I could see his eyes begin to well up, and Dean rapidly began to blink back the tears. I couldn’t help the scoff that escaped my lips.
Was he seriously crying? Because I told him his son was the shape of an avocado?
Well, that’s something I certainly haven’t seen.
He stared at me in surprise before he coughed to clear his throat. “Sorry, is that, um, normal for his age?”
“Yes, according to the doctor.”
“That’s good.” He nodded as he held out his hand, and I took the picture from him. I gave it one last cursory glance before I neatly folded it up and placed it in my pocket. He watched all of this solemnly as if I was doing something important.
“Are you sure you don’t need anything?” he asked again, softly this time as if I was some kind of gazelle he was afraid to scare off.
“Yes, Dean. I’m sure. Look, I know it’s a surprise that I’m here. I’m honestly not sure what possessed me to come,” I added. “So let’s not make too big of a deal of it, okay?”
Dean hastily shook his head. “No, of course, not. I wouldn’t assume something like that. I don’t care what it is that got you here as long as you are.”
“That’s good then.”
“Thank you, Kaitlyn. I do appreciate this.” He gave me a small smile as he shoved his hands in his pockets. His blue eyes bore into me with intensity. The same intensity that got me into this mess in the first place.
The entire clinic reeked of disinfectant and the barely concealed smell of wet dog. It made me crinkle my nose in disgust as I clutched my stomach.
“Are you okay?” He took a step towards me then paused, waiting for my permission.
“Yeah, it’s just the weirdest smells that set me off these days.” I waved his concerns away. “Don’t worry about it. It’s probably just the clinic smell.”
“Yeah, it used to bug me in the beginning too,” he confessed.
“So, how did you get over it?” I asked, curiously. It didn’t seem like the kind of thing that could be done easily.
“Your nose kind of adapts, I guess.”
I made a noncommittal sound in the back of my throat. Yeah, that made sense actually. Just like people can no longer identify the smell of their house after a while
“Well, anyways, don’t worry about it,” I responded, referring to his earlier gratitude. “You’re still the father, Dean, so yeah.”
I shifted awkwardly from one foot to the next as I felt the pinprick of anxiety. I didn’t do well in social situations that involved pouring your heart out.
I inched slightly to the right, headed towards the door, but trying not to be too obvious about it.
“Well, that’s the reason I came, so I should get going,” I said, as I gave him a genuine smile.
It really wasn’t his fault that we were in this mess, so I needed to try to stop taking it out on him.
As much as I could of course.
“You don’t want to sit down and rest for a bit?” Dean asked with uncertainty as he glanced towards a chair, quickly pulling it up and gesturing for me to sit.
I looked at the chair and shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I’ll see you later, Dean.”
I turned my back on him, strolled towards the door and placed my hand on the doorknob. I was about to push it open until the sound of his voice stopped me.
“Wait,” he called out, urgently.
Damn it.
I was so close to getting away.
It was too much to hope for, wasn’t it? To think that I could just give him the news and casually stroll out without it being a big deal.
Because it wasn’t.
We didn’t need to converse beyond this point. In fact, we should just end it on a high note.
When he didn’t say anything, I spun around to face him. “Yes?”
“Did everything go over well with your parents?” he questioned as he crossed his arms over his chest, his expression sympathetic.
Why was he asking?
It’s not like they were his parents.
They were my responsibility, and how or when I told them was my concern, not his. I was about to open my mouth to say this, but I suddenly realized that I was tired.
I didn’t want to fight him anymore. It took too much energy, and it accomplished nothing.
Besides, whether I wanted to admit it or not, he was in this too.
Perhaps it was time to start treating him like an ally rather than the enemy. It would certainly make things easier on the both of us.
“I haven’t seen them yet,” I admitted as I ducked my head.
I wasn’t sure if Tenley had mentioned it or not, but given that I hadn’t received any angry calls, I was going to be cautiously optimistic. Tenley was a lot of things, but a rat wasn’t one of them, and I was suddenly very grateful to my sister, who must’ve been pissed beyond belief that I ruined her wedding, but who still managed to keep it quiet.
“No?” He sounded surprised. “Why not?”
“I’m not exactly looking forward to that conversation,” I said, matter-of-factly. “I’m sure it’ll be loads of fun and everything, but I think I want to delay the party for as long as possible.”
Dean choked back a laugh, clearly getting that I was being sarcastic.
“I’m sure it’s not that bad, is it?” he queried, his eyes reflecting sympathy.
“It depends on who you ask, I guess. If you ask my parents, they are model paragons of virtue.” I rolled my eyes at that statement.
“And if I ask you?” he pressed, his tone lighthearted and fun.
“My parents don’t mean to be judgmental, but it’s just how it is.”
Dean pushed the chair forward and pulled up another one. He plopped down onto it and gestured for me to do the same. I sighed and dropped into the chair, relieved to be off my feet, even if I wouldn’t admit it.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, kindly as he leaned back in his chair, careful to give me enough space.
