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"Somewhat. Nothing in depth. When we first got here, we decided not to rush anything and just see where things go. Other than that, our conversations center mostly around the baby."
Drew drained the rest of his tea, wishing it were something much more potent. As if that would somehow provide the clarity needed to figure this situation out when, ironically, it was too many tequila shots that got him into this predicament in the first place.
Okay, granted, alcohol wasn't to blame for everything on his plate right now. Yes, the Patron lowered his and Hope’s inhibitions, which led to them sleeping together without even thinking about using protection. But it had nothing to do with the two partnership offers on the table or the woman who owned his heart long before the night they shared over four months ago. Because even if Hope weren't pregnant with his child, Drew still wouldn't want to be separated from her.
Ever.
"Sounds to me like it's time for you and Hope to delve past the surface and have the rest of the conversation," his father surmised.
"You're right." Yet despite how much their relationship had grown in the past few weeks, Drew wasn't sure Hope's feelings for him matched how he felt about her. Or if they even came close.
Drew didn't doubt Hope cared about him. Or that she considered him more than a coworker slash friend slash baby daddy. She seemed content with how things were now, but he had no idea what that meant for their future. Although she'd agreed they would raise their child together, what exactly did that look like to her? That they'd live in the same house? Have separate residences in the same area, and if so, where would that be—Kentucky or Virginia?
"The sooner the two of you talk this out, the sooner you'll have the answers you both need to move forward."
Though his father was right again, their future, from this point forward, hinged on Hope's answer to one question—would she leave Kentucky and stay here with him at Lone Oaks?
"You okay?" Eli asked as he dumped ketchup on his fries.
Drew had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't noticed the server arrive with their food. “Yeah. Just thinking.”
"You come to any decisions?" his father asked before taking a healthy bite of his burger.
"Just one, really. But it'll be the determining factor for everything else." Drew met his father's curious stare. "I'll talk to Hope and ask her if she'll consider moving to Virginia. If she says no, then I'll be heading back to Kentucky."
Eli nodded. "Sounds fair enough."
"I know Mama's gonna be disappointed we haven't told her about the baby. More so if we return to Kentucky."
"Yeah, well, you don't have to concern yourself with telling her because she already knows."
“About the baby?” Shocked, Drew narrowed his gaze. "How?"
"She's suspected since Thanksgiving. But this morning, she decided she couldn't wait for the two of you to get around to telling her, so she went to see Hope."
For a few seconds that felt like years, Drew was rendered speechless. What had his mother said to Hope? How had Hope responded? Moreover, why hadn't Hope told him about his mother's visit before going shopping with Tess?
Fear burned through his gut as a millionwhat-ifscenarios lit up his brain. Like what if his mother's inquisition had upset Hope to the point she decided to use going shopping with Tess as an excuse to pack up and get the hell out of Dodge before he or anyone else in his family could stop her?
"Did Mama happen to mention how Hope reacted? If she was okay when she left?"
Eli dredged a fry through the ketchup on his plate. "The way your mother explained the conversation to me is that she came right out and asked Hope when her grandchild was due. Hope was surprised, of course, but they went on to have a lengthy chat, probably much like the one you and I are having." He popped the fry into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "She didn't mention anything about Hope being upset." He cocked his head to the side. "Now, your Mama is a different story."
"What do you mean?"
"Although she's over the moon about being a grandmother again, she is a little put out about having to find out on her own. So prepare yourself to get an earful when you see her."
"I'm assuming our having lunch out together is you running interference on my behalf?"
"Your mother needed a little time to settle down."
"She's that angry?"
"Not so much angry as concerned."
That made two of them. "Did Hope give her any indication she might consider staying at Lone Oaks?"
Pushing his plate away, Eli rested his forearms on the table and leaned toward Drew. "I'll tell you like your mother told Hope. You'll both feel a lot better once you sit down and talk all this out together." He signaled for their waitress. "Box that up for him, will ya?" While Adrienne put Drew's uneaten burger and fries into the Styrofoam container, Eli left enough cash to cover the bill and a generous tip.
