Jonah swore under his breath again, holding Atlas tightly. He looked like he might really want to punch a wall.
“And he’s probably already gone from Atlanta, on to his next Beans & Buns franchise,” Meredith said.
Dad made a face. “The coffee guy from downstairs?”
She nodded. “I mean, I could find him if I wanted to, but to be honest? I don’t ever want to see him again. If I…” She took a shuddering breath. “I’m going to do this alone.”
“Meredith.” Dad breathed her name, the three syllables laden with pity and fury and love.
It was the love that nearly broke her. “Dad, I’m sorry. It was a huge mistake. I don’t know what I was doing. I just…I didn’t care because I was lonely and dumb and wrapped up in work and I know that’s not an excuse, but I?—”
He put his hand on her lips, quieting her verbal spew, then drying her tears with the same fingers that just stroked baby Atlas. Only now they were trembling. The rest of him, however, was solid as a rock.
“It’s okay,” he said in that tender, deep voice. “It’s fine. You made a bad decision and?—”
“I ruined my life! It was so, so stupid! I don’t know how I got pregnant?—”
“Oh, I do,” Jonah chimed in, smirking.
“I’m sure you’re thrilled,” she shot back.
“Not to be the family screwup for a change?” His brows rose. “I don’t hate it, but I also don’t hateyou, little sister. I’m here for you. Whatever you need.” He leaned in, confidently holding his baby. “I mean that, Meredith. I will do everything from teach you how to change diapers to get the guyunalived, as they say?—”
“Stop.” Dad held up a hand. “I mean it. Stop saying things like that. Of course you’ll support her. We all will. Meredith, I am here for you. We all are. You do whatever you need to do, just give me a healthy grandchild.” He glanced toward the Bible. “I believe your mother is insisting on a girl.”
“Oh, Dad.” She nearly buckled. “I know you’re disappointed. I know you are.”
He looked like he wanted to disagree, but Eli Lawson didn’t lie. He was disappointed, but love always won with him. He merely nodded, then shook his head, then hugged her again.
“I’m just…blown away.”
“I know and I’m sorry.”
He gathered himself again and narrowed his eyes. “Are you one hundred percent certain this man—this Trevor—doesn’twant anything to do with the baby? That he couldn’t show up and try to take it?”
“Geez, it’s a veritable epidemic around here,” Jonah muttered.
“He couldn’t have been clearer. The, uh, relationship ended after a few dates. I didn’t…” She shook her head. “Anyway, when I told him, he basically said, ‘Go away, it’s not my problem.’ I don’t want money, Dad. Or anything. I can do this myself.”
“You can with family,” her father said. “And in this case, I don’t think it would be a bad idea to get something in writing so he can’t come back to haunt you.”
“Yeah, we’re not hosting the scumbag for a family weekend,” Jonah said.
“How far along are you?” Dad asked, searching her face as if he hadn’t really looked at her closely enough.
“I think I’m technically seven weeks, and no, I haven’t done anything but frantically take four, okay, five tests and make a doctor’s appointment. I came here because I didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to tell you in person, and I wasn’t sure if I should keep the baby?—”
“What?” For the first time, her father looked truly stricken.
“Adoption,” she said quickly. “I know I have choices and, you know, Lacey told me how great Roman’s life has been, so I?—”
“You can do whatever you want,” Dad said. “But I, for one, would love another baby in this family.”
“Mom, too.” Jonah tapped the Bible. “I mean, she all but flew in here on a cloud to help you out tonight.”
Meredith gave a mirthless laugh, her shoulders dropping as weight fell off them. “I know, right? Score one for Melissa Lawson.”
“Scoretwofor Melissa Lawson,” Dad said, looking from one to the other. “The two greatest kids a man could have.”
