AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Summer’s hands were limp in mine. She shook her head repeatedly, squeaking somewhere in her throat.
“It’s true,” I said. “And I know that you might not believe it after everything we’ve been through, but I’ll spend however much time you need proving it to you. I need this to work between us. I can’t imagine my life without you in it anymore. It’s just empty. The things I cared about before seem so inconsequential without you.”
“Stop,” she croaked. “You have to stop.”
“But I can’t. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work. Whatever it takes, OK?”
“Stop it, Matt.”
“Why?” My brow wrinkled. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything you’re saying is… I’ve wanted to hear it forever, but I—I can’t.”
“What? You can’t what?”
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I’m pregnant. You’re the father.”
Chapter Thirty
Matt
“You’re… you’re…” I’d lost the ability to form the word I wanted to say. “You’re…”
“Pregnant,” Summer said, her lips lifting slightly, either out of nerves or just because I looked like an idiot right now. “It’s that thing that happens when two people do the dirty naked dance? You know, insert object A into object B, hey presto… baby town.”
At least she still had a sense of humor about it. “You’re…”
“You can say the word. I know you’ll get there.”
“Pregnant,” I managed, at last. “You’re pregnant.”
“Correct. Right on the money. You’re really good at this.” Summer had released my hands and stepped back, drawing her arms across her chest. Protecting herself from me? From what I might say? “And you’re the father.”
I gulped.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be a father. Just that, Jesus Christ, that was quite something to take in after professing one’s undying love. Holy crap.
I’m going to be a father.
“You are keeping it, right?”
“Of course,” she said. “Of course I am.”
“Right. That’s good.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah, of course.” I stood with my arms hanging impotently at my sides. “Of course.”
Summer took my hand and guided me to her sofa. She sat me down. “I’ll get you a glass of water.”
I nodded, absently. I’d never seen myself as a father. Christ, I’d never thought of it because that would have meant being in a happy, healthy relationship, and I wasn’t exactly the fucking king of that, was I? But now…
Summer handed me a glass of water, and I drank it down in one shot.
“I’d offer you a beer, but I don’t keep them in the apartment ever since I found out,” she said.
“How long have you known?”
“A few days,” she said. “I was going to call you. I was just working it out for myself first. It was a big shock.”
“You were going to call me.”
“Of course,” Summer replied briskly. “I wouldn’t leave you in the dark about this. Just because you don’t want me in your life, doesn’t mean you wouldn’t want your son or daughter in your life. I know you’re not a bad guy.”
“I do want you in my life.”
“Come on, Matt, don’t fake it. I get it. You came here because you were worried, and you said that stuff, but you can take it back now that you know. It’s OK.” Summer patted me on the arm.
“What? Fuck no,” I said. “I mean, heck no.”
“It’s fine. The baby can’t hear you yet.” Summer gave a light laugh, one that tickled my ears and reminded me of all the things I’d missed about her.
“I came here because I was worried, but also because I love you. And I wanted you to know I was an asshole. And apologize for that,” I said. “What you just told me doesn’t change that.”
“How can it not?” she asked. “This is not just about us anymore. There’s going to be a child for us to consider. We have to put the baby first, and let’s face it, Matt, neither of us have ever known what we’ve wanted. How can we responsibly start something when we might end up… I don’t know, breaking up in the future, and then our child will suffer.”
Jesus. It was like she’d already figured all this out.
Summer laid a defensive arm over her stomach. “I have to protect the baby first.”
“And I do too.”
She shook her head.
“I’m the father. And I need to protect our baby too. And you. Do you really think I’m going to let you do this on your own?”
“Look, all I’m saying is that you don’t have to be involved if you don’t want to be. It’s up to you. I’m not going to hold you ransom for money or attention or… the most important thing to me is that the baby has a loving upbringing, and if you can’t provide that—”
“I can and I will. This is my child we’re talking about,” I said.
Summer’s eyes grew teary. “You’re sure about that?”
“Yes. I’m not letting you do this on your own,” I repeated. “I’m going to be with you every step of the way.” I took her hand and squeezed it. “As for us? We’ll take it slow.”
