Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
GRANT
Tonight is the big night. I wish I weren’t so nervous, but I’m worried about how Luke is going to take the news. I don’t want him to think I don’t love him. Usually kids are excited when their parents have more kids, but with a woman I barely know? This is a completely different story.
After a good day at the baseball field, my mind was feeling more calm and clear, but now that I’m home again, my nerves are back.
Luke is still downstairs in his room while I finish dinner. Less chance of being annoyed with me if he can play video games longer.
The fragrant smell of simmering garlic fills the kitchen. My homemade gnocchi is one of Luke’s favorites, and I hope Georgia will love it too.
I take one last taste of the sauce before a knock sounds at the front door. Georgia is standing there when I swing it open. She’s wearing a short black T-shirt dress that skims her knees and a pair of cowboy boots.
She looks damn sexy in them.
“Hey,” she says, drawing my attention back up to her face.
“Hey. C’mon in.” I sweep the door open and invite her in.
“Thanks.” She looks around before her eyes settle back over me. “This is a great place.”
“I’m surprised I got it on such short notice,” I say. “Luke has his own space in the basement.”
She smiles at me and I find I really like making her do it. “So he can ignore you in peace?”
“Ouch.” I laugh. “Way to hit below the belt.”
Georgia walks by me into the kitchen, patting my chest. It sends a flurry of emotions coursing through me. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything like this. Well, at least since the last time I was with her.
“It smells good in here. What are you making?” She whiffs the pot on the stove.
“Gnocchi. It’s all homemade.”
Her eyes widen as she turns back to me. “Homemade? Wow. Something else I’m learning about you.”
“Which means I get another bite of your pancakes the next time we go.” I wink at her.
“As long as I don’t have to share this, you can have all of my pancakes.”
I laugh. “Duly noted. To keep you happy, make this for you.”
She bats her eyelashes at me. “Italian food is the way to my heart.”
The urge to kiss her is overwhelming. I want to lean over and seal my mouth to hers. I don’t know how someone can be the perfect combination of sexy and adorable, but she is. However, tonight isn’t about us. It’s about breaking the news to Luke.
“The table is already set if you want to eat now.”
“And share our news with Luke?” she asks.
I rub my hands on my pants. My palms are sweaty and the nerves from earlier now seem unbearable. I don’t know if telling him about the divorce was this bad.
“Hey, Luke. Dinner’s ready,” I call out.
He barely looked up when I told him we were having a guest over for dinner. I got a nod in response and that was it.
Stomps sound from the stairs before Luke stands there. His eyes fall to Georgia almost immediately.
“Who’s this?” he asks.
“Manners, c’mon,” I groan. If this is how the whole night is going to go, I’m not looking forward to it.
“Hi, I’m Georgia.”
As nervous as she likely is, she’s handling it a lot better than I am.
“What’s up?” He gives her a nod.
Luke shuffles over to the table and drops down into his usual seat. I pull out a seat for Georgia, and she smiles up at me before I sit down next to her.
“Are you two dating?” Luke asks, gaze flitting back and forth between the two of us. He piles a huge helping of gnocchi onto his plate.
I always make more than necessary because his portions are getting a lot bigger.
“Umm…” Georgia starts.
“We’re not, but we have something we want to tell you,” I say.
“Okay.”
I thought we’d have more time before getting to this subject, but it might be the only opportunity we get. Otherwise I’m likely to blurt it out.
“Georgia and I met a few months ago,” I say.
Luke doesn’t say anything, but is eating his dinner.
“I was there the night of the wedding,” Georgia clarifies. “My friend was the one getting married.”
At that, Luke’s eyes go wide. “Were you spaghetti Betty?”
Georgia laughs. “I had a nickname? That’s rough.”
“I didn’t come up with it,” Luke defends. “It was another one of the teams.”
She points her fork at him. “Well, I’ll give them points for originality. If only Georgia rhymed with spaghetti.”
“Does anything rhyme with Georgia?”
She looks thoughtful for a moment. I don’t want to break this up because I’m thrilled she seems to be connecting with Luke.
“I don’t think there is anything that rhymes with my name.” She laughs. “Luke is an easy one.”
“Just don’t make it puke.”
“Got it.” Georgia smiles at him.
“So you two already knew each other before we moved here?” Luke asks.
“We do,” I say. “We met the night of the wedding and we bumped into each other at the store again when we got to town.”
“But you’re not dating?” Now he looks confused.
Here we go. Time to rip the Band-Aid off.
“No, but we are going to be having a baby together.”
Georgia’s hand rests on my knee, giving me a comforting squeeze. At least I know I’m not alone in this.
“A baby,” Luke repeats. “You’re going to have a baby?”
“We are,” Georgia answers, because I’ve apparently lost the ability to speak.
Luke looks back down at his plate, pushing his food around. Shit. He doesn’t look thrilled. I mean, I didn’t expect him to look overjoyed, but at the same time I was hoping for a little something more.
Or maybe this is the new normal with him as a teenage boy.
“I know you’re probably feeling a lot—”
“You have no idea what I’m feeling,” Luke snaps.
“Luke,” I try again but he cuts me off, his voice louder this time.
“You took me away from all of my friends and school and brought me to this hick town all so you could take a new job. And just because Mom decided she wants to travel with her new husband, I couldn’t stay with her.
It’s not like I want to be here, and now you’re having a baby with some chick you barely know.
I mean, do you even know her last name? She barely knows you and she’s having your baby! ”
“That’s enough,” I fire back. Luke is glowering, much like myself. “I get you’re not happy about this, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat Georgia or me with so much disrespect.”
“I don’t care. I hate it here.”
Before I can respond, Luke stomps off to his room. I call after him, but he ignores me.
Fuck. I thought he might react like this, but it still shocked me to hear him voice everything he’s been feeling since we moved.
“How are you feeling?”
Georgia’s voice is soft as her hand rubs soothing circles on my back.
I glance over at her. “I wish I could say I’m surprised, but I’m not. I am sorry he said those things about you.”
“I can take it.” She shrugs her shoulders. “You should hear some of the things the kids scream at me when they first come for therapy. It’s not pretty.”
“Still. I’m sorry my son said those things about you.”
“Do you want me to try talking to him? I could try and smooth things over.”
I study her face. Georgia might be the kindest person I’ve met. She definitely has the patience of a saint. I doubt anyone would want to go talk to someone after they yelled at them like that.
“Would it make things worse?” I ask.
Georgia stands and drops a kiss on my forehead. “Give me a few minutes and we’ll see.”
I watch her go, disappearing down the stairs. I hope to God things don’t get worse. Because as it is, they’re pretty terrible.
Even if Georgia comforting me feels so damn good. Her lips on my forehead was the briefest touch, but it felt right. Like she is always supposed to be here.
It shouldn’t. Not when we only just decided to do this parenting thing together.
We should focus on that. Not anything else. Certainly not my feelings toward her.
Those can wait.
Kids first.
If only the rest of me would get the memo.