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He chuckled. “Of course not, that’d be a medical miracle. Right, Liam?”
I couldn’t get a word past my constricted throat, so I nodded.
“Yes…” Ava said slowly. “So, about my baby’s father…”
“Is it the mystery boyfriend?” Thomas leaned in.
I frowned. Mystery boyfriend?
“Y-yes,” Ava replied.
Mystery… Oh, me. I was the mystery.
“Oh, great! I’ve been looking forward to meeting him. I just didn’t want to push it until you were ready. Now can I meet him?”
Ava looked down. A beat passed before her gaze came up and traveled between Thomas and me.
“You’ve met him.”
Thomas shook his head. “I don’t think I have. You haven’t brought him home. I—”
“It’s Liam.”
My stomach grew tight. I held my breath, waiting for the outburst. Only, it didn’t happen as I expected.
Thomas didn’t fly into a rage and punch my teeth out. Instead, he burst into laughter, slapping a fist on the table.
“Oh, Ava.” He threw his head back. “You got me. For a moment there, I believed you. But no, that’s impossible. You got me good. Try again.” He managed to stop laughing and faced Ava. “Who’s the father?”
Ava blinked and glanced at me, then back at her dad. “It’s Liam, Dad. I’m not kidding.”
Thomas’s smile fell as he looked between us both. Whatever he saw was quickly stealing his joy.
I swallowed.
Ava turned to me, her voice quiet. “Liam is the father of my baby. I’m pregnant with his child. We didn’t plan it. It just happened.”
Her hand squeezed mine and a note of contentment worked through me. But it wasn’t enough to forget reality.
Thomas had gone very still. And even as my eyes were on Ava, I was very aware of him. Of his silence.
He heard every word. Now he believed it. And was processing it.
“We know it’s a lot for you to take in.” She turned back to Thomas. “And we understand if you’re mad, but—”
“Mad?” Thomas rose in a slow, steady movement, his body almost shaking. “Mad?”
His eyes flashed behind his glasses. Gone was the ordinary man that ran a grocery store and doted on his daughter. Thomas the college football linebacker had returned.
He clenched his fists, staring us down. “I’m not mad, Ava. I’m livid!”
Ava stood, raising her hands. “Dad, calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!”
She jumped. I rose and placed steadying hands on her shoulders.
Bad move.
