life. My life. The fact that we’ve barely begun dating…” She stared at him with a questioning gaze. “Wait. What? You want us to have this baby together?”
“That’s what normal couples do.” He cupped her chin and leaned closer. “You do love me, right? Or am I missing something here?”
“I love you. This is just a lot coming really fast, like warp speed.”
“I’ve never been able to live like a turtle, so it works for me.”
She chuckled, burying her face into his neck. “This is crazy.”
“Maybe, but now we have some really tough decisions.”
“Like what?” She glanced up.
“For starters, am I going to rebuild my house for us to live there? Or do you want to live here?” He pressed his finger over her lips. “It doesn’t have to be decided today. But one thing we do need to figure out is the wedding, because do we really want to let Audra and Dawson get the jump on us?”
She jerked her head back. “Why, Keaton Cole, that isn’t even a proposal. Maybe I don’t like flowers, but I like jewelry. Not to mention, I’ve always wanted the white dress and stuff, and what’s with this idea that you just think because I’m pregnant, I’m expected to marry you? Do I need to start with the name-calling?”
His smile quickly turned into a full-on laugh.
“Do not make fun of a woman with raging hormones.” She poked him in the chest.
“Ouch, that hurt.” He rubbed the tender skin. “And not just because of those daggers you call nails.” He lifted his shirt. “I promise you, I will go buy you a ring and get all mushy, but I think this says it best.”
She lowered her gaze and reached out to touch the addition to his tattoo. A second infinity sign with her name, looped in with the first and around both of them was a heart, locking them together.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered. “It’s…beautiful.” She kissed him softly. “I suppose I can forgo the proposal after that, but I want a ring. However, I’d prefer to pick it out. No offense.”
He raised his hand. “None taken.”
“And, unlike Audra, I want the dress. A big, fancy, white… Oh crap.”
“What?” He palmed her cheek. She was so flipping adorable when she got like this, and he would forever be grateful that he was the lucky bastard who got to love her for the rest of his life.
“I don’t want to waddle down the aisle like a beached whale.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Looks like you get your quickie wedding.” She jumped to her feet, yanking him by the biceps.
“Where are we going?”
“We have to start planning. I mean, it won’t be but a few months before I start showing, and that means we’ve got only a few weeks to lock down a venue, deal with caterers, and?—”
“How about we elope?”
“Have you met me?” Trinity planted her hands on her hips. “Besides, I’ve always dreamed about my daddy walking me down the aisle.” She patted his chest. “Look, pal. You tattooed my name on your chest. You knew what you were getting into when you got involved with me. Now let’s get to it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Keaton followed her into the house with the biggest grin. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever smiled like that before. If she wanted to get married on the moon, he’d find a way to give it to her. All that mattered was that they were together.
She paused at the front door and turned. “You’re really okay with all this?”
He nodded. “I love you. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
A tear cascaded down her cheek.
“Aw, don’t do that. I hate it when you cry.”
“I know, but they’re happy tears, and I had this thought because I’m going overboard and being a princess.” She rested her good hands on his shoulder. “We could get married at my dad’s house. We could see if Audra and Dawson wanted to make it a double wedding. She can wear whatever she wants, and I can still have my white dress and be on my dad’s arm. We can toss that together pretty quickly.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He brushed his lips across her mouth in a hot, tender kiss. She’d made his life whole again. She made him want to be a better man. Without her, he’d been walking around with one foot in the past.
Calusa Cove—and Trinity—had become home.