My words are measured as I step into Greyson’s personal space. “Congratulations. Paulina and Witley officially have an asshole for a father.”
I push past him, brushing my shoulder against his arm. Sutton reaches out, but I shake her off, humiliated. How could Greyson tell everyone I’m pregnant? When I told him, I thought it would be in confidence. He’s always been the one I confided in. Suddenly, I’m running up the stairs to get away from everyone in this family. When I reach the landing, my feet give way, and I crumble to the ground.
Crying.
Dad appears and sits beside me, stroking my hair while saying, “Shh… everything is okay.”
Growing up, he had to play both mom and dad. Sutton and Birdie have taken over the role of mom when needed. They both have that motherly instinct, but Dad always knows how to find the right moment to be soft when he usually has a rough, more directnature.
He tucks me under his arm, my head falling onto his chest. “Are you ashamed of me?” I slurp up my tears, and my voice shakes.
“Never in a million years would I use that word about you. You’ve always been the light of my life. The little girl who helped me become a real man. A real man braids a little girl’s hair and sings Taylor Swift songs. Do you think Matt will do that?” His words trail off, but I heard them.
I lift my chin, and my dad wipes a tear away, even though they keep falling. “What do you mean?”
“You’re pregnant. Will Matt be the man you need?”
My lids fall closed. Ashamed is the word to describe how I feel. Not because of dating Matt, if that’s even what we’re doing. But ashamed that I had sex with a man I knew I shouldn’t have—Brooks.
“It’s not Matt’s baby. God, I wish it was. The baby is Brooks’.”
“Are you sure?” he asks, pressing a soft kiss to the top of my head.
Nodding, I say, “Yeah, the symptoms started before things changed with Matt and me.”
“Well, if there’s one thing I know with one hundred percent certainty, it’s that you’ll be a terrific mom. You have your mother’s blood flowing through you, and there was no one better at mothering than your mom.”
We sit quietly for a few minutes before I hear footsteps coming. Dad stands me up and moves us into the den as my family converges on me. J.D. and Birdie hug me. “We’ll help you. You know that.”
Paulina, who is almost as tall as me, flings her arms around me. “I’ll babysit.”
“Thank you,” I whisper inher ear.
Witt says nothing but pats my shoulder with a slight grin on his face.
Parker says, “How much do daycare workers get paid?”
I snort. “Not as much as the NIL money you’re getting.”
Sutton gives me a nurturing, long hug and whispers, “I think it’s fantastic that we’ll all have kids growing up together. Congratulations. Now I need to rest while Witley is asleep.”
Shooting her a close-lipped grin, I see Greyson is just behind her. He reaches for my hand, but I want to jerk it away. I don’t. I can’t afford to. He’s always been my rock. The one to tell me that I can be a tomboy and play softball and still dress in pink. I can cheer on my team and still have insane athletic ability, able to be tossed up and do a double tuck in the air.
“Sis. I’m sorry.”
I cross my arms. Defiant. “For what?” There’s a softness in my tone even while I’m trying to act like a badass.
“For not being happy for you. This thing with Matt… it clouds my judgment. The baby is Brooks’?”
“Yes. I told him I was raising the baby on my own, that I don’t want anything from him. And he doesn’t want anything to do with this baby.” Looking down, I didn’t realize my hand was cradling my stomach. “Even though before I told him, he was still thinking I was there to grovel for him to take me back.”
“I never liked the way he treated you and dismissed you. Even at our family functions, he would ignore you.”
Matt interjects, “Like at your wedding. He danced with every girl there except Noelle.” Matt takes cautious steps toward me and says to Greyson, “We need to have a conversation.”
I point my finger toward my chest, and he shakes his head no. Gathering myself, I say, “No. We need to have a conversation before you have one with my brother.”
Greyson smiles. “I love you.”
