Page 29 of Shotgun Spouse

Bunny turned away, gripping the seatbelt as Preston slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The car rumbled to life, and Bunny swallowed hard. She willed herself not to look back again.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Teddy stood in the middle of the living room, his arms crossed as he watched the scene unfolding around him like a bad sitcom. Frank paced in front of him, his finger jabbing the air with every word, while his mother sat on the couch, cradling the baby and cooing at her like she was the answer to every prayer she'd ever whispered.

“How could you let this happen?” Frank barked, his voice sharp enough to make the baby flinch. “A scandal like this, so close to reelection? Do you have any idea what kind of ammunition this gives Grant and every other person in town who wants you out of office?”

Teddy pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to summon patience. “For the last time, the baby isn’t mine.”

Frank stopped pacing, spinning to face him. “Appearances, Carter. It’s not about the truth. It’s about what people believe. And right now, they believe you and Bunny had a secret office romance, and that baby is the result.”

Teddy opened his mouth to retort, but his mother cut in.

“No one is taking my son down. This little angel is a blessing, and we’re going to sort this out. Oh yes we are,” Deirdre cooed,not looking up from the baby, who had one tiny fist wrapped around her finger.

“Mama, does this baby”—Teddy gestured toward the pale-skinned, blue-eyed infant nestled in his mother's arms—“look anything like me?”

His mother glanced up, a serene smile on her face. “Love doesn’t always work by genetics, Teddy.”

He stared at her, dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing like he was trying to catch the right words but failing spectacularly. She cradled the baby like it was the most natural thing in the world, her brown fingers brushing the infant’s pink cheek as if the child really was her flesh and blood.

“That’s not how biology works, either.”

“Details,” Sgt. Carter said breezily, bouncing the baby. “She’s perfect, and she’s here. That’s all that matters.”

Teddy shifted his focus to Frank, hoping for a lifeline of logic. “You’ve been in the office with Bunny and me for the last two years. Did you notice any pregnancy? Any glowing or morning sickness?”

“Appearances, Teddy—appearances.”

“No one’s going to think twice once you and Bunny get married," said his mother.

"That's the only solution I can see, too," said Frank.

“Besides, isn't that what you want? You’ve been in love with that girl since the day you met her.”

Teddy blinked, caught off guard. “How—how did you know?”

“Every time we talked, you found a way to bring her up. Bunny said this, Bunny thinks that. Bunny solved this problem at work. You’ve never mentioned another woman. Not once. It’s as obvious as this baby’s love for being held.” Deirdre cuddled the baby closer for emphasis. “Now you can all be one big happy family.”

The sheer audacity of his mother to just know something he hadn’t even admitted to Bunny until recently left him momentarily speechless. He sighed, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “This isn’t how I planned things.”

His mother rose and handed him the baby, patting his cheek. “Plans change, sweetheart. Life doesn’t wait for you to figure it all out.”

The baby now cooed in his arms. Her tiny hand reached out to touch his chest. Teddy stared down at her, the warmth of her small body spreading through him. Her wide blue eyes looked up at him with an innocence and trust that made something in him settle, even as his world spun out of control.

And just like that, the realization hit him. This wasn’t how he’d planned it, no. But it was what he wanted. A family—with Bunny.

His mom moved toward the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “Now, go to the mother of your child. You two figure this out while I make lunch. Frank, help me chop the vegetables.”

Frank balked. His gaze dashed towards the door. Deirdre lifted a brow at him. Frank trudged over to the island and picked up a paring knife with an unsteady hand.

Teddy adjusted the baby in his arms, her gurgles like soft bubbles of happiness as he headed toward his bedroom. Bunny wasn’t going to be on board with this—any of this. She thrived on plans, on strategies, on making sense of chaos. Teddy, on the other hand, embraced the unpredictability, the beauty of letting life unfold.

This wasn’t just life unfolding. This was the exact script he’d been writing in his head for years: Bunny by his side, the two of them building something better—together. No other man could love her the way he did. They would try to box her in, dull her edges, and smother the spirit out of her. Teddy loved her fire,the way she shone. And he loved how her brilliance made him better. He just needed her to see it too.

He reached his bedroom door and knocked softly. No answer. Maybe she was asleep. Cracking the door open, he peeked inside. The bed was empty, the covers undisturbed. The room was quiet, save for the faint whisper of snow against the windowpane.

“Bunny?” he called, stepping inside. But she wasn’t there.

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