I ran my hands through my hair. “I mean, I don’t really know what to say. My parents aren’t bad people as I said. It’s just hard for them not to be judgmental.”
“Why?” he asked, confused. “That doesn’t seem like it should be a requisite, yet you make it sound like it is.”
“It’s not, but in my parents’ case, I’m not sure if it’s because of what they do for a living, or if they were just born that way.”
There it was, the ugly truth laid out for him to see.
I wasn’t sure if it was such a good idea to divulge that much information, but he might as well know what his baby will be getting into. Our baby will carry genetics from both sides of the family, after all.
These things were important. Genetic predisposition and all that.
“What they do for a living?” he echoed, his eyebrows scrunching together in confusion as his mouth tilted downward. “I’m not sure I understand. Are your parents conservative or something?”
“Worse. Conservatives at least have some wiggle room, but they aren’t. They’re people of God.”
“Oh, they’re spiritual.” His face lit up in understanding. “That’s not so bad.”
I snorted. “No, not like that. I mean, they’re legitimate people of God. As in they’re pastors.”
Dean drew back in surprise. “Oh, wow. Both of them?”
“Yeah, I hit the jackpot,” I said, sarcastically. “Lucky me.”
“I’m sure it must’ve been difficult growing up in a house like that,” he offered, sympathetically as he reached out to pat my hand before he retreated at the last minute and folded his hands in his laps.
“It was, but they kind of gave up on me when they realized I wasn’t taking the religious route. They had high hopes for my sister, though.”
“So, what happened?”
“She got knocked up in high school,” I said, bluntly.
Dean choked back an inappropriate laugh at my wording, and he tried to cover it up with a cough
. “Oh…. I’m sorry?”
He phrased it as more of a question than a statement, unsure of what the appropriate response should be.
“Don’t be. Cal is amazing, and I don’t think my sister would’ve had it any other way. Obviously, they tried to pressure her into giving him up for adoption because they don’t believe in abortion, but she wouldn’t budge,” I added, admiration creeping into my tone.
My sister and I might be as different as night and day, but I would always admire her for sticking to her guns like that. It was the first time I’d seen quiet little Tenley stand up for herself, and it inspired me to make some changes of my own.
After that, I announced that I planned on being an event planner, that I loved fashion, and finally, that I was moving away. My parents were shell shocked and wide eyed, and they tried half-heartedly to talk me out of it, but they could already see that I was halfway out the door with stars in my eyes.
Reluctantly, they gave me their awkward blessing.
Tenley, on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky.
“That must’ve been hard for your sister,” he said, quietly.
“At first, but eventually they had no choice but to accept it. Cal has a way of growing on you too, so that helped. Plus, Tenley is finally married now, so they can breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t think they want to relive that particular experience with me.”
Dean grimaced as he raked his hands through his hair. “Yeah, I get what you mean. It won’t be a pleasant experience.”
I leaned back in my seat and couldn’t help the bubble of laughter that escaped my lips. It was more incredulous than anything else.
“Why would you say that? I’m so looking forward to telling my parents that I’m following in my sister’s footsteps of having a child without being married,” I muttered, mock seriously. “Can’t you tell by the unbridled excitement on my face?”
“Oh, yes. I see it now.” He nodded seriously. “At least your sister will be there to help cushion the news.”
“Actually, she won’t. She’s on her honeymoon,” I corrected. “So, I guess it’ll just be me. I wish Tenley would be there, but I can’t expect her to cut her honeymoon short for this, and especially not after I ran away from her wedding.”
Dean’s expression suddenly changed, and I could see the gears turning in his head. Here we go again.
“No,” I said, firmly.
“You don’t even know what I’m going to say,” he protested.
“You’re going to offer to be there when I break the news to my parents,” I said. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why not? Think about it. It’s always good to have company in situations like this because it makes it feel less lonely, and that’s important.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Not really. I’m used to being alone.”
“Alright, well how about this? If they see me there with you, they’ll be distracted by my presence, and maybe that’ll make them take it easy on you, and they won’t ask as many questions.”
I made a noise in the back of my throat as I thought it over.
Well, he wasn’t wrong.
It might help my parents accept the situation if they saw him. Dean was well-raised and a good-looking man. I could already see him through their eyes.
I sighed. “Okay, why not? It can’t hurt.”
8
Dean
Okay, I didn’t expect that to actually work.
In fact, I was fully prepared for her to turn me down.
Again.
So, now that I was sitting across from her, trying to temper my excitement by not showing too much enthusiasm. It wasn’t that I was looking forward to meeting her parents per se.
They sounded like tough cookies to crack, and I was slightly intimidated to be honest, but I was just happy she was letting me do something.
Finally.
It wasn’t much, it’s not like she was going to change her mind overnight after this, but it was a start. A small stepping-stone.
I would get to be there for her during her time of need, and I would proudly stand next to her and claim my son.
