Page 33 of Summer Nights

Instead, she handed me a spoon. "We have to wait for it to melt."

I let out the breath I'd been holding. "You want the show on?"

"Sure."

I reached for the remote, raising the volume so that we could hear what the hosts were saying but not so loud that she couldn't talk if she needed to.

"I never planned on this."

I shifted slightly so I could face her. "Getting pregnant?"

She nodded miserably. "I thought I'd be smart about it. I'd always use protection, and if the worst happened, I'd deal with it.

"Do you know what you want to do?" I asked gently, not wanting to sway her one way or the other. She was different from her mother. I was positive she'd be amazing, and I had more than enough to support both of them, if she didn’t.

She rested a hand on her belly. "There's a baby. It might be a bean at this point, but it's mine."

I wanted to add that it was mine too, but I didn't want to ruin the moment. This was extremely personal to her since she carried the baby. This would disrupt her life in ways it wouldn't mine. "You don't have to make a decision now."

Her shoulders tightened, and she kept her gaze on the ice cream. "I'm keeping this baby."

I closed my eyes, the air whooshing out of my lungs. "I'll support you, whatever you decide to do."

She looked at me. "But I can do this on my own."

"You don't have to. I'm here, and I want to support you."

She shook her head. "You can't mean that. And even if you do, you won't stick around."

"Are you talking to me or your father?" I asked tightly.

She sucked in a harsh breath. "What do you know about him?"

"Nothing. Other than he's never been around. He's not someone that's worthy of the title," I said bitterly.

"He couldn't be bothered to stick around and meet me. I always hoped he'd change his mind and come back, but he never did."

"Did he know about you?" It was hard to believe anyone could do that.

Ivy chuckled without any humor. "Mom told me a million times over the course of my childhood that he didn't want me."

I bit off a curse. I didn't want her to know that I was angry on her behalf. Her mother shouldn't have done that, even if it was the truth.

I took her free hand in mine. "That's not our situation. I'm going to be by your side whether you want me there or not."

Her nostrils flared.

I held up a hand. "You're wrong about me. I want to be the dad our child deserves."

I was going to prove her wrong. I'd be with her through everything, and I was fully prepared for her to push me away. To expect me to leave at any moment. It wouldn't be easy, but I was up for the challenge.

Chapter Nine

Ivy

"You can't possibly want to be a father." The words were bitter on my tongue.

"I'm not saying I had plans for it right now, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't on my mind with Dalton and Marshall having children and everyone pairing off with their significant others."

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