Page 17 of This Memory (Moose Village #3)

Gavin

I woke up on November first and instantly smiled as I remembered the night before. After trick-or-treating on Main Street was over, we all decided to go to Brystol’s house. Her neighborhood had a ton of trick-or-treaters, so we made pizzas and hung out while giving away pounds of sugar.

Turns out not fighting with Brystol was a great stress reliever…

but trying not to think of all the things I wanted to do to her was distracting as hell.

Not to mention, I had to fight off an erection the entire night.

The evening ended with Evelyn and Denny walking out to their car while I said I’d meet them out there after using the bathroom.

Then I pulled Brystol around the corner, away from the door, and kissed her good night before joining our best friends.

I was exhausted when I got home and crawled straight into bed. My dreams consisted of Brystol and all the ways I could make her come.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, scrubbed my hands down my face, and stood. I still couldn’t believe Evelyn’s slip-up about Brystol being pregnant. The way everyone looked at me, I would most likely be getting a call from my mother .

Just then, my phone started ringing, and I grabbed it, swiping it before I even got the sleep out of my eyes to see who was calling, but fully expecting it to be my mom.

“Hey, where were you last night? I texted to see if you were still coming over to hand out candy with me and Harper, but you never replied.”

I headed toward my bathroom. “Shit, sorry, Declan. I ended up staying at the toy shop, then going over to Brystol’s house with Evelyn and Denny. We made pizzas and handed out candy over there.”

“No worries. How are things between you and Brystol?”

Another smile appeared as I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. “Things are good. We worked everything out. Only we might have one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Brystol got sick when we went up to the apartment above Memory Lane Toys. She threw up twice, and when she mentioned to Evelyn that she’d gotten sick, Evelyn asked in front of a big group of moms if it was morning sickness. All eyes went right to me and Brystol.”

“Oh no.”

“Tell me about it. I’m almost positive we’ll be in the newspaper section of Moose Happenings today. Everyone will assume I’m the father—and wait until my mom catches hold of this bit of gossip.”

Declan let out a whistle. “When is she going to tell people?”

“Evelyn and Denny want to announce it to the world, but Brystol wants to wait until after the first trimester. That’s when the chances of miscarrying lessen considerably.”

“That’s a tough spot. She could ignore the gossip, but how do you know Evelyn and Denny won’t start telling people anyway? ”

I sighed. “I have a feeling they already have, even though Brystol asked them to wait. I think she’s still trying to come to terms with the fact she’s pregnant, and with someone else’s baby.

Not that she didn’t realize what she was getting into, but I would imagine the reality of it all hits differently when morning sickness begins and you actually start showing. ”

“Yeah, I would imagine that would mess with your emotions. What if people ask you ?”

I rubbed at the sudden ache in the back of my neck. “I don’t know. I need to talk to Brystol.”

Declan cleared his throat. “You said things were good…friendship good? Or the way you want them good?”

A small laugh slipped free. “Friendship good, with a slight twist.”

“I don’t even want to know what the twist is. Back to the other problem, maybe Brystol needs to be firm and let Evelyn and Denny know how she feels.”

“She has, trust me. I was there last night when she told them she’s upset about the slip. If I’m being honest, I don’t know if it was a mistake or if Evelyn is just tired of keeping the news a secret. Brystol wasn’t happy, but I could tell she was trying to let it go.”

Declan was silent for a minute. “Maybe you should talk to them privately.”

Frowning, I asked, “Wouldn’t that make Brystol mad, me speaking on her behalf?”

“It might, but I think what they need is someone who doesn’t have a card in the game. If you talk to Evelyn and Denny, maybe they’ll get it through their heads why it’s important for Brystol to wait. She’s how far along?”

“Seven weeks. ”

He laughed. “Damn, you answered that fast.”

“Well, I was with her when she found out she was pregnant.”

“Riiiight. Okay, so the first trimester ends at thirteen weeks.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

He whistled. “That’s another month and a half. If what you’re saying is true, and Evelyn and Denny are too excited to wait any longer, you’re gonna need to have a real down-to-earth talk with them.”

I blew out a breath and walked back out to my bedroom, sitting on the side of the bed. “I know. Maybe I’ll talk to Brystol first. We just got on friendly terms, the last thing I want to do is piss her off again.”

Declan laughed. “Spoken like a man who doesn’t want to give up those…twists.”

I smirked. “Something like that. Listen, I better get going. I need to jump in the shower, give Denny a call, and see if they’re able to meet me for lunch.”

“Call Brystol first.”

“Trust me, I will.”

“Talk soon, Gavin.”

“Yeah, talk to you later.”

Hitting the end button, I walked into the bathroom and reached into the shower and was about to turn it on when my doorbell rang. I hesitated. What if this was my mother?

I waited a few moments, and it rang again.

“Shit. I’m getting a damn Ring camera today.”

Carefully making my way to the door, I tried looking out the side window, but when the person knocked on the door and called out my name, I let out the breath I hadn’t even known I was holding. I quickly unlocked the door and opened it.

“Why were you peeking out at me?” Brystol asked, making her way into my house.

“I was trying to see if it was my mother. I’m sure she’s heard the news by now that I’m an expectant father.”

Brystol turned and gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about that.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about. Do you want some coffee? I can make some.”

She sighed. “I gave up coffee.”

“I have some tea.”

Her brows lifted. “You do?”

Motioning for her to follow, I led her to the kitchen, where I opened a drawer and pointed. “Pick your poison.”

Brystol walked over and smiled. “You like your tea, I see.”

I sighed. “Yes, I admit, I’m a tea lover. Want me to make you some or not?”

She let her eyes move over me, and it was then I realized I was only in my briefs.

“Did you just wake up?”

