Page 11

He emerged from the water grinning from ear to ear, not phased in the slightest by the glares being sent his way. “Sorry, did I interrupt girl time?”

“You’re such a loser,” I grumbled.

“Takes one to know one,” he shot back, jumping out of the water.

He sat down in the spot I’d vacated, dripping everywhere, his eyes flicking between Mom and me, narrowing as they did.

“What am I missing?” he asked, scooping up the jelly beans my mom had left on the lounger and dropping them into his mouth. “Have you been crying? What did Doug do?”

My mom rolled her eyes and glanced at me, but stayed silent. It was my news, she was giving me the opportunity to tell it. I was so, so tempted to chicken out and ask her to do it when I went back to New York, but I’d already faced the music twice today. Third time’s a charm, right?

“I’m pregnant.”

He scoffed hard as he rubbed a towel over his wet hair. “Seriously, what’s going on?”

“I’m pregnant.”

His hands stilled, the towel remained draped over his head and confusion twisted his face. Eventually he glanced at my mom, who still hadn’t said anything, before his eyes focused back on me. “You’re pregnant?”

I nodded.

“You’re going to have a baby?”

“Yes.”

“But…but…but…um, who the fuck with?”

“Matthew,” my mom warned, and he was smart enough not to swear again.

“Sorry, but come on.” His entire body twisted around to mine. “Millie, you’re seriously pregnant? Who’s the father?”

This was the bit I’d been dreading. Telling my mom was different than telling my brothers, because it wasn’t so much that I was pregnant, more who I was pregnant with . I knew the pregnant part wouldn’t go over well, but it would be a piece of cake compared to the rest of the information .

“A friend.”

“A friend ? What friend?”

Oh god, this was going to be exactly like when I’d told my mom and he repeated everything I said. I glanced over to her, pleading with her to help me in some way.

“He’s friends with Radley’s boyfriend.”

Matty’s eyes narrowed. “Radley’s boyfriend is Lux Weston.”

“Yes,” I nodded, “that’s correct.”

“Which friend ?” he asked through a clenched jaw.

His face was getting pinker by the second. I was tempted to see if I could actually get his head to explode, but thought better of it.

“Tanner Simpson.”

“ Tanner Simpson? ” He snarled. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Matty—”

“Mildred, he plays for the Lions. The New York Lions. We are not a New York family. What’s the matter with you?”

“Stop calling me that, it not even my name!”

He jumped up. He had barely dried off, so water droplets flew everywhere. “I’m going to kick his ass.”

“Yeah, I’d like to see you try.”

“You think I couldn’t kick his ass?”

“You couldn’t even kick mine .”

I squealed as he reached over to grab me, no doubt an attempt to throw me in the pool like the hundreds of times he had before. I’d learned quickly that size doesn’t always equal strength and my height meant I could kick him in the shins effectively enough that he couldn’t pick me up.

“Enough. Both of you,” my mom snapped and pointed at my brother, rubbing his leg where I’d made contact. “You can’t do that anymore, be careful of her.”

Her words were sobering enough to stop the both of us. Without another look at me, Matty got up and stormed off, muttering something about being an uncle under his breath. My mom turned back to me after we watched him disappear into the house.

“He’ll come around, don’t worry. It’ll just take a bit of getting used to, for all of us.”

“I know. I am sorry, Mom.”

“I know you are, honey, but we’ll get through it together. As a family.” She straightened her shoulders, composing herself. “You wanna grill tonight, Doug will be home soon, or we can get takeout. What do you feel like?”

“I’m happy with anything, Mom, thanks.”

Standing up, she cupped my face in her hands before leaning down to kiss my cheek. “I want one of those mugs that says ‘World’s Best Grandma.’”

The tears came out of nowhere, too fast for me to brush away. “You got it.”

As she walked back into the house, I grabbed my phone and went to sit on the edge of the pool, my legs dangling in the water. The ringtone only sounded once before Tanner answered.

His face filled the screen, black Lions baseball cap on backwards, and from the sweat dripping down his neck, I’d interrupted a workout.

Blue eyes danced with amusement, a broad smile stretched from ear to ear, and for a second I totally forgot what I was calling about.

I was suddenly grateful for it. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad .

“How’d it go?”

“Could have been worse.”

“Hey, that’s something.” He laughed.

“Yeah.” I paused as he wiped a hand over his face. “Are you sure you’re still on board if I go through with this? I don’t want you to feel pressure.”

“Pressure me up, Mills. I’m in this with you. I’ll support you all the way.”

My eyes stung from the amount of tears I’d shed recently, but these felt different. Decisive. A little more hopeful.

“Then I guess we’re gonna be parents.”