Page 34 of Accidentally Falling
“We don’t, uh,”—he clears his throat, and my lips tilt up on one side—“feel the baby for a while, right?”
“We do not,” I whisper, letting this moment soothe my battered heart, “but I’ll make sure to tell you when we can.”
“We’re in for a wild ride, Tennessee.”
“That’s why you take the country Rhodes.”
18
JUDE
“How long do you think I can hide out here?” Arden asks over the melty grilled cheese on her plate. Her hair is a mess but her eyes are brighter than when she got here, and that eases some of the ache in my chest.
“As long as you want.”
“You say that now,” she teases, giving me a shy smile, and it’s all I can do not to reach across the counter and kiss her. Letting the intrusive thought win, I take a step when my phone rings, my brother’s name lighting up the screen.
“Hello?”
“I got some guy at Arden’s house lookin’ in the windows.”
“What?” I ask, my blood running cold.
“Who are you?” my brother barks, but the response is too muffled to make out.
“Evan Mills. Says he’s her father. He was here when I came by to take care of the other thing,” Deacon says, theotherthing being I asked him to make sure Arden’s mother wasn’t camped out at her house. She had a dozen messages on her phone that I made sure to leave in the kitchen while we napped.
Napped.
I can’t remember the last time I took a nap, but I know I’ll definitely remember that one.
Glancing at Arden as she happily eats her sandwich, I run the probability of her being pissed and decide I’ll take my chances.
Because I’m done with her being wrecked mentally and emotionally by telling people she’s having a baby.
“Bring him here,” I tell him and listen to the next several seconds of silence before Deacon laughs.
“You got it, brother. See you soon.”
With a twitch of my lips, I end the call and drop my phone next to my plate.
“What’s that look for?” Arden asks with narrowed eyes.
“Hmm?” I don my best innocent expression and take a massive bite of my own grilled cheese.
“You’re up to something.”
“Yeah.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll find out in a couple of minutes.”
A couple of minutes turns into ten, Deacon’s footsteps heavy across the porch as he pushes open the door.
“Special delivery,” he calls and I watch as shock spreads across Arden’s face as her father walks through the door. I’ve seen him over the years with her sister, Ellison, and he gulps when his eyes meet mine before returning to his daughter’s.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” she asks, sitting up straight, but I notice that she doesn’t move to greet him.
