Page 11 of Embracing the Consequences

She felt like time both flew and stood still the older she got. She never realized it as a kid, but it was both unforgiving and healing in a way.

She ran her hand over the scar that the bullet had left behind in Derrick’s bicep. He had gotten extremely lucky that it hadn’t hit him in the chest. Things might have ended so differently.

Fingers slid through her hair, and she closed her eyes, savoring the touch. In the days since Mac’s funeral, the guys had made sure to be home every single night, but she still felt starved for their touch, like there was distance between them because she had been hiding this secret from them, holding herself back from them.

The bed dipped behind her as someone rolled over. “Fuck man,” Kevin grumbled. “We need a bigger bed.”

“Yeah,” Johnny agreed from somewhere behind her. “I’ll call that store tomorrow. See if they can deliver this week.”

“Were the headboard and frame trashed at Kara’s?” Kevin asked.

“Everything was soaked so the wood might be trashed. I can build a frame and headboard though,” Johnny mused.

“We need to talk about remodeling and picking a room for the baby,” Kevin added.

“We’ve got plenty of space. The baby will probably stay in here for the first couple months. But then we’ll probably want them next door,” Johnny said.

Kara’s heart swelled as she sleepily listened to her men plan for their future. The love she felt for these three men was insurmountable.

“We’ll have to put a fence around the pool.” Derrick’s voice rumbled, his chest rising and falling beneath her head.

“Yeah, shit,” Johnny swore. “We better get a list going. We’ve got a lot to do.”

“Guys, we have time.” Kara chuckled softly. “But I’m not opposed to a bigger bed.”

“Fuck yeah,” Derrick added.

“I’ll call tomorrow, reorder what we had before,” Kara said.

“How are you feeling now?” Kevin asked as he rolled over and spooned up behind her.

“I’m doing alright right now. I have to pee and want to shower, but I’m feeling a lot better,” she answered honestly. “Maybe a little hungry?”

“I’ll heat up the soup. You shower,” Johnny ordered, and she felt the mattress shift again as he rolled out of bed.

She yawned and mumbled her agreement but didn’t move. She was comfortable, and for the first time in a while, her stomach wasn’t rolling and cramping. She didn’t want to tempt fate quite so soon but knew she needed to eat.

Eventually her bladder won out, and she detangled herself from Derrick and climbed out of bed.

After she got clean, she put on fresh jammies and headed downstairs to the kitchen. It was almost six, and the sun was just going down outside. Besides calling the shop for a new Alaskan king bed for the four of them in the morning, she didn’t have much to do now that the case was officially turned over to the DA’s office.

She was still on a leave of absence from Carmichael and Associates due to her supposed car accident, but it had been six weeks, and her doctor had cleared her.

“When does physical therapy start for your wrist?” Johnny asked as they sat around the breakfast nook eating homemade chicken noodle soup.

“Tuesday. I’ll go Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ll probably schedule them for the afternoons since I can drive now,” she said.

“So what are your plans during the day?” Derrick asked.

“I was thinking about going back to work. I’m still technically managing partner. I’m gonna call the board tomorrow and see what they say now that my father has been indicted and my doctor’s cleared me for light duty.” She looked around at the three of them.

To her surprise, none of them looked that upset at the thought of her returning to work. She’d imagined she’d be fighting an uphill battle with them, but Kevin gave her a blinding smile. “So I get to see you in the halls again, Boss Lady?”

She laughed. “I’d say so.”

“How long will physical therapy last this time?” Derrick asked, looking pensive.

“Another six weeks.” She shrugged.

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