What Might Have Been: Daniels Brother #4 (Daniels Brothers) (17 page)

The drive home took a little longer than she would have liked. It was rush hour and traffic was backed up because of an accident. She considered taking a different route, but so much had changed since she used to live here. Knowing her luck, she’d get lost.

Finally, the cars ahead of her began moving and she drove the remaining five miles to her apartment complex. As she turned into the parking lot, she had a moment of panic wondering if Trent or Chris would be waiting for her, but there was no sign of their vehicles.

She pulled into her parking space and turned off the engine. It was then she remembered that she had a missed call. After digging her phone out of her purse, she pulled up her call log. The missed call was from Trent’s cell. She doubled-checked her voice mail, but he hadn’t left a message. She had no idea what that meant.

Forcing herself to go inside, she locked up her apartment, and headed straight into her bedroom. She fell onto her bed and pulled the pillow Trent had used the night before against her chest. His scent lingered and it calmed her more than all the pampering she’d gotten that day at the spa. She closed her eyes and sighed. Within minutes, she was asleep.

Chapter 13

Trent stepped off the ladder that led to the loft area above one of the tool sheds. They didn’t keep much up there, but he had to check it anyway to be sure. Everything looked to be there, though, so whoever it was had only taken what was easily accessible.

Sweat was pouring off him. It was ninety degrees today and the humidity was stifling. He felt for his crews on days like this.

Grabbing his bottle of water, he downed the rest of the contents. Thank goodness he was finally done with inventory and he could go home and shower.

He took one last look around the shed before heading toward the dumpster to toss his now empty water bottle. When he walked out from beneath the cover of the shed, Trent noticed his brother marching toward him. Chris looked to be on a mission. Trent was glad he’d sent Trinity, Joss, and Kevin home. Whatever his brother had to say, they didn’t need to hear it.

Chris waited for him right inside the gate.

“Hey. I didn’t expect see you today.” Trent moved past his brother to the yard entrance. He’d been out in the heat for hours. If they were going to have the discussion Trent figured they were going to have, he didn’t want to be outside when it happened—especially if there was a better alternative.

Chris’ footsteps crunched on the gravel as he followed Trent out. He stood silently while Trent locked the gate with the shiny new lock he’d had to buy.

Without a word, they walked over to the office and went inside.

“Did you want something to drink?” Trent asked. “Water? Coffee? I might even have a pop in the fridge.”

“I’m good.” Chris’ voice was clipped.

Reaching in to get a fresh bottle of water for himself, Trent brought it over to Trinity’s desk and sat down. He eyed his brother cautiously as he tipped the bottle up and took a swig.

Instead of saying anything, Chris began pacing.

Trent leaned forward, bracing his water between his hands. “You obviously came down here for a reason. Spit it out already.”

Chris stopped and looked at him. “You sound like Paul.”

Trent released a short laugh. “Not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not.”

One side of his brother’s lip twitched. Paul was the quintessential older brother. He was the responsible one and he had an opinion on everything.

“I’m guessing you came to see me about Abby.”

Chris ran a rough hand through his hair before plopping down in a chair himself. He looked worn down. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

While Trent knew the answer to that thanks to Abby blurting it out that morning, he didn’t feel it was his place to tell his brother. “What would you have done if she had?”

“I don’t know.” Chris shook his head. “I thought about it all night, and then today . . . I couldn’t stay focused at work. Finally, Elizabeth suggested I drive down and talk to Abby. But what am I supposed to say? My first instinct is to yell at her for not telling me. But what good will that do? It isn’t going to change anything. And it was twelve years ago.”

“Might make you feel better,” Trent suggested. Even as he said it, his body recoiled. Although he knew his brother would never physically harm Abby, the thought of Chris being aggressive to her in any way brought his hackles up.

“Maybe. I’m not sure about that, though.” Chris rested his elbows on his knees. “We were young. And stupid. I remember waking up that morning thinking that I had to get my head on straight because something like that couldn’t happen again.”

