Page 32 of Single Chance

I glanced up at her again, struck anew by those shadows under her eyes. I pulled my thoughts away from myself for a minute as I studied her more closely. “This is why you didn’t sleep much last night.”

“Yep.” Her lips fluttered upward briefly in a smile attempt that didn’t quite work.

In that moment, she looked so young, so vulnerable. I was overcome by the urge to go to her, pull her into my arms, and tell her everything would be okay. That could be stretching the truth though, because who knew how any of it would turn out?

“Does anyone else know?” I asked.

“Chloe and Presley were with me when I tested.”

My eyes went wide. Our boss hadn’t even hinted that something was off.

“They don’t know it’s you,” she added in a rush. “That’s a whole different mess.”

Mess, indeed.

“We’ll get to that eventually, huh? How are you holding up?” I asked.

“Life is weird.” She shrugged. “I have a lot to figure out. Everything from health insurance to a place to live to my career. My due date is September twenty-third. Just in time for back to school.”

“Shit,” I said.

“In spite of all that”—she smiled, and it seemed only a little forced—“this baby’s a miracle I was told I might never have.”

I might not know her well, but in that instant I had zero doubts she’d be one hell of a mom.

An image of her holding a newborn, gazing at him or her with love, popped into my head, and damn if that didn’t shake me on multiple levels.

A baby. A child. Rowan was getting her chance to be a mother. And fuck me running, I was going to be a father again.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, relieved for the distraction. It was from my daughter.

Sam: Can we have Humble’s tonight?

I stared at the words, unable to remember the last time Sam willingly reached out to me. And about dinner, no less.

“Is everything okay?” Rowan asked. “I mean, excepting our situation, of course. With the message?”

I managed a half smile. “Excepting our situation. It’s my daughter, Sam. She wants me to bring pizza home with me. She doesn’t normally even want to talk to me.”

“You should get home to her.”

Inviting Rowan to join us crossed my mind, but I dismissed it. Last night had ended with my daughter opening up to me in a small but significant way. Bringing a stranger home for dinner was a surefire way to ruin that progress.

Fuck. I’d eventually have to come clean to Sam about Rowan. That I’d gotten her pregnant. There was no way that would go over well.

One night of fun, and we’d fucked ourselves well and good and created one hell of a tough situation. I couldn’t fix it tonight. I couldn’t even comprehend all the pieces of it tonight.

Pizza first. I could handle pizza.

I replied to Sam.

Chance: Pepperoni and mushrooms?

Sam: Yes.

Chance: I’ll order one and pick it up on my way home. See you soon.

“You said your daughter’s fourteen?” Rowan asked.

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