Page 65 of Interference
“Of course not. Babies are miracles. If this boy is as good as you say he is, then we want to meet him again. This time on better terms. I know we weren’t on our best behavior last time, but you shocked us,” Mom says.
Dad clears his throat. “I got a little heated, but he stood up for you. I respect that. I would like to get to know the man who will be helping raise my grandchild. I don’t promise to like him, but I will give him a fair chance.”
“That’s all I ask for,” I tell them both. “Next time you come to town, we can do something together. He wanted to come today, but I needed this to be about us.”
“We appreciate that.” Mom reaches across the table and grabs my hand. “Now tell me all about the pregnancy. What cravings have you had?”
I laugh as I tell her all about the cravings and the sickness. Dad joins in telling stories of how my mom was with me. The lunch goes by as if we hadn’t been tense for weeks. I’m grateful for it too. I didn’t realize how much it stressed me out to be at odds with my parents.
By the end of lunch, I feel like all is right in my world again.
I have my parents’ unwavering support once more. There is a baby that I already love more than I can comprehend growing inside of my belly. Then I have Brett, who is a man I am finding myself falling more and more in love with.
Life can’t get any better than this.
Emery is with her parents having lunch. I wanted to be there, but she insisted she go alone. So instead of dwelling on that, I’m at home with Kellan and Wyatt as we play some video game that I can’t even focus on.
My phone rings, making me smile.
“Clayton James, hotshot hockey player for the Boston Foxes. Why in the world would you be calling little ol’ me?” I ask as soon as I answer the video call.
“I might be in the PHL, but I don’t forget my roots. Hold on, I’m patching Beckett in.”
After a moment, Beckett’s face fills up the other square. Kellan and Wyatt come over to sit next to me.
“Wow, this is the first time in a while that we have all been together like this, huh?” Kellan jokes.
“It has been a while. How are things back at the hockey house?” Beckett asks.
“Great. We are taking good care of Peyton. I know you see her more than we do, but when she comes to hang out, we make sure she is safe,” I tell him.
“Of course you do. That’s what family does. I wish my wife would come around a little more. She is always out at that house of hers now.”
I smirk at him. “You mean both of yours?”
He waves his hand as if to dismiss me.
It’s true, though. Last year, Beckett and Peyton secretly got married so that she could inherit a fortune she never knew she had. It included a whole-ass estate not too terribly far from here. Beckett got drafted, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t come back every chance he gets to be with Peyton. She’s a senior this year, though, so she will be graduating, and from what I understand, she will be traveling with him.
It’s adorably annoying. I want it with Emery, though.
“That’s not why we are calling. You know, Brett, we are supposed to be best friends. We share everything with one another. So why don’t you tell us what you have been keeping from us?” Beckett demands.
Clay has his stern daddy look on too.
I glare at the two next to me. “Who fucking told?”
They both hold their hands up as if they want nothing to do with this.
“My sister did, you dimwit,” Clay says. “She told Grace, who told me, because we don’t keep secrets. I want to hear it from you, though.”
I give a dramatic sigh, but then I smile. “Emery’s pregnant. I’m going to be a dad.”
Beckett hoots and hollers while Clay smiles.
“Congratulations,” Clay says when Beckett settles down.
“Yeah, man. I’d ask how you feel about it, but that megawatt smile on your face tells me you wanted this. Did you trap her with a baby, Brett?”
