Chapter 30
Zach
“It’ll be fine,” I say, gripping the steering wheel as we pull into the long driveway leading to my dad’s house.
I glance at Lainey out of the corner of my eye as I pull the car to a stop in front of the house. Her hands are fidgeting in her lap, fingers twisting the edge of her cardigan, and she’s chewing on her bottom lip like it holds all the answers to life’s problems.
“You just told me they’re not expecting me.” Her voice is soft but laced with anxiety. “I don’t want to impose, Zach.”
I park the car and shift to face her, leaning in until we’re almost nose to nose. She blinks up at me, wide-eyed and nervous, and it takes everything in me not to chuckle at how adorable she looks when she’s overthinking.
“Baby,” I say, my voice dropping into the teasing tone I know she can’t resist. “My family knows we come as a package. And now you’re carrying my baby. They don’t have a choice.” Then I press a kiss to her lips.
Her jaw drops, and she stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Zach!” she squeaks, shoving at my face with her hand.
I laugh, catching her wrist gently and pressing a quick kiss to her palm before pulling away. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you inside.”
She mutters something under her breath, probably a string of creative insults directed at me, but I let it slide as I step out of the car and walk around to open her door.
As we approach the front steps, the door swings open, and there he is—my dad. His presence fills the doorway, as intimidating as ever, his sharp green eyes narrowing when he spots me.
“Zach,” he says with a nod. Then his gaze shifts to Lainey, and his eyebrows lift in surprise. “You brought a guest to the family dinner?”
Before I can respond, Whitney and Cora appear behind him, their faces lighting up when they see us.
“Zach! Lainey!” Whitney exclaims, rushing forward to hug me, then Lainey. “It’s been too long! You need to visit more often.”
Cora pulls Lainey into a hug next, her smile warm and genuine. “We’ve missed you. Come on, let’s get inside before Dad scares you off.”
They don’t give Dad a chance to say anything else. Instead, they shepherd us into the house like a protective barrier, and I let out a silent sigh of relief.
The dining room is already set, the long table filled with crystal glasses and plates that probably haven’t been used since Christmas. And then I see her.
Clarissa.
She’s sitting at the far end of the table, her back straight, her perfectly styled hair gleaming under the chandelier. The second she spots me, she stands, a practiced smile spreading across her face. But when her gaze shifts to Lainey, the smile falters.
“What’s she doing here?” Clarissa demands, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
Cora doesn’t miss a beat. “Don’t be rude, Clarissa. She’s a guest, just like you.”
Dad trails into the dining room behind us, his expression unreadable, but before anyone can sit, Clarissa clears her throat.
“Mr. Darling,” she starts, her voice sugary sweet, “I planned this family dinner to tell you something important about Zach and Lainey.”
I shoot her a warning look. “Don’t, Clarissa. I warned you to stay out of our business.”
“Zach,” Dad says sharply, cutting me off. “Let Clarissa finish. Go on, dear.”
I clench my jaw, forcing myself to stay quiet even as anger simmers under my skin.
Just then, Noah walks in. He greets everyone with a casual wave and drops into his seat, completely ignoring the tension in the room.
“It’s so nice of you to join us, Noah,” Clarissa says, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Noah gives her a look that could freeze hell. “Don’t start with me,” he says flatly, before turning his attention to the food.
Clarissa ignores him and continues, her gaze laser-focused on Dad. “Now, before Zach interrupted me, I gathered you all here because I need to tell you that Zach and Lainey have been lying to you.” She pauses dramatically, clearly enjoying the moment. “They’re fake dating.”
Whitney and Cora gasp in unison, their eyes darting between me and Lainey. Noah looks at me like I’ve lost my damn mind.
Dad narrows his eyes. “Zach, is this true?”
I squeeze Lainey’s hand, giving her a reassuring smile before meeting my father’s glare head-on. “Lainey is pregnant,” I say, my voice steady.
The room explodes.
Whitney and Cora gasp even louder, then immediately rush over to hug us both, their excitement bubbling over.
“Pregnant?” Cora exclaims, her face glowing with joy.
Whitney squeals. “I’ve waited for this day for so long!”
I laugh. “You’re both more excited than I am.”
Cora grins. “Of course we are. You’re going to be a dad!”
Before I can respond, Clarissa’s voice cuts through the chaos. “Mr. Darling, don’t believe them. Lainey is lying. She’s just trying to tie Zach down.”
Lainey stiffens beside me, her eyes narrowing. “Are you calling me a gold digger?”
Clarissa crosses her arms, her expression smug. “If the shoe fits.”
Lainey takes a step forward, her fists clenched, but before she does anything, Blair sweeps into the room like a storm.
