Page 24 of Trash the Dress

She stands from the stool she was perched on and slings her purse over her left shoulder. “I’ll uh, get out of your hair. I’m sure you need to start getting things ready to open.”

I don’t really have anything to do, but I don’t tell her that. This is new territory for us both. We need to get to know each other but we also need to move past the acceptance part of what our lives are about to be first.

I feel like this morning’s talk did that. Sort of. We know we’re going to be parents together…to the same child. Man, this is a lot to absorb.

She lets out a shaky breath and swipes a few more tears. Damn it, I can’t stand to see her cry. I move back around the counter and closer to her, feeling compelled to pull her into my arms, but I hesitate. At least, until she speaks again.

“Thank you,” she says.

“For what?”

“For saving me that night and for saving me now.”

“How am I saving you now?” I can’t help but ask.

“I was scared I’d be in this alone, and no matter how brave I acted, I didn’t want to be. I would’ve done it, because even though I just found out I’m pregnant, I already know there’snothing I wouldn’t do for this baby. But as I drove over here this morning, I realized just how desperately I was hoping you’d say you wanted to be a part of our child’s life.”

I can’t help but pull her close now. She stiffens at first, but after a few seconds she relaxes into my arms. “You really are a glimpse of sunshine, aren’t you?”

She pulls back. “What?”

“Nothing.”

The kitchen doors fly open, and Gabby emerges. She must’ve come through the back. I didn’t hear anyone come in. “Hey, Zander,” she says before she sees Scarlett in my arms. Her smile falls but not completely.

“I’d better go,” Scarlett says.

“Okay. Um, can I call you later?” I ask.

“Sure. I’m staying at Barnette’s Bed-and-Breakfast if you want to stop by,” she says.

“I’ll call you,” I tell her.

She makes it to the door but turns one more time before leaving and says, “You have more sunshine and less grump in you than I thought.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Scarlett

“What did he say?” Anna’s voice sounds off as soon as she answers my call. I’m lying on my back on the same bed I’ve slept in for the last week at Barnette’s Bed-and-Breakfast after meeting Zander at his bar. I extended my stay by a couple more days. I wanted to talk to him more after he’d had time to think about our…baby. But I can’t hide out in Greendale Valley forever.

“He says we’re in this together,” I tell her.

“That’s great! Right?” she asks.

“It is. But now it somehow feels a little more real.”

“It didn’t before when you were puking your stomach contents up?” she asks with a giggle.

I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me while matching her laugh. “Yes, it’s been real for me since I found out, I just mean now that I know he’s in this with me, it’s officially time to tell my parents. They’re going to see me differently from here on out.”

“I mean, yeah. They’ll see you as a strong woman. Because you are,” she says.

“They’ll be disappointed in me. I’m a grown woman, just shy of thirty years old. But still, something about telling them I’m pregnant after that shitshow of a ruined wedding…and adding into the mix the baby is a man’s I basically had a one-night stand with…” I trail off.

“Stop overthinking this, Scarlett. Your parents love you. They’re going to love this baby, and they’ll love Zander too if he’s a good dad whether y’all are a couple or not,” she says.

I sigh. “I know you’re right. It’s just the initial shock they’ll be in that I’m talking about. I know I need to rip the bandage off and tell them. I guess I’m being a chicken.”

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