CHAPTER 7
brIDGER
“Hi,” the voice from the reception area carries into the back and I sit up straighter.
It’s been months, but I know that voice. Hell, I’d know it anywhere.
“I,” there’s a pause and when she talks again, I can almost hear the tears in her voice, “I’m here to see Bridger if it’s not too much trouble and he’s not too busy. I don’t have an appointment or anything, but if you’d tell him Avery is here to see him, I’d appreciate it.”
Without looking at the table in front of me, I place my sketch pad down and turn toward the doorway between the back and front of the shop.
“Sure,” Dallas says, “Bridger is in the back right now, give me just a moment.”
“Okay,” Avery’s voice is small in a way which makes my chest feel tight.
Suddenly, I realize how quiet it’s become, the easy banter of the shop fading into the background. I look up and everyone is glancing between me and the doorway. I suck in a breath at the concerned look on Dallas’ face when she walks into the back room with her eyes fixed on me.
My hands start to shake and then something starts to crack inside of me when I look over her shoulder to see Avery’s tearstained face peeking around the edge of the entrance. I stand up and my stool rolls and hits the tattoo chair behind me.
“Avery?” Her name comes out as a rasp.
I’m shocked to see her again after five months. She’s just as beautiful as she was that night, even though I can see the tear tracks on her cheeks and her red puffy eyes.
Dallas looks behind her and holds her hands up to step out of the walkway.
It’s a good thing she does because I’m moving toward Avery before I really realize I’m doing it.
Right before I get to the opening, Avery steps fully into view, no longer using the wall to block her body.
Gasping in stereo happens as my gaze drops down Avery’s body and I freeze.
I think anyone would when seeing Avery’s obviously pregnant belly. Considering Tenley was pregnant only a few months ago, there’s not a question in my mind about what I’m looking at. This time on Avery.
On Avery.
What the fuck is going on?
Avery’s hands curl around her bump protectively.
When I look up and meet Avery’s gaze, her eyes are glistening with unshed tears.
“I’m, I’m,” she stammers, and the first tear falls before she takes a breath and starts again, “I’m sorry, Bridger. For coming here unannounced after not seeing you for five months. For showing up like this,” her voice cracks as she motions toward her belly.”
“How?” I croak.
“Well,” Knox pipes up from behind me, “when two people love each other or are really horny, they get naked.”
I’m not sure whether he was going to say anything else or not because the sound of someone slapping the back of his head stops him. I turn toward him to find Dallas glaring at him as he rubs the back of his head.
“Damn, Dallas,” Knox whines.
“I would have broken your hand if you didn’t have an appointment later,” she hisses at him.
When I look at Avery again, her eyes are wide as she looks between Knox and Dallas.
Then her eyes dart around the room. She looks a little lost, but she’s not crying anymore.
I’m going to take that as a win because the ache in my chest lessens a little bit.
It’s still there, for some fucking reason, but it doesn’t feel like it’s about to take me to the ground.
I clear my throat and shake my head. “Sorry, I know how this happened. I’m just,” I pause and search for the right word, “shocked.”
Avery bites her lip and steps closer to me. My eyes snap down to her belly, her hands resting there and drawing small circles like she’s soothing the baby in her belly.
The. Baby. In. Her. Belly.
What the fuck?
“I know this is shocking. Trust me,” the smile on her face is brittle, “I was shocked when I saw the test. I’m sorry I didn’t come to you sooner because you had a right to know.
I’ve had time to come to terms with this, and you haven’t.
I just want you to know how much I wanted to tell you, but I was scared. ”
“Okay,” I grunt.
I should have more words. There are a shit ton of them swirling through my mind.
Like baby, astonished, sleepless, crying, poop, holy shit, and horrible father.
While there’s no way I could have known, obviously, it feels like I should have.
Like I should have felt the paternal tether to this child stretching across Denver, as if anything like that is even possible.
A throat clearing has me turning slightly to find Wyatt standing next to me. He’s not looking at me, his eyes are fixed on Avery. “Hello, Avery, was it?”
“Yes,” her voice is hesitant, “I’m Avery Page.”
“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Wyatt James. I own this shop.”
“It’s lovely in here,” her voice is sincere as she glances around. “I don’t have any experience in a tattoo shop to compare it to, but I felt very comfortable walking in and feeling like this was a place that would be safe, clean, and filled with talented artists.”
