All The Wrong Reasons: A Serendipity Falls Novel

by Erin Bevan

  Alex squinted against the sun and glanced around the parking lot. Four cars driven by stay at home moms waited as they formed the school pickup line. Chris stood propped against the door of his red truck with his cap pulled low over his eyes and his hands shoved in his pockets. Even with the cap, she saw the ever-present scowl on his face as he waited.

  Yay! Just what she wanted to deal with: a mad ex.

  “What’s up, Chris?” Alex crossed her arms and stood a few feet from him. In the past, anytime he was upset, she’d go to his side, wrap him in her arms and try to kiss his worries away.

  Not now. Not anymore. Not her man, not her problem.

  “You tell me, Alex.”

  She didn’t have time for a game of charades.

  “I have no idea.” She checked her watch. Now down to eighteen minutes before school let out. “But you have about five minutes to tell me what you need.”

  “Aubrey broke up with me last night.”

  “Aubrey?”

  “Yeah. My girlfriend.”

  She bit back the urge to laugh, and deeply wondered why this was her problem.

  “Pity for you. What did you do? Cheat on her, too?”

  “Christ no. I didn’t cheat on you either. Tawana and I just sort of happened one night.”

  “By sort of happened, you mean she sort of ended up in your bed naked with your penis in her vagina, while you were dating me? Yeah, okay, I guess things like that can sort of happen.” Alex did air quotes with her fingers. “And let me guess, you cheated on Aubrey with Tawana again.”

  “No. I didn’t cheat on Aubrey,” Chris called out.

  Shocking.

  “Good for you, but I really don’t care, and I really have to go.” Alex turned and took a step back to the building.

  “Aubrey broke up with me because there’s a rumor that you’re pregnant with my child,” Chris said.

  Alex stopped as the blood drained from her face.

  Dear God, please don’t let anyone have heard that.

  She stared at the cars. All of them had their windows rolled up.

  Thank you, Jesus.

  She whipped back around and whisper-yelled as she marched toward him. “Can you keep your voice down, please?”

  “So, it’s true then? You’re pregnant, and you weren’t going to tell me. How could you marry Max without telling me about my child?” Chris tapped his chest like a baboon.

  She glanced frantically around. The sun shone so bright, making it hard to see against the gleam of the car windows in the parking lot. Did anyone hear that? Was anyone watching them? The way this idiot acted, if they hadn’t drawn an audience yet it would only be a matter of time.

  “Can you please be quiet?” she whispered. “I have a reputation to protect, and where did she hear that from?”

  Alex had one guess.

  “Beth. She and Aubrey are second cousins.”

  Second cousins?

  Alex crossed her arms and glared at Chris, disgusted. “You really like to keep it in the family, don’t ya? And her name is Tawana. Ta-wan-a. Not Beth. And considering that you’re with Aubrey, your pet nickname for her cousin is probably the real reason she broke up with you.”

  “So, it’s true then. I can see it on your face. You’re pregnant,” Chris’s voice escalated on the word pregnant as he frantically took his hat off and ran his shaking fingers through his hair.

  Bile rose in her throat as the blood from her head drained to her feet. She was the one with everything on the line, and here Chris was acting like a martyr. Gravel crunched under tires to her left. More parents had lined up in the pickup line, waiting for school to end.

  If any of them heard…

  “No. Stop. Keep your voice down. Please.”

  Voices carried from her left. A few of the high school students checking out of school early looked their way.

  She gave them a small wave and a smile, hoping to distract them from what they’d heard.

  She reached for her stomach, trying not to wretch all over the parking lot. If she did, she would aim right for his feet. How dare he do this to her at her job?

  “You’re lying. I can tell. You won’t look me in the eye. And you weren’t even going to tell me, were you?” Chris ignored her request to keep his voice down and paced back and forth in front of his truck. “Were you just going to pass the baby off as Max’s? Or is it Max’s? Were you sleeping with him while you were sleeping with me? I always knew he had the hot’s for you, but I believed you when you told me you guys were just friends. God, how stupid was I?” Chris hit the side of his truck with his fist.

  Alex jumped, the motion startling her. She glanced around. Their confrontation was drawing looks from some of the parents sitting in the car line.

  Her blood boiled. Not just boiled, raged to inferno level. How dare he come to her place of work and talk to her this way. After he cheated on her.

  “You need to control yourself, Chris. If anyone was stupid here, unfortunately it was me for believing you weren’t cheating on me. For believing you loved me. How many women did you sleep with while we were together? Was it just Tawana, or were there more? Were you sleeping with Aubrey, too?”

  “You leave Aubrey out of this. This isn’t about my transgressions, Alex, it’s about yours. Whose baby are you carrying, huh? Is it mine or Max’s?”

  “Miss Mills.” The all too familiar voice of her principal, Mr. Brecker, called to her. “I need to see you in my office please. Now.”

  Alex stared at Chris before she turned around. He at least had the decency to look ashamed. They both knew what was coming. She was being fired. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned around. “Yes, sir.”

  “Alex.” Chris called out to her. She stopped and turned. “So…is it…is it mine?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

  “No.” She ground between her teeth.

