“She can’t—” Hunter starts but cuts himself off, like he realizes he might not have any grounds to object. “Fuck. I just want to hold her and tell her I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Please, just let me apologize.”

“Maybe in a little while . . .”

Lincoln’s gaze sharpens. I don’t know what he’s planning, but I know his brain is working something out.

“Come on, man. Let’s get a drink at the bar and talk it through. Jackie and Karma and the girls will be coming back up, and we all have a lot to figure out.”

Hunter’s voice drops to a whisper. “I can’t believe I have kids.”

“Paternity test, man. I wouldn’t trust her, even if she is my cousin.” Asa chimes in, and I hate to say that I agree with him. I wouldn’t trust Karma as far as I could throw her.

Lincoln nods. “Not a bad idea. You really don’t know anything yet—”

“I saw their faces. They have my father’s nose. And the timing is right. My gut says she’s not lying.”

“Come on, let’s go get that drink.” Lincoln guides Hunter away from the door, and I’m surprised he goes so easily. Maybe he’s shell-shocked over what happened.

As soon as I close the door on them, I hurry back to Cricket. “Did you hear that?”

She lifts her tearstained face off the pillow. “I can’t get married tomorrow. I can’t. Not now. Not here. Not after this.” More tears spill from her eyes. “I get it now.”

“Get what?” I ask her.

“How you felt when you wanted to run away from everything.”

I hate the brokenness in her expression and in her tone. I want to make everything right in Cricket’s world, but I have no idea how to make that happen after this bomb Karma dropped. I let the rest of the horrible truth play through my mind.

My cousin was my husband’s mistress, and now she says she’s pregnant with his baby.

The press and his fans are going to riot again, and everyone is going to be caught in the crosshairs.

Maybe Cricket’s right. Maybe running away is exactly what we need to do. And I have an idea . . .

“If I could get us out of here and somewhere no one could bother us, would you go?” I ask her.

Cricket swipes at her tears. “Yes. God, yes.”

“Give me a minute.”

I head back into the living room to find where I left my purse and pull out my phone. There’s already a text showing on the screen.

Lincoln: Tell me what you need me to do. I’m here.

I quickly type out a response.

Whitney: The chopper and Blue House. Cricket said the wedding isn’t happening.

Lincoln: Okay. We have to find a way to tell Hunter. I’ll have the chopper on the roof within the hour.

Whitney: Thank you.

Lincoln: Anything for you. I love you, Blue.

Whitney: What about Hunter?