“She’s alone?”

She swallows before shaking her head. “Carson’s with her.”

I take a deep breath before I walk in her room. Carson’s sitting in the chair next to her, holding her hand. Her eyes are closed, but they flutter open as soon as I’m near her. “Rhett,” she whispers.

Carson’s head swings around and I grab him by the back of his preppy sweater, physically removing him from the chair he’s sitting in. It’s my chair. Next to my girl. “Get the fuck out of here.”

“I don’t have to do a damn thing you tell me to do.” He’s about to come at me when Kinsley starts to cry.

“Carson, I need to talk to Rhett. Alone.”

“Sure. I’ll be in the hallway if you need me.” He glares at me before leaving the room with his head hanging. I can’t stand him.

Once I dry Kinsley’s tears, I hold both of her hands, warming them up. She’s so cold she’s practically shivering. “I was so scared. I thought I lost you.”

“The baby, Rhett.”

“What do you mean?” I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t let myself go there on the ride here. I told myself that if she was okay, the baby would be okay, too.

“I’m bleeding. I-I could lose the baby.” She sobs harder and harder as she says each word. Saying it makes it real, and I know it’s not easy for her to do. Not when the mere thought of losing either one of them was enough to bring me to my knees.

I pull back her blankets, careful not to sit on any of her wires, or mess with the IV in her hand. “It’s in God’s hands now, Sunny. But you’re going to be okay.”

“My baby,” she says. “I need my baby to be okay.”

“Our baby is strong, Sunny. Just like you.”

Before I can give her anymore words of encouragement, the doctor strolls in with a clipboard in hand. Only he doesn’t look like we’re feeling. In fact, he smiles when he sees the two of us together in her bed. “You must be Rhett.”

“I am.” I hold out my hand, and he shakes it.

“I’d say luck was on your side today. The baby is doing well, the labs all came back perfect, and your x-rays were clear. No broken bones. Other than the soreness, and the stitches on your forehead, you’re doing very well considering.”

“What about the blood?” she asks him.

“It may or may not have been caused by the accident. Your placenta is low lying, and this could simply be the beginning signs of placenta previa. It’s a fancy word meaning part of your placenta is blocking the cervix. It gradually moves upward during pregnancy, but if yours stays low, it might be cause for concern. You could possibly need a C-section during delivery. We’ll know more with time.”

“She’s not from this area. Will her doctor get all this?”

“Absolutely. We’ll do another pelvic exam in a couple hours and we’ll continue to monitor the baby. If all goes well, we’ll discharge you tomorrow and you can follow-up with your physician.”

I need a little more clarification after he rattled all that off so fast. “The baby is okay though, right?”

“Yes, perfectly fine.”

We both sigh with relief. “See, Sunny. The baby is strong.”

The doctor jots down a few of her vitals before leaving the room. As soon as we’re alone, Kinsley reaches for me and I hold her tighter than I ever have before. I rest my hand on her stomach, gently stroking her skin.

“I love you, Rhett.”

“You have no idea how much I love you, Kinsley West.” She sniffles again, and I reach for a tissue on the tray near her bed.

“Thank you,” she says, as she takes it from my hand. “I’m so sorry Carson lied to you last night. He told me what he said to you, and I was so upset. I took the four wheeler so I could get back to the cabin to call you. I was so scared you would think I didn’t want you.”

She wrecked and almost lost our baby because of Carson. “I get that you care about him, but I don’t want Carson anywhere near you or the baby anymore.”

“Okay.”

That was too easy, so I say it a second time in case she thinks I’m not serious. “I mean it. Even if you have to move.”

“Rhett, I kissed him,” she says in a rush.

As if this day couldn’t get any worse, another bomb’s dropped on me. The thought of her lips coming anywhere near his, makes me want to break things. A lot of things—everything. “Did you sleep with him?”

She lifts her head off my chest, shaking her head. “No, I could never do that. I don’t even know why I kissed him. I regretted it before it was even over. My head was so mixed up about losing you.”

“You didn’t lose me, Sunny. You left.”

“I know. I regret that, too.”

“All you have to do is come back.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

I’m so mad at her for leaving me in the first place, but after what she’s been through, I’m more thankful to have her than anything. “Sunny, it would be a whole lot easier to marry you someday, if you were my girl.”

She giggles, and it’s the sweetest sound I’ve heard in a really long time. I lean in to kiss her, wanting and needing to remove Carson from her memory. All I want her to think about is my kisses—my lips claiming hers.

I hear someone clear their throat, and I know we’re not alone anymore. But I don’t expect it to be my mother.

“Mrs. Taylor, I wanted to—”

Mom holds up her hand, shushing Kinsley. “No, let me first. I spoke to the doctor for myself. He couldn’t give me specifics, but he said the baby is okay.”

“Yes.”

“Until today, Rhett has always been my baby. I’ve coddled him more than I should. I put up with more than I needed to, but I love him more than anything in this world. Sometimes, I lose sight of the important things. For that, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I threw you out of my home. I’m sorry I called you names a mother should never speak of. I’m ashamed of the way I’ve behaved and I can only ask for your forgiveness.”

Kinsley’s eyes are watery when she looks at me, but she doesn’t need me to save her this time. This time, she can handle my mom all on her own. “Mrs. Taylor, I love your son, and I love this baby.”

“I know you do, sweet girl. The thought of losing either one of you would destroy my son. I didn’t realize until this afternoon how much it would destroy me, too. Life is precious and we’re only given one chance to get it right. I’ve messed up so many times, but I’d like a chance to love this baby. I’d like a chance to love you.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“That’s all we’ve ever wanted,” I add.

My mother walks to Kinsley’s bedside, and leans down to hug her. It’s the most amazing feeling in the world to have two of the most important people in my life getting along. Today was pretty awful, and could have ended up tragic, but every new beginning comes from a beginning’s end.

Today was the end of the feud.

Today was the first day of our happily-ever-after because I don’t plan on losing my girl ever again. Not when I have it all.

Two weeks later . . .

I WAKE UP with a sense of urgency. The need to see Rhett so strong I can hardly stand it. Even if it’s going to be hard to listen to the whispering, I’m excited to go back to school to see both him and Becca.

After the rest of Thanksgiving break was spent in the hospital and on bed rest, I’ve been going a little crazy being cooped up inside my bedroom. Now that I’m allowed to be on my feet, I rush around, making sure I leave on time so I’m not late for photography class.

Wyatt’s back at school and while Carson’s still living here, we haven’t been on speaking terms. Still, he leaves me toast on the counter each morning. It’s either his way of apologizing for what he did, or because he’s desperate to stay connected to me in one way or another. Rhett wants him gone, and I can’t blame him for the way he feels, but Kate and I can’t bring ourselves to kick him to the curb until he makes arrangements. Even then, I’m not sure how hard he’s trying to find something else.