  He looked defeated. All his righteous anger flooded from his face like a busted dam, realization of what he’d done to her shown on his face. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not worth anything. Now, please, leave me alone. You’ve hurt me in more ways than you can even imagine.” First he cheated on her, and now he cost her the job of her dreams.

  The tears that pooled in her eyes, dripped down her cheeks as she followed her principal like a misbehaved child as nearly every parent in their school watched on. There was no need to have a conference. She knew her fate.

  She stepped beside him. “Mr. Brecker, you don’t have to say anything. I’ll just go collect my things.”

  “I am sorry, Alex. You are the best teacher we’ve ever had.” Mr. Brecker’s eyes held remorse; his posture slumped as he gave her his dismissal. “But you signed a contract. And you being pregnant violates that contract. You are pregnant, correct, Ms. Mills?”

  He was giving her a chance to say no. Defend herself and her position, but what good would it do? As soon as she and Max were married everyone would know, and he could still fire her for lying.”

  “Yes. I’ll just get my things and be on my way.”

  Mr. Brecker shook his head. “Ms. Mills, know that you can use me for a reference. I’ll give you a glowing recommendation.”

  She nodded and headed to her classroom for the last time.

  Her stomach ached as she headed to her room to do the one thing she never dreamed of doing.

  25

  Max sighed and checked his phone under the table. When was Alex ever going to call him? She had to be home by now, right? Ryker droned on and on about the reasoning why the tearing down of the community center should still go to vote despite the new funding for the building. It was old, falling apart, wasn’t up to code, blah, blah, blah. Every by-the-book excuse the man could come up with he punctuated with pointing his pudgy finger into the wooden table, as if the table itself would start sinking into the floor if he pressed hard enough. Mr. Tipman had obviously gotten to Ryker…for how much money, Max couldn’t help but wonder.


  In reality, the man was correct. The building was in ruins, however, tearing it down to just put up a parking lot left Max feeling…empty. Surely, they could do better for Serendipity Falls than put in a parking lot.

  But Max didn’t really care about the community center right now or the man across the table from him, who might break his own finger as he continued to jam it into the wooden table. What he cared about was why Alex wasn’t returning his messages. It was five o’clock. She should have been home by now.

  His phone rang… almost as if he’d willed it to.

  Momma.

  Something wasn’t right.

  Ryker stopped talking and several of the city officials stopped to stare at him with a perturbed look on their faces. They should be thanking him for the distraction from Ryker talking.

  “If you’ll excuse me, gentleman. I must take this call.” Max stood from the table and excused himself out of the office.

  “Momma, how are you?”

  “Have you talked to Alex today?”

  No greeting. Something was really wrong.

  “Not since this morning. Why? What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure, but I just got a call from one of her coworkers. Alex was fired today. They found out she’s pregnant. She won’t pick up the phone.”

  Fired?

  “Wait. You knew she was pregnant?”

  “I’m not an idiot, Max. Of course I knew. When she’d come over but wouldn’t eat, and kept drinking Cokes or sucking on peppermints, I knew something was up. And then this rushed wedding. I didn’t want to say anything, because I knew she would tell me when she was ready. Besides, I didn’t want her to worry about anything. The wedding, her job, the baby, any of it. But, now I’m worried. She won’t pick up her phone, so before I put myself in a tizzy, I thought I would call you and see if you knew anything.”

  Her job. Christ. The one thing she wanted to keep. One of the reasons she originally agreed to marry him. Would she back out of the wedding now?

  “I haven’t heard from her either, but I’ll head to her apartment now. Don’t worry. I’ll see what’s going on and let you know.”

  “Please. Keep me posted. I know she’d rather have you by her side than me. She loves you, Max. Always has, but I’m still her mother, so I worry.”

  He hoped love was enough.

  “Of course. I’ll call soon.”

  Max left city hall without a backward glance, not bothering to say his goodbyes.

  Tearing through the traffic, running a few red lights, he raced to her apartment. He swerved his car in a parking spot and raced to her door, taking the steps two at a time.

  “Alex.” He banged. “Alex, open up.”

  Her neighbor’s door swung open. “Are you causing trouble again?” Randall asked.

  “Not now. I have to speak to Alex. Alex?” Max banged again. “Alex?”

  He heard the lock shift on the other side of the door. She opened, tears streaking down her face, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, almost unrecognizable.

  “Oh, Alex” He took her in his arms, and she fell into him, weeping in his shirt. “I’m sorry you lost your job. It’s going to be okay.”

  “Lost her job? What?” Randall stepped forward.

  “I’ve got her, Randall.” Max held her close and backed her into the apartment, closing the door behind them.

  “How…how did you know?” her words came out wet and blubbered.

  “Your mom called me. She’s worried about you, and she’d heard you lost your job today.”

  “My mom knows. Oh, God.” Alex pulled back and placed a hand to her stomach. “How embarrassing. Pretty soon everyone will know why I got fired. And my mom now knows I lied to her about why we’re getting married. I feel so foolish.”

  Marriage. She talked like it was still on.