Wyatt grins and melts a little. I know he loves Tenley with everything he is, but Avery has charmed him with a single sentence. It makes me irrationally jealous, and I step closer to Avery. When she looks up at me, she graces me with a wide smile.
“I’m Monroe.” The woman in question pops up next to Avery who jumps a little bit before laughing nervously.
“She’s already jumpy, Monroe. Can you not scare her further? What if she goes into early labor or something?”
Avery looks up at me and blinks a few times.
Monroe waves her hand dismissively, “Early labor does happen, but I don’t think I can startle Avery into it.”
“How far along are you, Avery?” Wyatt comes through with the important questions.
“I’m five months along,” Avery whispers.
He grimaces slightly, “I’m not trying to sound like an asshole, but are you sure the child you’re carrying is Bridger’s?”
The woman growing my child stiffens and her eyes narrow, the earlier amusement gone. Her voice is glacial, “While I understand you don’t know me and you’re close with Bridger, I can assure you that what happened with him isn’t something I normally do.”
“Wyatt,” I growl his name in warning. I keep my voice low, “The condom broke, we knew it that night. I don’t doubt who the father is.”
Wyatt’s eyebrows hit his hairline as he looks at how serious I am. He holds his hands up in surrender and looks at Avery, his eyes softening.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to judge you or him. I just needed to ask. I’m sorry for offending you. Unintentional or not, there’s no excuse for it.”
Avery’s body slumps and my hands shoot out because I’m afraid she’s going to slide right down to the floor. She looks weighed down by everything.
The realization that hits me is like a bolt of lightning—she needs me to be strong right now. She needs me, period. Why else would she have shown up now with the vestiges of her tears on her face while sadness and hope swirl in her eyes?
“What happened, Avery? Are you hurt? Are you unsafe?”
The tension in the room ramps up a few notches.
“If you’re in danger,” Wyatt’s voice holds a warmth in it which wasn’t there moments ago, “we know some people who can help.”
“I’m going to keep her safe.” There’s a finality in my words that has everyone looking at me.
I don’t look away from Avery. I can’t.
One thing I know for sure, if Avery is in danger I’ll protect her. Her, and our baby.
“It’s not like that,” Avery insists, but her voice wobbles. “No one is chasing me or anything.” She takes a few deep breaths, and I can tell she’s gearing up to talk about something which has hurt her deeply from the way her face twists with agony.
Travis puts a chair behind her and gives her shoulder a squeeze. The contact is friendly and brief, but I still want to punch him for it. He winks at me when I shoot him a glare before introducing himself to Avery. “I’m Travis. Shop heart throb.”
“Oh,” Avery gasps and then with a grateful look, sits down. “Thank you,” she sighs, “it’s nice to meet you, Travis.” She looks at Monroe, “You too, Monroe.”
I should have gotten her a chair, but a good part of my brain is still stuck somewhere around the time she revealed herself to me after five months with a noticeable baby bump.
It’s adorable on her. She’s mostly belly, but her curves have become a little more pronounced with the pregnancy.
As I look at her, I realize she’s glowing.
Knox grabs a bottle of water from his mini fridge and rolls himself on his stool closer. He holds it out to Avery with a grin. “I’m Knox and, “he points as he speaks, “that’s Ellis and Carson.”
“Hi,” Avery greets before taking a big drink. It seems to fortify her resolve. “Let me start by saying that my father is an asshole. The night I went to Aces my father had told me that afternoon my engagement would be announced in six months.”
I stiffen at her words. She’s engaged? This announcement is happening in a month?
“The last thing I want to do is marry the son of my father’s law partner. He’s a creep. We haven’t been dating or anything. I avoid him in the office like a lot of the women who work there do. Marrying him would mean always being treated like a vapid housewife with no skills.”
“But you just said you’re a lawyer at your father’s firm,” Wyatt points out, clearly confused.
“I might be a lawyer, but I’m treated like a paralegal. My father has certain expectations when it comes to women and strong opinions on their place.”
Everyone grimaces, even the clients who don’t seem to mind that work has stopped for a moment.
Avery waves her hand, “This isn’t the point.” She looks up into my eyes and I find myself crouching down to make it easier on her. My hands come up and grip the armrests on either side of her. I’m close but not touching her.