Page 85 of Fought and Freed

Amber huffed before she hurried after him.

When he reached for the passenger side door to open it for her, Amber stepped in front of it, her hands on her hips. “Where have you been? You haven’t been to school. And you better start answering my calls.”

“I quit school,” Skylar answered calmly. “I work with Jace’s dad now.”

“You what?” Her chin snapped back. “That was our future. How are you going to support us now?”

He just shook his head. This was what he didn’t want to deal with. She was completely delusional. “First of all, I’ll support my kid--if it’s my kid--but not you. Second, I like what I do, and I’m good at it.”

“But you won’t make any money,” Amber whined.

He was glad she didn’t remember what Jace’s dad did. He was making good money right now, and once he took over the crew, he’d make even more. “If this kid is mine, I’ll make enough to take care of the baby.”

“What about me? You are supposed to take care of me.” She crossed her arms. “You need to find me a place to live so I can stay home and take care of the baby.”

Was this woman for real?

“What’s wrong with that place?” He pointed to the house she had just come out of.

Amber scrunched up her nose. “My mom lives there.”

“And that’s where you’ll stay.” He walked over to the other side of the truck and climbed in.

The whole way to the clinic, Amber hemmed and hawed.

Skylar chewed the inside of his cheek and kept both hands on the steering wheel.

It was going to be a long couple of hours.

* * *

After collecting everything they needed, the lab guy told him they’d get the results back on Monday.

Skylar thanked him and drove back toward Amber’s house.

Amber stared out the window in dismay when he pulled into her driveway. “I thought we could go look at baby stuff today.”

“Nope.” He hit the button to unlock her door. “I want to get home and spend some time with my boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Amber sniffed in disdain. “When the baby comes, you won’t have time for them.”

Skylar just looked her in the eyes. “Wanna bet?” He reached across her and shoved open her door. “Get out.”

As soon as she was away from the truck, he pulled away.

Skylar steamed the entire way home. The nerve of that woman to assume he’d buy her a place to live. Could he make it through this pregnancy without strangling her?

When he walked into the house, he searched the first floor for Maddy or Jace but didn’t find them, so he headed upstairs. As soon as he stepped into the hall, he heard Maddy laughing from her room, and it brought a smile to his face.

Her laugh was like music to him.

He opened the door and found the two loves of his life in the middle of a tickle fight.

Maddy saw him and stretched out an arm. “Help me, Skylar! Jace is cheating!”

“I am not. I’m just stronger than you.” Jace grinned and tickled her some more.

Skylar kicked off his shoes and dove onto the bed, kissing Jace first, then Maddy. “I love you both so much.”

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