Page 29 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

Allison threw her phone on her bed and rubbed her eyes. Too much had happened in a day and she was starting to get a headache.

Eight

ANGELO

Ever since that phone call a few days ago, Angelo found himself in a perpetual state of shock. “I’m going to be a father,” he repeated to himself, half hoping it would sink in. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Allison; it was just that the whole idea felt surreal, like he was caught in a bizarre fever dream. He half-expected to wake up one morning and find out it was all just a figment of his imagination.

Amidst this life-altering news, Angelo was knee-deep in work, sifting through corporate documents for her father’s company.He was on a mission to find any dirt he could use against the man—dirt that might just save him from this merger that felt like an impending disaster.

His father had been opposed to it from the very beginning, and Angelo couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that Lockwood had something up his sleeve to twist his father’s arm into compliance. After all, Angelo suspected the board didn’t want this merger to happen, although he still hadn’t managed to get replies by two members.

But instead, he was diving headfirst into a corporate minefield, all while grappling with the thought of impending fatherhood. What was he even going to do with a tiny human? Teach it how to wield a PowerPoint presentation?

The weight of the news settled heavier on Angelo’s chest as he paced around his spacious, neat apartment. It suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks: he couldn’t just keep this to himself. He had to tell his family. The thought sent a jolt of panic through him.

Telling his parents and sister that he was going to be a father felt like preparing to jump out of an airplane without a parachute. He could already picture their reactions: his mother’s eyes widening to the size of saucers, his father’s stoic expression transforming into a mix of confusion and disappointment, and his sister—well, she’d probably burst into laughter and mock him mercilessly.

Panic began to bubble in his stomach as he mentally rehearsed the conversations.

What if they’re disappointed?

What if they think I’m not capable of handling such a monumental role?

“Okay, think,” he said aloud, running a hand through his hair. “How do I drop this bombshell without it exploding in my face?”

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Maybe he could ease them into it with some small talk. Startwith, “Hey, did you know the weather’s nice?” and then, right as they were agreeing, hit them with, “Oh, and by the way, I’m going to be a father!”

With every minute that passed, the anxiety twisted tighter in his gut. What if they didn’t support him? What if they thought he was completely unprepared for parenthood? He was still figuring out how to run his own company; how was he supposed to care for a tiny human?

Finally, he steeled himself. He couldn’t keep dodging the inevitable any longer. He would call them all in a few minutes and get it over with. As he rehearsed his lines, pacing back and forth like an anxious actor preparing for an audition, he felt the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

With a deep inhale, he steeled himself for the conversations ahead. No backing out now. After all, if he could dig up dirt on a corporate giant, surely he could handle a couple of announcements.

Angelo decided to go for the lesser evil and call his sister, Katerina.

She didn’t pick up on the first try, but Angelo refused to call someone else before her and let her find out through the grapevine—also known as their mother—so he tried again.

“Aderfé!” Katerina exclaimed when she finally answered. Brother. It was one of the few Greek words she ever used with him, despite it being her native language and her speaking it far better than he ever could. She’d always preferred speaking English with him, and he appreciated that she cared enough to bridge the gap.

Being eight years older than Katerina, Angelo had given up on finding common ground between them as soon as he turned ten. But as she grew up, she began showing genuine interest in his life and made an effort to draw closer to him, even from across the ocean. And Angelo cherished his baby sister morethan anything else in the world—well, almost anything. Two new people would soon join that short list.

“Katia, I have some news, but I need you to keep it to yourself until I can tellmamá. I promise I’ll tell her right after I hang up with you. Alright?” He was getting ahead of himself, but Angelo had to prepare for the fallout.

After a brief moment of silence, Katia confirmed she’d keep his secret—though he doubted her ability to resist the temptation. With a short breath, he broke the news.

“I’m going to be a father.”

“A father?” she echoed, her voice teetering on the edge between disbelief and laughter. “Are you sure you don’t mean a dog father? Because I could totally see you with a poodle.”

“Ha, very funny,” he shot back, rolling his eyes even though she couldn’t see him. “I assure you, it’s definitely a human baby, not a poodle. Though I might need one to keep the kid entertained. You can imagine how I’ll be with diapers.”

“Gross! You’re not seriously expecting to change diapers, are you?” Katerina laughed, the sound brightening his mood. “You can barely handle the laundry. Remember that time you thought colors and whites were the same?”

“Hey, I was fifteen and inspired! Besides, I’m pretty sure that pink shirt looked great on me,” he retorted, feigning indignation. “But back to the subject. I need to be serious for a minute.”

“Okay, okay, serious face on,” Katia said, and he could almost picture her mockingly pressing her lips together, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “So, who’s the unlucky girl?”

“Her name’s Allison,” Angelo said, hesitating for a moment. “Lockwood. We had a one-night stand months ago and—”

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