Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Quinn
I lift my welding helmet and check out the beads I just laid down.
They’re perfect, if I do say so myself. With a smile, I set my gun down on my cart and take off my gloves.
Just as I toss them onto my workbench, the garage door opens.
Assuming it’s Camden, I don’t turn around.
Instead, I keep my focus on the trailer hitch I’m repairing for Mr. Jones, knowing Cam will grab a drink from the fridge and come sit on the stool in front of my workbench.
“Quinn?”
I spin around, surprised to find Charli standing there. “Hey, sorry. I assumed it was Cam. He usually just makes himself at home, so I didn’t check who was here.”
She gives me a small, tight smile. “It’s fine. I was worried you didn’t hear me, and I didn’t want to startle you by just walking up.”
I turn off the welder and take my helmet off. Glancing her way, I can feel how nervous she is, so I walk over to the fridge and grab two bottles of water. “Come on in and have a seat,” I suggest, setting one bottle on the bench in front of the stool.
While I twist the cap from my bottle and take a long drink, she walks over to the stool. She’s hesitant and lacking the normal upbeat demeanor I’m used to. “Thanks,” she says, opening the bottle of water and taking a small sip.
“Of course,” I reply, unbuttoning my welding jacket and hanging it on the hook beside where I keep my welder. “You okay?”
She nods. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just thought I’d stop by.”
Leaning against the workbench, I say, “You know, you’re welcome here anytime, but since this is a first, you’ll forgive me if I’m a little concerned about you being here.”
Her smile is small, yet genuine before she glances around my garage workspace. “It’s nice in here.”
“Thanks,” I reply, crossing my ankles as I lean against the bench. “I did a few necessary updates to the house, but my main focus has been in here.”
“Well, that’s understandable. This is where you work,” she reasons.
After a few seconds, I ask, “So, what’s up?”
She exhales. “I stopped by for a reason.”
Cracking a smile, I reply, “I figured this wasn’t a casual visit.”
I wait her out. Clearly she’s here for a reason, and the last thing I need to do is push her. Whatever’s on her mind will be spoken at some point, so I might as well get comfy.
After several long seconds, she whispers, “This is harder than I thought it would be.”
Okay, now I’m a little worried.
Why does she look so scared?
Setting my bottle of water off to the side, I turn my attention to her. I crouch in front of her, which makes me much lower than her, since she’s sitting on a bar-height stool. “Listen, I don’t know what’s bothering you, but you can talk to me.”
“I know,” she whispers, tears filling her ocean-blue eyes.
Fuck, what the hell is going on?
Is she sick? Is someone hurt?
“Camden?” I find myself asking, almost afraid to hear the answer. Is that why she’s here? Is something wrong with my best friend? Her parents?
Realization hits her hard. “No, he’s okay. Sorry,” she spits out, covering her eyes. “Everyone is all right.”
“Okay. Phew. I have to admit, Charli, you scared me there for a minute,” I reply with a chuckle.
“I’m pregnant.”
Her words rush out of her mouth and slap me upside the head with force. I stare at her for a second, wondering if my mind is playing tricks on me. “Did you say…” The words trailing off, like I can’t seem to get them past my lips.
“Yeah,” she confirms.
“Wow. Okay.” I feel like I got hit by a truck.
And that I’m blinking repeatedly for no reason.
Standing up to stretch out my legs, I look down at the woman before me. Her eyes are filled with a mix of emotions. Fear, excitement, uncertainty. It’s all there, battling for the lead in her mind, and I’m not sure which one is coming out victorious.
Reaching out, I place my hand on her jaw, lightly stroking her cheek with my thumb. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
She snorts, the faintest grin on her lips. “No shit. I wasn’t either.”
“When did you find out?” I ask.
“Thursday night. I took a home pregnancy test.”
I nod. “And you’re sure?”
She levels me with a look, letting me know my question is stupid. “I’m sure.” She takes a deep breath and continues, “I have all the symptoms. Super tired, nauseous, sore boobs, and the biggest one of all…no period.”
I suck in a deep, cleansing breath.
“You’re not going to ask if the baby’s yours?” she asks, looking up at me with curiosity.
“You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t,” I reason. “And you don’t strike me as the type of woman to be sleeping with two guys at the same time, so it’s pretty easy for me to do the math.”
She nods, taking another sip of her water. “Yeah, I’m not that girl.”
“I know.” After a beat, I ask the burning question. “Now what?”
“Well, I guess I need you to know I’m keeping this baby. Whether you want to be involved in his or her life or not, I’m having my child,” she says, absently placing her palm against her abdomen, as if protecting it.
