by Amber Lynn
Dylan had a way of looking on the bright side of everything. Nelson tried to take after his friend. As far as the baby went, he thought he’d be able to do just that, but he’d had so many kicks in the gut that he worried whether there were more surprises to come.
“That saves me a little time. I’d text her and tell her to stay put, but I have a feeling she’d leave to avoid the conversation.”
There was a part of him that was still surprised she’d even bothered telling him. Dylan hadn’t corrected him when he’d said something about Annie having to know for a while. His friend wasn’t a pregnancy expert, but he had more experience than Nels, and it helped that Casey had told him everything that was going on while she was pregnant.
“I’m going to let you figure out exactly how you want to deal with the situation, since I know my wife will kill me if I give any advice that screws things up for you. Casey has actually had it in her mind for a while that you and Annie would make a cute couple.”
Dylan hit the button to unlock his car door. Even after starting a family, Dylan preferred to stick with his modest-sized sedan. Nelson, on the other hand, had a tank. Technically, it was just a large SUV, but everyone called it a tank.
“I know Casey is hoping I settle down, but she’s going to have to wait in line behind my mom, who’s been on me for about five years.”
Both men laughed and Dylan got into his car. “I’ll give you a five-minute head start, so she doesn’t see me coming and decide to take off.”
Nelson nodded and got into his own vehicle. They could’ve rode together, but Nelson wanted to make sure he had transportation in case he had to chase after Annie. On his ride towards her, all he could think about was that he was legitimately happy to know he was going to be a father, even if the situation wasn’t ideal.
Chapter Two
“I hate to tell you, but the house didn’t collapse around us after you sent those texts.” Casey’s words did little to soothe the anxiety building up in Annie.
It wasn’t going to be long before Nelson would figure out she was pregnant, judging by the small baby bump she’d started sporting, but she wasn’t sure how he was going to take the news. He’d always made it pretty clear that they would never be more than friends, and there hadn’t been a time when it seemed right for her to say she wanted more.
“Just wait until he figures out I’m here. The four walls holding up the house aren’t going to be enough for the steam engine probably heading this way.” Annie stared down at the baby in her arms as she spoke. Having spent so much time with Casey and Katie, she was excited to have a little one of her own on the way.
Katie was a beautiful baby, and anyone who saw her said she looked just like Casey, even if that was impossible. The little dusting of reddish brown hair on top of her head and the general shape of her nose were what people based their comments on. Katie’s eyes had just started changing to be a little more green than blue, so there was a chance they’d eventually match her mother’s emerald colored orbs.
“I still think you’re overreacting. I’ve only known Nels for a couple years, but I know he isn’t going to be upset about the baby.”
Annie would’ve agreed about overreacting, if Nelson knew exactly what had happened the night he’d come home drunk. It was good for Annie that he didn’t, but knowing there was a baby in the mix was only going to make him ask more questions. She’d been able to fend them off, even though she knew eventually she was going to have to tell him the truth.
He may have been drunk, and a little more amorous towards her than he had been before, but she was the one who’d taken things to the next level. If it wasn’t for her, he would’ve fallen asleep after the first lazy kiss.
And even with the smell of beer heavy on his breath, it had been a toe-curling kiss. The first Annie had ever experienced, both the toe-curling part and the kiss in general. She couldn’t let it stop at just the kiss, and she was going to have to live with that decision for the rest of her life.
“I don’t think he’ll have a problem with the baby. He may not be thrilled that it’s me having it, but I know he’ll do right by the baby. What I’m scared about is the twenty-some years of friendship I probably threw out the window in order to have this baby.”
Even if Dylan mentioned where Annie was at that moment, it would still take Nelson twenty minutes to get there, and it gave her a little time to go over everything in her head for the hundredth time. Being at Casey and Dylan’s would keep things from getting too ugly. Since he hadn’t bothered to text anything back, Annie figured he wanted to talk about it in person. She knew Nelson well enough to know he wasn’t avoiding her.
“Sometimes it takes a little push to get someone moving in the right direction. I know you know my story. I was convinced I wasn’t ever going to have a husband and kids. I’m still not sure whether we’re going to have more than Katie, but I never planned for any of this.” Casey reached over and rubbed Katie’s head.
Annie had spent enough time with Dylan to know that when the man had his mind made up about something, he was going to make it happen. Convincing Casey to let him into her heart hadn’t been easy, but he’d gotten it done. Annie didn’t think she’d have the same luck with Nels.
It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to settle down with a wife and kid. It was just that he’d made it clear he didn’t see that happening with someone he considered his best friend.
Being only five-foot-two, and not exactly a beauty queen, Annie figured the crowd of women vying for Nelson’s attention made it impossible for him to notice her. Sure, he was there when she needed a friendly shoulder to cry on, but his eyes never hinted he thought about something more.
Over the years, she’d changed her stringy black hair many times, and even started wearing purple contacts to try to make her more intriguing. Nelson noticed her eyes, but that was the only thing he’d mentioned.
