Page 29 of Break Out

While I ate my lunch, I used my phone to scroll through apartment listings in Jacksonville. Alexandra would be bummed about me moving out, but things were shaping up such that I knew this was the right decision.

The IT firm I worked for had offered me the chance to start working remotely now that I’d completed my first month. I’d jumped on that idea and even asked if they cared if I worked from Jacksonville. Since they had a small office there, they were cool with that.

I loved Gainesville, but I didn’t see myself raising a baby here on my own. Plus, there were far more people in Jacksonville willing to help me if or when I needed it. Another bonus was that I could see my usual OB/GYN.

Tuesday evening, Mom called.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, there. I have your dad right here, I’m going to put you on speaker.”

Great.

“Jacqueline says you have big news.”

As fast as I could, I told Dad I was pregnant.

“You don’t know who the father is, Simone? I’d heard you’d met someone right after that asshole gave you the run-around. Jacqueline said you had a name for him… she thinks he’s a biker.”

I gave a rueful chuckle. “No, Dad. He isn’t a biker, I’d spot that a mile away. It’s his last name. Lots of men go by their last names as nicknames and stuff. It’s just a name that’s good enough to be a road name,” I semi-lied.

Everything about Steel had screamed power and leadership, but he wasn’t wearing a cut and no way would a president of a club be at that bar not wearing his—

It hit me.

That bar didn’t allow colors.

Shit.

“You need to get in touch with him, honey. He has a right to know.”

I nodded. “Totally agree, Dad.” Embarrassment flooded my system. “But I don’t have his number – as humiliating as that is. Mom told me the same thing, but the hotel doesn’t give out information like that.”

“You…” he trailed off. His lengthy sigh didn’t quite sound like disappointment…but it wasn’t too far off. “You need to try to find him. What’s his name? I can help you.”

I shrugged a shoulder. “It’s a common last name, Dad. But since you’re determined—”

I heard his phone ringing in the background. It was Blood’s ring tone.

“I have to take that. We’ll talk more about this in person, Simone.”

Alexandra trudged out of her room. “That sounded like a fun convo.”

I leaned my head back on the couch. “Yeah. What are you doing this weekend? More fitness with Ines?”

“No. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, other than study.”

I leaned my head up. “I’m headed to Jacksonville to apartment hunt.”

“You’re moving?” she asked, sitting down next to me. The disappointment in her eyes brought on the guilt.

“Honey, you’re not gonna be able to study with a newborn in the apartment. I hate that I have to move, but my instincts tell me that’s the smart thing to do.” I gave her a quick hug. “And I’m not moving immediately. As crazy as rent prices are, I’m going to scope out places and figure out my budget and stuff like that. Do you want to come with… or do you need to stay in town?”

“Oh, I’m coming with you. I love touring houses and apartments.”

Alexandra had insisted on driving us to various apartment complexes so I could ‘weigh my options.’ What I hadn’t realized was that she’d planned for Jasmine and Aunt Abby to meet us at her parents’ place afterward.

It didn’t feel like an ambush until they insisted we sit outside by the pool and they proceeded to hound me about who Steel could possibly be or how I could contact him.

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