Page 2 of Pucking Fate

I lift a single eyebrow. “I think you mean four.”

“Huh? Oh, Elle.” A slight smile lifts his lips at the mention of his girlfriend.

“Yes. Elle! Don’t even pretend like you two won’t be living together before the end of the year. Heck, I would put money on you two moving in together before the season starts!”

“That’s not…I don’t know.” He shrugs his wide shoulders. “I hope so, but I’m not going to rush Elle into this when everything is so new.” Turning to pour himself another cup of coffee, Preston goes on to say, “But that doesn’t change the fact that I won’t feel right in Greensboro if you and Finley aren’t there with me.”

In Greensboro…the city that worships Christian Riley, which means I would likely see his face on billboards and possibly run into him at the grocery store.

“I think we should stay here in Maryland.” In this house, the only house Finley knows since he was an infant the last time we moved, and far away from a certain puckboy.

“Do you really think you can raise him here on your own?”

I scoff at my brother indignantly and cross my arms over my chest, leaning back in my chair. “Preston, you know I appreciate everything you’ve done to help me raise Finley, but he’s my son. I don’t need you to keep supporting us.”

“Don’t you, though?” When I glare at him, he holds up both of his palms in surrender. “I’m not trying to be an asshole; I’m just being realistic. You don’t have a job. Hell, you’ve never worked a day in your life.”

“I know I haven’t, but I’ll find a job this summer.” It can’t be that hard to find a job, right?

“Maya…” Preston says, his voice full of doubt.

“Just because I don’t have a college degree or experience doing, well, anything other than distributing snacks at pre-school, I’m sure I can find some sort of work.”

“I’m not trying to be mean, but even if you do find a job, do you really think you’ll make enough in an entry-level position to support you and Finley?”

Well, crap. Probably not. I don’t even know what the minimum wage is, though I’m guessing it’s less than fifteen dollars an hour after tax deductions, which would be around six hundred dollars a week.

“The house is paid for and I’m not selling it,” Preston goes on to say. “I can help with the other bills, even if I’m not living here.”

“I don’t want you to do that.”

“I have plenty of money, Maya. And I’ll be making more than before, thanks to the new contract.”

“I appreciate the offer, but it’s time for me to fend for myself for once,” I tell him. “You’ve been my crutch for too long as it is.” I’ll never forget the look on my brother’s face when our father told him it was his fault that I got pregnant within my first few months of my freshman year of college, a burden Preston still wrongfully carries. “I’m so glad you helped give me the time to stay home with Finley all these years, but since he’s starting kindergarten in the fall, I’ll have the entire day to work before having to pick him up from school.”

“You could apply for jobs in Greensboro just as easily…” Which would also require moving.

When I just stare unblinkingly at him, Preston sighs and takes a seat across from me at the kitchen table. “Fine. I hope it works out and that you can find work in this area, but if it doesn’t, I’m here. Or I’ll be there, and I can send money here. Dammit, I hate this!” he grumbles as he shoves his fingersthrough his dark hair. “I wish you and Finley would just come to Greensboro with me.”

“I hate it too,” I tell him with a smile. “Not because we’re losing our financial stability, but because we’re losing you. Finley is going to miss you so much. You’re the closest thing he’s had to a father his whole life.”

“Right, so will you at least think about it? For Finley? You don’t have to decide today.”

“No, I wouldn’t have to decide today, but I would have to decide before school starts this fall,” I point out.

“Right,” he agrees. Then, clearing his throat, Preston nervously rubs the back of his neck. I’m pretty sure I know what uncomfortable topic he’s going to bring up before he even speaks. “Speaking of fathers…what are you going to do about Christian?”

I shrug with my arms still crossed in annoyance, since this is not a subject I like to discuss. A few weeks ago, Preston told Christian Riley that he’s Finley’s father after years of him being in the dark. Without warning me.

“What is there to do?” I ask him. “Christian knows he’s Finley’s father now. What that means going forward is ultimately up to him, I guess.”

“It’s not going to be easy,” Preston remarks.

“You think I don’t know that?” I huff. “I was finally beginning to close that chapter of my life and now he’s right back in it…”

“I meant for Christian. It’s not going to be easy for Christian to be a part of Finley’s life when he doesn’t even live in the same state!”

Shaking my head, I tell him, “That’s not my fault.”

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