Page 62 of Tempt

“Now,” he mumbles.

“Is she?” He doesn’t finish before falling back onto his ass to listen to whatever is being said on the opposite line.

Silence falls over him, yet he is nodding his head like whoever is on the opposite side can see him.

He ends the call and slowly lowers it to his side.

“Landon?” I ask. He shifts his gaze to mine. “Hey.” I shout and it's like that’s when everything clicks. Landon starts scrambling toward the ladder. I’m afraid he’s going to fall off the roof, so I hurry after him, grabbing for his shoulder.

“Chloe’s in labor,” he says in a rush. “Her water broke while she was doing dishes and–” he starts to slip and catches himself.

“You’re gonna fall off this roof if you don’t watch it.” Only he doesn’t seem to hear my words as he rambles on.

“Her dad stopped by to bring her a gift they’d picked up for the baby and found her in the kitchen. Ben’s taking her to the hospital now,” he adds.

His head is not right, he’s nervous and focused on one thing and it's not getting off this roof safely.

“Slow down before I have to take you to the damn emergency room,” I laugh. “You aren’t gonna do Chloe any good if you have a broken neck or back.”

He’s a wreck.

He pauses taking a deep breath, and then moves toward the ladder more carefully this time. As he places one foot and then the other on the step he looks over at me with glossy eyes and smiles. “Chloe’s in labor,” he repeats, and I feel the overwhelming emotion course through me.

“Yeah,” I nod, immediately able to feel his overwhelming joy “You need me to drive you?”

“No,” again he inhales deep, “I’m good.”

“You’re about to be a Dad,” I add, and he nods, before slowly descending.

Once he’s on the ground I watch as he pulls his keys out of his pocket and then jogs off toward his truck.

Pulling open his door he holds his hand up in the air and screams out, “I’m gonna be a fucking Dad!” Then he closes the door and backs away.

I chuckle, shaking my head and moving across the roof to finish tacking the shingle in place he didn’t finish.

As I finish I turn and sit down on the roof, pulling my phone out of my pocket. Waking it I am immediately graced with a picture of Kyra’s smile. I’d taken it while we were out at Mercy with everyone.

She was relaxed and happy, she was free and things between us had really started to unfold.

Me: Thinking of you, I hope everything is okay.

I stare at the message and before I have the chance to talk myself out of it I hit send.

Me: I miss you!

I add, and then lower my phone, staring off in the distance, the height giving me a clear view of the surrounding land. The country roads, the trees blowing in the breeze, it’s peaceful.

When my phone vibrates, I wake it and read the screen, my chest tightens, and emotions fill me.

Kyra: I miss you too! So much!

I take in a slow deep breath, looking out once more at nothing in particular and hope that this means soon, I’ll be able to hold her again.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX

Kyra

I’m spent,emotionally exhausted.