Page 32 of Sometimes You Fall

No sense in beating around the bush. Carrington Cove is a small town, so I’m surprised she doesn’t already know. Though, my sister is busy managing her own business and raising two kids. “The garage got broken into Friday night.”

“Oh my God, Grady! Is it bad?” My sister’s reaction is louder than necessary, but I appreciate her concern.

Penn comes rushing over, concerned by her outburst. “What? Is everything okay?”

“Yes. No.” Astrid turns between me and her boyfriend. “The garage was broken into? Seriously?”

Dallas steps up next to Willow. “Dude, I fucking heard someone talking about that at the hardware store this morning. Did you catch the guy?”

Groaning, I rub the back of my neck. “Uh, yeah. I caught one of them. It was some kids. Three teenagers. Two of them escaped, but we got their names from the other kid.”

Astrid shakes her head, continuing to serve cake. “Damn. I swear, if Bentley ever did something like that, I’d make sure he didn’t see daylight again for a very long time.”

“Yeah, well I think his mom had the same idea.” I’ve seen Scottie pissed before, but Scottie as a pissed off mom? That was a new experience.

And it was kind of fucking hot.

“You met the kid’s mom?” Penn asks.

“They called her to come pick him up since he’s a minor and I hadn’t decided if I was going to press charges or not.”

“Why wouldn’t you? He smashed in the hood of the Nova,” Dallas says. “At least that’s what I heard.”

Penn winces. “Shit. The Nova?”

“I don’t give a fuck about the car,” I grumble, hanging my head. The break-in is only part of the shitstorm I’m facing now. But I have to tell someone. Keeping the news of my impending fatherhood is eating me up inside. I have so many questions, but mostly, I’m wondering how the fuck I’m going to manage everything that’s been thrown at me recently.

Looks like your life isn’t boring anymore, is it, Grady?

Astrid puts a hand on my back, rubbing in circles. “Grady, what’s going on? I feel like you’re upset about more than the break-in.”

When I lift my head and meet my sister’s eyes, I know instantly that everything is going to be okay because I have her to lean on. She’sthe best mom that I know, and she can help me make sense of all of this—my feelings, both about being a dad and about Scottie.

“The kid’s mom is a woman I slept with a few months ago, right around Christmas. And when she came to talk to me yesterday about how to make this right, she also dropped a bomb on me that I wasn’t expecting.” I look around at Penn, Dallas, and Willow, realizing they’re all listening too. So I drop the news. “It looks like I’m about to be a dad.”

Astrid’s eyes bug out as she stutters, “I—I’m sorry?” She shakes her head. “Did…did you just say that you’re going to be a dad?”

Willow leans in closer to my sister. “Astrid, that’s exactly what he just said.”

She swats her friend away and bends her knees so our eyes are at the same level as I continue to brace myself on the counter in front of me. “Grady…how are you…what can I…” She blows out a breath. “Holy shit.”

“Say that a few more times and you might be where I’m at.” I barely slept last night and I’m definitely feeling the effects of it today.

Penn and Dallas share a look, and then Dallas steps forward. “Well, let me be the first to say it since everyone else’s brains have short-circuited.” Reaching out his hand to shake mine, he says, “Congratulations, man.”

Penn repeats the gesture, saying, “Welcome to the club.”

I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, thanks, I think.”

Penn isn’t my niece and nephew’s biological dad, but he’s been a part of their lives since they were born. And since Brandon died, he has stepped in and filled that role, even though he never intends on replacing their father. But he’s a dad to those kids, no doubt about it. Maybe I need to pick his brain about this too.

Astrid reaches for my hand, covering it with her own. “Let me serve the cake and then we can talk, okay?”

“Yeah. Sounds good.”

Dallas comes up beside me and hands me a beer. “You look like you could use one of these.”

“Definitely.” I pop the top and drain half of it before looking out over the house full of people once more. This is going to be my life from now on—birthday parties, screaming kids, diapers, and late-night feedings.

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