Page 38 of Twins with Daddy’s Bestie

“I didn't choose her, Leonard. But what she and I have is different than–”

“Bullshit!” he yells, pacing with his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turn white. My stomach swirls knowing how badly he would love to pummel me. “I've been a good friend to you! I've been there for you; I've defended you over the years. How could you do something so selfish like take advantage of my daughter?”

Olivia stands up and holds her arms at her side, with an indignant look on her face. “Nobody is taking advantage of me, Dad. Drake didn't pressure me into anything. I wanted to be with him.”

Once again, he shakes his head and refuses to accept the truth. “I can't believe that. You're a smart girl, Olivia. Can't you see him for what he is? All he wants is to use you and throw you away like the countless other women in his past.”

I stand up and put my hands on the table, too, staring at him with the passion I feel for his daughter clear on my face. “You're wrong. I care about her in a way I've never cared about any other woman, Leonard.”

He turns his attention toward me and narrows his eyes, walking around the table as quickly as he can to stand over me. I'm a pretty fit guy, but Leonard is a brick house. I understand his anger, but I didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.

“You disgust me,” Leonard seethes. “You're a pathetic excuse for a man. Leave my daughter the fuck alone.”

I don't know if he expects me to cower beneath him and submit, willingly giving up the best thing in my life right now, but I don't. I shake my head and straighten my spine as I look him in the eyes. “I can't do that, Leonard.”

I briefly turn my attention to Olivia, offering her a reassuring smile to let her know that I'm okay. The moment I take my eyes off Leonard, his fist collides with my jaw and sends me crashing to the ground. It takes me a minute to realize what happened and for the pain to catch up to me, but when it does, my entire face is sore.

Now, I'm angry. I've spent the day telling myself I wouldn't let myself get to this point, that he deserves to be angry. But punching me is the final straw.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Olivia shouts, running across the room to stand over me so her dad can't hit me again. “You wonder why I don't tell you things? This is why!”

“You don't know him like I do!” Leonard shouts back, pacing the room again and holding his aching fist. “I've practically grown up with him. He uses women, Olivia. I've seen the heartache he's caused, and I don't want you to be hurt by him, too. Please, just listen to me. You don't want to be involved with him.”

Olivia looks at me with tears in her eyes, and I slowly get to my feet to wrap an arm around her and let her know I'm here for her. If her dad doesn't support this, it will break her heart, but I'm here for her.

“I'm sorry, Dad,” Olivia says, her voice cracking as emotion spills out.

“You need to leave him before it's too late, Liv,” Leonard pleads. His anger is slowly dissipating, and I can see the desperation in his eyes. It breaks my heart to see that he thinks so little of me.

“You're going to have to get used to this if you want to be around me,” Olivia says, reaching for my hand to hold. I squeeze her hand tightly, silently letting her know I've got her. “I'm pregnant, Dad.”

Leonard freezes. “No,” is all he whispers.

Olivia nods slowly, tears spilling down her cheeks. “It's true. I'm going to keep the baby, and we're raising it together. I want you to be a part of this, so please–”

She doesn't get to finish the thought before Leonard storms out of the room and leaves my house. Olivia closes her eyes tightly, and all I can do is hold her and tell her it's going to be okay.

25

Olivia

ONE MONTH LATER

It's been a month since the dinner with Drake, and I haven’t spoken to my father. I have good days and bad days, but I've never been more thankful for Drake and Callie. Callie can't stand Drake, but she's at least putting on a supportive face to avoid stressing me out. I think she might even be coming around to like him a little bit.

“I need to get you that Marie Kondo book as a housewarming gift because this is ridiculous,” Callie says as she loads a plastic tote filled with rarely used cooking utensils and tools into the back of the U-Haul truck. She volunteered to spend her weekend helping me move into Drake's house, and I'm so grateful.

I laugh, lift a smaller bag, and put it in behind her. Even though I am moving out of our apartment, Callie has refused to let me do any heavy lifting. The most I can carry is a small suitcase and bags full of bedsheets.

“Drake could probably use that, too,” I joke, thinking about the various antique vases he has filled with dried palm leaves around his house and the closet filled with oil paintings he likes to shift around occasionally.

“Speaking of,” Callie says cautiously, dropping a box, and wiping the sweat from her brow. “Why isn't your man here to help with all the heavy lifting? Isn’t that the one thing they’re good for?”

“What an outdated mindset,” I jokingly chastise. “He's at lunch with his father.”

“And he didn't want you to come?” I can hear the skepticism in her voice, and there are myriad questions behind it. I look at her and shake my head with a soft laugh.

“It's a business lunch,” I say, watching as she slowly nods. “Plus, he said there's something personal he needs to talk to him about. Me being there would only make it more complicated.”