Page 13 of Falling for You (Balsam Cliffs #2)

Getting up and out of the house with a baby is no easy task, and I learned that the hard way this morning. My alarm went off, which was useless because we were awake about twenty times last night and at four a.m.

For. The. Day.

I spilled my coffee going to the car because I was trying to do a balancing act of all the shit a baby needs for a short day trip.

Or what I think she needs. Any way it plays out, my coffee ended up on the ground.

And since I’m avoiding Esther at Emerald Roasters, the queen of gossip, I’m stuck stopping at the chain coffee shop on the way to Portland.

I need coffee today even if it tastes like burnt grounds from the bottom of the pot.

I plug the doctor’s office into the GPS and throw the truck into drive.

My mind starts to wander while Olivia sleeps in the back.

When I get home, I’ll have a roommate. A roommate that I’m in love with, and now more than ever, can’t have.

This day just keeps bringing the blows and I haven’t even left Balsam Cliffs, or gotten coffee yet.

I roll my eyes to myself, at my own current predicament.

Two hours later and we’re done at the lab. Olivia was so good the whole time. Cooing, attracting every woman in a twenty mile radius with how cute she is. If I didn’t have my brain solely focused on Emma, this would be a gold mine for attracting dates.

Olivia’s obsession with blowing raspberries made the whole process easier for the doctor, and much faster than I thought it would be.

They told me that I should be getting an email in two days max with the results.

But the more time I spend with her, the more I look at her, truly look at her, she’s mine.

There is no denying the similarities between us.

Now the hard part is going to be telling my parents. Their insurance agency is only a few minutes away. Being the largest in the area, means a massive office space in the heart of Portland.

I finally find a parking garage that isn’t full near the agency, and roll the stroller up to the front door.

I struggle like I did at the doctor's office to get the door open and a stroller through. I didn’t want to bring the stroller, but I also didn’t want to lug this surprisingly heavy carseat all the way from the public parking lot to my parents’ office.

However, being a sweaty mess from struggling to get the damn stroller open probably isn’t the best either.

I think I really do need that baby backpack.

“Rome?” Evelyn runs over to help me.

“Hey, Eve.” I kiss her cheek and push Olivia through the door.

“Uh, why do you have a baby? Please don’t make me call the cops on my brother,” she whispers under her breath, assuming so our parents don’t hear.

“She’s mine. Eve, meet your niece Olivia Rose Thomas.” I smile broadly, taking Olivia out of her carseat and snuggling her into my arms.

“What?” Eve stares at us, “Where did you get a baby, Roman?”

She rolls the stroller to the corner of the waiting room.

“I just picked one up at the store on my way here.” I roll my eyes at her. “How the hell do you think I got a baby? Nevermind. Please don’t answer that. You’re still a virgin in my mind.”

Olivia reaches for my face and I lean down to nuzzle my nose on hers. She seems to like it when I do that.

“I need you to back up. Like a lot.” She crosses her arms, but immediately takes Oliva from me when she reaches for her, cooing and blowing raspberries like she does. “Oh my God, she’s a freaking doll.”

Olivia reaches for her face too, and Eve catches her chubby fingers with her lips for a kiss.

“Well, you got somewhere we can sit without prying ears? I’ll tell you the whole story.”

Evelyn nods her head down the hallway, indicating that she wants me to follow her.

I drop everything on her. From the one night stand, right up to the Ryans coming into the brewery. Her eyebrows still haven’t come down at the shock. It doesn’t even sound real to me and I’m living it.

“So. We came here to get the paternity test done at the urging of Livvy’s grandparents, and I’m 99.9% sure that this is coming back positive, she’s my daughter.” I shrug, and lean back in the conference room chair, crossing my arms behind my head.

“Wow.” She looks between me and Olivia, “I mean, she definitely is your mini me. There is no denying those Thomas genes.”

“Evelyn, where are—oh. Hello, Roman.” My father walks into the conference room, clearly unhappy to see me. “Evelyn, whose baby are you holding?”

“It’s your granddaughter, Olivia Rose.” I interject before Evelyn has to be the one to give the news.

“I’m sorry.” Dad narrows his eyes. “I don’t believe I heard you correctly.”

“Why don’t we just go get Mom so I only have to do this once,” I sigh, getting out of my chair, knowing I need to face the music.

