Page 38 of Roaring Fork Rockstar (Roaring Fork Ranch #3)

KELTIE

I was pulling ingredients from the refrigerator when I heard the doorbell ring.

The sharp sound cut through the quiet house, startling me.

We weren’t expecting anyone—Holt had texted that he’d been delayed by something with his family but would be here as soon as he could. Either way, he would’ve walked in.

“I’ll get it,” my father called from the living room, where he’d been reading the newspaper while Luna colored at the coffee table.

I heard the front door open, followed by my father’s voice, low and unwelcoming. “Can I help you?”

“I’m here to see Keltie.” The voice that responded sent ice through my veins. Remi.

“She’s not available,” my father replied firmly. “You should leave.”

I hurried toward the entryway and watched Remi shove past my father. His expression was hard and determined, so different from the charming facade he’d once used to win me over.

“Keltie,” he said when he spotted me. “We need to talk.”

My father moved to block him. “I told you to leave.”

“Dad, it’s okay,” I said, though it was anything but. “What do you want, Remi?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but his gaze shifted past me, into the living room, where Luna sat cross-legged on the floor, crayons scattered around her, completely oblivious to the tension unfolding mere feet away.

The color drained from his face. He stared at Luna, his eyes widening with recognition. I saw it happen—the exact moment he realized she was his daughter. His lips parted, but no sound emerged.

Luna looked up then, her crayon pausing mid stroke as she noticed the stranger in our entryway. Her innocent gaze swept over him with mild curiosity before returning to her coloring book.

Sam and Beau came out of the kitchen, where they’d been helping me throw a casual dinner together. Beau’s expression darkened when he spotted Remi.

“What are you doing here?” Beau demanded, stepping forward.

Sam put a restraining hand on his arm and motioned to Luna, who looked up again at the harshness of Beau’s voice. He took a deep breath. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the sheriff.”

Remi seemed not to hear him, his attention still fixed on Luna. I moved between them, blocking his view.

“You need to go,” I said quietly. “This isn’t the time or place.”

Something flickered in his eyes—shock, recognition, maybe even a hint of emotion I’d never seen from him before. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

“She’s…” he began, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Not now,” I interrupted. “Luna is very tired from the concert today. Call me tomorrow, and we can set up a time to talk.”

Remi stepped away slowly, still looking dazed. Without another word, he turned and walked out the door. My father closed it firmly behind him.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked, coming to my side.

“Yes,” I said, though my legs felt weak. “I never expected him to show up like that.”

“He realized, didn’t he?” Sam’s voice was gentle.

“Yes,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady so Luna wouldn’t notice my distress. “The look on his face… I’ve never seen him like that.”

“Do you think he’ll cause problems?” Beau asked, his tone suggesting he was already planning how to handle any trouble Remi might create.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I never thought he’d want anything to do with her. He made that pretty clear five years ago.”

Luna called from the living room, “Mommy, look what I drew!”

I plastered on a smile and went to her, crouching beside the coffee table. “That’s beautiful, Luna-bug. Is that for your story?”

“This is Shimmer. She’s at a concert with her friends.”

“I love it,” I said, touching her cheek with my fingertip. “Are you hungry?”

She shook her head, then changed her mind when she saw the apple slices and peanut butter I’d set beside her.

As Luna nibbled, Sam pulled me aside. “Holt called while you were with Luna. He said something very important with his family is happening, and he’ll be delayed longer but will explain when he gets here.”

“I got a text from him a little while ago.” I checked my phone again, and when I saw I’d missed a call from him two minutes ago, my stomach tightened with anxiety. “Did he say what it was about?”

Sam shook her head. “He asked Beau and me to hang out until he arrives. Cord cryptically mentioned that whatever it is might involve me too.”

I considered telling them they didn’t need to stay, that we’d be fine, but the truth was I wanted them here, especially after Remi’s unexpected visit.

“Thank you,” I said instead.

Sam squeezed my hand. “Of course. We love spending time with you and Luna.”

My father came in from the kitchen with coffee for everyone. “That man,” he said, his expression dark, “is he…?”

“Remi Gilbert. He’s CB Rice’s manager.”

“But he denied she was his,” my father said under his breath.

“He did,” I confirmed.

“And now, he knows.” My father’s tone was grim. “You should call your attorney.”

“Dad—”

“Just a consultation,” he insisted. “To know your rights. To protect Luna.”

He was right, of course. If Remi decided to assert his parental rights now, I needed to be prepared.

“I’ll call on Monday,” I promised.

Holt arrived about an hour later. The tension in his shoulders and the furrow between his brows told me something significant had happened. He embraced me as soon as he walked in, holding me tight.

“Where’s Luna?” he asked, glancing around.

“Upstairs with my dad. She was getting tired, so he offered to read her a story.” I searched his face. “What’s going on, Holt? Sam said something happened with your family.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “We should sit down.”

In the living room, Sam and Beau joined us.

“Bridger discovered something on the ranch that explains his odd reaction when I mentioned the charity’s original name,” he began in a low voice. “It was a grave hidden in a small clearing, marked with a simple headstone.”

My heart rate quickened. “Whose?”

