Page 48 of A Risk Worth Taking

I rub my belly, hoping my baby will feel the love I already feel for him. “I have the money she didn’t have, and thanks to you being so good about this, we’ll give him two loving parents. But one day, I’d like to meet someone. I want the house filled with love and happiness. I want the shit you see in movies, like the perfect Christmases and family dinners. Sienna never imagined having it, but there she is, living her best life, and I want that too. But I can’t have it with you. So, I’d rather move out now and start working on creating the life I want for myself and my baby.”

“Our baby,” he interjects.

“Our baby,” I agree. “A baby we’ll be raising together for at least the next eighteen years.”

Lincoln nods in agreement.

“So, I was thinking...” I swallow thickly, hating the thought that’s crossed my mind while I was pouring my soul out to him, but if we have any chance of getting through this parenting thing together, it’s something that should probably happen. “I think we should agree to be friends.”

“We’ve always been friends,” Lincoln says, confusion etched across his features.

“Eh.” I tilt my head to the side and shrug my shoulder. “I think it was more of an ‘I worshipped the ground you walked on, and you dealt with my teenage one-sided infatuation’ sort of relationship, but I wouldn’t call it a friendship.”

Lincoln chuckles and shakes his head. “Trust me when I tell you that the infatuation wasvery muchreturned in recent events.”

“But only because you didn’t know it was me,” I say, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. “So, friends?”

Lincoln doesn’t look sold on the idea, and a part of me wants to ask if it’s because the infatuation is still there and he craves more, or if being my friend is something he isn’t interested in. But really the answer won’t matter because regardless, Lincoln doesn’t see a future with me, and we both deserve to find the person we want to spend our lives with.”

“Friends,” he finally says.

“Good.” I plaster on a smile I hope one day will become real. “Now, I need to start house hunting. Wish me luck,friend.” And with a playful wink, I disappear into my room to find a realtor.

“Haveyou had any luck finding a place yet?” Sienna asks, as we wade in the pool at the water park. Because it’s indoors, theykeep it at a perfect eighty degrees. We’re both floating on our backs, relaxing with a virgin daiquiri in our hands.

“I have an appointment this week to see a few places.” I take a sip of my drink and glance at Lincoln, who’s chatting with his brother and dad. Unlike his usual businessman attire, today he’s sporting board shorts that are hanging low on his hips, sans shirt.

“Lincoln mentioned that he told you he wants you to live with him.”

“Yeah, but he’s not thinking clearly. We can barely be in the same room as each other without fuck—” I cover my mouth, realizing my error too late, as Sienna scrambles to stand up, her drink falling into the water.

“You what?” she hisses, her gaze flitting between me and Lincoln.

“Nothing,” I choke out, standing as well. “Nothing.” I repeat.

“El, I heard you,” she whisper-yells. “Please don’t lie to me.”

“I—” She arches a brow, daring me to lie, so I switch gears. “It’s not that I want to lie to you,” I say, glancing at the guys to make sure they’re out of earshot. “But Micah’s your husband, and you don’t keep secrets.”

“You’re my sister,” she says. “Whatever you say, stays between us.”

“I don’t want to put you in that position.”

“You’re not. I don’t tell Micah everything. And I wouldn’t tell him whatever you tell me unless you were in danger or something. You’re not only my sister, but you’re my best friend, and I’ve missed you these past several years. I want you to be able to talk to me. To trust that you can tell me anything. Please, no more secrets.” The hurt on her face has me sighing in defeat.

“Okay, fine. While you guys were quarantined, Lincoln and I...” I clear my throat. “We had sex.”

Her eyes go wide. “So, what? You’re together?”

“No, that’s the thing. He has it in his head that I’m off-limits, so afterward, he regretted it and then began avoiding me.”

“That’s because of Micah,” she says with a frown. “He told Lincoln that you were too young and that he can’t be with you. You were there.”

“Yeah, I know, but that doesn’t mean Micah’s word has to be law.”

“No, but you are several years younger than him.”

I roll my eyes, hating that people take one’s age so seriously. “Age is only just a number,” I point out. “But it doesn’t matter because Lincoln obviously agrees with Micah. And after his constant hot and cold crap, I finally had enough and told him we need to be friends if we want to co-parent. Hence, me needing to find a place to live.”

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