Easy to Love You (29 page)

I don’t know why he was asking me, “Shouldn’t you be asking
her
that?”

Lynn had her mouth covered with one hand and the other clutched Jason’s arm. “Oh my God, Hunter, we had no idea it was her.” Lynn said.

“Yeah well, you wouldn’t would you? You just pick and choose when you want to be a dad.” I spoke to Jason. “And you aren’t any better, Lynn. What was with all the flirting and longing looks you were giving me while you were caring for CC?”

Jason looked over at Lynn with disgust. “It wasn’t like that, Hunter.”

It was my turn to laugh this time, “Could’ve fooled me. Why do you think CC had your ass kicked out of our house in a week?”

They both just looked at me, putting the events together.

“I need to ask one favor. It’s the least you could do after everything you’ve ever put us through.” I glanced over at Lynn, “Make sure he tells you about Jaylinn being naked in the crib with tape over her mouth. It’s a funny story that
Dad
should tell you.”

Lynn gave Jason a questioning look, but he ignored her, “What do you want?”

“Don’t ever come near us. Don’t try and talk to us. Just disappear like we did on you. If you try to contact
any
of us, we’ll go to the police and confess to Brittany leaving the scene of the accident.”

They both shared a look, then Jason regarded me for a few minutes before he spoke, “Fine.”

“Make sure you warn Brittany too.” I gave them one last look, then turned on my heel and left them standing there.

Now that this situation was handled I needed my family back and I would stop at nothing to get them.

Hailey was on her way over and I hadn’t even packed yet, she was going to kill me. Maybe she’d leave me at home. Ha, I could dream right? I figured it’d be easier to pack everything for Ryder first, since he had so much shit that I needed to take.

I was downstairs cleaning out a few bottles when Hailey walked into the kitchen with Mason behind her. “Kenz, are you serious? You’re not even packed are you?”

“Almost,” I lied. I was only about half way done.

Mason came over and hip checked me, “Go get ready, Hailey’s looking forward to this.” He reached for the bottle brush.

I sighed, I knew she was. I just really didn’t want to go anywhere. “Fine, make sure you scrub them good and put them in the bag on the counter.”

I left Mason to clean the rest of the bottles and took off up the stairs with Hailey following close behind me.

“Holy shit! You need all that for three nights?” she asked when she saw all the stuff packed on my bed.

“Yeah and that’s only Ryder’s stuff. My things are going in that bag.” I said as I pointed to my small duffle that sat on my vanity chair.

Hailey grabbed a few things and started lugging them downstairs while I started packing clothes and stuffing them in my bag.

Forty-five minutes later, we were on our way to pick up Jaylinn and Chloe then start our ten hour drive to Tennessee.

Since the house only had two bedrooms, Hailey and I were going to share while Jaylinn and Chloe took the other one. I read most of the way there, not really feeling like participating in the girls’ conversation. I daydreamed about spending time here with Hunter on our honeymoon. He had wanted to go to the islands, somewhere warm, while I was happy staying at the house. We’d planned on taking Ryder with us - neither of us wanted to be that far away from him and I was still feeling guilty about having missed his birth.

“Hey.” Hailey said, bringing me back to reality.

I looked around and noticed that we’d arrived. “Wow, look at this place.”

Everything was snow covered. The branches from the pine trees were hanging low due to the weight of it all. Everything was sparkling; it looked like someone had dumped glitter everywhere.

“I love the winters here.” Jaylinn said, coming up behind me with Ryder snuggled in his little snow suit.

I took him from her and walked over to the banister. I freed his little hand, held his little fist to the snow, and as soon as it touched, he clenched his fist a little tighter. “This is snow, Monkey.”

Jaylinn walked up behind me, followed by Chloe and Hailey, to unlock door. Ryder and I followed them inside.

“I’m going to get a fire started. Kenz, do you remember where the thermostat is?” Jaylinn asked me.

“Yeah,” I walked off to the kitchen to crank the heat and get the chill out of the house.

Chloe and Hailey went back out to Chloe’s SUV to grab our stuff. They brought in Ryder’s bouncer so I sat him down, covered him up and then went to go help the girls. I needed something to distract me anyway. I was slowly becoming a wreck just looking around the house.

After everything was unloaded and unpacked we sat down to watch movies. After the second film it was nearing midnight, Ryder would need to get his three a.m. feeding so I told the girls I was calling it a night.

It just so happens that I was put in the room where Hunter and I had slept. I knew I wouldn’t be getting much sleep, but I at least was going to try and have an hour or so.

I woke up with that damn nightmare again. I was dripping sweat and panting.

“You ok?” Hailey asked from beside me.

Deep breaths Kenz, deep breaths.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

I laid back down after looking over at Ryder sleeping peacefully in his Pack-N-Play. I took a deep breath in and let it out, slowly, “I keep having a stupid nightmare that someone takes Ryder.”

It’s the first time I’ve told anyone about having this God awful nightmare.

“Oh Kenz, don’t worry. Nothing’s going to happen to him.” Hailey said as she started rubbing circles on my back.

