Page 120 of The Genius
Hunter laughed. “Now you’re dreaming, my friend. Not all women marry their protector.”
“It’s not a dream.” I propped myself up on my elbow and focused my blurry eyesight. “Shelly is really pregnant with my child.”
Hunter gaped. “For real?”
“Yeah, for real.”
He sat up. “Wait, I’m confused.”
“Shelly and I began having sex together and she got pregnant.”
“But you’re not married,” he said and rubbed his chin.
“Not yet. But we will be soon if I can convince her. Boulder found us making out tonight and he was close to killing me for it.”
“Shit. That’s bad.” Hunter pulled his knees to his chest and leaned on them with his head in his hand. “Hang on – I’m very drunk so I have to make sure I get this right. Are you saying that you’re going to be a father?”
“Yup.” I nodded my head with drunken exaggeration. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“And Shelly Summers is the mother?”
“Yup, the genius herself.”
“Jesus Christ, congratulations.” He lit up. “That’s fucking phenomenal. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you love her?”
I broke into a wide grin. “You have no idea. I’m so fucking screwed, that’s how crazy I am about her.”
“And you’re going to marry her?”
“I would have already, but Shelly doesn’t see the point.”
Hunter’s expression changed to a serious and more guarded one. “Hmm, that does sound like something a Motlander would say.”
“The good thing is that she has moved into my apartment, and she says that she loves me.”
“Hmm.” Lying back down, Hunter stared up at the ceiling of the tent. “This could get ugly. If it was me I would go crazy with jealousy. I mean, your woman is among single men here and they don’t know she’s taken.”
“Iamgoing crazy.”
“How can she say that she loves you and not want to marry you?”
“Because despite her being a genius, sometimes she’s not very bright.”
Hunter nodded. “This is why I’m staying away from women in general. They break your fucking heart.”
“Who broke your heart?”
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just say that you’re not the only one who’s had his marriage proposal rejected.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Is that why you’re so protective of Willow? Because you know what it’s like to have your heart broken?” I asked.
