Page 145 of Kaden & Keegan
Chapter Twenty-Three
Bristol woke early on Sunday morning, feelinga little worse for wear after tossing and turning most of the night. But she was alert and that was all that mattered as she washed her face, brushed her hair and dragged on clothes. The text she’d been hoping for came right before she woke up, letting her know to go to the diner for her coffee date, so she called for an Uber and had them deliver her there.
When she arrived, she found the popular town restaurant was relatively empty, most people in Coyote Ridge still warm in their beds, tucked beneath the covers to catch a few more hours before they ventured off to church or relaxed on their day off.
“Hey, Bristol,” came the voice from the back corner, followed by a wave.
She smiled and headed that way.
“I hope I didn’t drag you out too early,” Bristol said by way of greeting.
Kylie Walker-Matthews watched her approach, a brilliant smile on her pretty face. “It was a … uh … a good night, so no. Not too early.”
Bristol slipped off her coat, laying it in the seat and sliding in. The waitress made a quick pass by the table, and Bristol considered ordering coffee just to keep up the ruse but changed her mind at the last second, going for orange juice instead.
Kylie was watching her intently as a slow smile formed.
“You’re pregnant,” the other woman said, her voice so low Bristol barely heard her.
Evidently, her wide eyes must’ve given her away because Kylie chuckled.
“Who told you?”
Kylie nodded toward the empty coffee mug in front of Bristol. “It was the first thing to go when I was pregnant with my babies. Hardest thing, too.”
Yeah, Bristol had a feeling giving up coffee was going to be easy in comparison to what was looming in her future.
“Is this a good thing?” Kylie asked, taking a sip from her mug.
“Yes.”
“You sound certain.”
“I am. About the baby, yes. That’s the easy decision.”
Kylie observed her, those cornflower-blue eyes scanning her face. “So I take it you didn’t ask me here for motherhood advice.”
Bristol shook her head then thanked the waitress when she brought her juice.
“Can I get you something else?”
“Oatmeal, please. And fruit,” Kylie said easily. “For both of us.”
“Sure thing.”
And then they were alone again, and Bristol knew she had to get on with it or she would lose her nerve.
“How’d you manage it?”
Kylie didn’t ask what she was referring to, and Bristol had to wonder if the woman had been asked that question more than this one time.
“Love.”
Bristol waited for her to elaborate. She didn’t.
“I don’t understand.”
Kylie leaned forward. “What’s difficult about it? Love can get you through anything. If it’s real, if it’s strong, nothing else matters.”
