Page 95 of Made for Wilde

“I’ll record the whole thing.”

Another promise that’s easy to keep. I’d already planned to document every second of Charlotte’s performance, wanting to capture her milestone for our child to see someday.

“Thanks, brother.” The relief in Jason’s voice is palpable. “Don’t know what I’d do without you sometimes. Charlotte’s lucky to have you looking out for her.”

Each word of gratitude feels like a knife between my ribs.

The trust in his voice makes me want to confess everything right then. To tell him that yes, I am looking out for Charlotte, but in a way he never intended or would approve of. That I love his daughter. That she’s carrying my child.

Instead, I swallow hard.

“That’s what friends are for.”

“Exactly.” Jason sounds more cheerful now. “Hey, how about we grab beers when this contract business settles down? Been too long since we’ve caught up.”

“Sounds good.” The words taste like ash in my mouth.

After we hang up, I stand motionless in Dana’s pristine kitchen, the phone heavy in my hand.

The irony of the situation isn’t lost on me. Jason trusts me completely with his most precious person, not knowing I’ve already betrayed that trust in the most fundamental way possible.

Yet beneath the guilt, there’s something else.

A fierce determination to be worthy of both Charlotte and Jason’s trust, even if in different ways than Jason imagines. To be the man Charlotte needs me to be, the father our daughter deserves, and eventually, hopefully, the friend Jason can forgive.

I pocket my phone and return to the living room, where the two women who matter most to me wait.

I gently shake Charlotte’s shoulder, pulling her from the deep sleep she’s fallen into on Dana’s couch. Her eyelashes flutter against her cheeks before she opens her eyes.

“Time to go home, baby.”

Charlotte blinks up at me, recognition dawning slowly.

“I fell asleep.”

“You needed it.” I help her sit up as Dana appears with Charlotte’s jacket.

Charlotte accepts the jacket with a sheepish smile. “Sorry that I was such terrible company.”

Dana waves away the apology.

“No apologies necessary. Growing a human is exhausting. I’m just glad you were comfortable enough to crash on my couch.”

We say our goodbyes with promises of doing this again soon. Dana hugs Charlotte longer than necessary, whispering something in her ear that makes Charlotte’s eyes brighten with tears before she nods firmly.

The sight of my sister and the mother of my child embracing fills me with a contentment I never expected to feel.

The night air is crisp as we walk to my truck. Charlotte leans into my side, still warm and pliant from sleep. I help her into the passenger seat, taking a moment to admire the way her hair falls in waves over her shoulder, catching the porch light.

Even tired and slightly rumpled, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

I slide behind the wheel. The familiar rumble of the engine breaks the mountain silence as we pull away from Dana’s house.

“Your sister is amazing,” Charlotte says. “I was so nervous about tonight, but she made me feel like I’ve always been part of your family.”

“You are part of my family.” I reach across the console to take her hand, her small fingers disappearing into my grip. “You and our daughter.”

Charlotte smiles and squeezes my fingers.