“Clarissa!” Blair snaps, her voice ringing out like a whip. “I told you to stay out of my brother’s business. Why don’t you ever fucking listen?”
Clarissa shrinks back, but she doesn’t back down completely. “I’m not going to let Lainey ruin Zach’s life.”
Blair’s eyes blaze. “Lainey isn’t ruining Zach’s life. You are!”
“Enough!” Dad bellows, his voice echoing through the room. “Blair, stop it this instant!”
Blair turns on him, her voice trembling with fury. “Dad, you’ve always had a soft spot for Clarissa. You don’t see past her schemes!”
Dad’s face darkens. “Are you calling me blind? How dare you!”
I slam my hand on the table. “Enough!” I shout, my voice shaking with emotion. “Dad, Lainey is not lying. She’s pregnant.”
The room falls silent, the weight of my words settling over everyone.
Dad looks at me, his expression hard. “Are you so blind that you can’t see what’s true and not? Don’t throw away your life for a… girl.”
I shake my head, my frustration boiling over. “I’m not throwing away my life, Dad! Will you just listen to me for once? I’m sick and tired of this shit. Ever since Mom died—”
I pause, the lump in my throat threatening to choke me. “Ever since Mom died, you’ve been so controlling over my life. I’m not a toy, Dad. I have feelings.”
Dad looks shocked, his mouth opening and closing as if he’s trying to find the right words.
“No,” I continue, my voice trembling. “Let me finish. Mom died a long time ago. I saw what that did to you. You were hurt for so long. And then you put all your focus on the family business and on us. You don’t see what that did?
Noah, Whitney, and Cora are all divorced because of the pressure you put on them.
Blair and I? We’ve been too scared to even try. We’re all hurting too, Dad.”
The room is deathly silent, everyone too stunned to speak.
Finally, Dad takes a deep breath, his voice softer than I’ve ever heard it. “Zach, all I want is for my children to be happy with someone who can support them. An equal.”
I meet his gaze, my voice firm. “Lainey is that person for me.”
Clarissa stands straighter, as though she hasn’t just thrown the room into chaos. “Zach, please listen to your father,” she pleads, her voice softening as if it could erase everything that’s happened.
“No, you listen, Clarissa,” I snap, stepping forward. My anger is steady now, cold and controlled. “My family falling apart is your doing. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Her mouth falls open in shock.
“Zach!” Dad interjects, his tone sharp. “How can you say that about Clarissa? All she’s ever done for you is support you. She even went through all that hardship of schooling just to become a great doctor to support you, even though I didn’t want you to continue with hockey.”
“No, Dad!” I say, turning to face him. “Clarissa did that for you. For this family. To prove to you she could be the person you think we all need to be. She didn’t do it for me.”
“Zach,” Clarissa whispers, tears brimming in her eyes. “How could you say that? I love you.”
“You don’t love me, Clarissa,” I say, my voice softening just enough to show her I mean it. “You love the idea of loving me. You love the version of me you’ve built up in your head. Why can’t you see that? This obsession—it’s not healthy. Please, learn to love yourself instead.”
Dad glares at me, his expression thunderous. “Zach, if you think I’ll let you marry Lainey just because you knocked her up, you’re wrong.”
“I don’t need your permission, Dad,” I snap, my voice rising again. “I don’t need the family business. I don’t need this. I never did. Hockey is everything to me, and I’ve built myself up without the Darling name. I’ll be fine without all of this.”
Dad’s face flushes red with anger. “How dare you curse the Darling name!”
Before I can respond, Noah’s voice cuts through the tension like a knife.
“Dad! Zach! That’s enough!” Noah stands, his broad frame commanding attention. “Mom wouldn’t have wanted this for us. Can’t you just be happy for Zach and Lainey? Zach has his life together. He did it on his own, without the family name, and he’s happy. Isn’t that what matters?”
Dad’s jaw tightens, and I can see the battle raging in his mind. Finally, he spits out, “You walk out that door, Zach, and that’s it!”
“That’s fine by me,” I say, my voice steady as I meet his eyes.
The room falls silent as Dad storms out of the dining room, his footsteps heavy as they echo down the hallway.
Noah steps in front of me, his hand resting on my shoulder. “Zach, walk with me. Let’s talk a bit.”
I glance back at Lainey, who’s surrounded by Whitney and Cora, their arms around her in a protective huddle. “Lainey, stay with my sisters,” I say softly.
“We’ll take care of her,” Whitney assures me.
Blair smirks, crossing her arms as she turns to Clarissa. “Clarissa, I think that’s your cue to leave.”
Clarissa straightens her spine, her chin lifting as she glares at me. “Zach, you’re going to regret this one day. And I won’t be here when you do.”
