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I laughed as I turned into the neighborhood where her parents lived, the houses far larger than I expected. Not quite as large as my own or my parents, but what would most likely be considered upper middle-class. I had to physically restrain myself from putting my hand on her knee and moving it farther up. I clutched the steering wheel to keep my boundaries in place. “No, I don’t think it’s gaudy. If I had to buy an engagement ring again, I’d probably go for something similar.”
She rolled her eyes, her chuckle coming quick and short. “You say that like it would be a massive chore.”
I shrugged, following the GPS instructions through the maze of houses until we arrived. In the driveway, two BMWs were parked; a sedan and a mid-sized SUV. Along the curb, there was a third car parked, a Lexus RX..
“That’s my brother’s car,” she said, a hint of confusion in her voice. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize they’d invited him too.”
“It’s fine,” I replied, flashing a half-hearted grin at her. “They have a kid, right?”
“Yeah, but she’s like, four months old.”
“That’s fine. Jamey loves babies.” I pushed open my door and hopped out, heading to Sophie’s side to help Jamey out of the car, but she was already on it. She smirked at me.
“So there are differences between you two.” Jamey’s feet hit the grass, one hand in Sophie’s and the other holding his tablet.
I scoffed at her. “I don’t dislike babies, Sophie. I had one. I actively work to make women pregnant.”
She motioned to her stomach, her brows furrowing as she looked up at me. “Really? Because I don’t see anything happening here.”
I shut the door behind them both, rolling my eyes at her joke. “Come in for your appointment on Monday and maybe you’ll get lucky.”
Blush spread across her cheeks as she stopped in her tracks.
“Jesus, Sophia, not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Yeah, Sophie, get your mind out of the gutter,” Jamey echoed, and I swear my eye twitched.
“Don’t say that” I muttered. “Those are adult words.”
Sophie’s dad opened the door for us as we approached, his eyes going wide as his gaze landed on my son and Sophie holding his hand. “Well, hello,” he said, looking between Sophie and Jamey. “Who’s this?”
She hadn’t told them. Why? Was it something she didn’t think they’d approve of or was she ashamed herself to ‘be with’ a single father? “Hi, Martin. Nice to see you again. This is my son, Jamey.”
Martin looked down at Jamey as he took his place behind Sophie’s legs, his tablet clutched to his chest. Sophie’s father seemed confused, surprised, but not angry.
Did she know they’d be okay with it and hadn’t said anything? Still, the idea that she was ashamed sat heavily on my shoulders, and I tried to bat it away.
“Well, hello, Jamey. I’m Martin,” he said, a little smile lifting his lips. “I suppose you can call me Pops.”
Jamey looked up at me, his lip between his teeth, and I already knew what was going to come out of his mouth.
“Why?”
Sophie answered him before I could. “Because this is my dad, and he likes being called Pops.”
“But I already know a Pop-pop,” Jamey said quietly, his little hand tightening in Sophie’s grip.
“Lots of people can be called the same thing,” I explained, following Sophie and Martin inside, ushering Jamey along. Already, the whole thing felt like a horrible idea, but we’d committed to it. Couldn’t turn back now.
“Sophie!”
Sophie’s mom, Leslie, appeared behind a corner, oven mitts on her hands and a flour-covered apron covering her clothes. She, too, stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jamey, and my stomach twisted just a little bit more.
“Who’s this?”
“This is Jamey,” Martin answered. “Hudson’s son.”
“Oh,” Leslie said, studying the three of us as if we were aliens before her face leveled out. “Hi, Jamey. I’m Sophie’s mom.”
