Page 85 of One Timer With A Wingman

For some reason his words feel deeper than a simple explanation.

“Thanks for bringing me home with you. I’ve never celebrated a holiday like this before with family.”

“And fractured your ankle,” he adds.

“It isn’t that painful and I have you doting on me. A girl could get used to this.”

“Anything for you, Buttercup.” He leans in and kisses me.

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

Aaron

Briar was able to get her removable cast off a couple of days early, which was a relief because it was very hard for her to get around campus when she had to walk with a boot on her leg. I drove her to school and picked her up. She had wanted to continue to work at Black Jack’s and put up a fight when I told her it was a terrible idea. The doctor had told her to keep as much pressure as possible off her ankle. Working an entire evening at Black Jack’s was the opposite of that suggestion. Now junior year was behind us. We both finished our exams. We said goodbye to Finn and Charlie since they both graduated, along with Hayden. Cade and Annie hadn’t decided where they were going next year, but it didn’t really matter because all Cade wanted was to be close to Annie.

The hockey house is a lot quieter now with some of our friends moving on. Briar and I still don’t have any plans for summer. I want to go home and I want her to come with me, but I haven’t had that conversation with her yet. I learned with Briar; we have to take baby steps so she won’t feel overwhelmed by the changes in our life. The changes are coming fast and they are dramatic, so it is a hard feat. For now, we are staying in Riverside because we have been waiting for an extra ultrasound that Briar’s doctor scheduled us for, since she was feeling anxious about the baby’s growth.

Now we are driving to said ultrasound and I see how nervous she is because she keeps on picking at lint on her shirt that doesn’t exist. “You’re going to be a great mom,” I say, hoping to ease her worry.

“You’re going to be a great dad. You’ve had such good examples for parents. What kind of example have I had? What happens if I take off like my dad or become self-absorbed like my mom?”

“You’re not the type to walk away from those you love and you are definitely not self-absorbed,” I huff. “You’ll be a great mom,” I repeat because it feels like she needs to hear it. “Don’t let your fears tell you something else.”

“Thanks, Aaron.”

“You have nothing to thank me for,” I say to her.

We arrive to the hospital and head inside. We head over to the imaging center. Briar goes into the exam room to change into a blue gown and I follow her inside. “Call your mom. Let’s get her on FaceTime for the ultrasound,” she says once she is wearing the blue gown.

“Thanks,” I say. After Mom got to see the last ultrasound, she was over the moon happy. This baby has been a blessing in so many ways. I’ve found a woman I am falling in love with. Mom is in good spirits, and it gives her something to look forward to. Something to live for.

“Please don’t thank me. It would make me happy for Catherine to be a part of this,” Briar says.

The tech takes us to a room. Briar lies down on the bed and the lights are turned off.

“Is it okay if I FaceTime my mom?” I ask the tech.

“It’s okay with me if our patient agrees,” she says.

“That’s a yes.” Briar is beaming. She’s excited to see our nugget and so am I.

The tech starts the ultrasound.

I turn on FaceTime.

“Hi, Catherine,” Briar says.

“Hi, darling,” Mom replies cheerfully.

The baby comes into view. “Nugget looks like a real baby now. Not like a chicken nugget.”

“Aaron, I can’t believe you just compared our baby to a chicken nugget,” Briar chides.

“What? That was the shape. I thought that’s where you came up with the idea of Nugget.”

“No, I just thought it was cute,” Briar replies.

“It is cute,” Mom confirms. “Aw, look at the little munchkin swimming around.”

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