The Rebel's Own(25)
“It’s fine to be scared, but don’t let it come between us. I promise I’ll always protect you. I’ll always be here for you and Riley.”
“I can’t go back to that dark place.”
“Never.” Ryan gently pulled her into his arms and lay back. Her circled his fingers round on her back, creating a calming sensation that lulled her to sleep. She couldn’t think clearly just yet. Kennedy resolved not to make any decisions until the next morning. But for now, she would try to just enjoy being in his arms.
Chapter Twelve
“IT’S SUPER BOWL DAY! IT’S SUPER BOWL DAY!”
Kennedy groaned as Riley jumped up and down on the bed. The bouncing wasn’t doing her any favors with her morning sickness. “RYAN!”
“Come on, QB, give your mommy a few more minutes.” She heard the deep timbre of Ryan’s thick morning voice.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“But you have to wake up, Mom! We all need to get ready for the championship!”
“Actually QB, you and mommy will come later,” she heard Ryan say. “I have to go early for some last-minute training with the rest of the team.”
“But I’m part of the team,” Riley moped.
“Sure, you are, but mommy isn’t up yet. You don’t want to leave her behind, do you?”
“No.” A reluctant grumble sounded from the boy.
Kennedy peeked from under her cover and could see Riley pout, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked so much like is father when he was angry. Even the part where he submitted even though he didn’t want to. “Mommy is up. But we still have to go a little bit later.”
“But not too late?”
“Not too late.”
Kennedy watched with interest when Riley whispered something into Ryan’s ear. It was strange having her son keep things from her and tell them to someone else.
“We’ll ask mommy. But later this evening. Come on, I’ll give you some breakfast,” Ryan said, as he lifted Riley over his shoulder. The mother in her wanted to ask him to put her child down before he dropped him. But Ryan had never dropped a ball in his entire career. There was no reason to think he would drop his only son.
“Thank you,” Kennedy said again, and settled back against the pillow for a few more minutes of blessed sleep.
• • •
“Arrghh!”
Ryan felt himself cringe when Rebecca walked into the kitchen. Good thing Riley was sitting right next to him. The little boy was his buffer. Rebecca didn’t like him, but how could he blame her? If anyone did to his children what he had done to Kennedy in high school, he would have been out for blood. But his mother-in-law was trying. She was civil and took care of his son. Sure, at times when they were in the kitchen, he half expected her to pick up a knife and bury it in his back. In fact, it was a good thing she didn’t own a gun. But he’d had a breakthrough with Kennedy when he’d poured out his heart the previous night. He didn’t know how Kennedy would feel when she woke up, but he felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Hopefully Kennedy would want to move forward and convince her mother to stop hating him.
“What’s wrong, Grandma?” Riley asked as he took a bite of his dry toast. That was the only way he could eat it without getting sick.
“Your mommy is just having a bad morning.”
“What’s wrong?” Ryan asked, the accusatory glare Rebecca gave him immediately filling him in. He cleared his throat and looked away from her chilling gaze. “Just a few more weeks and the morning sickness will be over.”
“When she was pregnant with Riley, she barely got sick. I wonder what’s different now?”
Ryan tried to ignore the dig. He got off his stool and grabbed a glass of ice water before heading to Kennedy’s room. He found her on her bed, a look of misery on her face.
“I’m sorry. Here, drink this.”
“Why are you sorry?” she mumbled, as she reached for the water.
“Your mother seems to think it’s my fault your morning sickness is this bad. My presence apparently is making you ill. I guess you weren’t sick with Riley, so—”
“I was.” She chuckled. “She just wasn’t around. She worked the night shift at the hospital, and by the time she got in, she was tired. When she fell asleep, she couldn’t hear an earthquake let alone me puking my guts.”
“It’s nice to know it’s not me.”
“It is you. Each time my head is way down the toilet bowl, I think of you. Castrating you.”
He winced, though he knew she was teasing. “I think I should run before you act on your threat.” Ryan laughed. He couldn’t believe he was sitting down with Kennedy having a civil conversation and laughing. He also couldn’t help the guilt he felt at how miserable she looked. He guessed that was part of being a father, just like the tremendous excitement he felt for the gift he would get eight months later. “If you really don’t want to go today, I could ask Matt to sit with Riley.”