“I think I’m just going to have to be happy having a little part of him to call my own. He’ll eventually move on, and find the wife and white picket fence he’s always dreamed of. I’ve been waiting for that to happen for years now.” Annie had to stop the shudder that usually made its way through her body when she thought about Nels with someone else.
Katie started fussing, so Casey reached over to extract her from Annie’s grasp. Annie wouldn’t have minded trying to figure out what was troubling the baby. It had taken a while for her to convince Casey to let Katie go in the first place, though, so she didn’t push.
“And you’ve been praying he wouldn’t find someone. I know he’s blind, but I’ve seen how you look at him. You’ve convinced him you moved down here for work, and I’m sure that’s partially true, but I know you moved down here to be closer to him.” She held Katie up in front of her and made a face when she got a whiff of the reason the baby was whining. “Wow, you’d think it would take more than formula to cause that. I’ll be right back.”
“I could help you out. I’m pretty sure I can use all the help I can get, and I should probably start early with my lessons.” Annie left off the fact that she’d like to have her hands busy when Nelson showed up.
“I’m sure there will be plenty of chances for you to practice, but I don’t think this is where you want to start. Next time you’re here and she’s simply wet, it’s all yours.”
Casey spread out a small blanket on the floor and went to work. Annie was used to small places after living in her apartment for a few months, but living in a house the same size as an apartment was still a new one for her. Dylan and Casey didn’t seem to have any issues with the tight spaces, but they had to step on each other’s toes all the time.
The quiet squeal of brakes from a car pulling up kept Annie from asking for an anecdote about living in close quarters. By the sounds of the engine, it was Nelson, because Dylan’s little sedan didn’t sound like a monster truck. Annie thought she’d timed the text to give her a little more time to think, but Nelson must have broken a few speed limits to
get to her. She shouldn’t have sent the picture of the pregnancy test, but it’d been waiting on her phone for two months to share with someone. If the words alone weren’t enough to get him moving, the physical evidence had to be.
“I’m guessing your conversation should be a private one. Since it’s nice outside, feel free to take him on a walk around the property, if you think having backup close by is beneficial.”
Casey winked at her as the front door flew open. If they had space for another bedroom in the house, Nelson would’ve lived there, so his entrance without knocking wasn’t unusual.
Annie sat on a small bench just inside the door, which meant he didn’t have far to go to find her. She studied his facial expressions as he concentrated his eyes on her stomach. It was weird to finally have him scrutinize her.
“Did you just roll out of bed?” It seemed like a logical thing to ask once she got a good look at her baby’s father.
“Very funny. I don’t think the fact that I don’t own an iron is what we should be talking about.” His tone was calm, even though his words seemed a little hostile. His eyes didn’t move from their perusal, but with her baggy shirt, there wasn’t much he could see.
“No, but I’m trying to figure out why anyone would want to be seen in public with you like that. Casey suggested we take a little walk and talk about things, and since I’m afraid even your biggest fan would be ashamed to be seen with you, I think we should take her up on the offer.”
Annie stood, and had to push Nelson back to make room. He didn’t want to budge, and her size made the task difficult.
“According to Dylan, I just left a waitress behind who wouldn’t have minded spending time with me.” It was clear Nelson regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. His eyes immediately widened to show he knew better. “I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”
“Of course you didn’t. Let’s go outside and give you a chance to say whatever it is you rushed over here to say.” Sneaking around him, Annie didn’t give him an option.
She’d already told Casey that Nels didn’t see her as anything more than a friend, but it was kind of embarrassing to have him airing the fact he had other women throwing themselves at him. She’d witnessed it enough times in person that hearing about it stopped breaking her heart while they were in high school. Knowing it happened, and at times he relished the attention, still had the power to hurt her, but there was only so much pain a person could take before they became numb.
Casey was right about it being nice outside. It was the beginning of September, so temperatures during the day were usually in the seventies or eighties. Annie had been wearing loose clothing since she’d started to show, just in case she ran into Nelson and he noticed. The fact that he hadn’t noticed the times when she’d cut her hair or tried to wear something a little out of her comfort zone told her the chances of him picking up on a little weight gain were slim, but she didn’t want to chance it.
Wanting the comfort of bright green grass under her feet and trees for privacy, Annie walked a few minutes to clear the house and shed to get to the perfect spot. Nelson was on her heels and it took him those few minutes before he came up with something to say. Annie wasn’t exactly sure how much land Casey and Dylan owned, but chances were they could’ve made it at least an hour without doubling back.
“I don’t even know where to start asking questions. I’ve been asking you for months what happened that night and whether there was anything I needed to know, and you’ve said absolutely nothing.”
The thought of stopping to talk crossed Annie’s mind, but she kept moving. She needed to concentrate on something to make sure she didn’t start blabbing more than she wanted to share.
“And what would you have done three months ago if you knew I was pregnant? I’m surprised you haven’t asked for verification that it’s yours.” It was impossible for it to be anyone else’s, but Annie didn’t think Nelson was aware of just how impossible.
