But I had already found out I had a nine-year-old son I hadn’t known about that day. How much bigger or more serious could it get?
“You might want to sit down,” Ben told me.
I pulled a chair over and sat on the edge of it, waiting. “Alright. Hit me. Did the club burn down? Is the plumbing going to cost me millions? Is our company in danger?”
Everyone looked at Joey. He sat forward and said, “I have some good news. Remember I told you I was looking into the thing with Nadia?”
“Thanks for the warning by the way,” I huffed. “Looked into what exactly? She told you I got her pregnant all those years ago? That I have a son?”
“Actually, you don’t.”
Everything in the universe seemed to pause for a moment. “Come again?”
“Nadia is lying,” he explained. “She found out you were a successful billionaire and tracked you down with this bullshit about having your child so she could get money from you. I got her to send me a picture of the kid and ended up tracking him down. He belongs to some friends of hers. A few phone calls and I was able to get a hold of the kid’s pediatrician. A little bribery was all it took to get him to confirm that Nadia is definitely not Simon’s mom. Which means you are definitely not the father. Unless you happened to sleep with her friend Tiffany...who I don’t think she even met until after you two split up.”
My shock turned to uncontrollable laughter. I buckled over, burying my face in my hands, unable to stop. “Oh my god...oh my god. I damn near had a heart attack. I can’t believe I bought that shit!”
“I’ve got one of our lawyers going to give her a good talking to. That should scare her back to New York so she won’t bother you again.”
“Whew!” I wiped my hand across my forehead and started gathering my things to head out the door. I had to go find Lizzy and tell her everything. I could only hope she thought it was as funny and ridiculous as I did. “I knew Nadia was nuts. And a liar. I didn’t think she’d stoop that low.”
Ben wrinkled his brows. “Where are you going, dude?”
“I told you I had the worst day ever. The Nadia thing wasn’t all of it, believe it or not. Lizzy saw us in the restaurant together and misunderstood the whole thing. She thought I was cheating on her with Nadia. I wanted to try and talk to her, but since I thought I was going to be raising a kid with Nadia...I wasn’t so sure what to say. Anyway, I’ll catch y’all later. I have to go find her.”
“Uh...Damon?” Nick said slowly. “We’re not through yet. You’re going to want to sit back down.”
“Okay, as long as it’s not too much longer,” I requested as I returned to my seat. “Lizzy is out there somewhere crying her eyes out. I have to go tell her everything. Man...I can’t believe I thought I was actually a dad!” I started laughing again. “Can you imagine!? Me? Right now? A dad! Ha!”
But the guys weren’t laughing with me. They shot each other nervous glances before they all turned to Nick the same way they had put Joey on the spot before.
“Tell him,” Ben said to Nick.
“What is it? I mean, it’s going to be hard to top all of that.”
Nick cleared his throat and scooted to the edge of the couch cushion. “Uh...well. I might have heard something about Lizzy from Del.”
My mind jumped to all the worst possibilities. “What? Is she cheating on me?”
“Uh, no. But...she is pregnant. And definitely not cheating because rumor has it she’s head-over-heels crazy for you. So, you’re definitely the father on this one.”
I felt the need to sit down, and quickly had to remember that I was already sitting down. Somehow it felt like the ground was falling out from underneath me though.
“So...you guys came here...to tell me...that I am not the father of Nadia’s kid. But that my girlfriend...Lizzy...is pregnant...and I am the father of that baby.”
Joey smirked. “It’s starting to sound like a Jerry Springer episode up in here.”
“Not funny,” I murmured, staring off into space. “I’m going to be a dad. Like a real dad. Of a baby. Lizzy’s baby.”
Ben leaned back and mumbled to the others, “Let’s just give him a moment to let that sink in, shall we?”
“Wait!” I shouted, jumping to my feet. “Why didn’t she tell me!? How long has she known!?”
Nick put his hands up in the air in mock surrender. “Hey now...I was already going out on a limb telling you in the first place. I just found out myself. So don’t ask me.”
“This is completely different. This changes everything. I love Lizzy. I was going to ask her to move in with me.”
“Guess you better clear out a room for a nursery,” Ben suggested in a smart-ass tone.
“But no! This is all wrong!” I panicked. “This isn’t how things were supposed to go at all. I just wanted to be with Lizzy. I didn’t think we’d turn into some kind of insta-family. I’m opening my club...and then more clubs! I can’t settle down and have a family right now. None of us can.”
Ben stood and adjusted the belt on his pants. “Well, buddy...hate to break it to you...but it’s a little late to decide that now. You can’t un-impregnate her. I mean...you could, technically I guess. You couldn’t, but you know what I mean.”
“I’m pretty sure Lizzy wants to have the baby,” Nick told us. “Damon...look, man… There’s never going to be a good time to settle down and have a family. It’s always going to be a struggle to balance work and life and family. But you won’t be doing it alone. I’m planning on proposing to Del.”
I did a double-take at Nick. “What!?”
“And I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you guys,” Joey added. “I’ve been thinking I’m ready to have kids.”
“You don’t even have a girlfriend! What else!? Ben!? Are you planning on getting anyone knocked up or popping the question any time soon?”
He hung his head in laughter. “Hell no.”
Nick put his hands on my shoulders again, trying to calm me down enough to get a grip. “Damon. Breathe. Ben had it right a minute ago. It’s too late to be freaking out like this. Whether you like it or not, Lizzy is having that baby. We’re all growing up and starting families, one by one.”
Ben’s hand shot up. “Not I.”
“Okay we get it!” Nick snapped. “You’re not helping, so shut up. Damon...you love Lizzy. She’s having your child. Do you want to let her do that on her own? Or with some other man? Or are you going to step up for her?”
I sighed and nodded, letting myself fall back down to my senses. Nick was right. It didn’t matter what I was afraid of. I could hide from everything, trying to stay safe. Or embrace all the good that was unfolding right in front of me. I could channel all that energy into trying to keep my fears from coming true instead.
“What a day,” I noted again, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Congratulations?” Ben shrugged. But Joey and Nick were quick to shake their heads at him. It was too soon for that.
“I’ve got to go talk to her. For real this time. Unless there’s anything else you all need to tell me?”