Blair waves after her. “He won’t. Goodbye, Clarissa. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
She storms out of the dining room, and moments later, the sound of the front door slamming reverberates through the house.
I shake my head, following Noah as he leads me down the hall to Dad’s office.
Once inside, Noah closes the door and pulls open a drawer in Dad’s massive oak desk. From it, he retrieves a small velvet box and hands it to me.
“What’s this?” I ask, staring at the box in confusion.
“It was Mom’s,” Noah says simply.
I open the box, revealing a delicate engagement ring with a simple but elegant diamond setting.
“Noah, I…” My voice catches in my throat. “I don’t know what to say.”
“When I got married, Dad gave me both Mom’s engagement and wedding rings,” Noah explains, his tone softer than usual. “I’ll hang on to the wedding ring, but the engagement ring—it’s yours now.”
I nod, closing the box and holding it tightly in my hand. “Thanks, Noah.”
He claps a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “Don’t be like the rest of us, Zach. Don’t listen to Dad. Do what makes you happy.”
I chuckle lightly, but before I can respond, Noah hands me an envelope.
“What’s this?” I ask, opening it to reveal a check for $100,000.
“It’s for Lainey,” Noah says, grinning. “I heard she found the golden compass token in Mom’s garden. So, she gets the prize.”
I laugh, shaking my head. Of course, Blair told him. “Lainey’s going to flip when she sees this.”
Noah’s grin widens. “Take it easy, bro. And congratulations. Kids are awesome. I would know.”
“Thanks, Noah.” I pull him into a quick hug, clapping him on the back. “Alice is pretty amazing. She takes after me, after all.”
“You wish,” Noah says, smirking. “She just has your hair color. That’s it.”
We both laugh, the tension of the evening finally easing.
“This dinner was a bust, so we’re going to head out now,” I tell him.
Noah nods, walking me back to the dining room. When we arrive, I see Lainey laughing with Whitney, Cora, and Blair, the tension from earlier completely gone.
I smile, feeling warmth spread through my chest at the sight. “What are you ladies laughing about?” I ask, stepping into the room.
“We’re talking about you,” Blair says, smirking.
“Me?” I look at Lainey, raising an eyebrow. “Lainey, are you bad-mouthing me to my sisters?”
“What? I would never,” she says, feigning innocence.
I grin. “Let’s head out and grab some dinner.”
Turning to my sisters, I say, “Thanks for this eventful evening. I’m going to take this mother-to-be home now.”
Whitney, Cora, and Blair all say, “Aww,” before hugging Lainey tightly.
“We’re going to miss you,” Cora says.
“You have our numbers now. Don’t forget to call us,” Whitney adds.
“And if my brother gives you a hard time, let me know,” Blair chimes in.
I roll my eyes. “And I thought you were my sisters.”
“Oh, brother,” Whitney says, hugging me next. “We love you too.”
Cora and Blair follow, wrapping me in quick hugs before stepping back.
Lainey smiles at Noah. “It was great seeing you, Noah.”
“Likewise,” he says, giving her a nod.
Lainey and I walk to the front door, my sisters trailing behind us to wave us off. Once we’re in the car, I drive down the long driveway toward the gate.
“Zach, are you okay? I’m sorry about what happened.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault.”
Her voice softens. “I don’t want to be the reason your family falls apart. You know family means everything to me.”
I glance over at her, my jaw tightening. “Let’s just forget about it for the rest of the night, okay?”
Lainey studies me for a moment, her voice soft but steady. “Okay… but you don’t have to pretend it doesn’t bother you. You don’t have to handle everything alone, Zach.”
Her words hit something deep, but I don’t respond. Instead, I hand her the envelope as the gate opens.
“What’s this?” she asks, opening it. Her eyes widen as she pulls out the check. “$100,000? Oh my God! What is this for?”
“It’s your prize for finding the golden compass token,” I explain with a grin. “Noah told me to give it to you.”
She narrows her eyes at me, suspicion creeping in. “Wait… you told Noah? I thought I told you not to tell anyone.”
I clear my throat, shifting slightly in my seat. “Actually… I told Blair. And she told Noah.”
Lainey lets out a soft groan, shaking her head. “Unbelievable.”
“It’s fine,” I assure her quickly. “You won it fair and square.”
She sighs, leaning back in her seat. “Well, now I really do look like a gold digger. What will your dad think now?”
“You are not a gold digger.” I reach over, catching her chin gently and kissing her softly on the lips. When I pull back, I add, “What are you going to do with all that money?”
A secretive smile curls her lips as she glances at me. “I have just the perfect plan for it.”