The Pregnancy Plot (Brothers In Arms: Retribution Book 2) by Carol Ericson Read Free Book Online

Moonstones if Dad had left it to you. Dad knew it, too. You would’ve sold this place so fast and used the money for God-knows-what. I can get it up and running again, and I have no problem sharing the profits with you if there are any.”
    “None of that matters. I don’t want the piddly profits from some mom-and-pop business.” Lou sliced her hand through the air a little too close to Nina’s face for his comfort. “I could’ve used the money. You didn’t need it with your stuck-up interior designing job in LA. Why did you give up all that to come back here anyway?”
    Jase studied Nina’s face as she formed an answer. So, her stepsister didn’t know about the pregnancy, either, but he didn’t blame Nina for not telling her. Lou had nut job written all over her.
    In the end, Nina shrugged. “Moonstones needs some TLC. Dad and Mom loved the place.”
    “My dad had this dream before he met Lori, before he left my mom for her.”
    Nina sighed and ran her hands through her hair. “We’ve been over and over this, Lou. I’m sorry that happened, but it has nothing to do with us.”
    “It does now because Dad disinherited me for you. I always hoped Lori would die before Dad because I thought Dad would cut you out. Lori did die first, but Dad cut me out anyway.” Her laugh sounded just this side of hysterical. “So, you gypped me out of my inheritance
and
my father.”
    “I’m sorry about that, too, Lou. They were the loves of each other’s lives. You and I both know they loved each other more than they loved their daughters.” Nina crossed her arms over her stomach. “Sometimes life just works out that way.”
    “Oh, you can be generous because you got the goods after Dad kicked off.”
    “Lou, baby? Lou, you out here?”
    The slurred words came out of the darkness, along with a shuffling gait.
    What now? As if all this family drama wasn’t enough.
    “Over here, Kip.”
    A lean man with tousled sandy hair came up from the beach, listing to the side as he scrambled up to the path. The stink of stale beer came off him in waves.
    He staggered to Lou’s side and draped a heavy arm across her shoulders.
    “This is my stepsister, Nina, the golden child. Nina, this is Kip, my partner in crime.”
    Keeping her feet rooted to the ground, Nina leaned in with an outstretched hand. “Good to meet you, Kip, but Lou doesn’t need a partner in crime.”
    Ignoring the proffered handshake, Kip hacked and spit into the sand dunes. “Just a figure of speech.”
    Nina nodded in Jase’s direction. “And this is Jase.”
    Jase held up one hand. He had no intention of shaking with Kip. The guy might topple over on him in a drunken free fall.
    Nina continued to pretend this was some normal social gathering.
    “Where did you and Lou meet?”
    “In a bar.” Kip pulled Lou in for a sloppy kiss on the side of the head.
    “I meant—” Nina rolled her eyes “—what city?”
    “Portland.” Lou brushed a sandy lock of hair from Kip’s eyes. “I’ve been living in Portland.”
    “Are you staying here now?”
    “Just in town at one of the dumpy fishermen’s motels.” She clicked her tongue. “Don’t worry, little sis. It’s not going to be permanent. I have some business to settle.”
    Jase studied Lou and Kip side by side through narrowed eyes. The only business he could imagine these two settling is a drug deal. That, or harassing Nina.
    He took Nina’s arm. “We were just on our way back to Moonstones.”
    “And we were on our way back to the bar.” Kip tugged on Lou’s hand. “Come on, baby. Let’s finish gettin’ our drink on.”
    The other couple squeezed past them on the path to make their way back to the town. Once again, Jase caught a strong whiff of booze. Had Kip bathed in it?
    When Kip and Lou disappeared into the night, Nina let out a long breath. “I can’t believe she’d hook up with someone like that.”
    “Seems to me old Kip is just her type.”
    She pulled her jacket around her