He paused and looked out one of the large windows along the front of the office, seeming to need a minute to gather his thoughts. Trent waited. He knew this couldn’t be easy for his brother.

“I’ve been trying to put myself in her shoes. What would I have done in that situation? And . . .” Chris blew out a breath. “I hope I wouldn’t have kept it a secret. That I would have felt comfortable enough to share what was happening. But as Elizabeth pointed out, I can’t possibly know what it would have felt like to be a twenty-year-old woman, alone, and pregnant.”

Chris took another break. He bowed his head and rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes. Trent was patient. His brother needed to get it out.

“What keeps nagging me most, though, is wondering if she would have ever told me had she not come back.” Chris’ voice sounded loud in the otherwise quiet room. “Would I have gone the rest of my life not knowing?”

He met Trent’s gaze, as if pleading, hoping he had the answers Chris was seeking.

“I can’t answer that. She told me she’d wanted to tell you, but didn’t know how.” That much was the truth.

“Yeah. And on an intellectual level, I get that. But—”

“But you’re still mad at her,” Trent finished for him.

Chris looked his brother in the eye. “Wouldn’t you be?”

Trent didn’t answer right away. “Probably.”

They were both quiet for a long while. Trent was trying to give his brother time.

Chris shifted in his chair, drawing Trent’s attention.

“Are you and Abby together?” The question hung in the air.

“I’m not sure what we are at the moment.”

Chris sat up, straightening his shoulders as if he were preparing himself. “Have you slept with her?”

The memory of Abby underneath him on the couch flashed through his mind. “No.”

“But you want to.” It wasn’t a question. “You always did have a crush on her.”

Trent was shocked. He’d thought he’d kept his feelings for Abby to himself back then.

“Don’t look so surprised. You hung out with us every chance you got. What sixteen-year-old guy chooses to hang with his brother and his brother’s girlfriend instead of going out with his friends, unless he’s got stars in his eyes for his brother’s girl?”

Trent rolled his eyes.

“Seriously, I wondered back then why you never said anything.”

Trent looked at his brother as if he’d lost his mind. “She was your girl.”

To some that might not have been enough, but for them it was.

Chris nodded. “We always did have the same taste in women.”

“Never gonna let me live down the fact that I went on a date with your wife before you did, are you?”

“Not a chance,” Chris muttered.

They both chuckled before falling silent again.

“What are you going to do?” Trent asked after several minutes had passed. His brother knew he was talking about Abby.

“Talk to her, I guess. I still have no idea what I’m going to say, but if you two . . .” Chris waved his hand in the air to fill in the blanks. “We can’t ignore the elephant in the room.”

Trent knew that was true enough. If he and Abby did manage to make things work, then she and Chris would be seeing each other a lot. His brother and sister-in-law only lived about an hour north of Cincinnati. They came down to visit almost every weekend.

Before Trent could say more, Chris stood. “I should go. I told Elizabeth I’d be back tonight.”

Standing, Trent followed his brother to the door. He locked up and they both headed to their vehicles.

He rested a hand on the front of his truck and glanced over at Chris. As much as Trent wanted to see Abby tonight, Chris needed to talk to her more. Before he could say anything, his brother asked, “You want to grab some pizza?”

Trent smirked. “Putting it off isn’t going to make it any easier. Why don’t you pick up a pizza and take it with you to Abby’s?”

Chris sighed. “This emotional stuff isn’t my strong suit. But you’re right. It’s better to get it over with.”

“Good luck,” Trent said as he walked around to the driver’s side of his truck and reached for the door.

“Thanks.”

Trent watched as his brother backed out and drove away. Every cell in his body wanted to go to Abby, to stand beside her as she and Chris had this very important conversation. But he knew he couldn’t. As much as he wanted to be in Abby’s life—to be the one she leaned on—this wasn’t something he could help her with.

It hadn’t escaped his attention that Chris had come alone. Apparently, Elizabeth felt the same as Trent did because he knew she would do anything for his brother, would stand beside him come hell or high water. No, this was something Chris and Abby had to figure out together.

