Page 38 of Betrayed

A giggle overcame her, and a matching one burst from his heart. They had spent hours talking about having a family one day, and the day was coming much sooner than they had planned.

AJ wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her off the ground and spun her around. A baby.

He couldn’t get his mind around it, but his heart was all in. He was going to be a dad. One day he’d have to get a motorcycle with a side car, and they could go on all kinds of adventures together.

Setting AJ back on her feet, he gazed into her eyes. “Will you marry me?”

“This is how you ask? In a bathroom and not even on one knee?” She chuckled.

She didn’t care about those kinds of things, but she was right, this was a horrible proposal. “Fine, this isn’t the real proposal. I have to talk to your dad after all.”

Somberness overtook them both. He was not going to be impressed.

Logan asked, “Do you know when he’ll be home?”

She shrugged. “Probably not for another hour. Let’s get some breakfast. I need to eat.”

After AJ hid the pregnancy test in her room, they went and made some pancakes, and while they were finishing eating, her dad arrived home.

He came into the dining room and kissed AJ on top of her head. He greeted them both and settled in the living room with the newspaper.

Logan met AJ’s eyes. “I’m going to talk to him.”

She nodded. “I’ll clean this up.”

Logan shuffled to the next room. God, I know we did this backwards, but please help us make it right. Help me find favor in Mr. Jacobson’s eyes. And please forgive AJ and me for our disobedience.

“Logan?”

He snapped out of his prayer and realized he was standing right in front of AJ’s dad. “Hi.”

Mr. Jacobson folded up his newspaper and set it on the coffee table in front of him. “What’s going on?” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

“I have a question to ask you. Do you have a moment?”

“I take it that wasn’t the question.” He gave Logan a crooked smile.

He relaxed a little. “I suppose I have more than one question then.”

“Sit, son, before you hurt yourself.”

Logan grabbed a wooden chair and pulled it a little closer, so he could look more directly at AJ’s dad. He fiddled with his hands.

“Ask the question, Logan. I promise not to bite your head off.”

He nodded. “As you know, I love your daughter with all my heart. I am committed to her, and I would like to marry her. So my question is: may I have her hand in marriage?” Logan felt out of breath.

Mr. Jacobson sat back with a serious expression Logan couldn’t read. He glanced past Logan to the kitchen. “Alice Jane, come in here.”

Logan’s heart refused to beat normally. His chest was too constricted.

AJ came in the room and slid her hand onto Logan’s shoulder. “Yes, Daddy?”

“I think you should be part of this conversation. No doubt you know what Logan asked me.”

She nodded.

Mr. Jacobson met Logan’s eyes. “Is she pregnant?”