“I’m just worried that something like what happened to Jaylinn will happen to Ryder. I know it’s stupid but it just keeps replaying.” I said as the tears started coming again.

Hailey was shushing me while continuing to rub circles on my back, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen to him.” After a few minutes she spoke again, “I think you need to talk to Hunter, Kenz.”

I let out a shuddering breath, “I know and I will. Maybe once we get back.”

I didn’t need to turn around to know she was smiling. Hailey continued to rub circles on my back until I eventually fell back asleep.

The next morning the girls declared it was makeover day. They’d packed all their nail polish, curling irons, flat irons, sprays, scrubs… You name it they had it packed. Jaylinn had even brought her stuff to chalk your hair.

Hailey was working on painting my toes, Jaylinn was chalking my hair and I was painting my nails while Chloe fed Ryder for me. We were all gossiping and carrying on. I pushed Hunter and everything else to the back of mind, needing this time for myself.

Hours later, after everyone was all dolled up with nowhere to go; we were bored out of our minds. Hailey was antsy because Mason wasn’t answering his phone.

“Ok Kenz, I have a game. Jaylinn, I think I saw Battleship. Can you grab that for me?”

What the hell is she up to with that? We haven’t played that in years.

“Chloe, would you keep an eye on Ryder for a little bit while Kenz and I play?” Hailey asked her.

I eyed Hailey suspiciously. “Stop that. It’s going to be fun.”

Jaylinn got the game for Hailey and she went into the kitchen to set it up while I used the bathroom. When I came back out she had the game set up along with two shot glasses and vodka.

“What’s that for?” I asked, eyeing the vodka on the table.

She shrugged her shoulder, “Battleshots.”

“Are you serious?”

“Sit down, shut up and play with me. It’s gonna be fun. Chloe and Jay are on Ryder duty.”

Well she had everything covered and I could use a drink, maybe it would help me sleep.

“Every time a ship is hit, a shot has to be taken. That’s the only rule change.”

“Easy enough,” I never lost at this game anyway.

Shit, I was losing and I was getting really wasted. We’d played two rounds and I’d lost both. Hailey was practically sober.

“You set me up.” I stated.

Hailey looked around the room, “What are you talking about?”

I started laughing and couldn’t stop.

“Okay funny girl, off to bed you go.” Hailey helped me to my feet. I was thankful because I couldn’t stand on my own. I couldn’t feel my legs.

She dumped me on the bed, I laid my head on the pillow and sleep took over.

After I tucked MacKenzie into bed, sometime after one in the morning, I went back downstairs where Jaylinn and Chloe were still waiting for the boys to arrive.

“Battleshot one, Kenz zero.” I said snickering, while Jaylinn and Chloe high fived. MacKenzie never caught on to Jaylinn signaling which spots I should choose.

I picked up my phone and dialed Mason.

“Kenz is passed out in bed babe, you almost here?” I asked Mason when he picked up his phone.

“We’re pulling up to Hunter’s house in ten minutes.” I figured Hunter was still awake since Mason didn’t ask how I’d managed that.

Operation ‘get MacKenzie and Hunter back together’ was in full motion.

Being stuck in a car with these three guys, listening to the thumping of the radio, was doing nothing for my pounding headache. I’d tried to bail on them but they’d insisted I go.

“Turn here into this driveway.” I told Mason. All I wanted to do was go to bed.

When we rounded the bend, I noticed the light on in the house. I didn’t think anything of it at first, maybe the cleaning company had left them on. When we got close enough and I saw Chloe’s SUV, my head snapped in Mason’s direction.

“What the hell are they doing here? You said they were at the shore house.”

What the hell? CC’s going to take one look at me and freak the hell out.

“Relax, okay? We need you and Kenz to work this shit out, Hunter. You two not talking to each other isn’t helping anything.” Mason said in a calming voice.

Cooper reached both his hands over either side of the headrest and patted my shoulders. “You need this bro.”

I did need this but I wanted it to be on CC’s terms, when she was ready to forgive me.

Mason parked the car and they all piled out, I did not. Mason walked over to my side of the car and yanked my door open.

“Let’s go, Hunter.”

“You’re really going to make me go in there and piss her off?” I grabbed my hat off the dash board and put it on backwards.

“Stop fretting. She’s passed out.” Cooper said standing behind Mason.

If she’s passed out, “Who’s watching Ryder?”

Mason and Cooper both rolled their eyes. Jackson pushed Mason out of the way and tossed me my bag, “The rest of the girls have him.”

We walked inside and the girls were braced on the couch, all three actually looked a little scared.

“I’m not happy about this and neither will she be when she realizes what’s going on.” I told everyone.

“Sorry Hunter.” Jaylinn said softly from the couch. Cooper walked over and sat down next to her.

Mason walked over and perched himself on the other side of Hailey, “I’ll take the blame for it when she gets all pissed off.” Hailey confessed.

I walked over to the couch, across from Jaylinn and Cooper, took a sleeping Ryder from Chloe and sat down. Everyone’s eyes were on me. “What?”