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A baby. Me being a mom and responsible for a child is a terrifying thought. I hear Hunter's key turn in the lock and know I have to tell him right away. He deserves to know now. If he wants to run, I wouldn’t blame him. This is a lot more than he signed up for, and I have no idea how he'll react but he needs the truth.
“Hi,” he smiles, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
I force a smile. “You’re not so bad yourself. Dinner is ready.”
“Cool. I need to take a quick shower. I’m a hot, sweaty mess.”
I might have taken the coward’s way out. The test was sitting on the counter in the bathroom. “Okay,” I smile.
He takes off his boots and goes into the bathroom while I stand in the kitchen and wait. Hunter comes back into the kitchen looking just a little pale. He holds up the test. “I’m going to assume this is yours.”
“It is,” I nod.
“You’re pregnant.”
“I am,” I whisper, feeling tears burning the back of my eyes.
He says nothing for several seconds. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears as I wait for him to say something. To my surprise, his face lights up with joy, his arms wrapping around me in a tight embrace as he presses a kiss to my forehead.
"We're going to be parents," he whispers, his voice filled with wonder and excitement.
In spite of everything, I find myself laughing. "We're going to be parents," I echo, feeling the first flutters of true joy in my stomach. Hunter pulls back, his hands move to rest on my stomach, a look of awe on his face. “Hunter, I know this is a huge shock. This is more than you bargained for. I understand if you don’t want to deal with this.”
“Deal with this?” he questions. “It’s my baby. It’s not dealing with anything.”
“But we’re broke and barely making it,” I groan. “How are we going to bring a baby into this?”
"We'll figure it out," he says, his eyes never leaving mine, filled with a determination that makes my heart swell. "I'll get a second job. We’ll find a way. It’s not like we’re the only ones in this position. Half the guys I work with have several kids. They’re not doing any better than we are and they make it work."
The tears start to flow. “Hormones,” I laugh.
He takes me into his arms again. "We're going to be okay," he murmurs into my hair.
Chapter fourteen
Hunter
Ababy was not something I expected, but I can’t help but be happy. I meant what I said when I told her we would make it work. There was no way I was going to abandon her or my baby.
“I’m going to take a quick shower,” I tell her. “We’ll eat dinner and talk next steps.”
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, no,” I shake my head. “There is nothing to be sorry for and it’s not like I wasn’t there. I’m a grown man and I know better. But we’re not going to call this a mistake or regret it, okay?”
She nods again. “Okay.”
“Give me five minutes.”
I leave her in the kitchen, moving to the bathroom and stepping into the shower. The warm water rushes over me and I let out a deep sigh. This is one hell of a surprise. As the water cascades over me, a rush of thoughts clouds my mind. We are going to have a baby. A baby. I was keeping a brave face, but inside I was freaking out a little.
By the time I get out, towel-dried with fresh clothes on, dinner is on the table. It's nothing fancy; but tonight it tastes like the best meal in the world.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her.
“Fine. Nauseous. I thought I had the flu.”
“You should cut back on your hours. I can pick up another job. One of the guys told me about a security job at one of the clubs.”
