“I’ll get right on that,” she mumbles, opening the door. “When has telling a woman, much less a pregnant woman, to calm down ever worked?”
I walk around the truck toward her as she shakes her hands in front of her. I grab her hand. “If at any time you want to leave, or you feel uncomfortable in any sort of way, you tell me and we’ll leave. No questions asked.”
“Okay.” I know, even if she feels uncomfortable, she’s not going to say one word.
With each step toward the front door, her hand grips mine a bit tighter. I step inside and immediately hear a baby crying.
“Hello,” I holler and then follow the commotion coming from the back of the house.
“He’s here,” my mother shouts. When we walk in the room, I spot my two sisters side by side, looking at Collins with big eyes.
“Jeez,” Daisy starts in, “how did he land her?” She breaks the ice. I was nervous, and I didn’t even know until the moment I heard Collins laugh. My body feels like a whoosh has just gone through it.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say she didn’t get to know you before she accepted that first date,” Lizzy goads. My throat gets tight when I realize I’ve never even taken Collins on a date. I make a mental note to do that as soon as we get home.
“Wow,” I respond. “Collins, these are my sisters.” I drop her hand and wrap my arm around her waist. “I told you not to believe anything they say”—I don’t exactly whisper that—“and I meant it.”
She giggles, and it makes me settle just a little bit more.
“Oh, stop it,” my mother says, holding the baby. “Come in, come in.”
I introduce Collins to my sisters and their husbands, and then look around. “Where is Carter?”
“They’re going to be late,” my father answers. “He just texted. I’m going to go and start the grill.”
I nod at him as he shares a smile with me, but it’s not his usual smile. This one seems forced. “I’m going to help my dad. Are you going to be okay?” Collins doesn’t have a chance to answer me since Lizzy cuts in.
“Of course she’s okay. We already like her more than you.”
“Great,” I deadpan and kiss Collins on the lips before following my father outside. He is sitting in the chair beside the grill, right in front of the fenced-in pool. The fairy lights hung around the fence give us a bit of light as the sun starts to set.
“What’s up?” I sit down and look over at him.
“Not much, what about you?” He puts his ankle on his knee as he watches me.
“I know you have something on your mind.” I put my elbows on my knees as I return eye contact. “So you might as well tell me.”
He leans back, placing his hand on his bent and folded knee, which is over the other knee. “Not really much to say.” I wait for him to continue. “You know I love you to the ends of the earth.” I don’t know why, but my body goes tight. “I will have your back, no matter what.”
“Yeah.” One word, and it’s the only word that comes out. “But?”
“How well do you know this woman?”
I sit up straight. “Her name is Collins.” My voice is tight. “Dad, I say this in the most respectful way I can, but watch what you say about her.”
He holds up his hands. “I’m not saying anything bad about her. I’m sure she’s a great girl. I’m just saying, this is very fast. The last time we saw you, you didn’t bring her up once.” I look at my feet. “You never even let on that you were dating someone, so I have to ask you, are you sure about this?”
“We’re taking things one day at a time. I like her, Dad. I like her a lot. It’s not just that she’s gorgeous, it’s more than that. She’s kind, so fucking kind.” I know he’s going to either kick my ass or kill me when I tell him the next part. “I’m not proud of this fact. When I met her, we spent one night together and then I snuck out on her when she was sleeping.”
If looks could kill, that look right there would bury me. His jaw clenches.
“I know it was a shitty thing to do, and for the rest of my life, I’m going to have to live with that. But I saw her again a couple of weeks ago. I had no idea she was pregnant. I asked her to have coffee with me, and she accepted with poise and grace. She has not once been rude or nasty to me.” Just saying it out loud, I have to count my fucking lucky stars that she’s the way she is. “She showed up and told me she was pregnant but asked me for nothing. Not a fucking dime. Not a fucking thing. Said she was going to have the baby and would never repeat to another soul that I was the father.”
“Jesus.” He puts his hand on his head.
“Any other girl would have burned down my house, or at least shit-talked me to everyone I know. Fuck, if it was a girl like Lizzy or Daisy, I’d be looking over my shoulder the rest of my life.” I look down. “But not Collins. She’s the kindest, most trustworthy person I’ve ever met in my life. I had to show up at her house for her to take help from me. I know I want to protect her and our child. I know, even if things don’t work out with us, I’m going to make sure I always look out for her.”
“This is . . .” He shakes his head. “This is the most”—he tries to think of the words—“reckless thing you could have ever done.”
