26. Chapter Twenty-Six
chapter twenty-six
. . .
Carter
A bemused smile tugged at my lips as I beheld the chaos unfolding in my kitchen. Ellie, Olivia's mother, was a whirlwind of activity. Her blonde hair frequently escaped its neat bun as she darted between the stove and the counter. The air was thick with the mouthwatering scent of roasting turkey and freshly baked pies.
“Olivia, sweetie, please sit down,” Ellie said for what must have been the tenth time in the last hour. “You need to rest.”
Olivia's shoulders tensed, her jaw clenching in that stubborn way I'd come to know so well. “Mom, I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I can help with the cooking.”
“Your mom’s right, Sunny.” I moved to wrap my arms around her from behind. My hands rested on her belly, which had just started to show a slight curve. “You should take it easy.”
She turned in my arms, fixing me with a glare that would have made a lesser man quake in his boots. But I just grinned and kissed her forehead. “Don't give me that look. Doctor's orders, remember?”
She huffed. “Fine. But I'm not going to just sit around while everyone else does all the work.”
“How about you set the table?” Ellie suggested, a knowing smile on her face. “That way you're helping, but not on your feet too much.”
Olivia considered for a moment before nodding. “Okay, I can do that.”
As she moved towards the dining room, I caught Ellie's eye. She gave me a grateful nod. It still amazed me how easily Ellie had accepted me into their family. How she'd embraced me as a son. It filled a void I hadn't even realized was there.
My pleasant train of thought was derailed by the doorbell. “I'll get it,” I called out, giving Olivia a pat on the butt as I passed her in the hallway.
I opened the door to find my father standing there, nervously clutching a bottle of wine and wearing an uncertain smile. “Hey, Son.”
“Hey, Dad”.” I stepped back to let him in. “Glad you could make it.”
As I watched him shrug off his coat, I recalled the first time I'd introduced him to Olivia. It had been a couple weeks after we found out about the pregnancy, and I'd been a nervous wreck.
“Dad, this is Olivia,” I said, my arm around her waist. “Olivia, this is my father, Bill.”
I watched as my father's eyes took in Olivia's radiant smile and the warmth in her eyes. She stepped forward, hand outstretched. “ It's so nice to finally meet you, Mr. Cassidy. Carter's told me so much about you.”
To my surprise, my father bypassed her hand entirely, pulling her into a bear hug. “Please, call me Bill,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Welcome to the family, Olivia.”
When he pulled back, tears glistened in his eyes. He cleared his throat, looking between us. “So, uh, what's the occasion? Not that I'm complaining about meeting this lovely young woman, but it's not like you to arrange family dinners, Carter.”
I exchanged a glance with Olivia, who nodded encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to my father. “Well, Dad, we have some news. Olivia and I, we're having a baby.”
A deafening silence followed. For a moment, I feared we'd made a mistake, that this was too much too soon. But then my father's face crumpled, and before I knew it, he was crying—actually crying—and pulling us both into a hug.
“I'm gonna be a grandpa?” he choked out, his voice muffled against my shoulder.
“Yeah, Dad,” I said, my own eyes stinging, “you're gonna be a grandpa.”
The memory faded as Dad stepped into the house, immediately seeking out Olivia. “There's my girl,” he said, his face lighting up as she came to greet him.
“Hi, Bill,” Olivia said warmly, accepting his hug. “I'm so glad you’re here.”
“Nowhere I’d rather be.” He pulled back to look at her, his eyes dropping to her belly. “How's my grandbaby doing? ”
Olivia grinned and rested a hand on her stomach. “Growing like a weed according to the doctor.”
“Carter, honey,” Ellie called from the kitchen, “can you come help me with the turkey?”
“Coming.” I squeezed my father's shoulder as I passed. “Make yourself at home, Dad. Drinks are in the living room.”
I entered the kitchen and found Ellie struggling with the massive turkey. “Jesus, did you get the world's biggest bird?”
She laughed, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. “Well, we have a lot of people to feed. Now come on, help me get this monster out of the oven.”
