Page 75 of Time Out

Given her height, or lack it, her doctor had told her she might show earlier than most women.

I tore my eyes off her stomach and cringed, trying to find the words to tell my dad.

“Maggie isn’t just my new girlfriend, and actually, before I said those words to you earlier, we hadn’t actually talked about what we were, but there’s something you need to know.”

Thick, bushy brows arched on his forehead as his eyes that mirrored mine bounced back and forth between us. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“What is it?”

I held out my arm, a gesture for Maggie to come to me, and she did with those same, slow hesitant steps. There was no easy way this and I had a sudden appreciation for what Maggie felt like the night she and Belle showed up at my condo. “She’s pregnant. She’s having my baby.”

If I thought my dad’s shock was evident when I said the word pregnant, it turned epic when I told him it was mine.

“Oh.” He blew out a breath, glanced at both of us again, nodded. Hands went to his hips. Back across his chest. Swiped down his face. The number of seconds that passed while he was silent was a killer.

And next to me, Maggie sniffed.

God, please don’t make her cry. I couldn’t handle being screamed at and having a woman cry at the same time.

“Pregnant,” my dad muttered like it was the first time he learned the word, and he had to test it out.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Hall,” Maggie whispered, and her voice shook as she spoke to him. “I didn’t mean it. And it just happened—”

He held up a hand, palm out, and silenced her while he stared at the deck beneath his feet, puffed out his cheeks, and blew out another breath.

“That’s… that’s a lot to hear,” he admitted, before finally lifting his head. When he didn’t, he didn’t face me, but stopped at Maggie. “Did you do this on purpose?”

“Dad…” I warned.

“No, sir.” Her back straightened against my palm even as I wanted to tug her behind me. If my dad became the kind of guy I couldn’t respect…

His head tilted to one side. “Then what are you apologizing for?”

Of course he wouldn’t become that guy. I shouldn’t have worried.

“No apologies, dear, okay? These things, well… they happen.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, and there was a tremor in her voice where I knew she was starting to cry.

“Hey.” I slipped my hand to her hip and drew her in closer until she had to face me. “You’re good.”

“We’re good,” she replied, and she was absolutely right.

We were good.

“So, I’m assuming you’re keeping it, and you’re healthy? Everyone is healthy?”

For the first time, my dad had a tiny grin on his face, and Maggie caught it, smiling up at him and settled her hand on her stomach. “We’re healthy.”

“Well, I think that’s the most important thing, then, right?”

He pressed a hand to my shoulder. “Can’t lie. I think we can all agree this isn’t how you would have liked for this to happen, but I raised you to be a good man, and I have no doubt you will be. And a father, too.”

Damn it. Now it wasn’t only Maggie on the verge of tears. I was fighting them back too and raised my free hand to my mouth and coughed to clear them away.

“That’s really kind of you, Mr. Hall.”

He smiled down at her, one he reserved for his grandsons and his daughters. Soft and sweet. My dad was the best. “What’d I say about calling me Jim?”

---