Page 30

Chapter Thirty

Trent

M y hands sweat as I grip the steering wheel. I must tell my dad about the baby now that it’s official. I have no idea how he’ll react, but I’m hoping he will be supportive because I need all the support I can get.

My dad steps into the hallway with a glass of scotch in hand. “Hey, what are you doing at home? Is everything okay?”

“Is Mom home?”

He shakes his head. “She’s at the salon.”

“Is Ava here?”

“She’s with your mom. It’s just me.”

I shut the front door and walk toward him, unsure how to tell him about Jemma. So, I rip off the Band-Aid and get it over with. “My girlfriend is pregnant.”

Dad’s face lights up. “I’m going to be a grandfather?”

“Yes. I don’t know what to do, Dad. I’m freaking out.”

He slides his arm behind me and leads me into the living room. “It’s okay, Trent. I’ve been here before. Once with Blake and then again with your sister. I made the wrong decision the first time, one I regretted for years. But I learned from my mistakes when your mom got pregnant with Ava.”

“Yeah, but you gave Blake up for adoption. You were in the same situation as I am now.”

We sit on the couch.

“Giving Blake up is still my biggest regret,” he confesses. “You know that. If I could have changed my mind after the fact, I would have done things differently. I’m lucky to be part of Blake’s life. I won’t allow you to make the same mistake I did.”

I wave him off. “Jemma wants to keep the baby.”

He takes a sip from his glass. “Do you?”

“Yes, I think so.” I pinch the bridge of my nose between my fingers and sigh. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I planned out my entire life. College and then the NHL. And now…”

“You can still finish college and go pro,” my dad says. “Don’t look at having kids as something that has to stop you from pursuing your dreams. You can still have it all. Look at me. I was seventeen when I had Blake. My dad convinced me there was no other option other than adoption.”

“I’m scared,” I admit. “What if I can’t do this? What if I’m a horrible father? What if I can’t give Jemma and the baby what they need?”

My dad covers my hand with his. “You’ll be a good father, Trent.

I know you will. I will not lie to you… it’s hard being a parent.

You constantly second-guess yourself and wonder if your decision will work out.

I’ve worried about you, your brothers, and your sister from the moment your mother found out she was pregnant.

I worry every time you leave the house, every time I don’t hear from you…

it never stops. Being a parent is not something you can turn off. It’s forever.”

I clear my throat, ready to cry, but I hold back my emotions. “That’s what freaks me out. I’m so afraid of disappointing Jemma and the baby.”

“It will all work out,” Dad promises, squeezing my hand.

“Just make sure you’re there for Jemma and the baby.

She will need you. There will be times when she’s hormonal and hates you.

And you’ll want to run away. But you have to be there to support her.

This is not a simple transition for her either. Put her first.”

“I will,” I whisper. “But I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Dad shakes his head. “When your mom found out she was pregnant with Ava, she thought I would be upset. But it was one of the happiest days of my life. I didn’t know what I was doing either. But I read books and watched videos, and after Ava came along, I figured it out. You will, too.”

He pulls me into a one-arm hug.

“I will need a lot of help if I’m going to have a career and a family.”

“You and Jemma can move into the house. We have plenty of room. This place feels empty now that all my children are grown and have moved on with their lives.”

“How did you do it? You were on the road a lot when we were kids.”

“Your mom is a strong woman. From the sounds of it, Jemma is, too.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Bring her home. It’s about time we meet Jemma.”