Page 69 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

Chapter 23

Fiona

I’mstartingtothinkthese scholarships are not for me. Staring at yet another rejection mail deals a blow to my heart. At least if I got it, I’d be able to study my dream course. I already thought it through. I’ll work and study while Mom helps me care for the baby. Now that the shop’s closed, I have to find a way to provide the money and get my career moving. If I’m going to take care of a baby and my parents, I have to make major changes. One of the changes would be that I can’t give up. It sounds good in theory, but I’m tempted to forget about the scholarships. But if I don’t get a scholarship, how do I handle the study bills, raise a child and help my parents?

The overwhelming thoughts sit like a weight in my chest. Maybe it’s pointless to keep trying. But I can’t stop. I stand up from the sofa and sit on the floor beside the coffee table. The baby’s coming in two months, and I don’t have a solid plan yet. My heart skips a beat. The last thing I want is for the baby to be born into all of the struggles that we’re experiencing. Maybe I should just get a job and work my ass off while saving.

I scoff. What kind of job would let me save enough for college while caring for a baby? I inhale.

A knock on the door draws me out of my thoughts. I turn to the door. It’s locked. Standing to my feet, I make my way to the door and unlock it.

I pull it open to find Eleanor.

“Hey, Fifi!”

She has several bags in her hands.

“Where in the world are you coming from?” I say, stepping aside as she walks into the room.

She drops the bags on the floor in the middle of the living room and goes to sit on the sofa.

“What with all the bags? Did you go on a spending spree today?”

She giggles. “Open it.”

I angle my body away, glaring at her. What’s with her today? I shut the door and walk to the bags on the floor. I open the smallest bag and gasp almost immediately. Pulling out the colorful fabrics, I hold out one of them in my hands. It’s a rainbow-colored baby coverall. I pick up the second one, a white baby coverall. There are blue, pink, and white baby socks, a few small towels, and one yellow hat. I move to the next bag as Eleanor watches me quietly. It’s a set of baby feeding bottles. There’s a navy blue burp cloth. The other bag has grooming items from combs to hair oil, lotion, and a washcloth.

My eyes start to water. I look up at Eleanor, who’s smiling like a child. I stand to my feet with my hands up. She stands, her hands out too. When we lock in an embrace, the tears come pouring.

No one comes through for me the way my best friend does. She amazes me every single time. Eleanor isn’t wealthy, but she’d give her last dime if she had to. She always does things like this when I least expect them.

We tear away, and she wipes my tears.

“Stop crying. Don’t do that.”

Her voice is broken. She’s trying so hard not to cry but a stray tear escapes.

“Why? Why’d you do all this? El, you should be using your money for other things.”

“Seriously? You’re important to me.”

She takes my hands and sits on the sofa, pulling me beside her.

“Thank you. This means so much to me.”

She smiles and brings her hand to my face, moving a strand of hair on my face.

“How are your parents dealing with the shop closure? Must be a lot.”

“It is. The worst hit yet. Mom’s trying to get a job somewhere else. Dad’s a little weak these days. I told him to rest for a while before jumping off to get a job.”

“What about you? How are you holding up?”

I look down at the shopping bags. “Jason called again.”

She shifts in her seat, turning to face me.

“Did you finally take his call?”

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