Page 40 of Summer Nights

His eyebrows raised. "I didn't even know you two were a thing."

The tension between my shoulders increased. "We're not. We had a fling, I guess you could say."

"Was it just the one time?"

"It was more than once but not much." I shifted on my feet, not really comfortable discussing this part of our relationship.

"Are you seeing each other?"

"Ivy didn't want anything serious."

"And now she's pregnant," Hudson said flatly.

"I need some advice."

Hudson shook his head. "I feel like I'm giving out a lot of this advice lately."

"My situation is different than Dalton's. Ivy doesn't want anything from me. If I say I don't want to be involved, I don't think she'd even tell anyone I was the dad." I couldn't imagine walking around the island pretending that her son or daughter wasn't mine too.

Hudson turned the hamburger patties over. "Are you saying that you don't want to be involved?"

"No. Of course not. But she doesn't expect anything from me. It's a little weird."

"Ivy's a tough one. She came from a difficult situation, but you'd never know it, talking to her. She's erased that part of her with the expensive clothes and that SUV."

"I wondered why she never bought a house. She's a realtor."

"She might be afraid of commitment and tying her money up in property."

"Her past shaped her into who she is today." I'd have to remember that.

"You want something with her beyond the baby?"

"I think the baby put a stop to anything going on between us. She's pushing me away, and I don't know what to do about it."

His brow furrowed. "How did you leave it?"

"I asked if I could attend the first doctor's appointment."

Hudson nodded. "Did she agree to that?"

"Yes. Or at least I think she did. But I haven't heard anything from her."

"Have you reached out to her?" He placed the cheese on the patties.

"I was trying to give her space."

"I'd text her, and if you don't hear anything, then show up at her place. I have a feeling Ivy's not going to make this easy for you."

"It's like she expects me to let her down."

Hudson whistled. "I don't remember her father ever being around."

"Me either."

"I don't think she talks about her family either." He transferred the patties to a large serving platter.

"I saw her with her siblings at the park recently. I started helping her brother, Duncan with basketball."