Overtime(7)

But it wasn’t only about sex. It was real. It had to be.

Or at least she thought it had been.

Wiping her face free of the tears, she shook her head as she settled into her seat. No, it was only sex, and the sooner she accepted that, the sooner she’d get over him. It was coming up on seven months without any communication; he didn’t want her. Fine. There was someone out there for her. She just had to find him.

And she would.



“You got in late?”

Kacey looked up from her cup of coffee as her sister-in-law wobbled to the sink to wash some potatoes. Her growing belly pushed against the front of the cabinets, and Kacey couldn’t help grinning despite how dog-tired she was. She just couldn’t wait to meet her niece, to cuddle her and be her best friend. She’d always thought that Karson would have started earlier in making a family—he was always cut out to be a dad—but then he didn’t get Lacey back into his life until recently. Kacey had always known that Lacey was going to be her sister-in-law after meeting her almost nine years ago. She was everything that Karson needed, his other half, and they always just fit.

Kacey could still remember the first time she met Lacey. Karson was completely head over heels for her, his eyes glassy anytime she was near, and Kacey just knew her brother would marry no one but her. And man, Lacey was beautiful. She’d had short hair from when she was going through chemo back then, but now she had long, gorgeous blond hair that went to her butt. Her eyes were still the same beautiful green that was brought out by her long, dark lashes. She had gained weight only in her stomach, the rest of her thin and lean, and that drove Kacey crazy. Kacey was convinced when she had a kid, she’d blow up. She loved food more than life, and the thought of feeding two instead of one gave her the giggles. She could eat what she wanted and no one could say anything to her about it. She would be growing a life. And looking at Lacey, she realized she wanted that more than ever.

She needed a man first, though.

Unfortunately.

“Three a.m.”

“Jesus,” she muttered. “Why are you awake now?”

Kacey had no clue, but she was pretty sure it was because the last time she’d slept in her bed here, Jordie had been on top of her. Not that she was going to tell her sister-in-law that.

“Not sure,” she sighed before taking a long pull of her coffee. Meeting Lacey’s knowing gaze, Kacey smiled. Lacey knew all about Jordie, but they didn’t speak of it when Karson could be in hearing distance. It wasn’t that Karson hated Jordie, he loved him, but Jordie wasn’t good enough for Kacey. No one was, in the eyes of her older brother, but if he found out how Jordie had basically cut off all communication with her and everything else, she was sure that Karson would kill him. So before Lacey could ask anything, Kacey said, “You look gorgeous, Lace.”

“Please.” She scoffed, waving her off. “I’m as big as a house.”

“Whatever.” Kacey laughed. “Pregnancy looks good on you, sister.”

Lacey grinned before looking down at her belly, her chest rising and falling before glancing back over at Kacey. Her eyes were full of worry, something Kacey had seen a lot of since they announced the baby was coming. “Yeah. I guess I just feel big.”

“It’s all in the belly,” Kacey promised, and it wasn’t a lie.

“Yeah, that’s for sure,” she said, rubbing her belly in a very protective way. “I wish she could stay in there, y’know?” she whispered, almost so low that Kacey didn’t hear her. Thankfully, she did though.

Biting into her lip, Kacey reached over, taking Lacey’s hand in hers. “Lacey, she’s gonna be perfect and healthy. Don’t worry so much.”

“I try not to,” she said honestly, looking over at Kacey and squeezing back. “But it’s so damn hard. I worry that she’ll go through what I did, and I don’t want that for her.”

“None of us do, Lacey, but the good thing is she’ll always have us. Between me, Ma, Dad, and you guys, that little buttercup will never be alone through the fight. But I promise you don’t have to worry about that right now. If ever. Let’s be positive about it.”

Lacey’s lip started to wobble, and before a tear could even fall, Kacey was up and around the island, her arms around her sister-in-law, holding her tightly. She knew that Lacey’s past with breast cancer still weighed heavy on her beautiful heart. Despite the support groups, Lacey just couldn’t shake the worries that ate her alive. It worried Kacey, but Karson had said one of the main things was reassuring her that it wouldn’t happen, to stay positive. Holding her tightly, Kacey kissed her cheek. “It’s okay, Lacey, don’t worry. Enjoy this. You are having a baby, a little you and Karson. What a blessing!”

Lacey wrapped her arms around Kacey’s middle since she was so much taller than her, nodding her head against her arm as her body shook with small sobs. “I know. I want to be happy and excited like Karson and you guys are, but I’m just so nervous.”

“Don’t be,” Kacey urged against her hair. “Enjoy it.”

“I am. Really, this is the most amazing thing in the world,” she said, and Kacey knew it was more for herself than for her. Sending her a grin, she slowly parted from Lacey. “But the nerves do eat me alive. And that’s why I’m so glad you’re here, ’cause when Karson isn’t around, I get a little crazy.”