Page 54 of Summer Nights

Cooper maneuvered us to the front of the store. "I think it will be real for me when we tell my family. They're going to be so excited for us."

"Will they?" I asked, not quite believing that an unplanned pregnancy would make any parents happy.

"Absolutely. They'll especially love that you live close, and they'll get to see the baby all the time. I'm sure they'll want to help out and babysit."

We walked outside into the sunshine. The heat radiated off the pavement. "I still can't believe that they're going to be happy about this."

He paused at the passenger side of the truck and opened the door for me. "If you want to go, just give me a sign, and I'll get you out of there."

I shook my head. "I shouldn't want to run from a nice family."

He gave me a hand up to the seat. "My family is different from yours. It's understandable that you have mixed feelings about it."

Once I was situated with my legs inside the cab, I said, "I'm sure it will be fine."

"I'll be with you the entire time," Cooper said with a wink before he shut the door.

That was the problem. Cooper was around more often, bringing me dinner or dessert several times a week. He'd said that he'd ordered too much food or wanted to share his favorite food with me. He made it seem like an afterthought and not his plan. But I was starting to wonder if he had some kind of endgame.

Was it to make me rely on him and then pull the rug out from under me and disappear? I couldn't let go of the image of him walking away from me and the baby. Maybe it was because I'd thought of that exact scenario so many times over the years. How did my dad walk out? Did he tell Mom he was going? Or did he just disappear without saying anything? Mom never talked about the specifics. She'd said you can't trust a man to be there for you. But she continually chased that very ideal, and she'd been hurt time and time again.

I wouldn't make the same mistake, no matter how attractive Cooper was. I saw glimpses of him being an amazing father. But I couldn't trust my judgment.

My heart ached as I looked at the strong line of his jaw. He was so good looking, so determined to be a good dad. How could I trust that this would last?

Chapter Fourteen

Cooper

I shook off the excess shaving cream from my razor against the sink, excited to tell my family about the baby but nervous about their reaction. I hadn't mentioned that to Ivy because she was stressed enough for the both of us.

I knew my parents would support me, but what if they asked about our relationship? We weren't together, but I was bringing her to dinner. It was an unconventional situation, and we were doing our best to navigate it with mutual respect.

Would my parents' exuberance over the pregnancy freak Ivy out? Would she run? I knew she wasn't used to the workings of a normal family dynamic. But would she think less of herself and her family as a result?

I only wanted to support her. All I could do was be there for her the best way I knew how.

The news should take the pressure off Dalton. But I was worried it would be too much for Ivy.

I dried my face, grabbing my swim trunks and a towel, before heading toward Ivy's house. I'd insisted on driving her so that she couldn't leave without me. I didn't want her running away without talking to me about what was going on in her head.

When I got to her condo complex, she was waiting for me on the sidewalk in a long green dress. You couldn't tell she was pregnant, at least not in that outfit.

I pulled up to the curb instead of parking like I'd planned. She opened the door before I could get it for her.

When she was seated and pulling on her seatbelt, I said as calmly as I could, "I would have gotten that for you."

Her brow furrowed. "I can open my own door."

I let out a breath. "It's not about ability. I want to be the man who opens doors for you."

Ivy's eyes widened at that admission, but she remained silent.

Hopefully, she understood that I wanted to do things for her. "My mom taught all of us manners."

She nodded finally. "I'll wait next time."

"And one more thing… Can you wait inside in the air conditioning? I don't want you to get sick waiting in the sun. I read that pregnant women are more prone to heat-related illnesses, and we live in Florida." I looked over at her, and her expression softened.

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