"Rock, paper, scissors."

"Are you kidding me?" Ayden whined. "No. You're a cheater. It's your turn. You do it."

"Nope. Rock. Paper. Scissors."

Ayden let out a puff of air. "I saved your life."

"I hooked you up with my sister," I shot back even though the reminder grossed me out. I mean...she was my little sister.

"You both are children!" Lanie exclaimed as she walked in on our bickering. "I'll do it."

Ayden and I had been in the nursery arguing over who was going to change Little Nate. He was six months old now and I loved the little guy more than anything. But as cute as he was...sometimes he delivered the most toxic dumps that can make any soldier run away in fear.

Ayden stepped in front of Lanie, blocking her path. "Hey, Goddess. We got this under control."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked from one of us to the other. "Oh, really?"

"Yes," we both answered at the same time.

It was a lie. I wanted more than anything to hand Little Nate over to Lanie and go lock myself in my room for awhile. But I would never hear the end of it from either of them.

"Fine," she said with a knowing smile. "I'll be in the kitchen then. Good luck, boys."

Yeah, she knew we were talking out of our asses. My sister was a fucking psychic. Ever since she fell in love and had this amazing child, her psychic-ness was back in full force. But I was grateful. I was so fucking grateful that she was happy. And alive. When she got into that car accident, it wrecked me. I felt the same way I did when I got the call about my parents dying.

When I first had the idea to set up Ayden and my sister, I was reluctant. I knew she would probably push him away, not just becasue he was my best friend, but becasue he was a soldier. I knew she was terrified of being with someone who had a greater risk of getting injured or killed. Since Ayden was in the special forces, he was more at risk than others. But it turned out my gut was right. They were meant to be together.

"So how should we do this?" Ayden asked, drawing my attention to the little bundle on the changing table.

"Tag team?"

Ayden nodded. "I'll dismantle the bomb, you go in and do the cleaning."

"Deal."

Ayden made quick work of getting everything we needed ready and within our reach. He grabbed a diaper, wipes, and cream to help with diaper rash. We both too a deep breath when Ayden opened the diaper. Even that wasn't enough.

"God, how does that come out of him?" I groaned.

Ayden quickly threw the old diaper away and I cleaned up Little Nate and applied the cream. Two minutes later...he was good as new. I looked down at him and smiled. I playfully tickled his belly and he cackled in the most adorable way.

He was absolutely perfect. He looked just like his father and had Lanie's eyes. We were all terrified when he was born premature. I stayed at the hospital almost ever day while he was there. Lanie got discharged first after she recovered. Of course, she refused to go home herself. It was no surprise. Lanie wasn't the type of mother to go home with her son in the hospital. And Ayden wasn't the type of father to do that, either.

I made runs back and forth from our house to the hospital. I got them clothes, food, and anything else they asked for. It was a rough few months, to say the least. Little Nate had a few close calls. He had a lung collapse during his time in the NICU and we almost lost him. Now, he was happy and healthy.

I picked him up in my arms and cradled him to my chest. "You know, I've got to say, he is the cutest baby. Like Ever."

Ayden cleaned up the changing table and walked over to us. He held out his index finger and Little Nate grabbed ahold of it like a lifesaver. "He's definitley something." Ayden looked up at me and cleared his throat. "So, do you want to talk about it yet?"

No, I didn't. "About what?"

"Whatever happened between you and Jules."

"Nothing happened between me and Jules. We just didn't work out. Besides, I figured you and Lanie would be happy with that."

Ayden rolled his eyes. "Come on, man. I heard that screaming match inside your hospital room. Then she takes off making all kinds of threats."

Fuck. I didn't know he heard that. "Here," I said and passed Little Nate to his dad. Then I headed for the door.

"Nate, wait! Talk to me."

I didn't wait. "I'll see you later, Ayden."

I left the nursery and headed towards the front of the house. I managed to slip out without Lanie seeing me. She would have started chatting me up and no doubt Ayden would be right behind me. No, I needed to leave for a little while. I needed...a drink.

I got in my car and started driving towards Down the Rabbit Hole. Honestly, I've been there a lot lately. Ever since that night Karma threw a drink in my face, I've been trying to find her. I had no luck with social media. No luck with the internet. Her family lived in Florida and I knew they didn't want to hear from me either. I guess I was hoping she would come back to the bar. Or at least come by my house. So far, neither of those things happened.

Tonight wasn't about seeking out my ex-girlfriend. No, it was about getting drunk. Flat out drunk. Forgetting everything. When I finally got to Down the Rabbit Hole, I parked my car in a secluded spot and made my way inside. I walked straight to the bar and took a seat.

"What can I get for you?" the bartender asked.

"He'll take a scotch. You can put it on my tab."

I looked to my left...and there she was. Karma fucking Fitzgerald. I couldn't do anything except stare as she sat on the stool next to mine.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," she said with a small smile.

