Page 66 of One Unexpected Gift

“What did I do? How can I fix it?” He was afraid to touch her, afraid not to.

“See?” She hiccuped back a sob. “And then you do that?” She pushed to her feet and went into the kitchen.

Nick followed her, keeping a respectful distance. She opened a cupboard and took down a glass, filling it with water from the fridge. She drank the entire glass, then refilled it, setting the full glass on the kitchen island between them.

“Would you like something to drink?” She sniffed and wiped her face with the cuff of her sleeve.

“Sure,” he said. “I’d love a glass of water.” He wasn’t thirsty but he wanted to keep her here, keep her talking to him, even if it was about water.

He watched as she filled a second glass and slid it across the counter. “I’m sorry.”

Ignoring the water, he rounded the island and cupped both shoulders in his hands, a bit more forcibly than he meant to. “Skylar. Look at me.” When her tear-filled green eyes finally lifted to his, he softened his hold. “What’s wrong, baby?”

He wasn’t sure where the endearment came from. He never used them on Trish or any other girlfriend. Maybe it was having an actual baby in the other room. Or maybe his feelings for Skylar were different from feelings he’d had for other women. Whatever the case, it didn’t freak him out as much as her odd behavior.

“Stop being... you.” Her chest fluttered in something between a cry and a sigh.

“I can be an ass a lot of the time, but I’m not sure what I’m doing here? Do you want me to leave?” He didn’t let go of her yet, even though he feared she’d push him away.

“No.”

“Good.” He sighed in relief and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “Whatever’s going on, I’ll fix it, okay?”

He hadn’t a clue what it was or how he could fix it, especially if he was the problem. All he knew was that he didn’t like seeing Skylar so upset. He cradled her head to his chest and stroked her back in what he hoped was comfort.

“Don’t take Gabby away from me.” She gripped the back of his shirt and held on, even when he leaned back so he could look at her.

“Take her? Why would I do that?”

“Your family could.”

“My family? Skylar, why would you think we’d take Gabriella from you?”

“Because I’m a single mother.” She sniffed into his shirt, not looking up at him.

He rubbed circles in her back. “And if I took her from you I’d be a single father. No judge would do that, not that I’d push for it anyway. You’re the better parent for her, that’s obvious. But like I’ve said already, I want to be part of her life as well.”

“Your mother... you said she wants grandchildren.”

“Of course she does.” He kissed the top of Skylar’s red hair not understanding the direction of this conversation or why she was so upset.

“What if she wants custody of Gabby? What if she tells a judge I’m not a fit mother because I could be deployed? I don’t know what I’m going to do when my maternity leave is over.” Her body shook with tears again. “And I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I’m setting myself up, throwing myself to the wolves.”

And then it hit him. She feared his family. She must have learned about their background, their wealth. However, had she dug into his family line she would’ve seen they weren’t the tyrants like his grandfather was.

“Come here.” He released his arms from her and reached for her hand, guiding her to the kitchen table. He pulled out a chair and gently pressed on her shoulders until she sat. “I appreciate your honesty, telling me about your fears. I can wholeheartedly and with one hundred percent conviction tell you my family would never take a child away from her mother.”

“Has this happened before?” She wiped her nose with her sleeve, and he loved her more for it.

Love. Did he love her? Maybe. He could definitely see himself falling in love with someone like Skylar. Someone who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and who also wore her heart on her sleeve.

“Almost.”

Skylar sat up straight. “You’ve gotten another woman pregnant?”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” He scooted his chair closer to hers and took her hands in his, resting them on the table. “My mom got pregnant when she was eighteen. My grandfather, my dad’s dad, demanded they have an abortion.”

“That’s awful. Why? Eighteen is young but if she had her family’s support...”

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