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Prologue
Andre
Nine months ago
Andre’s soaking wet Henley clung to his skin. His flesh prickled with goose bumps as he made his way home. It had been a long day. He glanced at the clock and winced. Late. He pressed his foot a little harder on the gas pedal and shivered. After cranking up the heat, he tapped impatiently on the wheel as a school bus pulled in front of him. He sighed. This day just keeps getting better. All Andre wanted was a hot shower and to see his girlfriend’s smile. Tiffany should be back from her business trip by now.
As he parked his truck into the driveway, sure enough, there was her car. Large boxes and suitcases were stuffed inside—red flag number one. The weight on his shoulders grew even heavier. Here we go again. What could he have done this time? He hadn’t seen her in a week because of her job, but he’d made sure to text or try to call her every day like she wanted—even though she’d rarely answered.
Andre got out of the truck and ran through the rain as it pelted against him. He was quick to enter the house and close the door, shielding himself from the elements of the fall rainstorm before he unlaced his work boots.
“Baby?” he called, hesitantly.
“In here,” Tiffany answered from the kitchen.
He finished stacking his boots neatly in the entryway and walked in to greet her. She was perched on a barstool, a box of tissues in her hand—red flag number two. He needed a hot shower to soothe his frozen, aching muscles before dealing with one of her famous meltdowns.
His friends had never understood why he stayed with her through their rocky five-year relationship. The heart wants what the heart wants. He tried to hold on to the good memories, the reason he’d fallen head over heels for Tiff as he approached her cautiously.
She sat downcast at the breakfast bar in their kitchen, looking like someone had just killed her puppy. She flicked her eyes up to his before focusing back to her perfectly manicured hands. He’d have to comfort her before he could get into the shower, putting his needs aside to take care of her. Again.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m . . . I’m pregnant,” she said, sniffling.
He stood frozen as a wave of mixed emotions washed over him—fear, confusion, and excitement. He hadn’t planned on having a kid this early in his life, but it could very well be the best thing that ever happened to him. Maybe this could help fix their relationship. Things had been rough, but she was the same girl he’d fallen in love with—and a baby? That was a miracle. Look at his little sister and Lyra. Remy had been a single mother for the first five years of Lyra’s life before his brother-in-law pulled his head out of his ass.
He ran a hand over his wet head. “That’s great. I mean . . . a baby? Wow. How? We’ve been so careful.”
She swallowed, looking at the counter. Shit. He’d already gone and messed this up.
“I’m not blaming you, babe. It’s just so unexpected. This is great!” He put his hand on her belly and she flinched, shaking her head.
“What’s wrong?”
“Dre, it’s not yours.”
It’s. Not. Yours.
The words echoed in his mind. The air sucked from his lungs. Unable to draw breath, he clutched his chest. Surely this was a joke. Tiffany was the one. Sure, they had their fair share of ups and downs, but didn’t every relationship?
“What do you mean?” he asked as he held on to the counter to steady his trembling legs.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to find out this way.” Tears streamed down her face as she reached out to him.
He backed away. “Find out that you’ve been cheating on me? How long?”
She looked away again.
“How long!” he shouted.
“A year.” Her voice was just above a whisper.
She’d been seeing someone for over a year and he’d had no idea. She’d been lying to him. How could I be so stupid? She’d made a fool of him.
“All those business trips,” he said aloud, everything clicking into place. The shock of it all morphed into rising anger. She’d betrayed him.
“Dre—”