Reaching down, I cover her hand with my own. “I’m in, Charli. You won’t be alone through this.”
She swallows hard, her eyes filling once more with unshed tears. “I won’t hold it against you if you don’t want to do this. I wouldn’t say anything to Camden or the rest of my fam—”
“There’s no reason for you to even continue this line of thought, Charli. I said I’m in, and dammit, that’s what I mean.”
Her nod is almost wooden. “Okay.”
“So, now that that’s settled, what’s next?”
“I wish I knew,” she replies with a chuckle. “I mean, I have to make an appointment with an OB, get some prenatal vitamins, and oh yeah…tell my family.” Fear crosses her features. Not because she’s scared of them but clearly worried about their reaction.
“I’ll be there for all of it. I mean it, Charli. Don’t tell them without me. You’re not alone, and I won’t let you handle something this big by yourself.”
Relief washes over her. “Okay.”
“Good,” I respond as she stands up. Pressing my lips to her forehead, I murmur, “I’ve got you, sweetheart. You and our baby. We’ll take this one day at a time, all right?”
Charli nods before opening her mouth and hesitating. “Do you, uh, want to go to my first appointment?”
“Absolutely,” I insist, my heart starting to pound a happy little beat in my chest. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Okay. I’ll text you when I make the appointment.”
“Sounds good. And we can tell your family together, when you’re ready.”
She agrees. “All right. I’m not quite ready yet, but we’ll do that soon.”
“Together.”
She cracks a smile. “Together.”
“Good, now how are you feeling otherwise? You said something about nausea and sore boobs?” I can’t help but grin cheekily with that. “I’m more than capable of helping you with both of those.”
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “You’re such a man.”
Leaning in, I whisper, “All man, sweetheart.” Then, I add, “Tell me about your nausea.”
“It just happens in the morning, really. I wake up feeling a little sick and it continues until I get something in my stomach.”
“You feel fine the rest of the day though?”
She lifts her shoulders. “I have to snack several times throughout the day, but I’ve found if I eat some of those peanut butter crackers, I don’t get queasy.”
I file that away for another day.
“What about work?” I ask, concerned about her being on her feet most of the day.
“It’s fine.”
“If you need anything, let me know. Snacks, coffee drinks, whatever. I’ll get it for you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’ll be working, Quinn.”
“I can take breaks too,” I insist, giving her a pointed look. This is my baby too, and not only am I needed to take care of said child, but my son or daughter’s mama too.
My child.
Holy shit, I’m going to be a dad.
“I’ll be fine, Quinn. Nothing for you to worry about,” she tries to assure me.
“I’ll always worry,” I mumble, mostly to myself.
I refuse to let history repeat itself.
“I should head out,” she says, standing up from the stool.
Reaching out, I place my hand against her forearm.
Her skin is soft and warm, her eyes dilating just a bit from the touch.
“If you need anything—anything—you call me. Or text me. Doesn’t matter what time or for what reason.
” I stroke down her arm and thread my fingers through hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. “We’re in this together.”
She swallows hard and gives me a wooden nod.
I can tell she’s scared. Not of me, but of the unknown.
Charli has always been someone to take the bull by the horns.
She doesn’t let anything stop her or create fear in her mind, but this, this is an entirely different entity.
She’s as much out of her element as I am, and with that comes some nervousness.
What stands before her is something brand-new, and yes, something very scary.
We’re going to be parents.
This may be completely unplanned, but this baby is already so loved it makes my chest ache.
I rub the spot over my heart that suddenly throbs a bit. It’s foreign and completely unexpected.
She doesn’t say anything, just slowly makes her way to the door. “Thanks, Quinn.”
“For what?”
She snorts. “For everything? For not freaking out about this, for not making accusations or demands, for being…supportive, I guess? All of the above.”
“I’m not gonna say I’m not freaking out a bit on the inside, but only because this was unplanned and a bit of a shock to the system, and I’d never blame you, Charli. I know you didn’t do this on purpose, nor did I. This is something that just happened, and now we’ll deal with it.”
She reaches for the door handle, ready to step outside. “I’ll be in touch after I call the doctor’s office first of the week.”
“Or sooner, if you need something,” I reiterate, hoping she leans on me as much as she requires.
Lifting her hand, she waves before slipping out of my garage and leaving me alone with my thoughts. And damn, are there a lot of them. Like a dozen ping-pong balls, they’re all bouncing around at the same time, leaving me a little overwhelmed and confused.
What I’m not confused about is this baby.