AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ummm…”
“I’m an old-fashioned guy, Zoe. I always pictured raising a kid with my wife. Is that crazy?”
“Not at all. It’s very sweet.”
“I want to take care of both of you. I want to know, should anything happen to me, the two of you will be provided for.”
“And that equals marriage to you.”
“Yes. I want you in my home. I want to be right there if you need me. If he or she kicks, I want to be within earshot so I can run to feel it.”
I’m softening to his proposal, seeing the benefits in it. Sympathetic to his desire to share every moment of this experience that he can.
And the idea of being able to is very appealing. “How would this work?”
“If it would help, we could have a contract. Lay out all the terms. Put in writing what we each expect.”
I probably shouldn’t even be thinking about saying yes, so why am I? “Yes.”
“Excellent. I’ll call the movers.”
“Wait. What?”
“You said yes.”
“If it’s not working for either of us, I’m coming back.”
“Okay.”
“You capitulated a lot easier than I thought you would.”
“Because I won.”
“How do you figure? I gave us both an out.”
“That neither of us will need.”
“Your parents must be saints.”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Family dinner isn’t that far away.”
Walker then takes advantage of my speechlessness, and sudden inability to budge from my spot, to remove my luggage. I hear the front door open and close all to the soundtrack of his whistling. When he returns, I still haven’t moved. I can talk, though. “Walker.”
“Zoe.” He sits beside me and takes my hand. “I know these are weird circumstances, but they areourcircumstances. I want to get to know you. I want to be there for you. I don’t want tomiss more moments, more memories, than I already have. I want to share this with you.”
“But—”
“If it’s too much for you, I understand. I’ll back off. I’ll even pay for a hotel as long as you need if that’s easier for you to accept. All I ask is that you give this, give us, a chance. I like you. Everything I learn about you strengthens that.”
“But—”
“I know what you’re going to say. And it’s not for the baby. That’s a bonus. Or you’re the bonus. Either way, this is a win-win for me because I get you both.” He pauses and I watch him, waiting to see if there’s more. Not that what he already said wasn’t enough. A few minutes pass and he pleads, “Say something.”
“You wouldn’t let me before.”
“I needed to get all that out so I wouldn’t lose my nerve.”
“I make you nervous?”
