He chose the worst timing for his comment because as soon as the words leave his mouth, Georgia passes us.
She comes to a halt. “News flash, babe: baby showers are for everyone.” She licks her lips. “And I love the baby talk. We can practice when we get home tonight.”
He throws his head back. “You’d better keep that promise.”
She saunters closer, tips her head down, and smacks a kiss to Archer’s lips.
Today is Grace’s baby shower, and it’s being held at Faith’s house. The girls have been hard at work, making it perfect for Grace. It looks like a damn flamingo blew up in here with all the pink. Grace told her parents she wanted to keep it small, but there are still at least fifty people here hanging out in the backyard.
I’ve met Grace’s grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and countless other people I’ve forgotten the names of. Every move I make, I’m stopped and introduced as Grace’s boyfriend and the father of her child. I get asked how long we’ve dated, when I plan to pop the question, and if I’m ready to be a father. I’ve repeated the same story so many goddamn times that it’s hard for even me to remember it’s a lie.
I’m not the baby’s father.
But I want to be her father.
The dust from Gavin has started to settle. The asshole is still on leave with another principal filling in for him. The day after Cassidy moved out of the townhouse, Grace and I went shopping for the nursery. She sat on the floor, setting up her shower registry online while I painted the walls yellow and assembled the furniture.
I chuckle. “I love how she always sets you straight.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Archer groans. “Don’t act like Grace isn’t the same with you.”
“Speaking of Grace, it seems like you’ve done a kick-ass job of convincing people you’re the dad,” Lincoln says, grabbing his beer and taking a long draw. “Our plan has worked.”
“Yeah,” Cohen says. “Do you plan to step up … permanently?”
I gulp back my water and search the yard for Grace before replying. She’s at a table with the girls, her parents, and her grandmother. She throws her head back, laughing, her tight braids falling along her shoulders. She lights up, her smile bright. I love seeing her this way, especially after everything she’s gone through. She’s wearing a white dress that shows off her belly with the pearl necklace I bought her for her birthday last year.
Every day when I wake up, my goal is to make Grace’s day better than the last.
“If she’ll have me, yes,” I finally answer. “The dad is an asshole. Grace and I are together. I’ve been by her side, not him, and we plan to raise her together.”
We’ve talked about it countless times. When we sit on the bed, feeling her stomach, waiting for the baby to kick. When we’re on the couch, our favorite show playing in the background, listening to the baby’s heartbeat with the machine we bought. I’ve gone to every doctor’s appointment since the ultrasound and all her labor classes.
Cohen slaps me on the back. “I’m happy for you, brother. I’ve known Grace since she and Georgia became best friends. I’ve never seen her as happy with someone as she is with you.”
“Cheers to our relationships and babies!” Lincoln says, holding up his beer.
“I’ll cheers to babies because you’re my friends, but fuck no to a relationship cheers,” Silas mutters.
“Way to put a damper on a good day,” Lincoln comments.
“Don’t mind him,” Archer says, waving his hand through the air. “He’s pissed Lola is dating his brother.”
“First off, he’s not my brother,” Silas corrects. “And second, she’s not dating him. They went out to dinner. I told her not to. She’s not listening to me.” He says the last sentence with a twisted snarl.
Archer levels his eyes on Silas. “Man, unless you stop bullshitting and date her, she’ll continue not to listen to you.”
Our conversation is interrupted by Grace’s mom yelling that it’s time to cut the cake.
“Finn!” she says, calling me over with a wave of her hand. “Come on!”
Standing, I walk to the front of the yard and meet Grace at a long table. A three-layer pink cake sits alongside endless desserts—again, all pink. We stand at the head of it, on display, and I kiss Grace without even thinking about the crowd.
Everyone applauds, and when I pull away, a flush runs up her cheeks.
“I’m pretty sure the inside of that cake will be pink,” Grace whispers to me.
I raise a brow. “Let’s see, shall we?”
She grips the cake slicer, and my hand cradles hers.
Just as we’re about to slice the cake, there’s a loud clapping, followed by a deep, taunting voice saying, “Sorry for running late.”
Terror flashes in Grace’s eyes, and mine blaze with fury as Gavin strolls through the yard as if he owns the place. She drops the cake cutter, and it tumbles to the ground.
Gavin stands tall and smirks while staring straight at me. “I know it looks bad for the father, but traffic was a bitch.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Grace
This can’t be happening.
Gavin makes a beeline in my direction, and my anxiety worsens the closer he gets. The smirk on his face confirms he’s not here to do the right thing. He’s here looking for trouble. This is about to be a god-awful mess. He walks as if he were leading a parade, and this is one big show.
My grandmother’s wrinkled hand flies to her chest as she gasps.
My mother’s drink drops from her hand at the same speed my heart feels like it’s dropping from my chest.
My father says, “What the hell?”
“I’m going to kill that motherfucker,” Finn growls.
People speak around me—some in hushed voices, some stating their concern loud enough that I can hear.
What the heck do I do?
I look at Finn, who appears to be on the same thinking page as me. He can charge across the yard and beat up Gavin, but that’d make him look bad in front of my family and friends. I gaze furtively around the yard, and everyone’s attention is on the shit show about to start.
“Why is he here?” Finn seethes, his nostrils flaring.
“I-I have no idea,” I stutter.
As far as I knew, Gavin was still on leave. He hasn’t texted or called in weeks. Someone even mentioned they heard his wife was making them move back to their hometown.
Gavin turns in a circle before pointing at Finn. “This guy here, he’s a fraud.” He gestures to the crowd. “They are deceiving all of you. I am Grace’s baby’s father, but Grace got mad at me. Now, this guy is stepping in. But I’m going to fight for my baby.”
Finn must lose all patience because this is the moment he charges toward Gavin. He gets one punch in, causing Gavin to stumble back before Archer snags Finn around the waist and pulls him back. Considering Finn’s and Gavin’s size difference, Gavin is stupid to taunt Finn. He’d better feel lucky that Archer stopped them.
I stand frozen in place, unsure of what to do.