Page 59 of Last Minute Fiancé

And there was nothing I could do.

ChapterFourteen

Luca

“You’re going to what?”

I turned to Heath. “I’m moving in with Addison.”

I was doing my best not to freak out even though it felt like that was all I was doing, and centering my own freakout was not going to help Addison.

Because if she wasn’t calm, she could lose the baby. She could die. And I would not be the cause of that. I would do whatever it took to make sure she was healthy and didn’t need to lift a finger.

“You’re moving in with Addison? Does she know that?” August asked as he handed me my toiletry bag.

“Thank you. And yes. We already talked about it. Well, I sort of said I’m moving in and she’s just going to have to deal with it, and she didn’t argue.”

“Because she’s dealing with a lot right now,” Heath put in, handing me my stack of jeans.

Considering my brothers didn’t understand and thought I should probably not do this, they were sure being accommodating about helping me pack.

“She needs help. She’s not on strict bed rest, but she’s being forced to be stuck in her recliner or in bed while she’s working, or even while she is in the house. She can be on her feet to take care of herself, but only for a certain amount of time each day.”

“And you’re what, going to take time off work?”

“No. I’m going to, I don’t know. I can’t be there twenty-four hours a day, but I can be there for some of it. When I’m not at the clinic making sure that my business doesn’t fail, I’ll be at her house. I don’t see what the problem is. You would do that for any one of your friends.”

“Addison isn’t our pregnant friend. You know, you’re going to be a dad, Luca. Have you actually sat down to think about this?” August asked.

“Of course I have. And I’ve no idea how we’re going to function after this. But it’s one thing after another and I need to focus on this. So you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to make sure Addison has everything she needs. Her quitting her job now was probably the best timing because now Paisley is here saving the day.”

“Paisley’s good like that. She’s making it so Addison can start her new job from home, right?” August asked.

“Yes. Thank God. And I know Devney and Paisley have a plan of their own, and Addison isn’t happy with what’s going on, nor does she have a plan beyond just making sure we don’t screw things up. She can’t do everything on her own, and I’m going to be there. Because she’s my friend. Because she’s having my kid, because I love her.”

“There it is,” August grumbled, pacing my bedroom.

“You’re just going to blurt it out like that as if we were supposed to know all along?”

“What am I supposed to say? I didn’t mean for it to happen. I did my best not to want her before all of this happened. I did my fucking best to let her just be my friend. But then I kissed her, and we did more than kiss, and I can’t stop wanting her. I love her. But I don’t know how she feels about me and it’s not like there’s been a good time for me to ask.”

“Maybe before you offered to move in?” August asked, and I flipped him off.

“All I know is that I have to take care of her. Even if she never wants to be with me, even if we screw up whatever relationship we have and we’re just awkward co-parents, I’m not letting her do this alone.”

“You’re a good man, you know,” Heath said gently.

“I sure as hell don’t feel like it.”

“You know I hate talking about feelings, but do you want to talk?” August asked, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“I don’t know what more there is to say. I love her. But I feel like that’s not really high on the ladder of importance right now.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re wrong about that,” Heath said.

“She knows about Ashleigh, right?” August asked, and I threw my hands up in the air.

“Yes. We all know about Ashleigh. And yes I’m panicking because the thought of losing Addison too? I won’t do well, but that’s not because of Ashleigh. Yes, the only other person I’ve ever loved died. And I can’t get those times back. I can’t get that feeling back. She isn’t here and there’s no fixing it. I grieved and I cried and I left the situation. I pretended that I knew what the hell I was doing all this time just so I could live. Because you don’t get to pause time and grieve and find out who you are after someone that you love is gone. You have to look out into the future and pretend. You put on this mask so the world doesn’t know you’re dying inside. And I did a decent job of it. Yet even under that mask I figured it out.”

---