Together, we managed to wrangle the turkey onto the counter. As we stood back to admire our handiwork, I heard voices from the living room. Olivia's laughter rang out, followed by my father's deeper chuckle.
“Sounds like they're getting along well,” Ellie remarked with a smile.
I nodded, feeling a sudden ache in my throat. “Yeah, they are. Dad's been amazing about all this. Better than I ever expected.”
Ellie patted my arm. “He loves you, Carter. And he adores Olivia. Of course he's going to be amazing.”
I was about to reply when the doorbell sounded again. “I got it,” I shouted, hoping to prevent Olivia from getting up unnecessarily.
I opened the door to find Robert, Olivia's father, swaying slightly on the porch. The smell of alcohol wafted off him, and I had to fight back a grimace.
“Robert,” I said, forcing a smile. “Come on in. ”
He stumbled as he crossed the threshold, and I reached out to steady him. “Whoa there, careful. You okay?”
He waved me off. “M'fine. Where's Livvy?”
“In the living room with my dad,” I said, guiding him towards the sound of voices. “Why don't we get you some water?”
But he was already pushing past me, making a beeline for the living room. I followed, dread settling in my stomach.
Olivia's face fell when she saw her father. But she recovered quickly, plastering on a smile. “Hi, Dad. Happy Thanksgiving.”
Robert grunted in response, his eyes scanning the room before landing on the bar cart in the corner. Without a word, he made his way over, grabbing a beer from the ice bucket.
I exchanged a worried glance with Olivia as he popped the cap off and took a long swig. This was not how I'd envisioned our first Thanksgiving.
“So,” Robert slurred, “this is the famous Carter Cassidy house where my Livvy is shacked up, huh? Bit fancy for my taste.”
I gritted my teeth but forced myself to remain calm. “We’re glad you could join us, Robert. Dinner should be ready soon.”
Robert grunted again before his gaze landed on Ellie as she entered the room. “Well, if it isn't the missus. Finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh?”
The room fell silent. I saw Olivia's face flush with embarrassment, and I moved to stand beside her, my hand finding hers.
To my surprise, it was my father who spoke up. “Now, Bob,” he said, “maybe you should be grateful you still have your wife by your side, and show her a bit more respect.”
Robert's face darkened. At first, I was afraid he might lash out. But then, to my astonishment, his shoulders slumped. He looked at the beer in his hand then back at Ellie.
“I... I'm sorry,” he mumbled, setting the beer down on a nearby table. “That was out of line.”
Ellie, ever the peacemaker, stepped forward with a warm smile. “It's alright, Robert. Why don't we all move to the dining room? I think everything's just about ready.”
As everyone filed out, I hung back with Olivia. “You okay?” I murmured, pulling her close.
She nodded against my chest. “Yeah, I'm okay. Just... not exactly how I pictured this going.”
I rested my cheek on her head. “I know, Sunny. But hey, look on the bright side. At least my dad and your mom seem to be hitting it off.”
Olivia chuckled, the sound vibrating against my chest. “Yeah, who would have thought? Come on, let's go make sure they're not planning our wedding behind our backs.”
We were part way to the dining room when the doorbell rang yet again. “I should just hang a sign that says ‘come on in,’” I said on a sigh, turning on my heel to head back toward the front door.
I opened it and found a crowd of familiar faces grinning back at me. Wick, Marco, Meghan, Callie, and Emmett all stood on my porch.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” they chorused, pushing their way inside in a whirlwind of laughter and chatter.
“Whoa, whoa,” I laughed, closing the door behind them. “What's got you all so worked up?”
Wick grinned, slapping me on the back. “We just escaped the Price family Thanksgiving from hell. Let me tell you, Carter, your place is like an oasis right now.”
“That bad, huh?”
Meghan rolled her eyes dramatically. “You have no idea. Mama Price was in rare form today. I swear, if I had to listen to one more passive-aggressive comment about my 'lifestyle choices', I was going to lose it.”