Slipping the key into the ignition, Trent started the truck and headed home to his empty house. It was going to be a very long evening.

***

Abby reluctantly opened her eyes and yawned. The nap had done her good.

She sat up and glanced out the window. It was still light out. According to the glowing numbers of her alarm clock, it was a little after seven. As if in response to the time, her stomach picked that moment to protest. The spa had provided a small lunch, but that was hours ago.

Getting out of bed, Abby made her way into the kitchen. She opened her refrigerator, contemplating her options. There wasn’t much there beyond the basics, but surely she could throw something edible together even if it was nothing more than scrambled eggs.

She was removing the egg carton when the doorbell rang. All the relaxation from before vanished and her heart rate skyrocketed. Trent. Abby needed to talk to him. She needed to know that what had happened hadn’t damaged their friendship. Even if they could never have anything more than that, she still wanted him—needed him—as a friend.

In less than ten seconds, she was wrenching the door open. But it wasn’t Trent standing on her doorstep. It was Chris.

Abby opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Hi,” he said, lifting the pizza box he was holding. “I brought dinner. I was hoping we could talk.”

She stepped back and motioned him inside. “Sure. Um. Come in.”

Chris brushed past her. He was large and imposing physically. All the Daniels men were, even their father, Mike. They were all over six feet tall and had strong, broad shoulders. Abby remembered what it had felt like to have Chris hold her, how his touch used to make her heart skip a beat, but that was long gone. There was someone else who held that power over her now. She only hoped Trent would be able to forgive her for what she’d done to his brother—his family.

Abby led Chris into her small kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink? I don’t have any beer, but I have some wine.”

Chris set the pizza box on the table and pulled out a chair. “Just water.”

She nodded and reached up into the cabinet for some glasses. As much as she could really use a glass of wine, Abby figured he had the right idea. Water was the better option.

Abby placed their drinks on the table and lowered herself into a chair across from him. Neither reached for the pizza. They just sat there, staring at each other.

He cleared his throat. “I figure you know why I’m here.”

“Yes.”

A long silence followed.

He opened the pizza box so suddenly she jumped.

Chris stilled. “I’d never hit you, Abby.”

Heat colored her cheeks. “I know that. Sorry. I guess I’m just a little jumpy.”

After a long moment, he nodded and returned his attention to the pizza. It was divided into two halves. One side was covered in onions, mushrooms, peppers, and pepperoni. The other half only had cheese and pepperoni. He’d remembered.

“Thanks,” she mumbled as she reached for a slice. “You didn’t have to get both. I could have picked off the stuff I don’t like.”

He shrugged and stuffed a large slice of pizza into his mouth.

After a couple of bites, Abby felt as if she needed to say something. He’d come to her, obviously ready to talk. Now it was up to her.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I picked up the phone to call you at least a dozen times,” she said.

“What stopped you?” It was a valid question.

“I didn’t want to disappoint your family,” she whispered.

Chris’ eyes widened. “How would you finding out you were pregnant disappoint my family?”

Abby sighed. There was no way to get around this. She could try to dress it up as much as she wanted, but it wouldn’t make a difference. Setting her pizza down, she met his gaze. “Because I knew you’d want to do the right thing. You’d want to marry me, and I didn’t feel that way about you anymore.”

He slammed his fist against the table and dropped the piece of pizza he’d had in his hand. “So because you didn’t want to marry me, you decided it was okay to keep the fact that you were having my baby from me?”

Chris was seething and she couldn’t blame him.

“I’m sorry.” She could say it a million times over and it still wouldn’t seem like enough.

For the longest time he glared at her across the table. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

It would be so easy to lie to him. To tell him that yes, she would have told him. One of these days. “I don’t know. If she had lived, yes, I would have told you. But it was . . . easier after she died to justify keeping it to myself. She was gone. There was no point—”

“No point?” She saw his nostrils flare. He clenched his fists and Abby knew he was trying to hold on to his temper. “How could you think there was no point in telling me I had a daughter? Whether she lived or not shouldn’t matter.”