Page 96 of One Pucking Surprise
I let out a shaky breath, glancing between them. “Where are the others?”
“Whitney and Cora took Alice to the movies. Noah’s out of town,” Blair answers.
She studies me, her tone shifting. “Seriously, Zach, what’s going on?”
I drag a hand down my face, the words slipping out in a rush. “I broke up with Lainey.”
“You what?” Blair says, her voice rising in disbelief.
Dad’s expression shifts, his brow furrowing deeply, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Because you were right,” I snap, gesturing toward Dad. “You’re always right, aren’t you? I’d just screw it up, anyway.”
Dad’s expression hardens, his voice sharp. “What are you talking about?”
I throw my hands up, frustration bubbling over. “The curse, Dad. The fucking Darling curse. None of us can make it work. You showed me that nothing good lasts—first with Mom, then with everyone else. We’re all too scared to even try now. You think that’s a coincidence? It’s not.”
Blair’s jaw drops. “Wait a second. You broke up with Lainey because of some made-up curse? Are you serious right now?”
Dad’s face falls, and he takes a measured step toward me. “Zach, is that really what you think?”
“What else am I supposed to think?” I snap. “After Mom died, you didn’t grieve—you buried yourself in work. You pushed us to be perfect, to find someone perfect. But no one is ever good enough, are they?”
Dad exhales heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “Zach, listen to me. After your mom died, I didn’t know how to handle it. I was broken. I didn’t want to see the same happen to you kids. Yes, I pushed too hard, but that wasn’t about you. That was about me. My fear, my mistakes—not yours.”
Blair cuts in, her voice sharp. “And what does any of that have to do with Lainey? You love her, Zach. Why would you throw that away?”
“Because it would’ve ended the same way,” I say, my voice trembling. “Just like it always does. Why would I think I could break that cycle?”
Dad’s gaze softens, and for the first time, his tone is gentle, almost pleading. “Zach, you’re not me. You’re not your siblings. What happened to us—what led to those outcomes—had its own reasons. The ‘curse’ you’re so afraid of? It’s not real. It’s fear. And fear doesn’t have to control you unless you let it.”
I shake my head, the frustration still boiling. “You don’t get it. It’s not just fear—it’s history. Every time someone in this family tries, it blows up. Why would I think it’d be any different with Lainey?”
“Because she’s different,” Blair says fiercely, stepping closer. “And you’re different with her. I’ve never seen you care about anyone the way you care about her.”
Dad watches me for a moment, his gaze softening. Then he let out a heavy sigh. “Blair told me everything, Zach. About what Clarissa did to Lainey, what she did to you. I’m sorry. Inever meant to make you suffer. I just wanted the best for you.”
Before I can speak, Dad continues, his words catching me off guard. “Zach, I was wrong about Lainey. I see that now. I was wrong about you, too.”
My throat tightens as his words sink in, but he isn’t finished. “When I saw you at the reunion, I saw something I hadn’t seen in a long time. You were happy, Zach. Genuinely happy. But I let my pride and my own fears get in the way. I thought maybe someone like Clarissa would be better for you. I was being selfish. Greedy. And I see now how wrong I was.”
Blair steps closer, her voice soft but firm. “Lainey was the best thing that ever happened to you, Zach. Why would you let her go?”
“And now she’s carrying your child,” Dad says, his voice quiet but deliberate. “Don’t let my mistakes make you lose her.”
The weight of their words slams into me. For the first time, the fear I’ve been holding onto feels smaller than the thought of losing Lainey forever.
“Fuck. But she hates me now,” I mutter, the weight of my mistakes crushing me.
“No, she doesn’t,” Dad says, his hand resting firmly on my shoulder.
“No, I mean I screwed up.” My voice cracks as I rake my fingers through my hair.
Blair’s voice sharpens, cutting through the haze of guilt. “It’s not just this Darling curse nonsense, is it? What else are you not telling us?”
“I got in my head. I saw her talking to this guy, and I just… lost it. She used to have feelings for him, and I convinced myself it meant something. I used it as an excuse to push her away.”
“You ruined it over… what? A stupid crush? That’s low, even for you.”
