Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (32 page)

“
She told me I
’
d have twins, then two single pregnancies. Very close together.
”

“
Twin boys, a girl, and then another boy.
”

“
Maybe the triplets are two boys and a girl. Wouldn
’
t that be amazing?
”

“
As long as they
’
re healthy,
”
he says, sliding his hand across my belly in wonder and shaking his head in disbelief.
“
Triplets.
”

Asher Vineyards
—
Wedding

RILEY

“
Triplets,
”
I say to Dallas, shaking my head.
“
How crazy is that?
”

“
It
’
s pretty crazy,
”
Ariela says from behind me.
 

I turn around and face her.
“
The wedding has been incredible. You did an amazing job. Keatyn couldn
’
t be happier.
”

“
And what about you?
”

“
Logan told me that making this wedding perfect wasn’t just for Keatyn
—
that you wanted to show all of us that you were sorry.
”

“
Mostly you,
”
she says softly.
“
My duties are officially done for the night. Would you like to dance, Riley?
”

“
I would,
”
I reply, pulling her into my arms and swaying to the music.

“
So tonight
’
s supposed to be the big night,
”
she says, looking grim.
“
But I meant what I said about us not needing to decide anything yet.
”

“
Let
’
s go talk somewhere in private,
”
I say, leading her off the dance floor and stopping to grab some champagne on the way to my room.

After popping the bottle and pouring us each a glass, I get to the matter at hand.

“
Explain why you didn
’
t send me the letter. I need to understand why you didn
’
t fight for us.
”

She sits on the bed, crossing her legs into a pretzel, just like she used to when we would sit on my bed and talk and kiss for hours at a time in high school.
 

“
I cried most of the way home. As we were pulling into our driveway, my dad finally spoke. He asked me if I told you. I said yes, and that
’
s when I noticed I was still clutching the note in my hand. I told my dad that I had written you a letter but forgot to give it to you, so he asked what I was going to do with it. If I would send it. I checked my phone for the millionth time, but upon seeing nothing from you, I told him that I didn
’
t know what I was going to do, but that I was surprised you hadn
’
t called or texted me. My dad smiled and said that the reason you hadn
’
t is because he was right. That you didn
’
t care about me. I decided I would keep the note on my desk for three days, and if I hadn
’
t heard from you, I would throw it away and try to forget about you.
”

“
But you didn
’
t,
”
I state.

“
No, I couldn
’
t do either. That
’
s what I don
’
t think you understand, Riley. You weren
’
t the only one who was devastated.
”

“
You
’
re right. I shouldn
’
t have given up. I should have called and texted and stalked your house.
”

“
I kept praying for some kind of sign. What I should have been praying for was strength. I should have been strong enough to call you myself. I just want you to know how sorry I am. I was young, and scared, and foolish then, but I
’
m not anymore. I want to be with you, Riley. And I
’
m not afraid to say it. I still love you.
”

I reach out and touch her cheek, caressing it. “And I still love you.
”
 

“
It
’
s not going to be easy, Riley. I still have to get a divorce. But I want you to know that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.
”

“
I don
’
t want that,
”
I tell her, causing a frown to form.
 

“
I see,
”
she says softly, looking ready to burst into tears.
 

“
I want us on a level playing field, Ariela. We were supposed to decide today if we want to go forward. If we want to date. What do you want?
”

“
You, Riley. Just you. Actually, that
’
s not true. I want to marry you, have babies with you, and love you until you
’
re old and gray.
”

“
That
’
s all I
’
ve ever wanted, too,
”
I say as her lips land on mine.
“
And I think it
’
s about time we let ourselves be happy.
”

She hugs me and then rests her head on my shoulder, causing me to feel like I
’
ve stepped back in time.

“
I want to be happy,
”
she says.

“
You know, maybe it wasn
’
t meant to be back then. Over the last ten years, I’ve worked long crazy hours to make the company what it is. I gave it my life. Now we’re selling it and I can now reap the rewards. I’m getting my life back. And I want to spend that life with you, Kitty.
”

“I want that too,
”
she says, pushing her lips against mine and ripping off my clothing as quickly as she can.
 

We
’
re naked, lying on the bed, making love when my phone rings.

And then rings again.

And again.

“
Uh, I better check that,
”
I say, reluctantly pulling out.

“
Who is it?
”
she asks as I look at my phone.

“
Shelby. I
’
m going to call her back.
”

Ariela frowns but nods in agreement as I make the call.

“
Riley!
”
Shelby cries into my ear.
“
I was robbed. Mugged! A man put a gun to my head and told me to give him my new Fendi baguette. I told him no, so he punched me in the stomach and took it anyway. Now I
’
m having cramps, and I
’
m afraid I
’
m going to lose our baby, Riley. I don
’
t know what to do. Please, don
’
t make me go through this alone. Please come home.
”

Even though the girl of my dreams is lying naked in front of me, I know I
’
m being pulled in a different direction. My child
’
s mother needs me.

“
I
’
ll be there as fast as I can,
”
I tell Shelby, grabbing my clothes and quickly getting dressed.

“
Where are you going? What
’
s wrong?
”
Ariela asks.

“
Shelby got mugged. Punched in the stomach. She
’
s cramping.
”

“
Is she in the hospital?
”

“
I don
’
t know. I think she
’
s at the hotel.
”

“
Riley, it
’
s not unusual for pregnant women to cramp from time to time. And honestly, if she
’
s cramping and losing the baby, there isn
’
t much you can do about it. Why don’t you stay the night and go home in the morning?
”

“
The mother of my child was fucking mugged, Ariela. Sorry, but I have to go.
”

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Books by Jillian Dodd

The Love Series

Vegas Love

The
USA TODAY
bestselling series,
 

The Keatyn Chronicles
®

Stalk Me
 

Kiss Me

Date Me

Love Me

Adore Me
 

Hate Me

Get Me

Fame

Power

Money

Sex

Love

That Boy Series

That Boy

That Wedding

That Baby

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jillian is the USA TODAY bestselling author of fourteen + novels. She writes fun romances with characters her readers fall in love with, from the boy next door in the That Boy trilogy to the daughter of a famous actress in The Keatyn Chronicles series. The Keatyn Chronicles is in the hands of over 500,000 readers and is a USA Today bestselling series. Her last release, Vegas Love, is an Amazon Top 100 and USA Today bestseller.
 

She's married to her college sweetheart, has two children in college who both help with her business, two labs named Cali and Camber, and lives in a small Florida beach town. When she's not working, she likes to decorate, paint, doodle, watch football or racing, drink good wine, and go to the beach.