“What? It’s the truth. Sorry for being so crass, but I never asked him to come here and do this with me. I was going to tell you both by myself.”
My dad straightened in his chair. “I don’t care how it happened, or who did what. Do you plan on getting married?”
“No!” I nearly shouted.
Dodger’s shoulders drooped. “I’d have her hand, if she’d allow it.”
“Oh my god, seriously?”
My dad’s mouth thinned into a line. “It’s my understanding that the two of you haven’t been together for a while. Maybe it’s time to make it work for the sake of the child.”
“God, Daddy. This isn’t nineteen-fifty. I’m not going to go get hitched just because I’m knocked up.”
He gave me a pointed stare. “No, it’s not the nineteen-fifties, but it is the south. Your mother and I are important people in this town.”
“Oh, so this is suddenly about you?”
“I’m not saying that. But seems to me that if you’re pregnant, getting married is the right thing to do. What are you going to do, raise this baby by yourself?”
“Damn straight I am.”
“No, you’re not,” Dodger growled.
I ignored him. I was battling my father at the moment.
“What do you plan on doing, Macie?” my mom chimed in.
I sat back and sagged in my seat. “I’ll tell you exactly what I plan on doing. I’ve already made a call to Regina at the bank and I’ve been approved for a home loan. I’ll be meeting with a realtor on Monday to go see some houses.” I licked my lips. “Listen, I’m not looking for anybody’s approval here. I’ve been under yours and Momma’s roof long enough. I’ve graduated from college, I have a really good paying job, and a decent savings account. This may not be how I intended things to go, but here it is. And you know what? It’s exactly the kick in the pants that I needed to make me be responsible for something and be an adult. I’m very sorry this isn’t ideal for you, but it wasn’t ideal for me either. But I’m doing this. I’m having a baby, and you’re going to be the grandparents. I know you both would have preferred I’d been married, but you’re going to have to deal.”
I nodded after my little speech. I mean come on, did anyone really have a choice here besides me? And my choice was made. I hadn’t actually made a call to the bank, but now that I’ve said it I probably should. I intended on moving out anyway, I just wasn’t sure when or where. My mouth just set in motion my plans. Way to really make it happen, Macie.
“You’re not moving into a house by yourself and raising my baby alone.”
Dodger looked like he was about to flip the table. There was an underlying current of rage in his eyes, and I just realized that I’d pushed him too far.
I sighed, completely exhausted. “Dodger, can we discuss this another time?”
“No.”
I blinked. “Well, princess, I’m currently not in the mood to fight. My eyes are heavy, my stupid delicious sandwich isn’t sitting well, and I need a nap. So if you want to keep this going in front of my already overstimulated parents, then by all means.”
He closed his mouth. Whenever this conversation would be taking place, I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. Hell hath no fury like Dodger when he’s this enraged. God, could just one thing go right with all of this? Pretty sure he wouldn’t be letting me go twenty-four hours before I hear an earful and he will want to meet.
Standing up from his seat, he regarded my parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Rosewood, I hope you both have a good day. I apologize for the abrupt announcement. And I promise you, I will do everything in my power to make it right. Macie will not be raising the baby by herself.”
He looked down at me as he said it. Bending down he came so close to my ear his breath from his words tickled. And fuck me if the sound of his voice speaking low didn’t turn me on a little.
“I’ll be in touch. And get some sleep. You’re going to need it.”
Before I could even reply, he kissed the top of my head and made his way out of the restaurant. That man knew how to get to me. I could push back all I wanted to, but Dodger had a certain power over me. I was very aware of that. If he hadn’t, he would be no different from any of the other males I’d had a short courtship with and walked away from. This one, however, he was under my skin. And now a piece of him was growing inside of me. Part of me knew he would eventually get his way with me. I was weak with him. But I’ll be damned if I didn’t make him work for it first.
Bringing my attention back to my parents, they still appeared to have the whole Macie just hit us with a MAC truck look. Nothing more I could technically do here. I laid it out there for them to start getting used to. And they would. I had faith in them both to come to terms with it all. I was their only child. What would they do, disown me? Fat chance.
“Well . . . good lunch,” I said sarcastically. “And would you look at that, he didn’t even finish his coffee.” I reached for Dodger’s cup and chugged. The warmth soothed my rattled nerves. “Mom, Dad, I’ll see you both at home.” I stood from the table and turned to leave. Nothing else needed to be said. “Oh, and I’ll take care of the bill.”
“SOOO, HOW DID IT GO?” Keegan asked.
“Oh, you mean my lunch that was ruined by that asshole brother-in-law of yours?”
There was a pause on the end of the phone.
“Uh, I guess that’s the one. Wait, Dodger showed up?”
“Yep, he sure did. Strutted his ass right into the middle of me about to tell my parents the big news.”
“You’re kidding.” She deadpanned.
I threw on my coat and walked downstairs. “Does it sound like I’m kidding?”
“What on earth. How did he even know you were there?”
“He claimed he was walking past and saw me. You know what? The fucker probably followed me there.”
Keegan giggled. “He probably did.”
I shook my head and checked to make sure my wallet was in my purse. Grabbing my keys, I headed out the door. Today was the day of my doctor’s appointment. Last night was crazy long due to work, but I kept getting texts from Dodger all evening telling me that we were going to talk, and there was no way in hell I was buying a house by myself. Ha! He’s hysterical thinking he was going to tell me what I could and couldn’t do.
“He’s absolutely psychotic, Keegan. I wouldn’t be surprised if the bastard put a tracking device on my car. I’ve heard of baby brain, or mental breakdowns. But, my god, I think he’s gone off the deep end. I told him I’d be there when we told his parents, not when I told mine.”
“I’m sure he meant well.”
I was stomping my feet as I walked to my car. “Are you seriously standing up for him?”
She tried to soothe me. “Macie, I’m not picking sides at all, nor am I standing up for him. But I think you need to remember that he just found out. It was probably a huge shock to him, not including the fact that he’s a Brooks.”
I turned the key in the ignition. “What does that have to do with anything.”
She laughed. “Everything!”