“It’s not like—” I was cut off by someone asking about poop. He had not been exaggerating. “Gotta go. Love you.”
He said his good-bye and hung up, and for the first time since he fell, I truly believed he was going to be okay.
I worked on packing to keep my mind occupied. When it was time to go, I wanted to be able to just go. Man, I was packing a lot. I wasn’t even moving, not yet, but Jason and I had a mini brainstorming session, and in it he suggested maybe I start up my own place. The gala would be the perfect springboard. At the time I fluffed it off as silliness, but now? Now the idea was starting to get some merit. Maybe I could. I’d been with Jason since the beginning. I knew what it took to succeed. I couldn’t do it right away, of course. Jason would need me to help transition things, and I would need time to figure everything out since I was growing a human. But yeah—it could be a thing.
I took out my phone and stared at the message I’d been too afraid to say and just hit send. It was now or never.
I’m heading home soonish.
My phone immediately rang. “That didn’t take long,” I said as I answered.
“That’s because I think I just got some amazing news. Are you coming here or did you mean you are leaving work and going to your place?”
“Grandpa is getting sprung soon, and I want to be there for him, but I really can’t. I thought maybe you and Stella might keep half an eye on him?”
“About that...he’s already home and we are on it.” I was not expecting that.
“But the poop.”
“I have no idea what that means. I drove him home today.”
I gasped.
“Did he die? No. I can drive, thank you very much.” Could and should were two very different things, and he most definitely should not.
“I think we need to agree to disagree.” I took in a deep breath. I wanted to just spit the words out, tell him he was going to be a dad. But I also wanted to be there, to see his face when I told him, to see if he was doing that tapping thing he did with his toe when he was nervous, to be able to hold onto him and know everything was going to be okay. “I’ll call you when I can. I’m beat.”
“Your grandfather said you’ve been working too hard and it was making you unwell.” Great. Now I’d either have to lie outright or lie by omission. I wasn’t going to tell him over the phone. He deserved better than that. We both did.
“Well, I’m taking time off to come down. Text you later?”
“I’d like that. I’ve missed you.”
“And I you.” So much it hurt.
123
Ethan
I’ll call you tonight after I finish up some stuff and explain everything.
The phone weighed heavy in my hand as I read Keith’s text while standing on Gran’s lawn and inspecting my handiwork. The patio was done, and we’d added two chairs and a table as well as a large outdoor area rug. Potted plants sat in each corner and Gran had placed roses from her garden in a vase.
“We should have a housewarming party,” she said as she sniffed the flowers.
“For the patio?”
“Yes. A patio-warming. We can celebrate it being finished and Jim’s return home. Maybe Keith can come.” She peered at me though her eyelashes. She never gives up.
“Gramps tells me you snuck up to see him a few times when he was in rehab.” He was staying by himself but having meals delivered, and a nurse came to shower him every morning. I suspected Gran was over there more than in her own place.
Her face paled, and she clutched her chest.
“Gran! Gran! Are you okay?” Please don’t have a heart attack. I mentally kicked myself for mentioning her visits.
Floyd muttered, “Don’t die.”
“Shut it, Floyd.” My grandmother slumped into a chair. “Gramps? You’re calling him Gramps? We’re not married yet.”
It was my turn to collapse into the other chair. “Marry? Yet?” I couldn’t fathom what I’d blundered into. We sat holding hands, me thankful I hadn’t killed my grandmother and her, presumably concerned I’d stumbled onto what… their love affair? Was Gramps watching Shifter World to get tips on romance?
It was too much to process, so I squeezed her fingers and said, “Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy too.” Now I understood why she’d insisted there be a ramp leading from outside. She’d said it was for her when she got older.
“Perfect. I’ll speak to Jim about it.”
“For?”
“The patio-warming, silly. He doesn’t want to get married until he can walk without that damned wheelie thingy.” She glanced around the patio. “Maybe we can have it here.”
“Okay.” That was all I had. My head was full of Keith, and I needed to be alone. “Can I leave Floyd here for the night?”
“That’s fine.” She turned to the parrot. “But if you give me any trouble, I’ll put you in the garage.”
“Don’t die.”
Not off to a good start. I kissed Gran, warned Floyd to behave, which he’d probably ignore, and headed home.
But I couldn’t concentrate on writing. I flicked through TV channels before grabbing my bike and going up the hill where Keith and I had been on that last day. It was harder cycling up than I remembered, and hotter, but the thrill of riding down the other side had the endorphins flowing. Much better.
I was eating a snack and reading and rereading my words from the previous writing session with images of Keith in my head. The phone rang. Okay. This is it.
“Ethan,” he said before I’d greeted him.
“Tell me what’s wrong. My stomach’s in knots and I can’t eat.”
“Join the club,” he chimed in.
“Whatever it is, we can deal with it together.” Perhaps that was a bit much. We hadn’t discussed a relationship or even if we had a future. But we were still an ‘it’. I was pretty certain.
I held that thought in my head as Keith hemmed and hawed on the other end. He finally blurred out the words, “I’m so sorry.”
This wasn’t supposed to be how true love ended. There were hiccups and curveballs until the pair fell into each other’s arms.
