Page 10 of Accidentally in Love

I wasn’t convinced.

“He raised Declan when their parents died. He knows how to take care of people.”

I shook my head. “That’s not the same thing. Declan was twelve, and this is a baby. A baby we didn’t plan for.”

My sister put a hand on my belly. “If he doesn’t want to be involved with you and the baby, I’ve got you. We can do this. You want to be a mom, right?”

I nodded. “I thought I would have a husband first.”

She shrugged. “Sometimes the universe is an asshole, and you have to roll with the punches.”

“Gem, we haven’t talked since that night. I’ve been avoiding him.”

“Why?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “Because I knew I was pregnant weeks ago, but I was in denial. I could stay blissfully ignorant if I didn’t have to face him.”

She shoved my phone at me. “Call him. You need to speak to him.”

My hand shook as I took my phone from my sister and dialed Nolan’s number. It rang until it went to voicemail, and I hung up.

Gemma gave me a sad smile. “He might be in the hops room or doing inventory. It’s almost time for my shift. I better get going. You want me to say something to him?”

I shook my head. “Please don’t.”

She hugged me one last time. “I love you, big sis. You’re gonna be a great mom, and I highly doubt Nolan will abandon you and the baby. He’s not that kind of guy.”

“I wish mom were here.”

Gemma frowned.

Our mom died of cancer when Gemma was eight and I was eighteen. I had been away at college when she died, but Gemma had been so young that I didn’t think mom’s death affected her as much as it had me. It was moments like this that I wished my mom were here. She would have put a comforting arm around me and told me everything would be okay. Even if I was sure nothing would ever be okay again.

Gemma straightened her spine. “Mom would say that everything’s gonna work out in the end. No matter what, I’m here for you.”

I hugged her tightly. “Thank you.”

“But not right now. I need to go to work.”

I waved her off. “Go, don’t be late.”

I watched my sister walk out of my bathroom and heard the front door slam as she left.

Sighing, I stared down at the positive pregnancy test. I couldn’t believe how irresponsible I had been.

I went back into my kitchen and tried to eat the rest of my dinner, but I felt too sick to my stomach to keep anything down. Instead, I crawled into bed early and cried myself to sleep.

Around midnight, I woke to my phone buzzing on my bedside table. “Hello?” I said into the phone groggily.

“Did I wake you?” Nolan’s voice asked.

“S’okay,” I said sleepily.

“Sorry, I’ve been buried in inventory spreadsheets, but Gem said you needed to talk to me.”

I sighed. Of course Gemma would go against my wishes.

“Can you come over?”