“Well, you're all welcome here,” I said, leading them towards the dining room. “Fair warning though, we've got our own brand of family drama going on.”
Olivia's face lit up at the sight of her brother and friends. “You made it!” she exclaimed, rushing over to hug Wick.
“Wouldn't miss it for the world, Livvy.”
As everyone greeted each other and found their seats, I marveled at the scene before me. A year ago, I spent Thanksgiving alone. I’d never have dreamed of this—my house full of people, laughter echoing off the walls, Olivia by my side, our child growing inside her.
“Before we start, I... I'd like to say something, if that's okay.”
The room fell silent, all eyes turning to me. I licked my dry lips and looked toward Olivia. She smiled encouragingly and my nerves settled.
“I just wanted to thank you all for being here today. This is the first Thanksgiving in our home, and it means more than I can say to have you all here to share it with us.” I paused and swallowed. “This time last year, my life was very different. I was—well, let's face it, I was a grumpy bastard who didn't let anyone get close.”
Laughter rippled through the room, and the knot in my stomach loosened .
“But then Olivia came into my life,” I continued, my eyes locked on hers, “and everything changed. She showed me what it means to open your heart, to let people in. And now”—I saw tears glistening in Olivia's eyes, matching the ones forming in my own—“now we're about to start a family of our own.”
Everyone turned to Olivia whose hands lay on her stomach. Then the room erupted into chaos as everyone rushed to congratulate us. Wick was the first to reach his sister, wrapping her in a hug that lifted her off her feet.
“I'm gonna be an uncle!” he whooped, spinning her around before setting her down gingerly. “Shit, sorry. I shouldn't spin the pregnant lady.”
Olivia laughed, her eyes shining with happy tears. “It's okay, Wick. The baby's fine. We're both tough.”
Meghan and Callie descended next, peppering her with questions about due dates and nursery plans. Meanwhile, I was engulfed in a group hug with Marco and Emmett.
“Congrats, man,” Emmett said, clapping me on the back. “You're gonna be a great dad.”
“Yeah, who would've thought? Marco said. “The grumpy asshole, domesticated at last.”
I rolled my eyes. “Watch it, Rossi.”
My father approached, his eyes misty. He pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice gruff with emotion. “I'm proud of you, Son. Your mother would be over the moon.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I croaked, my voice hoarse with emotion. “That means a lot.”
As the excitement died down, I returned to Olivia's side. She was beaming, one hand resting on her belly as she chatted with Ellie and Meghan. I slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her temple.
“You okay, Sunny?”
She nodded, leaning into me. “More than okay. This is perfect, Carter. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
As we dug into the meal, the room filled with the buzz of conversation. I watched as my father engaged in an animated discussion with Ellie about pie recipes, while Marco regaled his end of the table with tales of his latest business venture.
Even Robert seemed to have mellowed, listening politely as Emmett explained some new development at Price Industries. It wasn't perfect—there was still a slight tremor in his hands, and his eyes occasionally darted to the bar cart—but it was better than I'd feared.
I looked around the table, taking in the faces of our makeshift family. This, I realized, was what I'd been missing all those years. This sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger than myself. It was a warm cozy feeling, like being hugged from the inside.
Olivia caught my eye and gave me a questioning look. I just smiled and shook my head. Some emotions were too big to fit words around.
The meal progressed, plates being cleared and refilled, wine glasses topped up—except for Olivia's, which I'd filled with sparkling cider.
She was in her element, laughing and chatting with our friends and family. The soft glow of the candles on the table highlighted the curve of her cheek, the sparkle in her eyes. God, she’s beautiful .
As the night wore on, the party moved to the living room. Plates of pie were passed around, coffee and tea were served. I drifted between groups, catching snippets of conversation here and there.
I paused by the fireplace, where Robert stood alone, nursing a cup of coffee. He looked lost and somehow diminished.
“Everything okay, Robert?” I asked, moving to stand beside him.
He started slightly, as if he'd been lost in thought. “Oh, Carter. Yeah, I'm... I'm fine.”
I nodded, not pushing. We stood quietly together, watching the flames dance in the fireplace.
