Page 71 of Sticking Around

“Okay, so then maybe for the first time in your life, it’s time to take your own advice.”

23

Brady

I’ve been driving around aimlessly for hours now, my thoughts a chaotic mess as my painful conversation with Melanie plays out on repeat in my mind, until I don’t know what’s up or down anymore.

Melanie is pregnant…

My God, I can’t be a father. What the hell do I know about raising a baby, and don’t I have enough responsibility as it is? What if I fuck the child up? Or worse. What if something happens to me and I can’t be there for them?

I take deep gulping breaths, and when I nearly rear-end the guy in front of me, and car horns start honking at me, I pull over. That’s when my phone rings, and I snatch it up to see that it’s Noah. I stare at his number and debate on answering. I’m not much in the mood for conversation, and I’m sure he’s fully aware of what’s gone down by now, which means a lecture is incoming—and deserved. Fuck, I can only imagine that he’s going to tear me a new one.

And why would he do that, Brady?

Oh, because of the way I reacted and handled the situation.

How did you handle it, dude?

Like a goddamn asshole.

I have no doubt he’s going to yell at me for the things I said to Melanie, and for making a stupid bet in the first place. What was I thinking? I might have been joking with the guys, but Melanie was never a bet to me and I can’t even imagine how much that would have hurt her. But fuck, she didn’t believe me when I tried to tell her the truth, and after getting to know her, I can totally understand where all the distrust came from.

You didn’t believe her either, dude.

Jesus, do I really think she’s the type of girl to trick a guy? No, I fucking don’t, and yeah, I lashed out, because I’ve spent a lifetime with others taking things from me, using me for what they want—I can see that so much more clearly now, thanks to Melanie—a woman I’ve really hurt. A tortured groan rumbles out of my throat. Deep in my heart, I know she’s not a woman to take advantage of anyone. Which is why I want a future with her, and why I left the house early today. I didn’t want to just tell her how much I loved her. I wanted to show her.

Yeah, you did a real good job of that, asshole.

Oh God, what the fuck have I done?

I start breathing so hard and fast, I begin to hyperventilate. Even if I went to her now, no way is she going to forgive me for the things I’ve said, and I’m not sure she’ll ever believe she was so much more than a bet. Trust is hard for her, taking people at their word even harder, and I fucked all that up. I pound the steering wheel, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I debate my next move.

When my phone continues to ring, Noah not letting up, I slide my finger across the screen. “Hey.”

“Brady, where are you?” I sit up a little straighter when I hear the panic in his voice.

I glance around, not really sure where I am. “I’m over in Weston. I think.” Christ, I don’t even know how I got here.

“You need to get to the hospital. Brighton and I are here with Melanie.”

Hospital?

Panic bursts through me. “What the fuck, Noah? Is Melanie, okay? Is the baby…” Did Melanie have a miscarriage, brought on by anxiety—compliments of my cruel words. Or maybe she’s at the hospital to…

My heart lurches and as I grip the steering wheel, my life flashes before my eyes, everything that’s important and precious to me, suddenly coming into clear view. My blood drains to my toes, my vision narrowing as I try not to panic.

If anything happens to either of them…

“Which hospital?” I ask, and flick on my signal to pull back into traffic.

“Brigham.”

“The baby?”

“We’re waiting to hear.”

I hear beeping sounds in the background, and a fresh wave of fear washes over me. “Noah…”

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