The Resurrection of Wildflowers (Wildflower #2)(72)

“Hey.” I smile at my little girl’s face. “Are you getting ready to go to bed?”

“Mhmm.” She points at her pajamas with smiley faces on them. “Just had my bath too.” This time she points at her wet head. “Daddy brushed my hair for me. I hate doing it. It gets all tangled and it hurts. But he uses this stuff, what’s it called, Daddy?”

“Detangler,” I hear Caleb say off screen.

“Detangler,” Seda repeats. “That stuff helps.”

I chuckle, amused by her rambling. “Are you going to read a book before bed?”

“Yes, I already picked it out. It’s about a duck that lives in a purse?”

“Is that so?”

“Well,” her nose scrunches, reminding me of Salem, “I think so, but I can’t remember. Where are you?” she asks, inspecting what she can view of the hotel behind me. I spot Caleb leaning into the camera, checking it out too, so I scoot the phone closer to me.

“I’m out,” I answer vaguely.

“Oh, you went out to dinner. It’s kind of late, Dad.”

“You’re right, it is kind of late. We better say goodnight so you can get some rest.”

“Night, Dad. I love you.”

“I love you, too, pumpkin.”

She runs off, but the call doesn’t end. Caleb picks up the phone.

“Where are you?” he asks in a bossy, demanding tone. His eyes are narrowed. “It looked like you were in a hotel room. I swear to fucking God if Salem is in Vegas and you’re cheating on her I will personally hunt you down and slit your throat.”

“That’s very specific.” I try not show my amusement.

“Salem and I aren’t together anymore, but I’ll always care about her, and that means I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“I am in a hotel,” I tell him, and he looks like he’s going to jump through the phone and strangle me. “Settle down. I’m in Vegas. Don’t say anything to Salem. She was … it was a rough morning, okay?” I’m not giving him the intimate details of our life and I doubt he’d like it very much to know we’re trying to have a kid when Salem didn’t want to have a baby with him. “I decided to book a room in case she needs someone.”

“Lauren’s there.”

“So? It’s Lauren’s bachelorette weekend, I think we both know Salem won’t want to rain on her parade.”

He sighs, running his fingers through the blond strands of his hair. “You’re right.”

“Don’t say anything to Salem that I’m here. I only wanted to be close if she needs me.”

“Fine. All right. I won’t say anything.” He looks like he’s smelled something sour, so it surprises me when he says, “You really love her, don’t you?”

“More than you can possibly comprehend.”

I don’t mean it as a slight at him, it’s just the fucking truth. Sometimes I’m even shocked that it’s possible to feel this much for another person.

“I won’t tell her.”

He ends the call and I exhale a sigh of relief.

I hope wherever Salem is she’s having a good time.





CHAPTER 46





SALEM





Our first night in Vegas isn’t so bad. We go to a Cirque Du Soleil performance and it’s phenomenal, followed by a dinner out, with drinking and dancing at a club. Well, Lauren and her friends drink and dance, I mostly just sit there and cheer them on because it’s not my kind of thing.

But the next night, I’m not feeling it. Not when I go into the bathroom and find the signs that my period has started.

Since my period still hadn’t started, I’d held on to hope that maybe I had taken a test too soon. But that’s clearly not the case. I’m not pregnant, just late, which might be from coming off my birth control and it effecting my cycle.

I send a text to Lauren, asking if she has any tampons with her since I idiotically didn’t think to pack any after I unpacked the old ones from my bag. She texts right back that she’ll be in my room in a few with some.

I clean up and wash my hands—which is awkward with the cast. I still haven’t gotten used to showering and washing up. There’s a knock on my door within a minute since her room is right across from mine.

“You didn’t pack tampons?” She pushes her way inside, setting them on the counter. “It’s not like you to forget something.”

There’s accusation in her tone. Lauren isn’t stupid, she’s probably figured something is going on.

“I took a pregnancy test before my flight.”

She gasps in surprise. “You’re not miscarrying, are you?”

I shake my head. “Just late.”

“Wait.” She shakes her hands back and forth in front of her face. “Are you glad your period started? Like was this an accidental scare or are you trying to get pregnant?”

I smile bashfully. “Trying.”

“Salem!” She swats at my arm. “How could you not tell me this?”

I shrug. “It didn’t seem like a big deal.”

“You and Thayer have only been back together a few months and you’re already talking about having a baby? That’s a huge deal to share with your best friend. And engaged too.” She reaches for my hand, looking at my pink engagement ring. “Listen, I’m not trying to be a bitch, just your friend, so please don’t bite my head off, but do you think you’re rushing things?”