  “Don’t. You were keeping the best interest of the baby in mind. There’s nothing foolish about it, and I know your mom isn’t mad.”

  “She’s not?”

  “No.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “She’s worried. Wants to make sure you’re okay, but I think as far as the baby is concerned, she’s thrilled.”

  Alex smiled and held her stomach. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” He wiped a tear away with the pad of his thumb. “It’s all going to be okay.”

  She nodded into his hand. “Max. I’m so sorry about Barry. I should have told you.”

  “Yes.” He sighed. “You should have. I have to admit, I wasn’t thrilled you lied to me. Having a dose of my own medicine was…well, painful. And then seeing you, physically seeing you with another guy, it’s like I couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t breathe. I knew you weren’t doing anything with him behind my back, but he was holding your hand, and you two were leaning in close, and this whole secret meeting Shelby knew about and I didn’t…I admit, I saw red, Alex. I had to get away before I did something foolish.

  I’m not proud of myself for that moment. But why didn’t you tell me you’d found Barry?”

  “I just wanted to have a chance to talk to him myself first, and feel him out to see if he wants this baby.”

  The moment of truth. Curiosity weighing so heavy, he had to ask, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

  “And…does he?” Max asked.

  “No.” She shook her head as a fresh batch of tears fell down her cheeks. “He doesn’t. He said he would be willing to sign all his rights away.”

  What a bastard. A man not willing to take care of his child…Max would never understand a guy like that.

  “Then it’s a good thing this baby has me for a father.”

  “You mean that?” Alex asked. “After everything?”

  Did he mean that? He might not have the best track record but lying over something so serious…what kind of bastard would do that?

  “Of course I do, but if we are going to be parents to this baby, I think it’s best we stop telling each other half-truths. Tell me everything, always. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Alex nodded, then held a hand to her stomach. “You know, I’m starting to get pretty thrilled myself. After all the shopping we did together, it just made everything more real for me.” She sniffled. “But my job. That ass, Chris. I could just hit him.”

  Chris?

  “Wait, wait, slow down. What happened with Chris?”

  Max may have to hit the man for her.

  “Chris’s the reason I lost my job. He said he needed to talk to me and suggested to meet here at the apartment. I figured that wouldn’t look good considering today’s earlier events, so I suggested he meet me in the parking lot at school. I had to get some papers to grade, so at the time I thought it sounded like a good idea. Public, open. But the problem was, I had no idea what he wanted to talk about. Apparently, Tawana ran her big mouth to Aubrey Granger, Chris’s current girlfriend.”

  “Yes, I know her.” Last he saw her, she worked as a grocery store clerk.

  “You…you do?”

  Alex’s eyes widened, and it dawned on him what she was really asking.

  “Not like that, Alex.”

  He hadn’t slept with every woman in Serendipity Falls. Geez.

  “Oh, good.” She sniffled. “Apparently, Aubrey and Tawana are second cousins. How messed up is that? Chris slept with cousins.”

  Not surprising. Then again, he couldn’t judge the man too harshly. He could have done the same thing in his past life.

  “Tawana told Aubrey she was concerned I was pregnant, and that it was Chris’s baby. Aubrey dumped Chris because of the rumor, and so Chris confronted me today wanting the truth. Mr. Becker overheard, along with possibly several parents in the pickup line…and then it was over.”

  “You could have told him it was all a lie. That you weren’t pregnant. Mr. Becker wouldn’t have had any way of knowing.”

  “Yeah, but I would know, and I’m sick of lying, Max. I hate it. It’s too hard to keep up with, but I just knew…” Alex shook her head.

&
nbsp; “Knew what?”

  “Tawana would do something like this.”

  He couldn’t deny he had a gut feeling himself, The Evil Queen’s vindictiveness ran deep.

  “But why? What does she have to gain? She knows I’m not going back to her.”

  “She did say it wasn’t fair I got the man and the job, and that I needed to watch my back or she would take them both from me. Well, it looks like she got my job, but that’s where it stops, Max. I’m not letting her take anything else from me.” Alex’s face reddened with her anger.

  “Tawana cannot ruin us, Alex. She can try and tarnish your good name all she wants, but in a few weeks, all of this will blow over. Hot Sauce King is a large donor to your school. I’ll see if I can have any influence on keeping Tawana from getting hired on.”

  “Oh, don’t bother, Max.” Alex waved her hand. “Let her have the job. Let her feel like she’s won. I’ll find another job. It just may be a while since the school year’s already started.”

  Max walked to the end table and grabbed a tissue. “You know I’m not going to let anything happen to you or this baby.” He handed her the napkin. She dabbed her tears then he pulled her to the couch and sat back, pulling her into him. “In fact.” He kissed the top of her head, her warm amber fragrance embracing him like home. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  They’d mentioned him being the father, but he wanted this baby to have his last name. For his name to be on the child’s birth certificate.

  “Yeah? Don’t you think we’ve talked about a lot already?” She dabbed her nose.

  “This is something better.”

  “Yeah?” Her voice strained. “What…what is it?” She gripped her stomach and her face grimaced.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I…I don’t…” she bent over. “Oh gosh, it hurts.”

  “What hurts?”