Page 84 of Finding Fate

“Family, dude? Really? They already have enough to give us crap about,” he commented once they were on their way home.

Jet shrugged. “Well, it’s the truth. Think about it. If you and Izzy get married and I eventually propose to Annie, we’ll be brothers-in-law one day, and your kid will be my niece or nephew. When do you find out anyway?”

Tucker hardly talked about the baby. Jet always had to ask if he wanted any information about it from him.

“We’re going to let it be a surprise.”

“Alright,” Jet nodded. That would be interesting. “You and Izzy talked about names yet?”

“Nope. Taking things as they come, man. If I think too hard about it, I’ll crack.”

“You can’t keep that up forever, dude. Y’all need to start making some concrete plans. The baby’s only four months away.”

Jet watched Tucker grip the back of his neck with one hand while he drove with the other. He felt for his friend, but the guy needed a push.

“Look, you’ve got to figure these things out. You’re freaking out about this.”

Tucker grimaced. “Is it that obvious?”

Jet looked pointedly at his friend’s hand on the back of his neck. “You do that every time something comes up about the baby, even if it’s barely related. I bet you didn’t even realize you were doing it out on the court today when Cory made that baby daddy comment.”

“No, I didn’t,” Tucker admitted.

“Have you and Izzy started making any plans?”

“We’re kind of at a stand-still. Neither of us wants the other to have to sacrifice, but we have no idea how to both go for what we want without enough cash flow, and I’m not asking my parents to help pay for something that’s my responsibility.”

“Sounds like y’all might have to compromise.”

“Yeah, I was afraid of that. But it kind of hit me earlier…”

Jet waited as Tucker paused. Sometimes it took just as long for him to think things through as it did Izzy. No big deal. As long as they answered.

“I guess I started thinking about how things would be if I couldn’t keep playing basketball, like if I tried to postpone the college thing so Izzy could go. There’s this dance academy she’s been obsessing over apparently, and she has all these plans if she and Leo get in together…

“So if college doesn’t happen for me right away, I thought I’d be really upset, you know? Like it would suck because I’d be giving up this huge piece of my life and my plans. But it hit me that it’s not that big of a deal. Basketball is a game. Izzy is so much more than that. But she’s stubborn about letting me give it up.”

“And you don’t want to make her give up that academy.”

“No.”

Jet stared at Tucker for a few moments, taking in the changes. Just a few months ago, his friend had been a different person, someone who was obsessed with the dating scene, parties, and pursuing sports. Now he was all about one woman, nothing else as important as her. “Where the hell did this mature fucker come from?”

“Wow…” he said in pretend disbelief. “I don’t know how it happened, but you’re more whipped than I am, dude. You’re like the king of whipped. Your face should be on a can of whipped cream.”

“That’s so lame, man,” Tucker replied.

Jet felt the hard sting of a flick in his upper arm then and reached over to smack his friend.

“Shit, stop it,” he said as Tucker flicked him again. “I’ll tell Izzy,” he threatened.

“And I’ll tell Annie,” Tucker retorted, the attacks stopping on both sides.

* * *

“So, are you excited about your appointment on Monday, Izzy?” Jenna asked while they peeled potatoes for the potato salad they were making.

“Yeah, I looked up some 3D ultrasounds online, and they’re pretty amazing. I can’t wait.”

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