She took a step back. “Daddy, don’t be mad. It’s no big deal.”
Nothing made sense. How could this be happening? “No big deal? You said you weren’t having sex with Raoul.”
She flushed and stared at the floor. “Yes, well, we were. Sort of.”
“Sort of? Not if you’re pregnant. If you’re having a baby, you weren’t going halfway. Goddammit all to hell, Brittany, how could you do this?”
She looked at him, her eyes filling with tears. “Daddy, don’t yell at me.”
“What else am I supposed to do? Congratulate you? You’re only seventeen. You’re still in high school. You’re supposed to be smarter than this. You lied to me—you’ve been running around behind my back.”
“Like you told your parents when you were having sex with Mom?”
He wasn’t going there. “This is about you. I can’t believe it. Even if you were willing to be that dumb, I can’t believe Raoul went along with it.”
“Why wouldn’t he? We love each other. We’re getting married.”
“The hell you are. You’re seventeen. You’re not doing anything but going to your room.”
“What? You can’t send me to my room.”
“Watch me. You’re going there right now and you’re going to stay there.”
She started to cry. “Daddy, no. Why don’t you understand? This is what we want.”
“You’re too young to know what you want and apparently you’re too young to have any judgment. I expected better of you, Brittany.”
“That’s how I feel about you. You’re being horrible.”
Too little, too late, he thought, knowing he wasn’t feeling it all now, knowing it was going to get worse. Pregnant? This was a disaster. What about her future? What about college? A kid would screw up everything. How had this happened?
He shook his head. He knew all too well how it had happened. He’d been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. Or bag of diapers.
“I’m going to kill him,” he muttered.
Brittany grabbed his arm. “Daddy, no. I want to marry Raoul.”
“No way. Just so we’re clear. You are going to your room and you’re going to stay there. You are not to see Raoul or talk to him or text with him. You’ll have no contact. The only time you’ll leave this house is when I drive you to and from school. You won’t see your friends, nothing.”
She glared at him. “Locking me up isn’t going to make me any less pregnant. I hate you.”
“You’re not my favorite person right now, either.”
“Nicole wasn’t anything like this,” she yelled as she stomped toward the stairs. “She didn’t scream or anything.”
Everything went cold and dark. Hawk fought to not put his fist through a wall.
“Nicole knows?”
Brittany ignored him and ran up the stairs. He followed her and caught her just as she entered her bedroom. He grabbed the door before she could slam it.
“Nicole knows?” he asked again.
Brittany stared at him with all the loathing a seventeen-year-old could generate. “Yes, she knows.”
“For how long?”
“About a week.”
He released the door and his daughter slammed it.
A week? Nicole had known and not said anything? She’d gone to that dinner, had listened to him say he wanted to date her and all the damn time she’d known his daughter was pregnant and hadn’t said a word?
THE NIGHT WAS COOL and clear. Nicole sat out on the front steps, staring at the stars in the sky. She was feeling restless and emotionally on edge and knew the cause. Jesse.
She missed her sister. Jesse might lie, steal the family cake recipe and sleep with Nicole’s husband, but she was still her sister.
Raoul stepped out onto the porch. “You okay?” he asked. “You’ve been out here a long time.”
She smiled at him. “I’m the grown-up. I’m supposed to worry about you.”
“You’ve been quiet a lot lately.”
“I’ve been thinking about Jesse.”
Raoul knew the basics of what had happened. “Still no word?”
“None. She’s not going to get in touch with me. Why would she? I made it really clear I wanted her gone.”
“But you didn’t?”
“I don’t know what I wanted. I guess I wanted her to be different.” Like that was going to happen.
“You could go after her,” he said.
“I’ve thought about that. I can’t decide. Should I let her grow up on her own? Is it better to let her see what life is really about? Then I remember she’s my baby sister and she’s pregnant and maybe this is all too much.” There was a child to think of. Nicole’s niece or nephew. There was a connection. She just didn’t know where her responsibilities started and stopped or how much more pain her heart could handle.
“Sometimes people have to find their own bottom,” he said.
She shook her head. “Don’t you dare get all twelve-step on me.”
“I won’t.”
He moved to the other end of the step and sat down. Sheila followed him, her movements slow. At her last checkup the vet had said it was just a matter of days until she had her puppies. Nicole already had plenty of towels and newspaper on hand.
“I won’t know if I’m doing the right thing until it’s too late. And if letting her go is the wrong decision, how do I fix it?”
“Why is she your responsibility?” he asked.
“Because she always has been. Even when I resented everything about her, I took care of her. I raised her. I wish I’d done a better job.”
“You were a kid yourself.”
“Still, I’m the reason she is how she is.”
“Not necessarily. Maybe she was just born that way.”
“That would be nice,” Nicole said, resting her forearms on her knees. “Then it wouldn’t be my fault.”
“It’s not now.”
“It feels like it is.” She looked at him. “Sometimes you’re very wise.”
“Growing up on the street does that.”
“Then be smart about Brittany and the baby.”
“Get off me about that.”
“I’m not sure I can. I know you love her, but jeez, Raoul. Get a clue.”
