Page 35 of Delayed Penalty

“So, what are you telling me?” I ask. The idea that’s beginning to transpire in my mind feels like a pipe dream, but I don’t want to jump to any conclusions.

“Harris. You’re the only person I’ve fucked in the last eight months.We’regoing to have a baby,” she says, her words soft but steady, like she knows I need to hear it straight right now.

The words hit me harder than I expect them to, and not at all in a bad way. The overwhelming feeling of happiness over the fact that I’m going to get to be a dad is so exciting. And not only do I get to be a dad, but I get to be a dad to Avery’s baby and that feels like the greatest honor in the world.

Letting go of her hands, I wrap her in a hug and pick her up. I just hold her, letting the excitement flow between us as we’re trapped in this little moment where our future is both so uncertain, yet I’ve also never been more certain I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

“Are you upset with me?” she mumbles against my ear, her voice so quiet I almost miss it.

“Why on Earth would I be upset with you?”

“Harris. You didn’t sign up for this. You signed up for a one-night stand of helping me forget. That’s definitely not what this is. This is a baby. This is a for-life situation. Our lives are forever changed. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“Absolutely. Besides, Avery, you were the one who signed up for the one-night stand. I’m the one who signed up for whatever scraps you were willing to give me. Had you asked me that night to put a baby in you, I’d have spent all night filling you withmy cum,” I tell her, the blush returning, and I can’t help but smile at her embarrassment because I choose to believe she’s embarrassed because she liked it.

I like the sound of that too, Ave.

“I… I don’t know why it’s hard for me to accept that you’re not upset with me,” she says, and I choose to let her glaze over my words, no need to embarrass her further when I’ve already had the effect I was hoping for.

“Because you’re used to being with someone who sucks. That’s not me.”

“Well, it didn’t work out too well when we were together, now did it,” she snaps, her arms crossed, and I can’t help myself.

“Why is that, Ave? Are we ever going to be able to talk about what happened between us?”

“Is that really what you want to get into right now? Do you finally want to talk face-to-face after all these years?” she says, her voice gets higher and more upset with every word, and I can see that there’s no way we are handling both of these topics today.

“No, you’re right. Let’s face one thing at a time and right now, the news you’ve brought is more important. How are you feeling with everything?”

She looks surprised at my question, like she hadn’t anticipated this being about her. But she’s growing a baby. She’s growing my baby, which means right now, she’s absolutely the most important person in my world. No, between her and that baby, they are my world.

“Overwhelmed. Nervous. Scared. But also… kind of excited,” she says, the last one a little quieter, but I see the smile starting the more we’re talking about this.

“Me too,” I tell her with a smile. “Who all have you told?”

“Just Kelly. I just found out today. I don’t even know any information. Plus… things with Peter have been a bit of a challenge so Idefinitelyhaven’t told him.”

“What do you mean?

“It’s nothing, really. He just hasn’t accepted that we’re over and won’t let me tell anyone. With his mom being my boss and her listening to everything he says, I’m sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

“Why don’t you just quit and find a new job?” I ask, wishing she’d just get out of a place like that. It feels toxic. Especially with it now being her ex’s family she’d be working for.

“It’s not quite that easy. Usually, teaching jobs are easy to find, except lately they’ve been less common. It’s even harder when you’re still in your first couple of years teaching and are on probation. That’s why I’m just trying to wait it out, so I know I’ll have an income and won’t have to crawl back home to my parents. Now that I’m having a baby, it’s going to be even more important.”

“What are you going to do when they realize you’re pregnant?”

“I’m honestly not quite sure. Hopefully, I either find an apartment I don’t have to pay for so I can quit and look for something different or his mom suddenly forgets we were together and has no reason to hate me being pregnant.”

“Well, I’ve already said it once, but I’ll say it again. I have two other rooms, you’re more than welcome to stay in one… free of charge.”

She looks at me with hope in her eyes and I almost think she’s going to say yes. But she just smiles and shakes her head.

“That would definitely make things too messy between us. We’re already having a baby together, no need to put us living together where boundaries can get… blurry.”

“Are you saying you don’t think you could keep your hands off of me?” I smirk, which she just glares at, but I don’t miss her rosy cheeks.

“Shut up. By the way… I’m calling tomorrow to schedule an appointment… do you want to come?”

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