Page 99 of Fought and Freed

His father had let out a deep breath. “As long as the child is cared for, I’ll stand behind you.”

In between sobs, his mother said the same thing.

Skylar was glad that was over with. It was something he didn’t want to go through again.

Amber had asked Skylar to pick her up for the appointment, and when he pulled up outside her mom’s place, Amber was waiting outside.

She looked at the work truck and wrinkled her nose. “Where’s your Jeep? This thing is ugly?”

“Off to a great start.” He glared. “The Jeep belongs to Jace. This is my company truck.”

She frowned as she climbed in. “How will I get in when I’m eight months pregnant?”

“I don’t know, Amber,” he said in exasperation. “We’ll figure it out.”

“You need to quit your job so you can be closer to us,” she said with a nod.

They hadn’t even pulled out of the driveway yet, and she was hounding him. He slammed the truck back into park and turned toward her.

“What?” she screeched. “What did I do now?”

“You want me to pay for everything, but you want me to quit my job.” He stared at her in disbelief. “That makes no sense. You understand that, right?”

“You don’t need to work right now. After the baby is born, you can find a better job.” She sniffed. “Your mom is rich, after all.”

“Exactly,” Skylar snapped. “My mom is rich. Not me.”

“She’ll give you money,” Amber said dismissively. “She liked me. Did you tell her we were having a baby?” She sat up straighter in the seat, smiling. “I’m sure she’ll want to throw a baby shower for me with all her friends up there.”

He shook his head. What did he ever see in Amber? She wasn’t even that good of a lay.

Man, thank you, Maddy, for coming into my life and showing me what a good woman was like.

“My mom has never given us money. She believes in us working for it,” he told her. “And, yes, I told my parents last night when I had dinner with them. As far as I know, there won’t be a baby shower. And, no, she doesn’t like you. She thought you were a gold digger.”

He put the truck in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

Amber didn’t say anything else for the rest of the drive to the doctor’s office.

Skylar wasn’t sure how he’d survive the next few months with her. Thank God he only had to see her during the doctor’s visits.

They arrived at the office and sat in the waiting room.

“Mr. and Mrs. Anderson,” the nurse called out from the door.

Skylar frowned at Amber. Of course, she’d put down that they were married.

The nurse showed them to the room.

“How is the happy couple doing today?” she asked, putting Amber’s folder on the table.

“Good, but can you fix the paperwork, please?” Skyler said. “We’re not married.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The nurse opened the folder to double-check the new patient form. “It says here that you’re married.”

Amber laughed nervously. “They must have entered that in wrong.”

Skylar clearly saw that it was filled out in her handwriting.

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