“Baby,” he mumbled through his sobs.
That wasn’t what I was expecting. He’d never called me that before. Weird. Or was he referring to my childish behavior. “Keith, I get that I’m immature at times, but…”
He spoke over the top of me and said, “I’m having a baby, as in pregnant. Bun in the oven. Knocked up. Get it? I wanted to wait until I saw you but it’s killing me not having you know.”
Baby, as in a tiny human? I held my breath as I went to speak, but that made it hard to talk so I exhaled.
“You’re not going to say anything?”
I’m getting there.
“You’re not wondering if it’s yours, are you?” he wailed. “Because if you are, I’m hanging up.”
“Never. I’m just trying to work out how to break the news to Floyd that he’s not going to be an only child for much longer.”
Keith giggled. “You idiot.”
“Hey. I’ve just found out I’m going to be a father. I’m a little loopy.” I silently mouthed, “Yes,” because a baby, one that Keith and I produced, made me deliriously happy.
“There’ll be tantrums.”
“God, no,” I replied. “I’m stunned but so excited. Oh, you’re talking about the baby, I hope. I get it.”
“I meant Floyd.”
“Oh yes. Mega ones.” I ran with Keith’s thinking process. “We’ll explain to him that nothing will change.” Wait! No! How could a potty-mouthed parrot share a house with a young child? But I was putting off dealing with the important stuff such as where Keith and the baby would live and would I be, with them or far away?
“I didn’t do this on purpose, Ethan,” Keith said in a small voice.
“Hey, there were two of us there, as I recall. Neither of us thought to use a condom.”
“There’s so much to think about.”
<
br /> “We have nine months,” I reassured him.
“Seven and a half, but who’s counting.” He sighed.
“I’ll come to the city tonight. No matter what you decide, it’ll all work out.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I can be there in a couple of hours.”
“No, you’ve got it all wrong.” He paused. “There’s no need to drive here. I'm up to my eyeballs with work, and if you show up, Jason won’t let me finish and we have the largest event since he opened.”
“But I want to see you.” I needed to—like I needed my next breath.
“We can FaceTime—that can be fun.” My cock sprang to attention. Down, boy. This isn’t the time.
“And as soon as we’re done, I’ll come down. I need to tell Grandpa about the baby, and I can’t say something that important—shit, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you like this.”
“I’m glad you did.” I took in a deep breath. “Are you sure I can’t come to you, whip you away for an hour?” It would be worth the long drive.
“An hour wouldn’t be long enough—you know that, Ethan.”
How was he so logical? “Right.” I was disappointed at putting off our reunion, but it’d give me the opportunity to do some thinking, and I knew how much this meant to him. I remember the day he got the call about doing all the suits for the gala. It was a big deal. “Did you know about Gran and your grandfather?” Divert. Divert. Divert.
Keith’s distracted voice quivered at the other end of the phone. “W-W-What?”
“Never mind. It’s nothing.” No need to pile more things on him now. There was no hurry. And he’d be pleased.
“See you after the gala.” I was hoping he’d be here now, but I got it.
“Or you can see me tomorrow via FaceTime?” Damn, he was sexy.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Understatement of the year. If I couldn’t have him here with me, I was going to take him any way I could.
“Are you well enough to drive? I can come get you after the gala.” Like the second the last suit went out the door or the van or however they did it.
“I’ll be fine. Besides, your driving skills aren’t great. Before the baby gets here, you need to take an advanced driving course.”
“Or a try-not-to-terrify-Keith-when-you’re-behind-the-wheel course,” I suggested.
“Now you’re thinking.” He yawned. “Night, Daddy.”
“Bye, D-D-Dad.” I stumbled over the word.
A father. I was going to be a father. It was hard to make sense of it, and it’d probably be days before I could get my head around it.
Ideas were percolating in my head. Keeping my very safe and secure position at the college was the adult thing to do what with a baby coming. But what if?
I opened the laptop and sat researching and making calculations. Wow! Babies needed a lot of stuff, and then there was education and blah, blah and more expensive blah.
I sat up most of the night, writing emails and tidying up what I’d been working on. The sun was peeking into the living room as I attached a document to my last email and hit send. I rubbed my bleary eyes and sniffed under one arm. “Shower. Sleep, and when I wake up, Mexican takeout. The spicier the better.”
124
Keith
I couldn’t believe I called him and just blurted it out like that. He deserved better. Maybe a little box with a Daddy keychain on it or maybe a Father’s Day card dated next year. No. That would jinx me into going late. My due date might be Father’s Day, but babies come when they do. Not that any of it mattered.
I’d texted him—trying to buy myself time to change my mind and make a decent decision.
I failed miserably and called him, spilling everything.
And somehow, he wasn’t mad. He was...happy. And everything started to feel like it would be okay again.
Three weeks away had been horrible. Beyond horrible. The only thing keeping me sane was the crazy workload we’d been dealing with. I was coping with fourteen-hour days and couldn't stay awake after my far-too-short FaceTime with Ethan each night.
