Page 23 of Protect My Heart
‘I always thought Jason would be the first to have kids,’ Brody says. ‘And now he’s the single one and we all have girlfriends.’
‘I thought you’d be first too,’ Sawyer says to me. ‘Ten years ago I would’ve guessed you’d be married with two or three kids by now.’
‘Yeah, well, I’m not,’ I say, getting annoyed. They say this shit all the time and I’m getting tired of it. If I’d found the right girl, they’re right, I’d be married by now and have a couple kids, but that’s not how it worked out. I don’t need to be reminded of that by my stupid brothers.
‘Kate’s all baby crazy now,’ Brody says. ‘It’s Nash’s fault. Bringing his baby here all the time.’
‘She is pretty damn cute,’ Sawyer says. ‘Even I think about having a kid when I’m around her. Then I come to my senses and realize it’s not the right time.’
‘It’s never the right time,’ Nick says. ‘Kids change your life. You’re never fully prepared for it, even if you think you are.’
‘Are you and Lyndsay still going to have them right away?’
Nick smiles. ‘We’re already trying. The wedding’s only a few weeks away. There’s really no need to wait.’
Sawyer looks at Brody and me. ‘We could be uncles by this time next year.’
Nick’s phone dings and he checks it. ‘That’s Lyndsay. I need to get home.’
‘To make a baby?’ Sawyer jokes.
Nick laughs. ‘That’s later. I’m taking her to dinner first.’
‘I need to go too,’ Brody says, getting up.
We say our goodbyes and they take off. Sawyer goes back behind the bar to fill orders as the place fills up. I remain at the table and finish my beer, my mind going back to Mia, wondering what she wants to talk about and why she couldn’t tell me over the phone.
I won’t see her until next Friday, which means I’ll be thinking about this all week. I wish she’d just told me.
Chapter 6
Mia
It’s Friday night and I’m almost at Haydon Falls. I feel like I’m going to throw up, and not because of the pregnancy, but because I’m worried about seeing Jason. I’m worried about how he’ll react to my news. I’m worried about seeing him again. I’m worried I’ll fall for him even more, which will make leaving him even harder than when we said goodbye at the hotel.
I cried on my way home that day. I’d met this great guy, a guy I could see myself having a relationship with, maybe even marrying someday, and I had to leave him. I thought I’d never see him again. And now, here I am, about to have dinner with him. About to tell him that our night together created a baby, and that he’ll soon be a dad.
What if he gets mad? What if he blames me for this? I was on birth control, but I’d just changed pills and was supposed to use a backup method for a month. What if Jason gets angry at me for not telling him that? We should’ve used a condom, but we didn’t. That’s both of our faults. He can’t blame me for that.
My phone rings. It’s Nora calling. I hit the button to put it on speaker.
‘Hey, Nora.’
‘Hey, are you there yet?’
‘Not yet. I have about five minutes to go.’
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Like I’m going to be sick. Nora, what if he freaks out?’
‘Then let him. You did when you found out. Then after you had some time to let it sink in, you were fine. I’m sure it’ll be the same for him.’
‘What if he gets angry?’
‘Then slap the jerk and tell him he’s being an ass. You didn’t make this baby on your own.’
‘I know, and I honestly don’t think he’d react that way. I’m not sure how he’ll react.’