“My sister’s.” His blue eyes met mine. “A sister none of us knew existed. Scarlett Blanche Wheaton. She only lived nine months.”

I gasped. “Scarlett’s Hope.”

“Exactly,” said Holt.

Sam leaned forward and opened her mouth to speak, but when she didn’t, Holt continued.

“We went back to the house after finding the grave, and Echo—Bridger’s mother—was there. She told us that no one ever knew who the anonymous founder of the charity was, but she wanted us to know that it’s directed millions of dollars into pioneering cancer research over the years.”

He reached for my hand, his fingers entwining with mine. “Research that has dramatically increased survival rates—including for kids like Luna.”

My breath hitched, and my eyes filled with tears.

Sam cleared her voice. “Cena, my great-grandmother and also Holt’s great aunt, had a daughter named Blanche who died from leukemia.”

Blanche. That was the baby’s middle name. Clearly not a coincidence.

Holt continued. “While we still don’t know who the trustee is, at least we now understand why the charity would be the beneficiary in the event one of us didn’t fulfill the terms stipulated by the trust.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, and eventually, Sam and Beau returned to the kitchen.

“How are you doing?” he asked, pulling me into his arms.

“Okay,” I murmured, unsure whether I should tell him about Remi in the midst of his news.

However, I knew I had to. “Earlier today, when you took Luna to get ice cream, Remi confronted me at the concert. Then, he showed up here a little while ago. He pushed his way in when my dad tried to turn him away.”

Holt’s expression darkened. “What happened?”

“Bridger, Cord, Porter, and Beau intervened and told Remi to get away from me.”

“How about when he was here? Did Luna see him?”

“She did but didn’t appear to pay much attention. He saw her, though, Holt. He knows she’s his.”

Holt’s jaw tightened. “What did he say?”

“Not much. He was in shock. I told him to call me tomorrow so we could talk.”

“You’re too kind, considering what he did to you,” Sam said from the doorway.

“I’m not being kind,” I corrected. “I’m being practical. He’s her biological father. If he decides to pursue his rights now…” I trailed off, not wanting to say the words aloud.

“He won’t get anywhere,” Beau assured me. “Not after abandoning you and her.”

I wished I shared his confidence. “My dad thinks I should call an attorney.”

“I agree,” said Holt. “It’s important to be prepared. Not that I think Remi has a chance, given the history. It isn’t like you kept her from him. You told him you were pregnant.”

The sound of footsteps on the stairs made us all look up. My father appeared with Luna in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder, eyes heavy with sleep.

“Someone wanted to say good night,” he explained, carrying her to me.

Luna lifted her head, brightening when she spotted Holt. “Mr. Holt! You’re here. I missed you.”

He smiled, rising to take her from my father. “I missed you too, Unicorn Girl.”

“Will you tell me a story?” she asked, fighting to keep her eyes open.

“Tomorrow,” he promised. “You need your rest now.”

“Okay. But it has to be a long one.”

“The longest,” he agreed, carrying her upstairs.

“We should go,” Sam said after she and Beau exchanged a look. “It’s been a tiring day for everyone.”

“Thank you for staying,” I said, hugging them both.

“Hey, Sam,” said Holt, returning downstairs. “The family is going to meet again tomorrow. Our plan is to see if we can get Six-pack to come to the ranch. We’d like you to be part of that meeting.”

“Just tell me when.”

After they left, my father retreated to the guest room, claiming fatigue, though I suspected he wanted to give Holt and me privacy.

Holt’s expression was somber when he sat beside me on the sofa. “Luna asked if I was going to be her daddy now.”

My heart squeezed at the words. “What did you tell her?”

“That if it was okay with her and you, then yes.” He ran a hand through his hair again. “I hope that was all right.”

“More than all right,” I assured him, snuggling into him. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s what she’s wanted since Christmas.”

He held me close, his chin resting on top of my head. “I never thought I’d have this, Keltie. A family of my own. Someone to love and protect.”

“No second thoughts?” I asked.

“God, no,” he said, leaning to look into my eyes. “If anything, finding out about Scarlett makes me more certain we were meant to find each other.”

I reached up to touch his face. “Even with all the complications? Luna’s illness, Remi’s involvement, your career?”

“Especially with all that,” he said. “I’m here to support you in every way I can.”

I kissed him then, a gentle press of the lips that conveyed more than words ever could.

“Stay tonight,” I whispered against his mouth.

His arms tightened around me. “I wasn’t planning to leave.”

Later, as we lay in bed after making love, my head resting on his chest, I couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly my life had changed.

Now, I wore Holt’s ring on my finger, and Luna had asked him to be her daddy.

The universe, it seemed, had a far different plan than what I’d previously envisioned.

“What are you thinking about?” Holt asked, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my arm.

“How none of this makes sense, yet somehow, it all does,” I replied honestly.

As we drifted to sleep, he hummed a familiar tune.

“My dad used to sing me a lullaby like that when I was young,” I told him.

He tightened his hold on me. “When I was standing by Scarlett’s grave, I realized my mom did too.”

“I suppose it’s common enough to be a coincidence,” I offered.

Holt shook his head. “Something tells me it isn’t.”