“I’ll get her.” Eve hands Olivia back to me over the table.

I hold her in my arms, running my finger over her chubby cheeks before kissing each one. She is so happy I can see how Mimi K and Ems were obsessed with her after just a few hours. As scared as I am, I might be crushed if this test comes back saying I’m not the father.

“Evelyn, what is so important?” I can hear my mother walking down the hallway protesting her work day being interrupted. The heels she insists on wearing click-clacking all the way.

Evelyn is practically pushing our mother into the conference room. “Mom, will you just listen? Roman is here.”

She takes the seat that Eve occupied just a few moments earlier. Only this time I’m about to shit myself at the thought of spilling this story.

Even though I left the family business to pursue my hobby of brewing full time, and to escape the control they held over me, it still feels like getting pulled into the principal’s office whenever they’re around.

“Mom, Dad. This is your granddaughter, Olivia Rose Thomas.” I pause, turning Olivia in my arms to face the firing squad.

“I am sure you have a lot of questions but I don’t have a lot of answers.

Olivia’s mother was a tourist and I didn’t know much about her.

But her parents came by the brewery and said that she has passed away so Olivia needs her father, at least that’s what Blair wanted. ”

“Oh, thank God. So there is still a possibility this isn’t true.” Mom breathes a sigh of relief.

“Uh… They’re twins. Do you really think she isn’t his?” Evelyn raises her eyebrows as if to question my mother’s hope.

“Babies change all the time. You never can tell when they’re only…” She looks at me to fill in the blank.

“Four months old,” I provide the answer she’s looking for.

“Oh gosh, yes, much too soon to tell. So let’s not rush around spreading this news until we know for sure.” Mom smiles, her shoulders dropping what would be considered a relaxed inch for her.

“Even if the test results aren’t as we hope, we should keep this close until we can figure out what to do about the situation.

Adoption is always an option, Roman. No need to mess up your life any more than you already have.

” My father rests his hand on Mom’s shoulder.

Both of them are smiling like they’ve solved the world’s largest problem.

My father has been getting involved in local politics lately and I’m sure this scandal doesn’t need to be added to his list of infidelities that could become unearthed.

“I should know tomorrow. So how about we hold off on any more judgements until then, yeah?”

“You’ll let us know as soon as the results are in?” Mom stands to join Dad at the door, ready to leave as soon as they feel they can.

They aren’t asking from a place of caring, a place of wanting to support me and Olivia. No. They’re asking from a defensive place. Ready to take on and hide whatever needs hidden.

Without waiting for my answer they leave the conference room and Evelyn and I both wait to hear the click of Dad’s office door.

No doubt I’ll have a list of lawyers and adoption agencies in my email before I’m even out of Portland. Hell, probably before I even make it back to my truck.

“I can move home, Rome. Live with you to help you. Not like I couldn’t do my work remotely.

” She closes the conference room door. “Besides getting to spend time with my niece would be a nice change of pace.” Sadness crosses my baby sister’s face and the tic in my jaw automatically starts. I know it’s Neil.

“Eve, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She looks up to me with a big fake smile on her face. “Everything is great. I’m just tired from all the social events.”

I narrow my eyes at her, not believing the bullshit she just gave me. “Are you sure? There’s nothing?”

“Not a thing. But seriously, how are you going to take care of this princess if you work nights?”

“About that. Emma Keaton is moving in, right about now. She’s going to be my nanny.

Since Livvy can just go to the inn with her and the cabin she was living in is under heavy demolition, it just makes sense.

” I place Olivia back in her car seat. Her little lip quivers but I give her the pacifier I learned is a lifesaver and she quiets down, eyelids fluttering after her busy morning.

Eve raises a brow, pinning me with her knowing stare. “Emma, huh?”

“It’s not like that and you know it. Hunt would kill me after he rips off my balls.” I grimace at the thought. After all, I only have a month to figure out my shit.

“He’s a fucking asshole. He doesn’t get a say in anyone’s happiness.” Her cheeks flush red with anger.

I never did figure out what happened between them.

They were never best friends like Hunt and I, but they didn’t hate each other.

“I wish you’d just tell me what happened so I could kick his ass and the three of us could move on.

You’re my sister and he’s my best friend.

It kills me that you two can’t be in the same room.

And knowing him, he probably said some stupid shit he didn’t mean. ”