Page 110 of Finding Noah

“All four of them though?” She giggled again like I was the most ridiculous man on the planet. “They're different brands, babe. And according to every single one of them, I'm very pregnant.”

The admission had landed on me like a bomb, and now, it was settling gently, resting against my heart and soul with a featherlight touch. Delicate and soft, something so fragile that I was terrified I might break it if I stayed away for any longer.

It needed to be protected. She—Meg—needed to be protected, and who the hell was going to do that if I wasn't there?

“I'm coming home,” I announced, barreling toward the back door.

“What? Like, now?”

“Yes,” I said, determined. “Now. I shouldn't be here. I never should've been here. You were right. This whole fucking thing was stupid, and I'm an idiot, and—”

“Baby, as much as I love having you tell me all of this, it's also one o'clock in the morning. You're exhausted, you were drinking at dinner—”

“Meghan, I had, like, two beers hours ago,” I argued, pulling the door open and closing it behind me once I was inside the kitchen. “I'm not drunk. I can drive.”

“Get a few hours of sleep at least. Please.”

I stopped in the middle of the tiled floor, looking into the dark living room. Aunt Stormy and Charlie were asleep. I'd stepped outside for some air and called Meg when I was tired of tossing and turning, unable to turn off the incessant noise in my head. I would feel terrible if I left without saying goodbye, and I'd feel equally terrible for waking them up in the middle of the night when they'd only gotten to sleep a couple of hours ago.

Charlie would be up by dawn, and although Aunt Stormy wasn't much of an early bird, I knew I could talk Charlie into dragging her out of bed long enough to give me a hug goodbye.

“Okay,” I relented, but not without a little reluctance. “I'll leave after Charlie wakes up. I mean”—I huffed a laugh, remembering an important detail I'd almost forgotten—“I can't exactly get out of here without him unlocking the gate anyway.”

I was trapped, and I shook my head, chuckling at the entire situation I'd gotten myself into needlessly.

Should've gotten a hotel.

Should've looked this fucking guy up online.

Should've called the funeral home instead of making this trip up here.

Should've stayed home.

Lesson learned.

“It's okay,” Meg said. “We'll be here.”

We. I nearly gasped at the reality that it wasn't just me and her anymore. It wasn't just the two of us, and it never would be again.

We were going to be a family. All three of us.

I released a shuddery breath and scrubbed a hand against my cheek as my gaze swung to the ceiling, wishing my view of the moon weren't now obstructed.

“God, Meghan, I love you,” I said with an aching exhale. “I'm sorry I left.”

“Oh, stop it,” she replied. “Don't be sorry. Just come home.”

“I'm coming, baby. Tomorrow morning, I'm coming. I'll be there before you wake up,” I promised.

“Good,” she said. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” I said again.

I could never say it enough, and as I hung up, I wished I'd said it more.

So, so much more.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE