The sun was throwing out some serious heat, as I walked down 11th street, towards the hotel.
I’d fed Hope and settled her before leaving the hospital earlier, and was looking forward to a coffee and catch up with Cam.
We usually met here, since she and Derek were uncomfortable around each other and I refused to go to Mike’s apartment.
I loved Cam, and couldn’t be too angry with her, for her choices. But I still couldn’t believe that she was with Mike.
It was so crazy.
Derek was so perfect for her, I didn’t understand how Cam could walk away from a man who was so deeply devoted to her.
And Derek, oh, poor Derek…
Derek was carrying on with things, joking around as always, but I knew he was hurting. I could see it in those lonely green eyes of his.
Cam had wrecked him. I didn’t know if he would ever get over the betrayal.
I knew how he felt, except, that when Kyle had destroyed me, he’d fought for me, and he had kept fighting, until he won me back.
It was so much worse for Derek, because Cam didn’t want him back.
I felt incredibly loyal to Derek, therefore, I wasn’t speaking to Mike. I knew it took two, to tango, but what Mike had done, first to Kyle, and then to Derek, in my opinion, was downright unforgivable.
I couldn’t condone what they had done, so I refused to visit Cam at Mike’s apartment, where she was living…
Plus, I couldn’t wait to show off my gorgeous baby at the hotel.
I gushed to myself, as I stared at her, sleeping soundly in her forward facing buggy.
She looked incredibly cute, in a yellow dotted sundress, with a matching headband and white socks and cardigan.
I didn’t look too bad either.
I was still carrying a little bulge around my middle, and I didn’t think my hips would ever go back to their not so former glory, but I was happy. So freaking happy right now, that even in my khaki capris and black vest, I felt completely at ease with my body.
I guess it didn’t hurt that Kyle complemented me every chance he got.
That boy was something else.
I was closer each day, to asking him to repeat the question.
Not yet. But someday real soon…
I reached the entrance of the hotel, when a hand snagged me back roughly.
“I hear, congratulations, are in order.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise.
“What the hell do you want?” I snarled, pulling my arm free.
Rachel towered over me, her face contorted with malice.
I thought she was supposed to be in hospital?
“It’s quite simple, really,” she said coldly. “I want what you stole from me.”
Her gaze slipped from me, to Hope. “Well, what you and your bastard, stole. You couldn’t have done it without the runt.”
“Fuck you,” I ground out, moving in front of Hope’s buggy to block her from Rachel’s twisted sneer.
“Walk away,” she threatened. “Pack up your kid, and get the hell out of Kyle’s life, or I will bury you both.”
I shook my head in disgust. “My god, you really are sick,” I whispered.
Stepping forward, I measured up to the red head.
“You need help, Rachel. Kyle doesn’t want you. He never has and he never will. You need to get yourself a really good psychiatrist, because the last one obviously didn’t work. If you come within a hundred yards of my daughter again, I will have you arrested and your ass tossed in a jail cell.”
“He wanted me before. He will again. Maybe he stills wants me, and it’s my face he sees every time he’s with you.”
“That’s funny,” I chuckled darkly. “Because that is exactly what Kyle told me he used to do when he was with you; visualize my face.”
The stunned look on Rachel’s face was priceless as I turned on my heel and headed inside to meet Cam.
The tiniest flair of guilt burned in my conscience, but I quickly doused that feeling.
I had nothing to feel guilty about.
That girl had made my life a living hell for almost a year.
She’d poisoned my dog and called my beautiful baby, a bastard.
No, screw my conscience, Rachel could go to hell.
*****
Kyle
“Dude, how do you fly around the country, run twenty hotels, babysit the kid and still kill it at school? It’s not fucking fair,” Derek grumbled, as he buried his head down on his text book. “I haven’t slept in a month.”
God, he was so fucking dramatic.
I’d hardly call the summer cooking class he’d roped me into going to, school.
Dropping my culinary studies book on Derek’s head, I switched Hope’s bottle into my other hand, before continuing her feed.
“Ouch, Kyle, what the hell was that for?” Derek accused, sitting up straight.