Initiative (Suncoast Society #31)(42)

Yes, she’d wanted kids with John. They’d deliberately waited, knowing by waiting they were taking a risk, but wanting to be able to devote their full energy to the business and each other.

Then they’d started talking about it again. They had thought about her going off the pill when…

Money wasn’t an issue for her now. She never would have thought about having a baby while she was alone.

And it wouldn’t have been John’s baby.

But now…

It could be Grant or Darryl’s baby…

Was she crazy? Was all of this crazy? It wasn’t like they were complete strangers. Despite the years between them, it felt like they were kids again.

Only now they could stay out late, take the car, and even drink if they wanted to.

Not all at the same time, but still, they could do it.

She’d resigned herself to mere survival.

Now…

Maybe she really could have everything she’d once dreamed of and had thought had slipped through her fingers.

Definitely something for me to think about.





She was still thinking about it the next morning while they took a shower together.

“Can we talk, Sir?”

“We can always talk, sweetheart.”

“About what we discussed last night.”

He met her gaze. “About a baby?”

She nodded. “I know it’s still too soon to really talk about that yet…but…maybe. Let’s get settled in this first, let Kyle get to know me, and then we’ll revisit the discussion in a few months.”

A slow smile filled his face. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’m tired of my life being on hold, or being afraid. It’s not like you’re someone I’ve just met. This is…this is different. This is good. I have a good feeling about it. About the three of us.”

He pulled her to him and kissed her. “Sweetheart, I love you so f*cking much, believe me, I won’t let you get away again.”

She smiled. “Just try getting rid of me.”

“Never.”

When Susie arrived at work a little after eight, Kristin followed her in with a mug of coffee and an odd look on her face.

“What?” Susie asked.

“What’s going on?”

Susie blushed. “What?”

Kristin set the mug of coffee on Susie’s desk, went and shut her office door, and returned to sit in front of the desk. “Okay. Yesterday you dodged my questions about the weekend. I’m not leaving here until you answer me.”

“What?”

“You’re happy! Not that I’m complaining, but what, did you…” Kristin gasped. “Oh, my god. You did. You got laid.”

“Shh!”

“Was it one of your friends?”

Susie was sure her face must be beet red. She sat down and grabbed the mug. “It was a good weekend, and that’s all I’m saying.”

Kristin grinned from ear to ear. “When do I get to meet him?”

“How do you know you will?”

“Oh, come on. He’s got to be local. I can’t believe you’d get into a long-distance relationship.”

She didn’t want to shock Kristin. “Let’s just say maybe something is going on. Something good. Something I absolutely do not want to jinx, and it’s no one else’s business. But yes, I’m…happy.”

“Duh. I know you’re happy.” She stood. “For the record? I wouldn’t even care if you told me you’d hooked up with a woman. Anyone who can put that smile on your face is good enough for me.”

Susie cupped her hands around the mug and fought the urge to laugh.

If only she knew. If only it were that simple.





Chapter Fourteen


Saturday night, Susie nervously stood in front of her mirror. “Are you sure this is okay?” She wore the same little black dress she’d worn to the reunion last Saturday night.

Darryl stood behind her, smiling. “You look gorgeous.”

“But I’m not…you know…kinked up.”

He chuckled. “Kinked up?”

“I mean I’m not wearing a corset or anything.”

“It’s dinner. And at the club you’ll see people dressed in everything from completely naked, to street clothes, to full-on fetish. Hell, one of the volunteers in the office, she has fibromyalgia and usually wears jeans and Crocs because it’s comfortable. No one judges her.”

“Well, that one * did,” Grant snarked.

“Yeah, and Marcia promptly revoked his membership and banned him for general asshattery.”

“True.”

Susie turned. “They can do that?”

“Uh, yeah,” Darryl said. “It’s Marcia and Derrick’s club. They can ban anyone for any reason.”

“I hope they don’t ban me.”

She spotted the nearly exasperated glance the men exchanged.

“Hey, I’ve never been to one of these places, all right? I’m nervous.”

Darryl pulled her in for another hug while Grant stepped in behind her.

“Sweetie, you need to relax,” Darryl said. “Forget the bullshit from books and movies. Think about it like this. The people you’ll meet tonight, they’re more like geeky gamer cosplay Ren Fair friends who took it up a few adult notches.”