Page 38 of Denim & Diamonds

February

I watched as Nina walked to her car, got in, and drove away.

When the taillights were no longer visible at the end of the block, my attention turned back to the second-floor door of Brock’s apartment, waiting for him to come out.

Every second that ticked by made my heart thump louder.

Because if he needed a moment, that had to mean…

Thump.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I shook my head.

Maybe he just has to pee.

Maybe he’s dealing with Oak.

Maybe… Maybe he realized we forgot to turn off the coffee pot this morning and now he’s busy scraping some burned gunk from the carafe.

I kept staring at the door, hanging on to shreds of hope, but with every moment that passed, it grew harder and harder to breathe.

After a full ten minutes, there still wasn’t any sign of Brock, and I felt like I’d used up all the oxygen in the cab of the truck.

So I took one last gulp and opened the door.

By the time I got to the top of the stairs, I was huffing and puffing like I’d climbed a mountain.

I found Brock in the kitchen, holding on to the back of a kitchen chair, looking down. His head lifted when he saw me at the door, and I didn’t even have to ask what had happened. The answer was written all over his heartbroken face.

“It’s yours, isn’t it?” I whispered.

Brock nodded. His voice wasn’t much louder than mine. “That’s what she said.”

“Do you believe her? Could she be lying to get you to pay child support? Is she financially secure? Maybe she just wants money from you?”

Brock locked onto my gaze. “She doesn’t want any money. She doesn’t even want the baby.”

My eyes bulged. “What do you mean, she doesn’t want the baby?”

He gestured to an envelope on the table. “She brought two sets of legal documents—one signs full custody over to me, and the others are adoption papers, in case I don’t want the baby either.”

Oh God . I slapped a hand over my mouth, feeling like I might throw up. I could hang on to hope when it might’ve been a ploy to get money. But this—her not wanting anything from Brock—what reason would she have to lie?

“Maybe she’s wrong? She could think it’s yours, but maybe there was someone else? Maybe she just wants it to be you.”

Brock looked away. “I’m going to get tested in the morning. She already went to the lab and gave a blood sample. But I don’t think she’s lying. ”

“ No! No, Brock! She has to be lying!” I yelled. “Maybe she had an affair with some deadbeat or drug addict, and she wants the baby to have a good father. Anyone who meets you knows you’ll always do the right thing. You’d be a great dad.” Tears flooded my eyes. “ She’s lying! She has to be lying! ”

Brock rushed over and wrapped me in his arms. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Red.”

I swallowed a giant lump in my throat. “What are you going to do if she’s telling the truth?”

He shook his head. “I have no damn idea.”

***

The next day, I found Brock showered and dressed, sitting in the dark at the kitchen table at six o’clock in the morning.

“What are you doing up so early? I thought your appointment wasn’t until nine.”

“It isn’t, but the lab opens at seven. I looked it up online, and the website said they take walk-ins too.

I want to get there early so I’m first. Results usually take three days, but I’m going to pay for a rush, which speeds it up to twenty-four hours.

Twenty-four hours from seven AM is quicker than twenty-four hours from nine AM.

I need this done as soon as possible.” He paused.

“Do you think you could change your flight and stay another day?”

I shook my head. I’d rearranged my schedule and packed a million things into tomorrow just to have the time here I’d already had.

There was no way I could stay longer. Plus, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be around when the results came in, when all hope was extinguished.

“ I can’t. I have a meeting with the bank about the loan I need to figure out and a ton of appointments at the office. ”

Brock nodded. “When you had your pregnancy scare, you said you didn’t think you wanted children. Do you think you could date a man with a child?”

My heart clenched. “I don’t know, Brock.”

He looked so sad, so crestfallen. But I had to be honest with him. He nodded. “I understand. Will you at least stay until this afternoon? I’ll go get this lab trip over with now, and then we can spend the day together and talk more?”

“I think you need some time to think. This is a big decision that you need to make on your own, so it’s probably better if I leave on the flight I’m booked on this morning.”

Brock looked up. “On my own? But it will affect you, too.” Then his face fell. “No, it won’t affect you. Because you’re not planning on sticking around if it’s my baby.”