Page 32 of Accidentally Falling
“That’s my point. How do you know he’s reliable? You can’t just jump into a relationship with a man just because you’re having a baby with him.”
“I am notjust jumping into a relationship,Mom. Jude and I are both adults. He’s been great and we’re figuring things out.”
“Figuring things out? You’re going to have a baby. God, I never wanted this for you,” she says, resting her palm against her cheek.
“Because I was such a burden?”
“What? No. You were never a burden but that doesn’t mean I didn’t struggle. I didn’t have anyone I could rely on and?—”
“And I’m a financially stable adult with a place to live and family and friends that are over the moon for me,” I cry, ignoring the way she flinches. “Even if Jude and I are only ever friends, he’sin thiswith me. He’s excited and at least he’s going to stick around.”
“This is all so sudden,” she manages, her eyes welling with tears.
“It is and I’ve struggled every day with it, but you know what? I was finally starting to be excited.”
“Arden, you should be. That’s not what I meant?—”
“I don’t care what you meant,” I tell her, spinning on my heels and heading for the door. “And now I need to leave before I say something I can’t take back.”
“Arden, please,” she calls as I race to my car, shutting myself inside as I turn the key in the ignition.
I have to blink away the tears as I back out of the driveway, and I see my mother’s hand pressed to her mouth as she watches me leave.
It’s not okay.
I’m not okay.
Tapping the phone button on the wheel, I swallow hard and do the only thing that makes sense as I say, “Call Jude Rhodes.”
17
JUDE
“Come here, you little rascal,” I call to Dez, a smile plastered on my face as he races around the backyard, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.
It’s impossible not to when the happiness is so damn infectious. Chuckling as he whips by me again, I pull my phone from my pocket, the device vibrating with an incoming call.
From Arden.
“Hey.”
“Where are you?” Her voice is shaky like she’s trying to act brave even though she’s hurting.
“Home. What happened? Where are you?”
“Can I come over?”
“Always.” I rattle off the address and whistle for Dez, who comes to a full stop before changing directions to come barreling toward me. “Do you need me to stay on the line?”
“No, I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
The line goes dead and my heart starts pumping double time at what that could mean.
I’ve gone through every worst-case scenario by the time I’ve made it from the backyard to the front with Dez hot on my heels.
His nose pushes into the palm of my hand, his weight leaning against me as we wait, like he knows I need the comfort.
Huh.
