Page 35 of Daddy Issues

“Hi, honey.”

“Hi.” Her voice is groggy and cute. I so badly want to slip into bed with her and let her wake up slowly in my arms. She pushes the blankets off of her shoulders, a flash of pink on her wrist reminding me that she’s off-limits right now and that even though I’ve fallen in love with her and want to scoop her up, she may not reciprocate those feelings.

Not wanting to bring that up first thing in the morning, I ask her, “You ready for the beach?” Her eyebrows pinch, lips pursing quizzically and my heart sinks. Shit. What is happening?

“Something’s actually come up, so I’m going to have to skip. I’m sorry. I’ll come out and tell Mila that I’m sorry.” She moves to get up, but I press my hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down.

“No, honey. It’s okay. You deserve a break. Mila and I can just go, she’ll be fine.”

Hailey looks heartbroken and unsure, making my heart pound erratically in my chest with uncertainty. Her behavior is off.

“Are you okay, Hails?”

“Yes. Of course. Just need a day. Getting mentally prepared for tomorrow. You know how my mother can be. It’s fine. Everything is fine.” She says the last part like she’s trying to convince herself of it and not me. But I don’t press, respecting the space she’s clearly asking for.

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything okay?”I love you.

Mila and I head to spend the day at Grace Beach, and what was once an activity we were perfectly content doing just the two of us, feels incomplete without Hailey here, too.

CHAPTER12

hailey

Father’s Daybrunch at my parents’ house is slightly uncomfortable. I haven’t been in the same room with Graham and my dad since everything started happening between us, and to say the air is thick with discomfort would be an understatement. Graham seems to be taking everything in stride, falling easily into the conversation the two of them share. I, on the other hand, am trying to breathe through the waves of nausea from a lovely little mix of nerves and the smell of eggs benedict. Mental note: stay away from eggs.

Hannah sits relaxed in her chair, Liam’s arm draped over her shoulder, and my heart flutters. I love my sister, and seeing her finally get her head out of her ass and realize Liam is endgame makes me incredibly happy. I’m only slightly jealous that she gets to be with her person.

Graham must make a joke because my dad’s head falls backward as a deep belly laugh releases just as guilt rushes through me. This could very well ruin the relationship they’ve had for over twenty years.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself long enough to get through brunch, I glance in their direction for a moment just as Graham looks my way, giving me a quick wink, his lips twitching at the corners ever so slightly—just enough for me to know that he’s holding back the smile he reserves for every time I walk into a room.

My heart settles slightly. Food gets passed around and I fill my plate with a warm Belgian waffle and fresh fruit, skipping the egg and meat options because even the thought of them sets off a ripple effect throughout my body and I’m already on edge.

We all eat in comfortable silence, my sweet niece sitting to the right of Liam and clearing her plate like a champion eater until she’s had enough of sitting still. She’s already lasted longer than I thought she would have.

“Mila, if you’re finished, do you mind taking Charlotte to play in the backyard?”

“I don’t mind at all, Mrs. Cynthia,” she says to my mom’s request before facing Charlotte, whose eyes are lit up like a Christmas tree. Mila is so good with Charlie, and I wonder how she’d take the news of becoming a big sister. If that’s what Graham wants. If I find the courage to tell him.

“Excuse me, I’m just going to run to the restroom,” Graham excuses himself, my eyes tracking his every movement. He follows behind the girls as they skip off through the house, the room a little quieter until we all hear the back door shut and muffled giggles filling the air.

“So, any of my girls want to tell me who this belongs to?” my wicked witch of a mother sneers, waving a positive pregnancy test in her hand as if the goddamn thing was a spoon instead of a piss-coated stick—even if it does have a cap on it.

Everyone in the room freezes, and my heart lodges in my throat, bile rising slightly. I thought for sure taking the test at my parents’ house was a safe bet since I live at Graham’s, especially if I buried the damn thing under bathroom tissue in the wastebasket. I should have known better. Rookie mistake that is going to severely cost me.

All eyes in the room move to Hannah, Liam looking at his wife with stars in his, because of course Liam would be happy if Hannah got pregnant, he loves being a family man.

“Beauty, are you pregnant?” Liam whispers, but the quiet stillness of the room makes his words echo for all to hear.

“Oh, no, no, no,” she says as she frantically shakes her head. “We’ve been so careful, and my implant is still good. It’s not me.”

“Lo?” Hannah’s head whips to our sister, her eyebrows lifting in question. I wring my fingers together in a bruising grip under the table, having to really fight the nausea rolling through me right now.

“No. Absolutely not. Sorry to our parents if that’s what they’re expecting, but I have zero interest in being a mother. Ever.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Graham walks into the dining room, the tension thick and heavy, my nerves completely gone, leaving me just a shell of nausea and fear. I can feel the heat rise on my cheeks, my hands clammy, and I don’t know if my body is going to pass out or throw up. There’s a good chance it’s both. In fact, yes, for the love of god, please let me pass out, that would save me from this embarrassment and shitstorm that is sure to combust my life and Graham’s. I stand abruptly, needing some air, the room suddenly too small.

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