The Baby Blitz (Varsity Dads #3)(25)
Author: Lex Martin
“Felipe. He’s an exchange student who’s renting my casita.”
“You’re living with a complete stranger?”
“No. He’s living in my casita. I told you already.”
“I’m really fucking confused right now.” He drops down onto the couch and places his head in his hands.
“There’s a nice-sized shed in the backyard that I converted into a casita.” When he doesn’t say anything, I try to explain. “It’s a real estate thing. It has a bed, small kitchen, and TV. A window unit for air conditioning. Nothing fancy. But my friend Charlotte took these amazing photos of the place, which helps me maintain a good occupancy rate. There’s an issue with the bathroom right now, and my plumber can’t get here until Monday, so Felipe has to use the toilet in the house. Anyway, it helps me pay the bills.”
When Sienna lived with me, I used her rent to pay for that shed. I watched the contractor do everything so fast, it made me feel a bit too ambitious, like I could do more repairs myself instead of hiring people to do them.
Let’s just say I’ve overestimated my abilities.
“I’m still stuck on you living with a stranger. If he’s coming into your house, you’re basically living with him. It’s dangerous.”
“Felipe wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“He might not, but you have no way of knowing what kind of people live back there. Are they all students?”
“Mostly.” Now’s probably not a good time to tell him about Randy, who had a shoe fetish, which I only discovered when I came home early and found him dicking my favorite pair of sandals.
“Fuck, Maggie. How am I going to sleep at night if I’m worried about some psycho hurting you?”
I look at my lap and admit the cold, hard truth. “I can’t afford this place without that income, and even with it, it’s a stretch.”
A serious stretch. An almost impossible stretch.
Worst-case scenario? I might lose this house, but I’m working my ass off to not let that happen.
“Does your family know you’re renting your house out to strangers? Does your brother? Because I can’t see Sebastian being cool with it.”
“Seeing how Bash can’t pay my bills while he’s busy studying for the LSAT, I figure it’s none of his business.”
Michael sighs and nods. “I get it. I do. I’m just gonna be worried about you. How did you end up with this house anyway?”
“It belonged to my grandparents. My abuela lived here for fifty-three years. Gave birth to my dad on the second floor. My dad’s older brother Hidalgo ended up with it, and when he passed, he left it to me for some reason. Not sure why, since I’d only met him once or twice as a child, and he hadn’t spoken to my parents in years because he and my dad had some big falling-out. All I know is Hidalgo liked me more than Bash, since my brother bit him when he was little.”
Michael chuckles. “Your abuela was sweet. She used to pinch my cheeks.”
“I forgot you knew her.” It warms my heart to know that they met each other.
Abuela was the reason we moved to Heartland Hills from El Paso after my dad died. My mom wanted me and Bash and Frannie to see her more often, since she was our last connection to our father.
As I look at the faded paint and worn-out furniture, I remember the look on my grandmother’s face when she’d talk about this house.
“At first, I wanted to flip it and get my mom and sister to move up here. Mom’s been struggling with her rent and helping me and Sebastian through school and paying for all of Frannie’s therapies. But the property taxes are killing me, which I hadn’t taken into account. Housing in Charming has had skyrocketing sales in the last few years, and it’s made my property tax bill balloon. So even though I don’t have a mortgage, everything else adds up quickly—the upkeep, repairs, utilities, and taxes, along with the money I need for school.”
When he doesn’t say anything, I fidget with the hem of my dress. “Do you think I’m crazy? Sebastian does. He says I should’ve sold the house and moved on.”
“I think you’re amazing. I couldn’t sell my grandmother’s house either.”
Michael stares at me so intensely, I have to look away. And then I remember what’s in my pocket, and my heart goes into a frenzy. “Should we look? I’m scared.”
I pull out the pregnancy test. Michael moves over to sit next to me and wraps his arm around my shoulder. My head fits perfectly under his chin. It’s such a random thing to notice, but I’m trying not to freak out, and there’s something so steadying about this man.
Closing my eyes, I rest my forehead against his chest.
His low voice rumbles in my ear. “Whatever it says, you’re going to be okay. Like I said, I’m here for you no matter what. Together, we can handle this.”
I hand him the test. “You look.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, but then he lifts my chin and gives me the sweetest smile before he kisses my forehead. “How do you feel about being my baby mama?”
A million emotions rush through me. Fear that I’m in over my head. Dread that I won’t know what I’m doing. Dismay that this is all happening so fast.
Elation that Michael is the father.
I take a deep breath and try to stay calm. “It’s a big commitment. Like, twenty years. More if they don’t leave home for college.”
He chuckles. “I can handle twenty years.”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I nod. “Then so can I.”
21
OLLY
Gasping, I sit straight up in bed. I’m covered in sweat, panting like I just ran in for a touchdown. Except the panic racing through me is definitely not from making a great play.
What the hell am I going to do? I’m going to be a fucking father. I don’t even have my own health insurance. I’m on my parents’ plan.
In the bathroom, I flip on the harsh light and blast the cold water and splash my face.
I didn’t lie to Maggie. I’ll be there for her no matter how this all goes down, but it doesn’t mean I’m not scared shitless. But if I’m afraid, she must be terrified, so there’s no way I’m going to portray anything but a stalwart conviction we can get through this.