Page 116 of Babies for the Christmas Grump
He notices me immediately. His expression flickers with curiosity, but he doesn’t say anything right away, letting me take the lead.
“What’s going on, Ryder?” Nolan asks, a slight edge of concern creeping into his voice. He knows something’s up.
I swallow hard, my thoughts a tangled mess. I know I have to explain, but where do I even start?
“She’s pregnant,” I say, the words coming out rough and unsteady.
He blinks, pausing. “Pregnant?”
“Yeah. Twins.”
Nolan raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything at first. Instead, he takes a slow sip from his cup, waiting for me to continue, processing the information on his own.
“I don’t know what to do,” I finally admit. “I’m not ready for this. I don’t think I ever thought I’d want a family, but now… Now I can’t stop thinking about it. With Sunny, it feels right.”
Nolan sets his cup down and leans against the desk, his eyes intense on mine. “It’s a big change. I get that. You’ve spent years building this world around you, and now you’re facing something you never saw coming. But you can’t let this mess with you. You can’t be frozen in fear.”
I know he’s right, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
“I fucked up, Nolan. I stood there like an idiot when she told me. She was looking for reassurance, and I couldn’t give it to her. She needed me, and I froze.”
Nolan tilts his head, considering. “She’s scared too, you know. She probably doesn’t know how to process all of this either. The shock, the fear, the suddenness of it all. It’s not just on you.”
I run a hand through my hair, the frustration building again. “I want to be there for her. I want to be the guy she needs right now, but I don’t know how. And now… now she’s shut me out. She left before I could even get the words out.”
“You can’t blame yourself for her leaving, Ryder. You didn’t push her away on purpose. But you must go after her. Talk to her. Let her know you’re there. Let her see that you’re ready for this, too. She’s not going to figure it out without you.”
I let that sink in for a moment. Nolan’s always had a way of cutting through the noise, getting straight to the heart of the issue.
I’m still scared. Scared of being too late. Terrified of saying the wrong thing.
But I know he’s right.
“I need to fix this,” I say, more to myself than to him. “I need to make her understand that I’m here. I can’t let this slip away.”
Nolan nods, his expression softening a bit. “True, but you can’t do it right now. She and Marjorie went out. Gala supplies, I think. Dex said something about a DJ drama…”
Fuck.
I stop in my tracks. I wasn’t expecting that. I thought maybe she’d have stayed at the hotel, perhaps we could have talked this out, but now I can’t even reach her.
“What kind of DJ drama?” I ask, frustration leaking into my tone.
“Something about a last-minute cancellation or a conflict, I think. Dex didn’t give me all the details. You know how it is when the hotel’s in full chaos mode.” Nolan shrugs, as if the whole thing were a minor inconvenience.
But it’s a damn disaster to me.
“Of course. Nothing’s ever easy,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose. I need to do something,anything, to show I’m not completely losing control.
Nolan watches me carefully. “You could wait for them to get back, but… maybe it’s better to give her space for a little while. You’re not going to fix everything in one conversation. Trust me. I get it. But don’t make things worse by rushing in when she’s already tense.”
I know he’s trying to help, but it doesn’t ease the tight knot in my chest. I need to see her. I need to tell her I’m here for her.
But at the same time, he’s right. If I chase her down right now, I might make things worse. She’s already so overwhelmed.
“I hate this,” I mutter, turning away and pacing. “I hate feeling like I’m not there when she needs me.”
Nolan stands quietly for a few seconds before speaking again. “Look, sometimes people just need time to process things. You can’t be everything to her all at once. But when she’s ready… you’ll be there. Just make sure you’re patient. She doesn’t want pressure. She wants to know you’re not going anywhere.”
