Page 22 of Trash the Dress

“So, how did you two leave things?” she asks.

“The ball is in his court. I gave him my number and told him to call after he’s had time to think it over. I did say I either want him in or out. I don’t want the baby to be confused and hurt by a dad that can’t decide whether they want to be part of their lives or not.”

“And what about you? Do you want a chance to have him in your life?”

“This isn’t about me or us, Anna. I’m not a charity case just because he got me pregnant. I want to be able to find real love one day. I don’t want to be tied to a man who can’t give me that simply because he wanted to ‘do the right thing by me.’ Nope, not happening,” I tell her.

“And what if he could be your real true love, Scarlett? He might be your happily ever after. And then you can make more babies…on purpose.”

I shake my head. “No relationship should start under this kind of pressure. It would be a lie for him. Even if he wasn’t so jaded, I’d always wonder if he was with me for our baby and not because he actually wanted to be—because he loved me.”

“Shouldn’t you let him try if he wants to?” she asks.

“No. It would come from a place of duty, not genuine interest in me.”

“But couple or not when the baby was created, you did it together. The baby deserves to have both of you two there. And obviously it’s a bonus if they have you together…as in a couple,” she says.

“You’re supposed to be supportive, not judging me,” I say lightheartedly.

She smiles. “This is me supporting you. I’ve been your best friend for almost our entire lives. You know I won’t lie to you or say what you want to hear. I’m going to tell you the truth. And the truth is support whether you like it or not. But telling you the truth about something doesn’t mean I’m going to judge you for doing what you feel is best even if it’s the opposite of what the truth is. Does that make sense?” she asks.

I nod. “It does. And I’ll take you telling me the truth, or stating facts, or whatever you want to call it over you sugarcoating things to not hurt my feelings. I need your voice in my head to keep me going,” I tell her and laugh.

“It’s a good thing you can call me day or night and my voice can be with you,” she says, laughing.

“What now?” she asks.

“Now, I wait. I’m going to stay here a few more days and hopefully we can talk,” I tell her.

“What about your parents?”

I sigh. “They’ll have to wait until I talk more with Zander. I need to know where we stand, or at least have an idea of where we stand before I let them in on this new development,” I say as my hand instinctively drops to my stomach.

“Do you want to camp out in front of the TV for the rest of the evening or do you want to explore?” Anna asks. She’s open to anything I want. I don’t know if a platonic soulmate best friend is a thing, but if so, she’s mine.

“How about we explore for supper, but come back here and veg out on dessert after?”

She throws her arm around my shoulder. “My hunny-bunny. You know me so well.”

“Right back at ya, tootsie-wootsie,” I say as we go through clothes to wear for a night out in Greendale Valley. A nightwhere I pretend everything is normal and I’m not on a man’s hook waiting for an answer.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Zander

I’ve thought a lot about this…about having a baby with a woman I barely know. She says she doesn’t want anything from me except consistency for the baby. That’s fair and it’s not too much to ask. I’ve also gone through all the ways I could mess up being a dad. And there’s plenty.

But I have to say, the more I think it over, the more I agree with my dad. A baby may not have been in my plans, but I’m going to do right by him…or her. I’m going to be in my child’s life. Now I need to tell Scarlett that we will, in fact, be doing this together.

I called her this morning and asked her to meet me at the bar before we open. I’m anxiously wiping down the bar even though it’s spotless from last night’s closing. I hear a knock at the front door and glance up to see Scarlett on the other side. It’s unlocked but I walk over and open it to let her in anyway.

As soon as she comes through the door, I blurt out, “I’m in.”

Her gaze pings from me to the door and back again. “I can see that,” she says coolly.

I huff out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, sorry. I’m a little anxious this morning.”

“I can see that too. Do you still want to talk?” she asks.

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