Page 5 of No One Else Can Have Her

“And no one is good enough for her, and I’m not going to keep having this discussion.”

She let out a breath. “Fine. Fine. Have it your way, but when Carly is miserable because she thinks her ovaries are going to dry up, then that will be on you. Not on me.” She got up out of her chair, and stormed off toward the door. “You and I both know, as well as the guys, that you love Carly. She has always been that special person to you. If you crossed that line and told her how you felt, you would be a lot happier instead of being a grumpy asshole.”

Nate didn’t say anything as Sarah opened the door, stepped through it, and left.

He didn’t have to wait long for Reese to make his appearance. He dropped down into the chair opposite, looking tired.

“Out partying all night?” Nate asked.

“Misha is pregnant,” Reese said.

Misha is a woman Reese had been seeing for the past couple of months. Some days it had looked serious, while other days it looked like they were just having fun.

“She is?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it yours?”

Reese blew out a breath. “Yeah, it’s mine. She hasn’t been with anyone since me, and I trust her.”

Misha was a high school teacher. He didn’t know how Reese had met her, and he didn’t ask questions.

“And?”

“How the fuck can I be a dad, man? It’s insane. I don’t know if I should tell her to get rid of it.”

“You want her to abort your baby?” Nate asked.

“Look at me.”

Nate stared at Reese. “I’m looking.”

Reese growled and then turned and sat properly in the chair. “I don’t know the first thing about being a father. My dad loved to beat the shit out of me, and that was when I followed all his directions. If he wanted a beer, I got him a beer.” Reese shook his head. “I don’t know how to pick up a baby. I can’t do it. I’ll ruin another kid’s life, and he’ll probably end up in a foster home, and with a group of friends. I can’t do it.”

“You can, because you know what it means to be a shit dad. You do the opposite of what yours did.” Nate looked at Reese and saw the other man’s doubts. “Be the dad you always wanted. Remember when we were kids, and you were staring at the fucking full moon?”

“So?”

“You made that fucked-up list, remember? Everything you wanted in a dad, in a mom.”

“I can’t be a mom.”

Nate chuckled. “No, but do you think Misha has what it takes to be the mother of your children?”

“She’s amazing,” Reese said. “I don’t deserve her.”

“And now, she is pregnant with your kid. You’ve got to make a choice here. Either be the father you always wanted and prove your dad has no control over you—you’re the one in control here, no one else—or you leave her and allow someone else to raise your child.”

“Have I ever told you how much I fucking hate you?” Reese said, getting to his feet.

“Where are you going?”

“To talk to a woman about a kid.”

****

Carly looked across the bar at Dalton.

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