I was only a few blocks from Grandpa’s, and Ethan and I both decided I needed to see him first. Ethan offered to come with me, to stand by my side as support, but I wanted to do this alone. No. I needed to.
Grandpa was home, and from all reports, doing amazingly well, but I needed to see him to believe it. My attempts to FaceTime with him had me being hung up on at least a dozen times and my grandfather cussing at his phone, so we pretty much gave up on it. Though, the short time we managed, he’d been looking pretty good, and the nurses reported he was about to be discharged from all services within the week, and not because of insurance, but because he was ready.
And after Grandpa, I could see Ethan and we could talk—really talk. FaceTime usually consisted of Ethan insisting I needed to eat then go to bed, with a few hotter sessions, but we avoided talking about the real stuff, the important stuff. That needed to be done in person, and today we would finally get the chance. Gods, I missed him. I needed his arms around me telling me everything would be okay.
How I’d itched to call him since we said our good-byes, but we’d already said too much without seeing each other’s faces.
I pulled into Grandpa’s driveway, his house now donning a matching house number sign with Stella, only with his number not hers facing forward. It was sort of adorable. Did she get it for him or did he arrange it with Ethan? Either way was stinking cute. It was good to know that he had something going on with her, whatever it might turn out to be. He’d been alone for so long.
I climbed out of the car a little too quickly and had to hold onto the door. This pregnancy thing was going to take some getting used to. Don’t stand up too fast. Eat a cracker or two while you are still in bed to make your mornings less pukey. Don’t eat cold cuts, which was killing me. I lived for those subs, and now—they would need to wait.
All of it was worth it, though. I was having a baby, a tiny human who I already loved more than I thought I could love anyone.
Finally getting my equilibrium back, I walked up to the door only to have Grandpa opening it for me using only a three-wheeled walker. He looked good. Like, better than I’d seen him in years, good. I wasn’t sure what to say. I was pretty sure Hey Grandpa you don’t look like death was a coming anymore wasn’t going to be the best idea. So instead I just shut my mouth.
“Quit pretending you're a fish and come inside.”
“Sorry. It’s great to see you.”
“Yeah, I could tell by that hug you gave me at the door,” he teased, and I hugged him tight.
“Sorry about that. I wasn’t expecting—I mean—you look good.”
“I’d say the same for you, but you kind of look like garbage. Go sit down.” I stepped into the living room, happy to see it was back to normal. No more furniture pushed against the wall so the wheelchair could make it through. Just his room, the one where he watched too many soaps.
“About that—” I plopped down on the couch, Grandpa already in his recliner. Damn, he was fast with that thing.
“Me first.” He clicked the television off with his remote. “I shouldn’t have had you stay with me in the first place. I was being stubborn.”
“You were dealing with Aunt Kallie.” That was all I had to say on that one. “And it was good for you to stay here in your own home as long as possible.”
“I just wished I hadn’t pulled you from work like that.”
“If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be a future great-grandfather.” Because why not, just put it out there. “Grandpa, I’m pregnant. It’s Ethan’s.”
“Thank gods!”
“Not exactly what I’d expected as a reaction, but okay.” I’d take happy. It was so much better than disappointed or worried or one of a thousand things he might’ve said.
“I mean, thank goodness. I was worried you had something like leukemia. Do you know in season 3, Loretta was just like you, and I was thinking
of course she is...she’s been sleeping with Flynn for like ever and they are never careful—ever. But no, I thought what you had might have been the C word, so I was low-key freaking out.” He leaned back in his recliner. “So how does Ethan feel and what was that about—oh, it’s Ethan’s, like I’d have thought anything else?”
“Grandpa, I love you and I am saying this out of that love, but quit talking like your soap operas. Low-key? Really?” He wasn’t upset. Not at all. He was happy. Cautiously worried about Ethan and my delicate heart, but happy.
“Ethan knows and he sounded happy. We’re going to get together later and talk about details.”
“Okay, two important things; when are you due?” he asked, taking out his phone to put it on his calendar.
“When did you learn how to do that?”
“Rehab is a splendid place. Now spill it.”
“Father’s Day.” He beamed as he typed it in. “Although, you know babies come when they do.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” He set his phone down.
“So what was the other important thing?”
“I’m not sure if it is or not, but are you and Ethan planning to marry?” He failed to meet my eyes. Was he worried my child would end up like I did, with one parent until even they were gone?
“We hadn’t talked about that yet. I’m meeting up with him in a bit.”
“So there might be a complication. I’m not sure how the whole can’t marry a relative thing works.” My jaw dropped and my stomach dropped. “Do you know the rules?”
“I’m related to Ethan?” I gasped.
“Calm yourself. No, of course not. But I’m planning on putting a ring on Stella, but I won’t if you two want to get hitched, and we’ll just live in sin or whatever they are calling it now.”
It took me a minute to process what he was saying. Oh, Grandpa. Sweet, wonderful Grandpa. He connected the dots so very wrong.
“Grandpa, you can marry Stella if she wants you.”
“She does,” he cut me off, a smile on his face.
“Then marry her and fast. You don’t want her getting away.”
Love at Blind Date Complete Series: Books 1-4 Page 45