Page 4 of Unexpected Delivery

He steps around the small wall that encloses the entryway, and I sigh.

Wow, way to make a first impression.

I almost snort.

That fine hunk of man wouldn’t look twice at me. Not that I need to worry about dating or courting anytime soon. I have way more important things to focus on, like setting up a proper future for me and the baby.

Mr. Morris comes to find me a short while later. He managed to get the car running, but he makes it clear I need to bring it into the shop as soon as possible.

The drive home is uneventful, although I have major worries about if it’ll start the next time I need it. That would be a nightmare, considering the number of things I don’t have yet.

I shamelessly took everything Adam and I had bought for the baby. It wasn’t much, though, and I need to do some emergency shopping over the next few days.

If Adam was a good guy, I’d feel bad about purposely keeping him from his child, but I’m not risking him putting his hands on our baby the way he has with me.

I saw a video about shaken baby syndrome, and the woman sobbed as she admitted she knew her husband had a temper. She just never thought he would hurt their son.

She was wrong.

It felt a little too close to my situation, and eventually, my brain started obsessing about if it could be some warning from the universe. That alone solidified my resolve to get out.

It took months of saving and planning, but it was worth it. I managed to get away while Adam was out of state on some bullshit trip with his friends.

I never dreamed it would take so long to find an escape window, but I played it safe—only leaving when I knew he wouldn’t be around to stop me—and it paid off.

Adam’s family is wealthy. I’m sure he’ll use every resource at his disposal to track me down. My breathing quickens as panic sets in at the thought. There are benefits to not having the house or the car in my name. Becky did give me the signed title, but I haven’t gone through the process to register it in my name. There’s not much I can do about the hospital or doctor’s visits.

All I can hope is that Adam will give up and move on. I ran more than halfway across the country. I just pray it was far enough.

Chapter Two

Morris

The worst part of my job is knowing someone probably can’t afford to fix their vehicle, but still having to give them an estimate. It’s a million times worse when that person is a majorly pregnant woman whose glassy blue eyes indicate she might burst into tears at any moment.

It takes everything in me not to stomp around the desk and offer her comfort. The only thing stopping me is the likelihood that she’d tell me tofuck off.

Arbor is new to town, and both times I’ve seen her, she’s been alone. My brain can’t fathom a pregnant omega without any support, so she must have a pack or an alpha or two. It’s just a mystery as to why they aren’t here with her.

My blood boils at the reality of the situation. There are some shady repair shops, and if she had been dealing with any of those, they would have tried to take her for a ride just because they’d assume she doesn’t know any better.

That means whoever knocked her up should be in here doing the negotiations on her behalf. At least, he would be if he was worth a damn.

Which he clearly isnot.

Arbor peers over the counter, and her long dark hair sways as she appraises the charges.

“Look, I know it’s a lot,” I say, pointing to the parts total. “This is just for the parts. If you can pay that in full, I’ll try to work with you on the labor, which is this.”

There was a time before Hael bought in on the shop, when I would have done the whole thing pro bono, but that’s why I had to take on a partner to begin with.

Without Hael coming on board, I’d be up a creek. He builds custom bikes, and it’s sad to say it, but that’s what keeps the business flourishing these days.

My grandfather ran this place up until he died, and while I’ve done my best to honor the values he instilled in me…

It’s a different time.

The overhead on the building alone is astronomical, and I make almost nothing on the parts themselves. In fact, I purposely gave her the parts at cost rather than the standard twenty-percent markup.

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