Sheila lay down, then got up and walked over to Nicole.
“What’s the matter, baby?” she asked, stroking the dog’s heaving sides. “Is it close to your time?”
Sheila didn’t answer. Raoul’s eyes widened. “Is she going to have her puppies?”
“I don’t know. The vet said—”
A truck screamed around the corner and slammed to a stop in front of her house. Hawk jumped out of the vehicle and stalked toward the house.
She could tell by the way he moved that he was more than angry.
“Get inside,” Nicole told Raoul as she scrambled to her feet.
“What?”
“Get inside now. I’ll deal with this.”
“I’m not afraid of him.”
“Then you’re an idiot. You have a future that depends on you still being alive. Get in the house.”
But it was too late. Hawk took the stairs two at a time, grabbed Raoul by the front of his shirt and pulled him to his feet.
“What the fuck were you thinking, sleeping with my daughter? I’m going to kill you. You got that? When I’m done there will be nothing left. The biggest piece of you won’t even fill an envelope.”
He vibrated with fury.
Nicole pushed between them, but Hawk wouldn’t let go of Raoul’s shirt.
“Stop it,” she yelled. “Just stop it. Hawk, take a step back, now. I mean it.”
Sheila whined and moved closer to Nicole. Hawk ignored them both.
“This is between me and him. Back off, Nicole. You and I will talk about what you did later.”
“Let’s talk about it now,” she said, knowing she needed to distract Hawk before he did something they would all regret. “I knew. That’s what you
mean, right? I knew Brittany was pregnant and I didn’t tell you.”
He released Raoul and turned on her. At least she knew she wasn’t in any physical danger. She willed Raoul to run, but the kid was too honorable. He just stood there.
Hawk’s eyes blazed with fury. “How could you not tell me? She’s my daughter. I had the right to know.”
“Believe me, I’m not happy about any of this, but I found out she was pregnant and they asked me not to say anything. I agreed to keep quiet until Brittany could tell you herself.”
“Where do you get off doing that?”
She understood that he was angry and that none of this seemed fair, but she felt a little temper of her own stirring.
“You’re the all-knowing parent,” she told him. “You’re the one with the special bond with your daughter. I told you they were probably sleeping together, but did you listen? Was it possible I was right? Of course not. Because I don’t have children of my own, I’m not privy to the secret and special code.”
His gaze narrowed. “This is a hell of a time to throw that in my face.”
“You can’t have it both ways. Either I’m one of you or I’m not. Besides, why are you so upset? Brittany is only trying to relive your perfect life. You’ve told her and told her that this is exactly how things were for you and Serena. You’ve practically carved it in a gold tablet. I said it might not be a good idea to paint the past so damned perfect, but once again, I was wrong. You knew it all. So here’s the result. She’s pregnant and now there’s a really big problem.”
“There’s no problem,” Raoul said. “I love your daughter, Coach, and I want to marry her.”
Nicole groaned. The kid was not helping.
“I’ll kill him,” Hawk muttered. “Get him away from me.”
Nicole pointed to the front door. “Go inside. I’ll deal with this.”
“I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
She wanted to scream. “You’re all so stubborn and convinced you’re right. None of you are willing to look at anything rationally.” She pointed at Hawk. “You were so determined to teach your daughter a fairy tale. Why? So what if it was hard? You and Serena loved each other and you had a great marriage. Isn’t that what matters?”
Hawk started to speak. “Shut up,” she snapped. “I’m not done.” She turned on Raoul. “And you’ve bought into the fairy tale. Yes, you’ve had a hard life and you don’t want to give up your child, but you’re setting yourself up to fail. You’re not being realistic.”
Sheila whined again and pushed her nose into Nicole’s leg. Nicole glanced down at her. “This is not a good time.” The dog whimpered and walked to the front door.
Just then another car came tearing around the corner. Brittany parked behind her father’s truck. Nicole groaned when she saw the coupe was overflowing with what looked like a lot of personal belongings.
Hawk swore. “I told you to stay in your room. What are you doing here?”
“I hate you, Daddy. You’re mean and I’m never going to forgive you.”
Nicole closed her eyes and prayed this wasn’t what she thought. Apparently God was busy.
“I’m moving in with Nicole and Raoul,” the teenager announced. “Raoul loves me and Nicole might not get it, either, but at least she’s willing to listen.”
“You will get your butt back home this minute,” Hawk told her.
“No, I won’t, and unless you’re going to drag me there by my hair, you can’t make me.”
“I can and I will. You’re not seeing Raoul again. Do you understand me?”
“Barn door? Meet horse,” Nicole muttered.
Hawk turned to her. “You’re not helping.”
“How surprising.”
Brittany climbed out of her car. “Daddy, you don’t understand and until you do, I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“You can’t stay here,” Hawk told her. “I won’t allow it.”
“You don’t love me. If you did, you’d be happy for me.”
“Happy that you’re throwing your life away? Oh, yeah, this is great. All my dreams have come true.”
Raoul stepped toward Hawk. “You won’t talk to her that way.”