“You've got a good thing going here, you know,” he said suddenly. “Don't...don't mess it up like I did.”
I looked at him, surprised by the raw honesty in his voice. “I won't,” I promised. “Olivia and this baby, they're everything to me.”
Robert nodded, his eyes suspiciously bright. “Good. That's... that's good.” He cleared his throat, setting down his coffee cup. “I should probably head out. Tell Livvy I said goodbye, will you?”
I wanted to stop him, to tell him he should stay, that he was part of this family too. But it wasn't my place. So I just nodded, watching as he slipped out the front door without anyone else noticing.
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
UNKNOWN
Now's your chance .
I looked up, scanning the room for Wick. Our eyes met, and I gave him a subtle nod. Time to put our plan into action.
“Oh uh, hey, Carter, you're out of bourbon,” Wick announced, his voice a touch too loud. “Wanna run down to the liquor store with me and grab some?”
Olivia started to get up. “There's more in the office, I can go grab?—”
“No!” Wick shouted, making everyone jump. He cleared his throat, trying to dial it back. “That's, uh, not the one I like. Carter knows which one. He can point it out. Let's go, buddy.”
I fought to keep my face neutral. “Yeah, sure, be right back everyone.”
As we headed for the door, I felt Olivia's curious gaze on my back. My stomach lurched with guilt, but I pushed it down. This was for her own good. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.
I climbed into my SUV, Wick sliding into the passenger seat beside me. The silence between us was heavy as I pulled out of the driveway and onto the street.
“You sure about this?” he asked.
I nodded grimly. “It's time to end this. For Olivia's sake.”
We drove across town. It was late evening on Thanksgiving, so the streets were almost deserted. My mind whirred with thoughts of Olivia, of our baby growing inside her. She deserved peace, a clean break from her past. And I was going to make sure she got it.
We pulled up to a modest colonial home, its windows dark save for a faint glow from what I assumed was the living room. I cut the engine, taking a deep breath before stepping out of the car.
Our footsteps echoed in the still night air as we approached the front porch. I raised my hand and knocked firmly on the door. It swung open, revealing Ethan. His eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of us standing on his parents' porch.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he sputtered, his gaze darting between Wick and me.
“Olivia's done with you, Ethan. It's over. You can sign the divorce papers right now, or I will make your life a living hell.”
Ethan's eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat?”
“It's a promise. I've got resources you can't even imagine. I'll bury you in legal fees. I'll make sure every potential employer in the state knows what kind of man you are. You'll never work in Ohio again.”
Ethan’s throat bobbed, his bravado faltering. “You can't do that.”
“Try me.”
Wick stepped forward, pulling a folder from his jacket. “The papers are right here, Ethan. All you have to do is sign.”
Ethan's eyes flicked to the folder, then back to me. “What's the catch?”
“No catch,” I said. “You get everything. The house, the car, all of it. Olivia doesn't want or need anything from you.”
As I said the words, I thought about how Olivia had never slept another night in their house after she left the hospital. How, piece by piece, all her belongings had found their way to my place. The last boxes—filled with Christmas decorations—had been moved over just before Thanksgiving.
Ethan hesitated, his hand hovering over the folder. “Why would she give up everything? ”
“Because she's got something better now,” Wick said, his voice hard. “A real family. People who love her.”
Ethan flinched, his shoulders sagging. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
“Fine,” he muttered. “Where do I sign?”
Wick opened the folder, pointing out the marked lines. Ethan's hand shook as he scrawled his signature on each page.
When the last page was signed a weight lifted from my shoulders. It was done. Olivia was free.
Ethan’s eyes met mine as he handed the folder back to Wick. “Tell her... tell her I'm sorry. For everything.”
I nodded curtly. Then we turned without another word and walked out of the house, leaving Ethan standing alone in the doorway.
After we climbed back into my SUV, Wick let out a low whistle. “That went better than I expected.”
I nodded, starting the engine. “Let's get back. I've got a feeling Olivia's going to have some questions for us.”