Page 67 of Delayed Offsides

Callie isn’t just some puck bunny to me. She’s going to be the mother of my child. It scares the shit out of me. Not only does being a father—or the word itself—scare me to death, but dating Callie isn’t going to be easy. I love her, and you know this by now, but I’ve never loved a girl before. I don’t even know what to do with the word.

It’s nearing the time I’m going to pick her up for dinner when I decide to call Mase, thinking if they came, it might not be so nerve-wracking. Right?

“I’m going to dinner with Callie,” I blurt as soon as he answers the phone. “Like adate.”

“Good for you.” He laughs.

“Yeah, sure.” I swallow over the dryness in my throat. “Uh… can you and Ami come?”

“Why?” He sounds confused, and I’m not sure why. He knows me.

“So she doesn’t yell at me. If you’re there, she won’t.”

Mase laughs. “I hate to break it to you, but she will with or without us.” And then he pauses, a long, drawn-out pause like the sudden moments of silence he has at times that piss me the fuck off. Who pauses for that long? Mase does. “And I have Granny B with me. It’s her birthday.”

“Bring her too.” I want to hang up before he can argue, because he will, adding, “Meet us at Hub 51 at six.”

It’s a good plan, right?

Just agree with me.

* * *

“Did you see these cups?”Granny B raises her glass with one last drink of beer in it, downs it, and then stuffs it inside her duffle bag of a purse. She’s a klepto. Always has been. “They can hold a lot of vodka.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Mase lowers his voice. “Granny B, put that back on the fuckin’ table.” Letting out a deep sigh, he closes his eyes. “I told you guys we shouldn’t have brought her.”

“It’s fine,” Callie reassures him. When I picked her up for dinner and told her about Mase and Ami joining us, she almost seemed relieved. Maybe she was nervous too. Hell, even Ami looked relieved when we walked in, because then she wouldn’t have to deal with Mase and Granny B alone.

“I’m so glad you guys came,” Ami whispers to Callie.

“So, what are we celebrating?” Granny B asks, flagging down a waiter. “Excuse me, son, I need another glass. Mine has disappeared.”

“We’re celebrating yours and Evan’s birthday,” Ami tells her and then smiles at Callie. “And a baby.”

My heart beats louder, and I swear my cheeks flush. I have no idea why, but I look over at Callie and smile. It hits me then. Inside her is a part of me. Pride swells in my chest.

“Are you pregnant, Ami?” Granny B gleams at her and then nudges Mase. “Way to hit a home run.”

Mase gives his grandmother a “what the fuck” stare but doesn’t reply.

“Oh no.” Ami shakes her head, pointing at Callie. “Callie is. Callie and Leo are having a baby.”

Taken by surprise, Callie swallows a laugh with a drink of water but doesn’t say anything. Beside her, I squeeze her hand under the table and lift my beer to my lips.

Granny B quirks an eyebrow at me. “Didn’t you bag it up?”

Mase coughs lightly and then reaches for his water glass. “We should go.”

“No, don’t,” Callie mumbles, staring at her napkin in her lap.

Mase and Ami gawk at us, not knowing what to say.

“This is really awkward,” Granny B notes. She smiles widely, taking an overly large bite of the chips and guacamole at the center of the table and then talking with her mouth full. “I always knew Leo had super sperm.”

“Granny B!” Mase snaps. “Stop talking like that. We’re in a public restaurant.”

“I’m eighty. I’ll talk how I want.” She slaps the back of his head and then stares at him.

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