“What are you going to do about it, kid? Take me on. You think you can win?”
“Yes.”
“Stop it,” Nicole snapped. “Neither of you are helping.”
Sheila whined again.
Nicole moved between Raoul and Hawk. “There is a lot to consider here and no good solution is going to come from beating the crap out of each other. Besides, if anyone gets to be violent tonight, it’s me.”
“There’s nothing to consider,” Brittany said, sounding whiny and stubborn. “Raoul and I are getting married and we’re going to be very happy together.”
“You’re not getting married,” Hawk growled. “You’re still seventeen.”
“Why not?” Brittany asked, pushing Nicole aside and standing up to her father. “What’s the big deal? You did it and it was fine. Or were you lying? Why are you so upset, Daddy?”
Nicole saw the trapped look in Hawk’s eyes. While she was annoyed for how he’d ignored her before, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him now. Besides, she loved the man.
She took a deep breath. “We all need a little time and space. Brittany can stay, but only until everyone cools off.”
Brittany stuck her tongue out at her father.
“That was so mature,” Nicole muttered and held up her hand before Hawk could explode. “In Jesse’s room. If I catch either of you trying to share bed space, you’re both out. Is that clear?”
The teenagers looked at each other, then reluctantly nodded. Nicole moved in front of Raoul.
“I want you to look me in the eye and give me your word,” she said.
He drew in a breath. “I give you my word I will not sleep with Brittany under your roof.”
“Raoul!” Brittany stamped her foot.
“We have to do the right thing.”
“I’m not giving my permission for this,” Hawk muttered. “Brittany needs to come home.”
“What are the odds of that happening?” Nicole asked.
“You’re saying I can’t control my daughter?” he demanded, then shook his head. “Don’t answer that.”
“I won’t.” She touched his arm. “At least we’ll know where they are. Raoul gave me his word. I believe him. Do you?”
Hawk nodded slowly.
“You two, go upstairs,” Nicole said. “You can get Brittany’s stuff later. Raoul, see if Sheila’s hungry.”
The kids went inside.
Nicole waited until they’d left, then turned to Hawk.
“This is all your fault,” he muttered.
She glared at him. “How is that possible? Brittany got pregnant on your watch.”
“You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
“In what? Their lives? Raoul was living in an abandoned building. Was that okay? I’m thinking it’s where all the trouble started.”
“I don’t want this,” he said, not looking at her. “Any of it.”
Did that any of it include them? The night got very cold.
“Hawk,” she began, but he shook his head.
“I can’t talk about this now. You wanted them, you got them. I need to think.”
He walked toward his truck.
“Wait,” she yelled. “You can’t just walk away.”
“Why not? It’s done.”
Was he crazy? They hadn’t even begun.
She started to go after him when the front door burst open.
“Hurry,” Raoul called. “It’s Sheila. She’s having her puppies.”
“THE CIRCLE OF LIFE is a whole lot messier than I’d realized,” Nicole said several hours later as Sheila licked her sleeping puppies. The birth had gone smoothly and now there were three tiny, blind newborns nestled against their mother.
Sheila had handled it all like a pro, asking for nothing more tha
n a little company as she delivered her litter. She’d allowed Nicole to move her to a clean bed and had accepted a light meal.
Raoul and Brittany huddled together on the side of the box Nicole had prepared.
“You did good,” Raoul told his dog. Sheila looked up, her eyes half-closed. She thumped her tail once, then was still.
“You have babies,” Brittany whispered. “That was totally incredible.”
Nicole had to agree.
She looked at the teenagers sitting across from her on the floor. Were they even ready for the responsibility they were facing? Did it matter? One way or the other, in about eight months it would be here.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
HAWK WAITED UNTIL the next afternoon to return to Nicole’s house. He figured everyone could use the time to calm down. He ignored the fact that the person who probably needed the time most was himself.
He hadn’t slept the previous night—he’d barely stopped pacing. He couldn’t shake the anger and sense of betrayal directed toward everyone involved.
Brittany had lied to him. She’d looked him in the eye and flat-out lied. How was that possible? They’d always been close. He’d given up his career to be with her when they lost Serena. She’d always seemed like she had it together, but that wasn’t true. And if she’d lied about sleeping with Raoul, what else had she lied about?
He couldn’t think about Raoul without wanting to strangle the kid. Being Brittany’s boyfriend was one thing, but sleeping with her was something else. Still, he knew he couldn’t talk to Raoul until he could imagine the conversation without wanting to beat the shit out of the kid.
Strangely the one who bugged him the most was Nicole. She’d known and hadn’t told him. What the hell was up with that? She was the adult in the situation. She should have handled things better. Okay, sure, they’d asked her not to say anything, but so what? He was Brittany’s father and he had the right to know.
He pulled up in front of Nicole’s house and stared at the structure. What he didn’t want to admit was the person he was most angry with was himself. This had happened on his watch. He’d always prided himself on being a father who was involved, who knew the truth. He’d secretly pitied those parents who weren’t as cool, as involved. But it had all been a giant joke on him. Where had he screwed up?
Sweet Spot Page 20
