Chapter 1 #2
I’d been trying for well over a month to get my husband—hopefully soon to be ex—to sign the damn papers.
He kept refusing, saying that he was going to win me back.
There wasn’t a shot in hell I was taking him back.
I’d told him that directly to his face and he’d just laughed and brushed it off.
Typical Eli. He did whatever he wanted, no matter who it affected.
“I think maybe this will make him sign faster,” I told Keely.
“Because he doesn’t want kids? I thought you two were trying for one?” She dropped the lid on the toilet seat and sat down.
Sighing, I ran my hand through my long blonde hair. “I thought we were, too. But once I caught him with that…” I took a deep breath. There was no reason to resort to name calling. Most days I tried to keep a tight rein on my awful temper.
“Bitch,” Keely supplied helpfully. She had no qualms about releasing the attitude we’d gotten directly from our mother. It made our dad’s life interesting on a daily basis.
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “Thanks. I told him that he was an asshole because he might have given me an STD. Or even gotten her pregnant. He was panicking about losing me and told me that wasn’t possible.”
Keely’s face dropped much the way my stomach had when he’d told me. “Oh no.”
“He got a vasectomy.” I shook my head and met her eyes.
The hurt rushed back as though I’d only just found out about it.
“The week after I told him I was ready to start trying for a baby. He went out and got it done. Apparently, he’d already seen all the psychiatrists and found a doctor that would do the procedure on a young man with no family.
” I swallowed back tears that I refused to let fall.
I’d already wasted too many on him. “It’s amazing. ”
“What is, Sweetie?”
“That I could live with the man for six years and not really know him at all. You know?” I asked, misery settling in.
“That’s not your fault. He was the one hiding what a piece of shit he was.” She reached out and brushed a hand over my hair.
Leaning into her touch, I took the comfort I so desperately needed. “You never did like him.”
“Well, I thought you deserved better.”
“Turns out you were right.”
“Um…Dani.” She scooted down until she was on the floor with me and wrapped her arm over my shoulder. “If he’s not the father… Then who?”
I huffed out a horrified breath as I remembered why we were on the floor of Keely’s guest bathroom. “Remember about a month ago?”
She frowned, then her forehead smoothed as realization settled in. “The biker.”
I nodded.
“Oh, man.”
I nodded again. My belly roiled and saliva pooled inside my mouth. “What am I going to do?”
“Well, for starters, you have to tell him.” She squeezed me in a side hug.
“Do I?”
“Are you planning to keep it?”
I looked over at her in utter shock. “Of course I am. I could never… Besides, I’ve wanted a baby for a few years now. Yes,” I said firmly, halting my rambling. “I’m keeping it. No matter what.”
“Then you have to tell him.”
Muttering to myself, I laid my head on her shoulder. “Fine.” I let out a string of curses.
“In English, Dani,” she said.
“It doesn’t bear repeating.” I’d been cursing in Italian.
My father’s love of learning had transferred to me and that included languages.
I spoke Italian, Russian, and Spanish. He had me beat, also speaking Mandarin and German.
I’d always planned to learn more, but Eli had complained when I’d done anything but spend my time with him.
Spending time had often equated to doing everything he wanted.
“You should tell him sooner rather than later,” she cautioned, bringing my attention back to the situation at hand.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“He has the right to know, Dani.”
“I know,” I told her, voice soft. “I just never thought I’d see him again.”
Her mouth flattened out into a grim line and shot me a dark look. “Well, why would you? He never contacted you again. Jerk.”
I flinched at her angry tone. “That wasn’t exactly his fault.”
She arched a brow in question.
“I sort of never gave him my number. Or told him where I lived.” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt. “I didn’t even tell him my last name.”
“You didn’t want to see him again?” she asked, giving me a sympathetic look.
“I was scared that if I gave him a way to contact me, that he wouldn’t,” I admitted. “It was easier to take the choice away from him and not be disappointed.”
“This is going to be a bit of a shock,” she said.
“You’re telling me.” I grimaced, thinking about having to not only see Smokehouse again when it was likely he’d forgotten all about me, but then to have to tell him my news. I wasn’t looking forward to it.
“As far as Eli goes,” she started, “I could help you-”
“No. Thank you, but I want to handle this myself. For now, anyway.”
“Okay,” she replied. “But you know Mom or I would be more than happy to help.”
“I know.” I hugged her, then stood. “I have to go.”
Leaving her still sitting on the floor, I left to face the consequences of my own actions.
There was a little part of me that was thrilled at the idea of seeing Smokehouse again.
Then I remembered why I needed to and dread settled in my chest. I had no clue how he was going to respond, but we were strangers and no one wanted to have this talk with a person you didn’t know.