Just thinking about it made me deliriously happy.
I’d never thought of myself as a family man. Sure, I’d considered it an abstract, maybe someday kind of way, but I didn’t imagine it happening so soon, and surely not like this.
In any case, I was determined to make the best of it.
I could already picture a little boy with her eyes.
I shook my head to clear away the remnants of that train of thought.
“So, when are you supposed to meet them?”
“Tonight. Dinner is at seven,” she said with so much dread, I wanted to reach out and comfort her. She was so clearly not looking forward to this, and I had no idea how to make it better.
“Okay, I can pick you up then,” I offered.
She shook her head adamantly. “No, I think it’s better if you don’t.”
“Why not?” I frowned.
Was she ashamed to be seen with me? Her earlier comment about not wanting to be with a goody two shoes echoed in my brain, and I speculated as to whether or not that was it.
It had to be.
“It’s not anything personal,” she hastened to assure me. “It’s just that if they see us arrive together, and we tell them we’re having a baby together, they might get the wrong idea.”
“That we’re together, you mean?”
“Yes.”
I shrugged. “Okay, that’s fine with me. Just send me the location, and I’ll meet you there.”
The relief on her face was palpable as she gave me a small smile. Clearly, she was expecting me to argue with her on this, but I knew how to pick and choose my battles.
She rummaged around in her purse for her phone, and I took the opportunity to roll my eyes. She wasn’t going to make this easy for me.
My phone pinged to signal an incoming text, and I patted my pocket to silence it. “That’s the location, I guess.”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “I’ll see you there at seven. Please don’t be late. My parents hate tardiness.”
I stood up and offered her a hand which she ignored. She gave me an apologetic look and a slight imperceptible shake of the head.
She still wasn’t ready to accept my help. Kaitlyn was fiercely independent, and it would take a while before she got used to the idea that I was going to stick around.
That was fine with me.
I was willing to wait.
“See you tonight.” I waved goodbye at her as she walked out, giving me a curious look over her shoulder.
I was way too excited about this, but I couldn’t help it.
I undid the first button of my shirt while I kept the other hand on the steering wheel and cranked up the air. I didn’t want to sweat through the button-down shirt I was wearing. The jeans felt a bit underdressed, so Charity recommended I pair it with a shirt.
She was right, it worked wonders.
It made me look mature and responsible.
Two things I definitely wanted to make clear to Kaitlyn’s parents.
I pulled up outside the house and switched off the engine. I took a quick look in the mirror to make sure everything was in place and resisted the urge to run my fingers through my hair. Charity had taken the time to make sure it was carefully in place to give me a more grown up look.
I could see Kaitlyn’s silhouette as she waved me over. With my heart lodged in my throat, I took a step out of the car and did a double take when I saw her.
Gone was the confident and sexy woman that that I knew, and in her place was someone who looked like a Catholic Sunday school girl. As I approached her, I took stock of the dress that fell past her knees, the dark stockings, her freshly scrubbed face, and the hair that was brushed to the side and pulled back with a barrette.
I stood in front of her and blinked, unable to believe my eyes. I brought my hands up to my face and began to rub
my eyes.
“Um, what are you wearing?” I asked as I tried to keep the amusement out of my tone. I bit down on my lip to keep from grinning.
She straightened her spine and responded primly. “I figured it can’t hurt if I dress like this. It’ll soften the news, and maybe they yell as much.”
I snorted. “Come on, I know you don’t actually believe that.”
She fixed me with a glare. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you the one who grew up with my parents? I had no idea you were the expert.”
“I’m not,” I conceded. “But I had parents too, and I’m pretty sure they’d be able to see right through the bullshit you’re trying to pull.”
“My parents aren’t the same,” she insisted, vehemently. I had no idea who she was trying to convince, me or her.
Because it sounded like she herself didn’t believe it.
“Come on, Kait, think,” I urged. “You look like a seven-year-old. What could you possibly hope to accomplish with that look?”
She huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m hoping they’ll see me as their little girl, and the yelling will be kept to a minimum.”
I raised an eyebrow and gestured to her outfit. “You really think an outfit is going to detract from your news?”
She uncrossed her arms and let them fall limply to her side. “Look, I know you’re right. I just don’t know what else to do. You have no idea how scary they can be when they fix you with their disappointed look.”
“Disappointed look?”
That was a term I’d never heard before.
“Yeah, their eyebrows knit together, and frown line kind of appears, and their eyes look solemn and heavy as they regard you. It doesn’t matter how big or small the transgression is. They don’t say much in that moment, but it always made me feel like I’d committed some horrible atrocity.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Okay, don’t you think you’re being a little melodramatic?”
She gave me a dirty look. “I’m not. I know I sound like I am, and if this were reversed, I’d probably say the same thing. However, you’ve never met my parents, so you don’t know what it’s like.”
A Baby for the Vet (Boys of Rockford Series Book 4) Page 6
