Rainey
Rainey wasn’t surprised to find Knox on her doorstep at about the same time that her kids got off the school bus. She knew that he wouldn’t let Beck come over since she was so pregnant. Rainey also knew that her sister wouldn’t let her go through any of this alone—especially when Slater showed back up at the penthouse. Her sister texted her, asking her what happened, and she told Beck that she needed some time. Of course, her sister called her an idiot and left it at that, but Rainey knew that wouldn’t be the end of it.
Knox stayed for the afternoon, taking care of the kids for her while she stayed locked away up in her room. She was pissed off at herself for sending Slater off the way she had. Hell, she all but told the poor guy to get lost and that was the very last thing that she wanted. What she wanted was Slater and she was an idiot for letting him walk out of her life.
Rainey had done enough soul searching to last her a lifetime after her husband died. There was no doubt in her mind that the guy who showed up on her doorstep wasn’t her Jack. He was dead and that was that. How she had let the man that she loved walk out of her life—well, that was on her. She was a fool, and it was time that she found him to tell him that.
She got out of bed, pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt. As soon as she got downstairs, she found Knox on the couch, watching a movie with the kids. “You going somewhere?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Do you mind watching the kids for a couple of hours for me?”
“Not at all,” Knox said. “But if you’re going to my place to find him, he’s not there.”
“How did you know?” she asked.
“Because you and your sister are more alike than either of you like to admit,” he assessed.
Rainey rolled her eyes at him, making Knox laugh. “You want to tell me where he is then?” she asked.
“He’s at our club—the Smokey Bandits. You know the place, right?” he asked. She had been there a couple of times with her sister and Knox when they were first together.
“Yep,” she said. “Do me a favor—don’t give him a heads up that I’m on the way. I don’t want him to take off. We need to talk. Actually, I need to apologize.”
“Good luck,” he said.
“Thanks,” she said. “I think that I’m going to need it.” She kissed the kids’ good night, told them to listen to their uncle and to go to bed when he told them to. They all agreed to be good, even though she and Knox both knew that it was probably a lie. She left her house feeling completely unsure of herself, but certain of one thing—she wouldn’t be coming back home tonight without Slater by her side.
* * *
Rainey parked in the front of the bar, hoping that Knox stayed true to his word and didn’t warn Slater that she was on her way to see him. She worried that if he had a heads up, he’d take off and she’d never get her chance to apologize to him.
She quickly checked her reflection in the rearview mirror and realized that she looked like a complete wreck. Whatever makeup she had been wearing that day, had been cried off. She ran her fingers under her eyes, trying to collect her smeared mascara, and then just gave up. There would be no fixing that mess.
“It’s no use,” she whispered to herself. She grabbed her purse and got out of her car, walking into the bar as if she had a right to be there, which she didn’t. She had no idea what she was walking into or if she’d even find Slater there.
Rainey quickly looked around, spotting Slater sitting in the corner surrounded by a couple of blonds. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder and started to walk back to where he was sitting.
“Hey gorgeous,” one of the bikers said, pushing his way into her space.
“Not now,” she said.
“Wow,” he breathed. “I was going to offer to buy you a drink, and—” Rainey didn’t let him finish what he was about to say. She turned to face him, pointing her finger at his chest.
“I said, not now,” she shouted over the music. “I’m not interested. I’m here to see someone else.”
“Your loss, honey,” the guy said. “I thought we could have a good time, but I guess I was wrong.”
“Yeah, you were wrong,” Rainey said.
“What the hell is going on here?” Slater shouted.
“Doesn’t concern you, Dad,” the young guy said. Rainey looked between the two of them and couldn’t help but laugh. She was doubled over, laughing her ass off, while the two guys watched her as if she had lost her mind.
“Dad,” she shouted over the music. “This is your son, Derrick?” she asked.
“Yes,” both guys answered at the same time.
“What the hell is going on here, Rainey?” Slater asked.