Page 82 of Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

He nods.

“It might be your albatross, but it was always my dream.Daddy, I love it here.I didn’t even want to go away for college.And the whole time I was there, I wanted to be back home.I know Mom ran away, and you worry I’ll feel stuck here with you.But it’s the opposite.I never want to leave.And thanks to Seth, I don’t have to.”

Dad stops and points at the hill.“You still want a house up there?I remember you telling me when you were little that’s where you were going to live.”

“Seth’s already having the plans drawn up.It’ll be built the same time everything else is being renovated.I know you wanted me to leave and experience the world, but aren’t you at least a little bit excited that you get to have me close?That you’ll be able to watch your grandkids grow up.Every day in person.”

He swallows and pauses for a moment.“You’re not pregnant, are you?”

“No.Not yet.We need to get this resort up and running, but I’d like to have my kids while I’m young.”

“When did you become an adult?”He says it like he’s a little surprised but also proud.

I chuckle.“When you weren’t looking.”

He turns and stares back at the office building.“That was a dirty trick you played on me in there.”

“Seth and I went round and round about the best way to present all this to you.If Todd hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have even considered things.This was the only way, you stubborn old fool.”

“Who are you calling old?”

“Dad.Are you going to sell me my dream or not?”

He glances at the hill and then back at me again.I see pain in his eyes, and for a second, I’m afraid he’ll say no.

“Yes, Mae.I’ll sell you your dream.”

I hand him the contract and a pen, and he reluctantly signs it.He hands it back to me.“I’m going home.I can’t face them right now.I’ll be okay.You enjoy your victory, but tonight, I’d like to see your plans for the new house.”

I nod and make my way back to the office, where everyone remains.I walk in, and they all stare at me expectedly.

I point to the signature.“He signed.”

Pandemonium erupts.Seth finds me and gives me a kiss.Terry is sobbing, and the rest of the brothers are high-fiving one another.Mark grabs Seth, and I find Abi.She grimaces, her face pale.

“Are you okay?”I ask.She turns a little green and runs from the room.I follow after her.She makes it to the bathroom, and I find her retching into the toilet.I grab her hair and wait for her to finish.Then I get the glass on the counter, fill it with water, and hand it to her.

“You’re still sick,” I say.

Silent tears run down her face.“I’m not sick.I’m pregnant.”

It feels like someone has punched me in the gut.I sink down next to her and pull her close.“Who’s the dad?”I ask because I don’t know who could possibly have gotten her pregnant.“Not Bryan.”

She snort laughs.“No.Not Bryan.The guy I told you I was trying to get over.”

“He has a name.”

“Yeah, but I’m not sharing.It was a wild one-night thing that I’ll never forget.But to think that we’ll have a future together is absurd.Besides he told me that he never wants kids or a family.”She squeezes her eyes shut but doesn’t say anything else.

“Who else knows that you’re pregnant?”

“Mom and Dad.They’re being really cool about it.”

“Of course they are.They love you and want to support you.Plus, I know Terry is ready for more grandkids.”

“I’ll tell the rest of my family soon.This just wasn’t in the plans, you know.”

“I know, but if anyone can make the single-mom thing work, it’s you.You’re amazing.”

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