Page 71 of Draft Pick

He said he loved me, but did I love him?

Or was my judgment clouded by baby hormones making me feel a certain kind of way?

What if I mistook the baby cloud for real feelings, and it was me who ended up changing her mind once the baby was here?

What if I turned into the asshole and broke Cason's heart?

"I need to think about it," I said, overwhelmed. "I'm not saying no, but…"

"But you're not saying yes, either," he finished for me.

I couldn't deny he was right.

"Do you still want to buy me a pair of jeans?" I asked, biting my lip. "I promise to pay you back when I get paid," I said, hoping to soften the question.

He looked at me as if to say, 'Woman, you're trying my patience,' and I bit back an inappropriate smile.

There was nothing funny about this situation.

And yet, sometimes, all you could do was laugh because crying wasn't an option.

Now that I'dcome clean with Starlie about my parents, it was time to set the record straight with my mom and dad. I knew exactly how this conversation would go but couldn't run from it for much longer.

As I drove up to my parents' house, I could feel a knot tightening in my stomach as I prepared to face my dad. The old fears and insecurities I thought I had outgrown crept back. I knew what I needed to say, but the weight of years of trying to meet his expectations made my words feel like lead in my mouth.

But I was done waiting for the right moment to break the news. The sooner I dealt with this loose end, the faster I could go to Starlie with a clean slate and a plan.

Parking the truck, I took a deep breath before stepping out, steeling myself for the confrontation ahead.

The moment I entered, the familiar scents of home did little to ease my nerves. My mom was pouring her five o'clock glass of wine in the kitchen, and my dad sat in his usual spot in the living room, reading briefs from the day. They both looked up, surprised to see me on a weekday evening.

"Cason, darling," my mom cooed, coming straight to me with a delighted smile. "How lovely to see you. What a treat. Would you like to stay for dinner? Adelita made chicken enchiladas with Spanish rice."

I loved Adelita's enchiladas, but I had a feeling no one would be hungry after I dropped my bomb on dinner plans.

"Mom, Dad, I need to talk to you about something important," I began, my voice steady despite the pounding in my chest.

My dad's eyes narrowed. "This sounds serious. What's going on? Did you get any pushback from the strength and conditioning coach for seeing the professional I set up for you?"

I ground my teeth. One, I didn't go to that meeting, two, not everything in my life revolved around football. Taking another deep breath, I blurted it out. "I'm going to be a father and I wanted you to know."

The silence in the room was heavy enough to smother the oxygen from the atmosphere. My mother paled her wine glass, frozen midway to her mouth. "Excuse me?" she queried, desperately hoping she'd misheard me. "What did you say?"

My dad answered for me. His gaze hot. "He said he knocked some girl up. What the hell were you thinking, Cason?"

"Cason, are you sure?" The desperation in my mom's tone mirrored her stricken expression as she sank into the chair before taking a deep drink of her wine. "Please tell me this is some kind of bad joke because I amnotlaughing, Cason."

"I would never make a joke out of something like this," I said. "It's real."

The room fell into stunned silence, quickly shattered by my dad's explosive reaction. "Are you out of yourgoddamnmind, Cason? You're on the brink of your career and couldn't be careful enough to use protection? What is this? Some deep-seated, self-sabotage bullshit? Haven't I drilled it into your head that you never put your faith in the other person — always wear protection! How hard is it to buy a pack of condoms for Chrissakes!"

His words stung, but I stood my ground. I wasn't going to waste my time trying to defend my actions, what happened, happened, and it was time to accept the outcome. "It's done, Dad. I'm taking responsibility, and I don't need a lecture."

"The hell you don't," my dad roared, rising from his chair to glare at me. I was taller than him by a few inches, but that never stopped my dad from trying to go toe-to-toe with me. "How far along is she? Is an abortion an option still?" My mother gasped, but my dad ignored her. "Well?"

The idea of getting rid of my baby girl made me see red. "Not an option. Was never an option, no matter how far along she is. I want this baby. I've seen her little heartbeat, watched her little legs and arms wave and kick like a tiny ninja. I'd fucking die for her, Dad."

"Her?" My mom's mouth trembled at my admission. "You know it's a girl?"

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