I tried not to notice how beautiful she was. Especially now. But...damn. Time has been good to her. She was always thin, but had a buxom figure. She had curvy hips, full breasts, and a mischevious face. Just like I remembered. That's why after our relationship 'ended', I tried to only date-- or sleep with-- girls that didn't remind me of her. Like...Jules. Jules was everything Karma wasn't.

I cleared my throat. "It's been over--"

"Ten years," she finished for me. She looked down at her drink. "You look good, Nathan."

She was the only one who called me Nathan. It sent chills down my spine. "Please," I said with a laugh. "I look terrible. You, on the otherhand..." I couldn't even finish that sentence. "So, are you here to throw another drink in my face?"

Pink colored her cheeks. "I'm sorry about that. I saw you and I just-- yeah. I'm sorry."

The bartender brought my drink and I downed it before asking for another. "It's okay. I kind of deserved it." I glanced over to her. "So, why are you here?" She raised her brows at my wording. "I mean, how long have you been back?"

"I'm here for work." She shrugged her shoulders. "I got an offer here and it felt right to come home. How's Lanie?"

I instantly smiled. "She just had a baby."

Karma's eyes widened. "What? Oh my, Gosh! Do you have a picture?"

I pulled out my phone and pulled up a picture of my nephew. I held my phone out to her and she smiled as she looked at him with complete adoration. "Wow, Nathan. He's beautiful."

"He's six months. He's a fighter."

She handed me the phone back. "What's his name?"

"He's named after me, actually."

She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Oh, no! What was your sister thinking?"

"Hey, it's a good name. I remember you liking it." The words were out before I could stop them. Fuck. Her smile vanished and I saw pain flicker across her face. Goddammit. "Karma, I--"

"Want another drink?" she asked, cutting me off. She signaled the bartender. "I think we both need it."

"Sure. Yeah, sounds good."

After the bartended left to get the drinks and food she ordered, she turned towards me. "So, what's new with you, Nathan? Last I heard, you joined the Army."

Last she heard? Did she ask about me? God, I sounded like a girl. "I did. I served a few tours. Got promoted to Special Forces. I became close friends with another soldier. Ayden. He's Lanie's fiancee, actually."

I could tell she was surprised. "Lanie is engaged to your best friend? And he's a soldier?" Karma shook her head. "Things have really changed around here."

She wasn't wrong. "Even more surprising-- I set them up."

She turned towards me and I finally got to see what she was wearing. She had on a red cocktail dress that accented all of her...assets. Fuck.

"You set them up? And you still have both of your legs?"

Panic filled my chest in a cold blast when she said that. My hand went to my injured leg out of habit. All of a sudden I was back in that dessert. I heard Ayden screaming at me to keep breathing. I felt the blood seeping out of me, pooling around my body.

"Nathan? Are you okay?"

Karma's voice pulled me out of my panic attack. "What?"

Her brows drew together in a deep V. "You didn't hear me?" She reached her hand out to me. "You're sweating."

"I-- uh, I should go." I threw some cash on the table and ignored her as she tried to stop me. I limped towards the exit and pushed the door opened. I felt like I couldn't breath. The cool nighttime breeze helped a little. I walked a few feet down the sidewalk and leaned back against the wall. I rested my hands on my knees and tried to take deep breaths.

Karma's voice came out of nowhere. "Nathan Jenkins! I can't believe that you just walked out like that. You already did that once when--" She stopped talking when she saw me. "Nathan?"

I looked up at her but I couldn't find my words. This didn't happen often; but when it did, it was a bitch.

"Nathan, what's wrong?"

I felt her hand on my face and I shook it off. "I'm fine," I snapped.

"No, you're not. Taxi!" she called and I cursed under my breath. "Shut up, Nathan. Let me help you."

I absently heard the sound of a car pulling up before Karma helped me into the car. She told the driver an address I was unfamiliar with and I felt the car pull off into traffic. I laid my head back against the seat and closed my eyes. Fuck. I was going to black out soon.

"We're almost there, Nathan."

Where was there? Her place? A hospital? I really hoped it wasn't a hospital. I didn't need this getting back to my shrink. I thought I was through with this blacking out shit.

I felt the taxi come to a stop, followed by the sound of a car door opening and closing.

"Come on, big guy." Karma pulled at my arms, trying to urge me out of the car. "I need you to help me. Just a little further."

My arm was draped over her shoulder as I tried to hold myself up. I could barely see anything. I heard the jingle of keys. We must be at her front door. A few more steps then the sound of a door shutting behind me.

"Lay down here," she instructed me.

I felt something soft beneath me. A couch. Then I felt that tingling sensation. It was happening. In a few seconds, I was going to pass out. It took me a few times, but I was finally able to say, "Please, Karma. Don't-- don't call Lanie."

Then I passed out.