Normally, I’d call Micha and talk this through. He has an uncanny ability to listen intently and advise brilliantly. Alden, not so much. But Alden is legit the only guy in my world who isn’t directly tied to Skylar. Which is why, at some time not even close to dawn, I call him.
“Hey,” he grumbles into the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“Can I trust you?”
“Huh? What the fuck time is it? Is Zoey okay?”
I smile a bit that he’s worried about his niece and press on. “She’s fine. She’s with Mom and Dad. I need to talk, and I need to be able to trust that your mouth will stay shut.”
Random, indistinct noises carry through the phone. “I’m awake. I’m sitting up. Fuck, dude, it’s not even five yet. What’s going on?”
“Promise me.”
“I promise. You don’t ever have to question that. You’re my brother. My blood.”
He means it, and I love him, but I still wish this were Micha. “Skylar is pregnant from a guy who isn’t good, and Zoey has PTSD from losing her mother and her stepfucker and has a resulting attachment disorder, so I asked Skylar to marry me.”
The phone is silent for so long that I pull it away from my ear to make sure he’s still on the line and hasn’t fallen back to sleep.
Finally, I get, “Um. Back up. My brain isn’t processing correctly yet. Skylar is pregnant with her ex’s baby?”
“Yeah. You know him?”
“Of him. I think I might have met him once. I don’t remember. But I went to one of Roman’s matches, and he and I had drinks afterward, and he not so candidly told me that he was picturing her ex that night when he annihilated his opponent.”
I blow out a heavy breath because, fuck. Roman is an emotional guy, and I know he and Sky are insanely close. But that… Shit. Now any thoughts I was having about changing my mind are gone. I have to do this for her. Micha would never forgive me if I didn’t take care of Skylar.
Then again, she has a whole network of people, right? I mean, Roman alone is enough to scare anyone. I close my eyes.
“I work with him. He’s a third-year.”
“Then you can torture him.”
“I plan to. But…” I open my eyes and stare sightlessly at the wall.
“She’s pregnant with his kid. Okay. Repeat the part about why you’re marrying her? Because I’m lost.”
I shift and slide down into bed, pulling the blankets higher over me. “Zoey likes her. A lot. Skylar talks to her and does art stuff or whatever with her. I don’t even know what it is, but Zoey bonded with her instantly.”
“Because she’s Micha’s sister and is a young woman, which is something Zoey needs in her life after losing Astrid.”
“Yes. Because of that, they have a thing I don’t have with Zoey.”
“You’re going to marry Skylar so she stays and helps your kid, and in return you’re going to help her fend off her ex?”
“You nailed it.”
He whistles through his teeth. “Shit, man. That’s a big ask and impacts you way more than her. How long will you stay married?”
“Two years, I think.”
“Jesus, Aston. That’s not a small amount of time. How are you going to be married to Skylar for two years?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’ll be less.” My voice climbs because he stated my own panicked thoughts back to me. “We’ll be like we are now. Roommates who barely tolerate each other.”
He exhales heavily into the phone.
“What would you do?” I throw at him. “Honestly. I need help because I offered her this after a few drinks, but it felt so smart and right at the time. I want Zoey to have security and a normal-feeling home life. Not one where she’s getting bounced around between me and her grandparents. I’m trying, but I’m also man enough to admit that I might not be enough. Bennett said tonight that the best thing I can do as a parent is to swallow my pride and admit I need help. That’s what I’m doing. Short of quitting my job, which I’ve honestly considered tonight, I’m not sure what else to do. Zoey needs more than I can give her right now, and Skylar is here, and she also happens to need a lot of help too. Micha is my best friend. Another brother to me. So again, if you were me, what would you do?”
