Page 14 of The Sweetest Chirp

Telly looks up, and I do the same to see the older lady standing at our table. She presses her hands into her hips, her eyes shooting daggers at me. “About time you showed up.” I can only gawk at her as she glares down at me. “I don’t know what your intentions are, but they better be good. Maria is the best mother I know and I love them, but this baby needs her father. She cries for you, carries a picture of you and Maria together and wonders when you’ll come for her. I was getting tired of hearing Maria say, ‘One day,’ but I guess she was right. Here you are.”

Each of her words is a slash to my chest. Anger vibrates throughout me alongside unfathomable pain. My throat works as I keep my gaze on her. Across the table, Owen says, “Bro, I don’t think that’s your kid. Her name is Maria.”

My voice is gravel as I mutter, “That’s Audrina’s middle name.”

“No fucking way,” Telly gasps, his eyes wide.

“So, that’s your kid?” Owen asks, mirroring Telly’s shocked look.

I ignore him because, really? Read the damn room. I hold the older lady’s gaze. “I didn’t know.”

“I realize that, but you’re here now. What are you going to do?”

What am I going to do?

What I promised.

I reach into my pocket, pulling out my keys and throwing them at Owen. I then toss money on the table, not sure how much we spent but knowing it can’t be more than the hundred that lands on the Formica.

“Thatcher?”

“Take my car. Go home,” I manage to get out as I stand. “I’ve got to figure this out.”

Telly’s eyes go wide as he urges, “We have a game tomorrow.”

I wave him off. “This is more important.”

“How are you going to get home?” Owen asks, and the shock on his face mirrors mine, I’m sure.

I get out of the booth. “I’ll figure that out later.”

I don’t even give them time to stop me or suggest otherwise. I move past the older lady and head toward the stairs. I feel everyone’s gazes on me, but I can’t care about anything but getting up those damn stairs. I take them three at a time, and they lead to a dark-red door. I lift my hand to knock, but I don’t want to give Audrina the choice to hide any longer. I grab the knob, turning it and entering without warning.

Audrina lets out a cry of surprise from where she’s lying on the bed with our daughter, who is resting on her belly while Audrina rubs her back. I step inside, and my stomach drops as I take in the small room. I assumed it was an apartment with bedrooms and a kitchen, but it’s basically a hotel room. Not a luxury one, but a Motel 6. There are toys everywhere and a clothes rack holding her clothes and the child’s. A desk and a little table are off to the side by the smallest kitchen I’ve ever seen. It’s basically just a mini fridge and a microwave. I don’t understand what I am looking at. Her family are billionaires, and she’s living like this?

She chose this rather than come home to her family?

To me?

What the hell?

My body is shaking with ire as I cut my gaze back to Audrina’s worried one. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she holds my gaze. It’s almost like she’s bracing for my wrath. I’m about to give it to her until my eyes fall on the child beside her. The little girl’s eyes are closed, her face red from the fever, I assume. Audrina keeps her hand moving along her small back as she holds my gaze.

Looking at her is like standing in the middle of a brush fire. Flames licking up my body, searing my skin, but I can’t move. IfI’m standing in the fire with her, I’ll burn. Neither of us speaks; we just stare at each other. Tears spill over her cheeks and gather in her lashes, but I can’t react to them. The last time I lost my cool, I lost her. I can’t do that this time around.

I need answers.

But most of all, I need to figure out a way to get them home.

CHAPTER SEVEN

As I stare into the eyes of the girl I have known my whole life and loved just as long, I’m knocked back more than three years ago.

“Thatty, it isn’t?—”

I don’t want to hear my nickname on her lips. I don’t want to hear anything from her. How dare she? I know we didn’t hash things out, but I gave her my whole-ass soul last night. Out of my mind with jealousy and fury, I snap, “And your ass better not be pregnant. If so, you better have proof it’s mine since you love to whore yourself around to the whole fucking team. I’ll need cold hard evidence it’s mine.”

I still remember how she whipped her head back as if I’d hit her, and shit, I might as well have. I know why she left me. I know what I said hurt her, but I was hurt and I was lashing out. It’s not an excuse, and I owe her the biggest apology imaginable, but damn it, why did she allow that one fight to keep us apart? To keep me from being there for her and my daughter?

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