Page 102 of More Than Words

“You might possibly be right.”

“Of course I am.”

ADRIAN

Boston

“Come on,” Hutch urged as he slid a clear shot glass across the old, cracked countertop in Ma’s kitchen—that I’d offered to replace a thousand times. “Out with it. What’s goin’ on?”

Blowing out a breath, I picked up the glass, knocked it back, and closed my eyes as the bourbon burned its way down my throat. “Isobel’s pregnant.”

“Oh, fuck. Really? Is it mine?” He laughed, slapping a palm against the side of my arm. “What am I talking about? Of course, it’s mine. At least that’s what the paternity test will say.” Warmth spread through my chest as I looked over at his easy smile, like this didn’t change everything. I’d even give him a pass on the smartass paternity comment. “That’s awesome, man. Kids are a trip.”

I nodded, using my fingers to spin the empty glass while I thought about the course of the last few months. I was excited. The thought of the woman I was pretty much obsessed with carrying my child was a heady feeling. It made me feel strong and virile. And also scared outta my fuckin’ mind.

What now? What if she decided she didn’t need me now that she’d gotten pregnant? I wasn’t even sure if she loved me.

“What’s wrong? It’s not like you’re in high school anymore. We’re almost forty-one. I’m honestly surprised you don’t have a dozen kids by now.”

“I’m not the one that’s into free love and spreading my seed around,” I laughed, shaking my head at him.

“Hey,” he laughed, picking at the label on the liquor bottle. “I keep my shit wrapped up. Unlike someone, apparently.”

“She had an IUD, but I guess something happened and… But she’d…we’d been looking into her options to have a kid and…”

“Now you’re gonna have a baby.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna have a baby. We’re gonna have a baby.“ It was the first time I’d said it out loud like that. Not that Is was pregnant, but that I would have a kid. And the idea didn’t terrify me—mostly.

“You’re not gonna flake out, right? You’re gonna do the right thing?”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, asswipe. Yes, I’m going to do the right thing. I love her. And I’ll love this baby, no matter what.”

“Cause I’d hate to have to beat your ass if you did something stupid.”

“Good luck with that,” I chuckled, narrowing my eyes at him. He’d bulked up in the last month or so, and it’d likely be an unfair fight with his combat training.

“Although, I could easily just shave and then I could be Bel’s Daddy.”

“Shut the fuck up,” I growled, narrowing my eyes at my sarcastic asshole brother. “You stay the fuck away from my girlfriend, you pervert.”

“You sure that’s what she wants?”

“Don’t think for one second since confessed a fantasy that she’d be interested in you.”

“I’m not tryin’ to start a fight here, Ad. I was just yankin’ yah chain. I know Isobel wants to be with you. Every time I’ve seen you two together, she couldn’t keep her eyes off you. What happened to teasin’ about you being responsible for raising another human being?”

“If you can do it, how hard can it be?”

“I was off getting shot at for half of Pen’s childhood. I’m not exactly the model of fatherhood.”

“But you’ve more than made up for it by now. That girl adores you.” I just hated that the thing that brought him back to us was getting half his leg blown off.

“That’s all you can do. Try to be there for them. I will never regret my time in the service, but you are lucky that you’ll get to be there for your kid in all the ways I couldn’t be.”

“I’m gonna try.” All I had to do was convince their mom I was in this for the long haul.

“When are you goin’ to tell Ma?”

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