Page 45 of Saved By the Firefighter

I only hope it's not too late.

Ellie

Danielle waves at me from across the cafe as I walk through the door, the familiar scent of coffee and pastries enveloping me. My eyes linger on Danielle's bright orange blouse—a bold choice that suits her spirit—as she motions me to come to her table by the window. The whirlwind inside me picks up speed as my gaze settles on her expectant smile. How am I going to tell Jake about the baby? I’m really hoping this girls’ brunch will give me the encouragement I need to face this. With each step toward her, my stomach does another somersault.

"Hey," I breathe out as I reach her, pulling her into a hug that feels like a lifeline. "Thanks for meeting me."

"Of course."

I slide into the chair opposite her, smoothing out the creases in my napkin while glancing at her mimosa with a mix of envy and resignation. "Olivia's running late," I inform her. "Mary's having a morning." I told Olivia about the situation—also to keep it secret for now—and then almost begged her to come to brunch. She’s a new mom so I figured she could help with some of my fears.

Danielle nods, sipping her drink. "Parenting," she says with a knowing look.

It only makes the ball of worry grow inside me because I’m still wrapping my head around becoming a mother. I’m completely not ready and I wish my child could somehow be born a seven or eight-year-old, since that’s the only age I’m experienced with. But a baby? No clue.

At least I have eight months to prepare.

My emotions must be written all over my face as I try to focus on the menu and what to order for brunch because Danielle reaches across the table, squeezing my hand. "It'll be okay, Ellie."

Before I can respond, Olivia breezes in, her chestnut hair tousled perfectly and her green eyes sparkling with that trademark tenacity of hers. She's wearing a wrap dress that hugs her petite frame and swirls around her knees, a pattern of blues and greens that reminds me of the ocean.

"Sorry, ladies!" She kisses my cheek and then introduces herself to Danielle, since this is the first time they’re meeting.

“Great to finally meet you,” Danielle says as Olivia sits down.

Olivia smiles and then huffs, drinking some water before saying. "Lila just took over with Mary. Just one of those grumpy days, so she may have too much of her daddy’s personality."

I smile, happy to have a lighter topic to start with. “Things are going to be interesting when she’s a teenager. I remember Asher being a lot more grumpy then. Marcus was always teasing him about it whenever he came over to hang out. He’s actually gotten less grumpy as an adult.”

Olivia lets out a groan. “Oh god don’t tell me that. I can’t even think of Mary as a teenager. We need to get through her being two first.”

Danielle and I both chuckle, then I touch my stomach. My mood drops. I’m really pregnant.

"You're scared," Olivia says, touching my arm gently. Her eyes are knowing, understanding. Of course they are. Mary is her first baby so I’m sure she went through a lot of the same fears I have.

I nod. “This would be easier if Jake was on board. I need to talk to him but…even when he knows I’m not confident anything will change.” I fiddle with my napkin. “I just imagined the situation being different when I had my first child. I didn’t imagine raising my baby alone.”

“The first step is telling him,” Daniele says.

"I know," I say with a sigh. Because Jake isn't just some guy—he's a fortress whose walls I can't scale. "It's just...Jake is so closed off. He's still...he's not ready.”

"Maybe he needs a reason to be ready," Olivia suggests gently, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "When I found out about Mary, I was terrified. Asher was so adamant about not wanting kids and we hadn’t planned for her. We also weren’t in a relationship."

Her confession catches me off guard; Olivia and Asher seemed like the type of couple that had it all figured out. I guess I never asked too much about how they met—I assumed they both met and started dating, going through the normal ups and downs. "What?”

Olivia folds her hands on the table, leaning forward. "Our situation was a little similar to you and Jake. We had chemistry and a short fling, but it was just supposed to be a one-time thing. When I found out about Mary, I was terrified of telling him. I thought there was no way he'd want to be that involved because he was so strongly opposed to relationships and having a family. But when he found out, that wasn't the case at all. He was just scared of failing us, of not being a good enough father. Once he realized I was there to support him, he came around."

Her words sink in, resonating with me. Asher and Jake are both men who have built walls around their hearts, only Asher was able to break through his. Maybe Jake's the same—so afraid of losing another person he loves that he can't see what's right in front of him. My heart squeezes at the thought.

The server, a sprightly woman with a smile that feels like it could warm the entire cafe, appears at our side. "What can I get for you ladies?" she asks, her notepad ready.

I fumble with the menu a bit since I haven’t really looked at it. I go for the first thing I see. "Could I have the avocado toast, please?" I request, trying to project more certainty in my voice than I feel swirling inside me.

"Make that two," Danielle chimes in, her eyes sparkling above the rim of her nearly empty mimosa glass.

Olivia orders eggs benedict and some tea.

With the server gone, Danielle leans in, giving me a smile. "Ellie, Olivia's right. Opening up—it's a ripple effect. You share your heart, and it might just encourage Jake to do the same."

---