“You’ve known for three months and you didn’t tell me? Why in the world did you bother telling me now?” Nelson didn’t hide the irritation in his voice well as he gritted out the words, and he didn’t bother questioning paternity.
“You were in the playoffs. I figured you needed to focus, instead of worrying about being a father.”
Annie stopped walking and turned around. As much as she wanted a distraction, she needed to see how Nelson reacted to what she had to say. His immediate response was a total lack of understanding why she’d waited, which wasn’t surprising. His eyebrows were furrowed together slightly and his lips were pursed, a look he often got when he didn’t like what he heard.
“The season has been over for over a month now. Do you have another excuses for why you didn’t mention I was going to be a father? Because I find it a little difficult to buy that one. Plus, just because you didn’t confirm you were pregnant, didn’t mean I wasn’t constantly wondering. You acted like you were hiding something.”
Annie shook her head, craning her neck to look up at Nelson as he stepped closer. He was over a foot taller than her, and it wasn’t going to be the first time she had a crick in her neck from having to look up.
“I couldn’t come up with the right words to tell you. You’ve never thought of me as more than a friend, and there’s no way we’re getting married. It’s a new situation for me too, and I don’t really know what to do.”
As far as she was concerned, it was a situation of her making, so she wanted to let Nelson off the hook, but without moving back home, there wasn’t a way for her to hide that she was pregnant. She’d considered that option, but the job she’d taken to make her move reasonable was working out well for her.
“What exactly are you planning to do about the situation? I’m not sure about the options, but if you’re thinking about adoption, I’m sorry to tell you that I won’t give up my rights.”
If Annie thought it was weird for Nelson to look at her even slightly differently, witnessing him reaching out to place a hand on each of her hips was stranger. Her heart skipped a beat at the touch, and for a split second her mind went blank.
She regretted not running back home, because she didn’t want to deal with the confrontation. Word would’ve eventually made it back to him, but she’d have had more time to figure out what to say.
“I’m keeping the baby, so you don’t have to worry about getting your lawyers involved. I’m not expecting anything from you. I knew you’d at least suspect it was yours as soon as I started showing, and that time has come, so I figured I should tell you instead of making you guess.”
As close as she was to Nels, Annie knew her response wasn’t the one he wanted, other than the fact that she was keeping the baby. He was clearly relieved about that based on a sigh she’d heard, but how he felt about the other things she’d said wasn’t something he revealed with his face.
Annie put her hand on her stomach, which made her skin brush against the skin of one of his arms. How he didn’t feel the electricity between them was still a mystery to her. Casey had told her the bump was in her head, but she could feel the baby inside her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You aren’t showing at all. And if you think picking up my responsibility when it comes to the baby is some kind of burden for me, you’re mistaken. Even if I don’t remember it, I had a hand in making him or her, and I’m not going to abandon my baby.”
They were words Annie had hoped to hear, but at the same time, she didn’t want to. Nelson had always been a stand-up guy, so like she’d told Casey, he’d do right by the baby. That didn’t help the fact that she was in love with the idiot.
“You don’t think having a baby is going to hurt your dating prospects?” Annie knew they wouldn’t, but she wanted to remind him that he had a lifestyle to maintain.
“If I thought you’d go for it, I’d suggest we get married.”
That was the last thing she’d expected to hear. She wasn’t sure how it made her feel, probabl
y conflicted more than anything. There was no way he meant it the way she dreamed about, so she hid the fact that there was a chance his suggestion would’ve been accepted. It wouldn’t be on the terms she wanted, but there was always a chance one day Nelson would wake up and see what was in front of him.
“That would make it a little difficult for you to pick up waitresses. I know any marriage would be one of convenience, but I’d have to hold you to the fact that marriage is between two people, and we both know you’d have a bit of an issue with that part.”
Annie didn’t have enough fingers and toes to count the women Nelson had dated. He’d been kind enough to report back to her about all of them, at least she hoped it was all of them. When they got up to thirty, she started to get worried. Telling him he couldn’t sleep with anyone but her was sure to get marriage ideas out of his head.
“I didn’t mean anything by bringing up the waitress. You were making fun of me, so I was pointing out there are people out there who aren’t critical about the fact I slept in this morning.”
“I’m well aware that you have a following. You may also remember that I lived with you for a month, so I know you like to sleep in every chance you get. I was just trying to lighten the mood before things turned serious.”
Since it was the off-season, the days he slept in were probably more frequent than when he had to wake up for practices most mornings. It was interesting how thin-skinned Nelson was acting. He usually went with the flow better, and rarely ever did he seem to have a permanent frown edged on his face.
“Can we keep your teasing down for just a little bit? Now that you’ve said you’re keeping the baby, there’s another line of questions we need to go through. Have you picked out a doctor? I’d like to at least go to some of your appointments.”
Annie kept herself from cringing at the suggestion. “I told you, you’re off the hook for that kind of stuff. I’ve been to a couple appointments and they’re probably not a level of intimacy you’d be comfortable with. As soon as I get any ultrasound pictures, I’ll make sure to share, but I don’t think you need to be there.”
