Chapter Twenty-Two Bennett
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: BENNETT
A fter our dinner date at The Dive, the next few days were a blur of hockey practice and classes. While I went through the motions on the ice and in the classroom, I couldn’t help focusing on the date that was looming.
The first day we could expect the paternity test results to arrive.
Even though we’d agreed to all play a part in the baby’s life, I couldn’t help wanting it to be completely mine. The idea that any twenty-three-year-old single guy would want to be a father was a little crazy. At the same time, I couldn’t help this weird longing that filled me.
Maybe it was because of the fractured relationship I had with my parents, especially my father. Maybe it was the unrequited love I felt for Theo. In the end, it just felt like being the baby’s biological father could patch the gaping hole in my heart.
As I was changing out of my hockey gear, my phone dinged. Since Grayson and Theo’s went off at the same time, I dove over my padding to grab it.
I immediately opened our group chat. My heart leaped into my throat at the words Vivian had sent.
The paternity test results are in.
“What’s wrong?” Theo asked. He was too enveloped in his gear to be able to look at his phone.
“Vivian texted that the paternity results are back.”
He froze. “And?”
“I don’t know. That’s all she said.”
“I’ll ask her,” Grayson said, as his fingers flew on the keys.
Once he hit send, my breath hitched as I stared at the typing bubbles from Vivian.
Her text said:
I didn’t want to open the email without you guys.
I exhaled a ragged breath. “She’s waiting for us.”
“Then let’s get the hell out of here,” Theo said.
I quickly typed
We’re on the way to your place
before I tossed my phone aside to get dressed.
Fifteen minutes later, we wheeled up at Vivian’s house. After sprinting from the car, we jogged up Vivian’s front walk. I wasn’t too surprised to see her waiting for us on the front porch. Since she was pacing, it was more like she was trying to occupy her mind.
Although it was freezing, we didn’t make a move to go inside. Instead, we stared at the phone in her hand. “What are you waiting for?” Theo asked.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “It’s like I can’t bring myself to open the email.”
I closed the gap between us. “Just like we’ve said before—it doesn’t matter what those results say. We’re here for you and the baby.”
As Grayson and Theo nodded in acknowledgment, Vivian drew in a ragged breath. “Okay, then. Let’s do it,” she replied.
We formed a circle around her as she opened the email. “Dear Ms. Whitlock, we regret to inform you that your paternity results were inconclusive–”
“What the hell does that mean?” Grayson demanded.
“It means they couldn’t figure out who the dad was, right?” I replied.
Vivian nodded. “With your gestation of seven weeks, it can be more difficult for definitive results. We encourage you to repeat the test in a few weeks.”
“Well, fuck,” Theo said.
A nervous laugh bubbled from Vivian’s lips. “I would have to agree with that.”
“So, we’ll just redo the test,” I said more for me than for anyone else.
“Exactly,” Vivian replied.
Although we had the answer before us, we still remained standing in the cold. After a few moments passed, Grayson cleared his throat. “Don’t shoot me for this, but why do we have to find out the paternity before the baby is born?”
“Because you guys need to know who the father is,” Vivian replied.
With a shrug, Grayson replied, “It’s not going to change things for me.”
“Or me,” Theo replied.
When they looked at me, I said, “I’m with the rest of you guys. I don’t mind waiting until it's born.”
Vivian frowned. “But won’t it be harder to wait? I mean, not only will you be left in limbo, but you’ll have spent more time with the idea of being the biological father.”
“It was going to be hard finding out today I wasn’t the bio father, and it’ll be hard in seven months. What’s the difference?” Theo said.
“If that’s how you guys feel, then we can wait. I mean, I certainly wasn’t doing it for me.”
“Then we’ll wait.” Theo cocked his brows at me and Grayson. “Right, guys?”
“Right,” we echoed.
He turned to Vivian with a smirk. “I think we could use a little sexual healing after getting all worked up for nothing, don’t you?”
She playfully rolled her eyes. “Why is sex your answer for everything?”
Theo wagged his brows. “Can you think of a better one?”
Since I wanted to bury myself inside of her as well, I gently swept her off her feet. “Let’s take this to the bedroom,” I said with a grin.