Wes left the next day for another tournament. He didn’t need to be there for two days, but he’d needed the time to himself. Needed to figure out his next move. Because Kaylee had just turned his life upside down.

For once, he thought things couldn’t be more perfect. He had Kaylee back in his life, and he’d just made the big time in golf. Okay, the lower end of the big time, given he wasn’t winning tournaments, but still, shit was good.

With shaking hands, he dumped pain relievers into his palm and threw them back, along with a swig of water. His fucking head felt like he’d cracked it on the sidewalk. What the hell was in that whisky last night?

Then again, he’d lost track of how much he’d drunk after his fifth shot. That was probably his primary problem.

He’d played like crap during practice today and blamed it on the alcohol still leaching its way out of his system. But really, the reason could encompass any number of things—a beautiful brunette at the top of that list.

He had issues. Just because he was on the tour track, didn’t mean everything was unicorns and rainbows. In the back of his mind, he’d been concerned about how to hold on to Kaylee while he traveled all the time. It wasn’t a life most women would be happy with, and he’d already put Kaylee through hell years ago due to his golf ambitions. And now there was a baby to consider.

Jesus.

The tournament went much like his practice round. He’d played like crap and didn’t make the cut, so he didn’t earn anything. But that was fine, because his head wasn’t in it. And when it came to golf, if your head wasn’t in the game, you were screwed.

Wes flew back to Lake Tahoe and pulled into Kaylee’s driveway no wiser than when he’d left, and a hell of a lot wearier. He shouldered on his travel bag and walked slowly up the steps to her parents’ place. He reached for the front door, but it was locked.

Sighing, Wes bent and fumbled around for the hide-a-key, but it wasn’t there either.

The fuck? He knocked on the front door. “Kaylee, open up.”

Leaning his head against the door, he rested his dog-tired bones and listened for movement inside. She had to be here. Her car was in the driveway.

Finally, footsteps sounded on the other side of the door and he stepped back, relieved to be home and able to see his girl.

Home. Kaylee was his home.

She opened the door, but she wasn’t smiling like she normally did when he returned from a tournament.

Fear gripped Wes’s chest. Instinctively, he glanced at her stomach, not that he could tell if there was anything wrong by looking. “Is the baby okay?”

She leaned her shoulder against the doorjamb. Which was odd. She’d not moved to let him in, and all he wanted was to hold her, maybe collapse on the couch and put his hand on her tummy. Hmm, never thought to do that before, but it sounded nice.

“It isn’t a good idea for you to come inside,” she said.

For a second, Wes’s mind went blank. Why wouldn’t he come in? They were going to have a baby. He’d not been able to verbally pin her down to a committed relationship, but as far as he was concerned, it was unspoken. He wasn’t seeing anyone else, and she wasn’t either.

Unless she was.

Jealousy gripped his chest, his face heating. “Why not?” The question came out harsher than he’d intended.

Kaylee swallowed and stood straight. “If this baby makes it…” Her voice was scratchy, and she blinked a couple of times. “I’ll never keep you from visiting. I want you to be in the baby’s life.”

What was she talking about? It sounded like she was giving him the boot.

Not fucking happening.

Not again.

“Kaylee, I will be in this baby’s life. I will be a father. Whatever you need.”

She took a deep breath and a small smile crossed her lips, but it wasn’t enough. Sadness lurked behind her eyes. “I’m happy to hear that.”

Had she doubted it? “Let me in so we can talk.”

She shook her head. “It’s better this way. What we’ve been doing”—she waved between them—“it was never meant to last. I care so much about you, Wes, but it’s time we end things and cut our losses.”

He felt his jaw tense. For a split second, he’d thought she’d moved on while he’d been gone, but that was a knee-jerk reaction. It wasn’t like Kaylee to do that. Only it didn’t matter in the end if she still pushed him away.

“No,” he finally said.

She crossed her arms. “You don’t have a choice. I told you I didn’t want anything serious. Nothing’s changed—”

“Everything’s changed.”

“—and I don’t want us stuck in a relationship because I got pregnant. It’s not right for either of us. And it’s especially not right for the baby. He or she deserves parents who love each other.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he loved her. That he’d been fucked up these last few years because he loved her so damn much and losing her had messed with his head. But he didn’t.

There was no doubt they were attracted to each other. The sheets went up in flames when they were together, but he didn’t know if she loved him. And his pride took that moment to rear its head, preventing him from putting himself out there.

“Wes, we are right back where we left off. Golf is number one, and I’m… God, what am I to you? Number three? Four? What would the baby be to you?”

“I told you already. You’re everything to me.” It was the closest he could come to how he truly felt.

“But I’m not, don’t you see? And I never will be. I don’t want to take away your chance at the tour. You’ve done so well, and I care about you enough to want this for you. I promise I will never keep your child from you, if you want to be a part of his life.”

“Her life.”

“Her?”

“We’re having a girl.”

She sent him a confused look. “You don’t know that.”

He shrugged. “It’s a hunch. Anyway, there’s no way in hell I don’t want to be a part of our daughter’s life. Or yours.” He leaned forward until their heads were mere inches apart. “You’re mine, Kaylee.”

---

Kaylee couldn’t imagine loving anyone the way she loved Wes, so in some ways, he was right. She was his. And if everything went well, she was having his child. But she’d learned to put her needs first, and not simply set them aside so Wes could pursue his wants in life. The tour was his dream, not hers. And if she let him, he’d run over everything she held dear—friends, family, a job where she made a difference. Club Tahoe had given her back what she’d lost. She wasn’t throwing it away for Wes’s convenience.

And that was how she knew the two of them would never work out. She and Wes weren’t going in the same direction, and he expected her to make all the compromises.

“Kaylee, I’m fucking tired as hell. I’m sorry for getting drunk after you told me about the baby, but don’t make any decisions until we’ve had a chance to talk things out. And don’t think I didn’t notice you moved the hide-a-key. That thing has been there for over a decade.” His tone turned dark. “I’ll leave if it’s really what you want. For now. But I’m coming back.”

He turned and walked toward his car before she could tell him to not bother. A part of her wanted Wes in her life so badly… But that was the part she needed to ignore. Because that way only led to pain.

She blinked back tears. Her throat was dry from all the crying she’d done this week. He thought there was more to talk about, but there wasn’t. She’d made up her mind.

Ending things was the right thing to do. It had to be. Now she just needed to live with it.