Page 8 of After this Summer
“Yeah,” I manage, a lump of emotion in my throat.
I’m going to be a dad.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Pen’s voice is nearly a screech as she pushes closer, nearly boxing my father out of the way. “You’re having a baby? And she didn’t tell me?!”
Chuckling, I look over as I wrap an arm around my mom and give her a small shrug. “We’ve been waiting to figure a few things out and we knew you’d tell Lake.”
“Hey!” Lake whines, making Jesse snicker behind me.
Ignoring them both, I add, “She was really sick, things were complicated, and we weren’t ready to tell anyone.”
Things are still complicated.
The feeling I’m missing something hasn’t gone away but I can’t focus on that now—not when I can finally tell my family the good news.
“I’m buying you guys the most obnoxious, loud, baby toys. I hope you know that,” Pen grumbles.
“I’ll be sure to let her know.” I tell her, lifting my arm to the side so she can hug me too. It’s weird but I like it because I know that this baby will be loved.
And Indie will be too, and that’s all I can ask for.
“Do her parents know? Are they coming? They have to stay here—we have plenty of room. Winston, how do you feel about getting the guest suite repainted before her parents come?”
“Mom,”—Lake cajoles, pulling her out from under my arm to wrap her in a smothering hug—“just enjoy the moment. You can plan later.”
“Thank you,”I mouth to him and he nods, steering our mother back into the kitchen as he makes a fuss over pulling out the garlic bread from the oven.
She knows what he’s doing but she lets him because Elora Sterling knows how to pick her battles. I should probably warn Indie that she’ll be peppered with questions and well-wishes when she gets here, but that’s a conversation for later.
Because I might not always know how to show it, but my family is everything to me, and having Indie and the baby be a part ofthisis more than I could have hoped for.
5
INDIE
“You’re having ababy,and you didn’t tell me?!” Pen screeches into the phone and I have to pull mine away from my ear becausewow.
Honestly, I’m surprised it’s taken her this long to call. Beau texted me after the dinner with his family the other night saying they’re all incredibly happy for us.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, suppressing my laugh as I place my hand over my no longer flat stomach. Penelope Stewart has been my best friend since college and a major reason that I stayed in Montana instead of returning to my hometown in Tennessee.
“I told you about Lake…”
“Kind of hard not to when you literally ran out on Carter with him.” She groans and this time I do laugh. “I’m not saying you were wrong; I’m just saying this was different. I somehow didn’t realize I’d skipped my period until a long time after. ”
“I guess I can forgive you,” she teases, “but only if you start sending regular bump pictures.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Deal.”
“Beau said you’re moving here. Is that true?”
Looking around my living room that’s already half packed, I nod even though she can’t see me.
“I am. It’s the right thing for us. Mama wanted me to come home but my daddy,thankfully,helped her down off that ledge. She promised she’d wait till I got settled to fly out here.”
“And what about Beau?” Her voice has a singsong quality and even just hearing his name has my heart beating a little faster.
“He’s been incredible,” I tell her honestly. Dropping onto the couch, I add, “He’s never once acted like this isn’t the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”
