Ugh.
“Oh my God, I have to call Cherie,” Mom squealed, and ran up the stairs.
Right, so Bax’s parents were going to know too. This was good information to know—anytime Courtney wanted everyone in the world to know her secrets, she only had to tell her family. They’d handle the rest.
The knocking was still happening at the door, but had ratcheted up.
“Hold your horses,” Dad said, pulling at the waistband of his pants before yanking the door open.
Clearly, Bax was not expecting to see her dad.
That stopped him short, but only for a second. He scanned the room, his gaze settling on Courtney and clearly—given the expression sketched across his face—seeing straight through any excuses she was subconsciously drumming up in her mind.
“Hey, Bax.” She gave him a little wave and started to run her hand over her abdomen. She stopped before she made the gesture that had become something of second nature lately. Her T-shirts were getting tight, so she blamed it on that. “Good news, yeah?”
He dropped his gaze to her stomach. But she wasn’t really showing yet. Still way too early for that. Sure, she was a little poofy around the middle, had a massive craving for carrots—
“You’re pregnant.” He said this not as a question but as a statement.
“I know, it’s such a surprise…” Courtney took some deep breaths as she spoke, trying to figure out how to spin this even a little. “I know this is so not what we planned…”
“Brennan?” Dad looked Bax up and down. “You’re the mystery man?”
No, this wasn’t Brennan. The fire in his gaze, the unfeeling expression… yeesh… this was Bax.
“Bax is the mystery man.” Courtney made some jazz hands.
“Cherie wants to know your due date?” Mom called from the top of the stairs. “And, Brennan, dear, your mom says hi.”
“My mom knows?” Bax asked, as confused as Courtney felt about this turn of events.
“Hi, Brennan,” his mom said from the speaker on Courtney’s mom’s iPad. Oh, look, they were video chatting. “Your father and I are so excited!” Cherie shouted, as though they couldn’t hear her over the miles between wherever they were floating in the ocean and Denver. “What a great surprise this is!”
“Yep, surprise! Now, I need to sit down.” Courtney headed toward the sofa and sat, dropping her head between her knees so she didn’t lose consciousness. This seemed like a bad time for that, and if Linx found out, he’d blame Bax and it’d be a whole thing.
Mostly, by utilizing this maneuver, she also didn’t have to look anyone in the eyes.
Abruptly, Dad said, “I want ice cream. Let’s get ice cream, honey. Cherie, you come too.”
“Ice cream is great,” Courtney said, lifting her head from her knees. In her defense, she also really wanted some ice cream.Sue me.
Dad shook his head, grabbing his coat. “Only room for two and the iPad. Let’s go on a date, girls. What kind should I bring you back, Court?” he asked, pulling on his coat.
Traitor.
“Raspberry, please,” Courtney said. “With chocolate sauce and sprinkles and whipped cream with a cherry.”
Now she really wanted that ice cream, with a side of carrot sticks and cucumber.
When her parents left, she bit her bottom lip. Should she just come out and say it? But he already knew. So she didn’t really need to say it. More like just acknowledge that the baby was his. He’d probably want to know. That’d probably be the question. Because, of course, he wasn’t sure if she’d been with anyone else.
While, no, she hadn’t been with anyone else, because everyone else seemed like an unflavored popsicle next to the sprinkled raspberry deliciousness of Brennan, he didn’t know that. He also didn’t need to know that, since his head was already plenty big.
“It’s yours,” she said, deciding to just go all in and get it out there. “I’m keeping it.” That seemed important to share, so he didn’t make a suggestion that might make her angry. “You don’t have to be involved if you don’t want to be.” She said this in a chipper voice, like she was ordering more ice cream.
“It’s mine,” he said, saying what she’d already confirmed, and moving into the room. She didn’t even get to nod her head before he continued, “You’re keeping it.”
This time, she nodded. Though she said nothing because he looked like he still had more to say. Usually, she didn’t mind cutting Bax off, because it was kind of their thing, but this time she didn’t particularly want him more agitated than he already was.