I pushed a hand through my hair. “Yeah. I was about to jump into the shower.”

Her brows lifted. “Really?”

Smiling, I replied, “Did you want to join me?”

When Brystol’s teeth dug into her lower lip, my cock started to get hard. She was about to say something when the doorbell rang again.

I closed my eyes and cursed. “Now I know for a fact that’s my mother. Only she would cockblock me right now. ”

Brystol laughed. “Why don’t you go shower? I’ll get the door. If it’s your mother, I’ll explain everything.”

“Would you marry me? Because any woman who’s willing to face my mother is the woman I need to spend the rest of my life with.”

The doorbell rang again, and Brystol shoved my arm. “Go shower.”

I quickly went to the bathroom, turned on the water…and felt a wave of guilt wash over me. There was no way I could leave Brystol alone with my mother to answer all the questions I knew she’d have.

I turned off the water then quickly put on sweats and a long-sleeve shirt. My house wasn’t huge—a three-bedroom, one-story place just two blocks from my parents’ home. It was the first major purchase I’d ever made, with the help of my father and mother.

The sound of my mother and Brystol’s voices became clearer as I got closer to the kitchen.

I stopped in the threshold when I saw the two of them, heads bent together, laughing. And not just a giggle; full on, gasping-for-air laughter.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

They both looked up, and Brystol started laughing again. She actually wiped tears from her face.

Once my mother got herself under control, she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I was showing Brystol some old photos of you.”

I was pretty sure all the color drained from my face. “Mom, please tell me you didn’t.”

Brystol started to laugh again. “She. Did! ”

I closed my eyes and cursed inwardly. When my mother spoke again, I shot her a withering look.

“Oh, don’t be a poor sport about it, Gavin.”

Calmly, I asked, “You didn’t show her the picture, did you?”

Brystol reached over and placed a hand on my mother’s arm. “Oh my gosh, are there more like that?”

With an evil smile on her beautiful face, my mom nodded. “I haven’t scanned them all into my computer yet. You could come over for dinner some night, and we can go through old photos.”

I pointed at Brystol. “No! No, no, no.”

She winked at me. “Oh, come on, Gavin. I’m sure you’re not the only twelve-year-old boy who dressed up like a girl.”

I sighed, already feeling my cheeks heating up. “It was Jane Austen, and it was for National Read a Book Day at school. We had to dress up like our favorite authors.”

Brystol gasped and covered her mouth before dropping her hand to exclaim, “Oh my gosh! You were the guy they called Bingley’s Bitch in middle school!”

I gaped at her. I hadn’t heard that name in years.

“Everyone in school was talking about the boy who dressed up like Jane Austen.” She laughed even harder. “ James was the one who said your name should be Bingley’s Bitch!”

It was my turn to gasp as I took a step back. “My own brother gave me that nickname? People called me Bingley’s Bitch for years.” I frowned. No. He wouldn’t do that to me. Would he?

Brystol pressed her lips together tightly .

My mother covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, honey, I’m sure he didn’t.”

I shook my head. “That asshole.”

Clearing her throat, my mother said, “Let’s not name call.”

I laughed. “Mom, do you know how ruthlessly I was teased by that stupid nickname?”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean for it to go that far.”

Brystol lost the battle to hold her laughter in.

I huffed. “I’m going to get him back.”

My mother folded her arms over her chest. “Gavin Quinn, that was years ago. What you’re going to do is let it go.”

I frowned.

“Your mom is right. Look how stupid it was for us to hold our grudges.”

“That’s different. You didn’t have copies of Pride and Prejudice show up at random places for years!”

Brystol covered her mouth with her hand and looked away.

My mouth fell open. “That was you, wasn’t it?”

Her hand dropped and she wore an innocent expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Turning, I started for my bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Brystol called out. I could hear her and my mother following me to my room. I went to the closet, pulled down a box, and took the lid off. Both women peered into the box and started to laugh.

“That is a lot of books,” my mother stated.

“No kidding,” I bit back.

Brystol looked at me. “Why did you keep them all? ”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. It didn’t feel right throwing them away. I mean, it is Pride and Prejudice .”

“I spent so much of my babysitting money on those books.”

My mother choked back a laugh, then both of them started laughing full on. I stared at them as they could hardly catch their breath.

“It’s not that funny.”

Mom nodded. “It kind of is, but I think it’s sweet you kept all the books, darling. I’m going to head back down to the kitchen before my tea gets too cold.”

I looked at Brystol sitting beside me, wiping tears away. “Oh, man. I must have needed that laugh.”

“I’m glad you find this all so funny.”

She stood. “Do you know how many times I saw you crack open the book and start reading it.”

“And here I was, coming out here to save you from my mother.”

“Save me? From what? Your mother is lovely.”

I smirked. “She hasn’t gotten around to asking you about the bun in the oven then.”

“No, she did. As soon as she saw me, she asked if you were the father of the baby I’m carrying. She heard it from Betty Lou.”

“For the love of all that is good, how does that woman hear everything?”

Brystol shrugged.

“What did you say?”

“I told her the truth, of course. That I’m a surrogate for Evelyn and Denny, and Evelyn let it slip in front of a group of mothers. She nodded, looked at the tea selection, and decided she wanted a cup. As I was getting ready to make it, she started showing me pictures of you and James as babies.”

Confused, I asked, “Why?”

“You’ll have to ask her . But don’t all mothers do that?”

“I wouldn’t know. My mother has never met anyone I’m dating.”

She smiled at me. “I like the sound of that. Sounds weird, but I like the sound of it.”

Pulling her to me, I kissed her softly on the lips. “I do too.”

She let out a sigh. “Come on, before your mother thinks we’re bumping uglies in here.”

I rolled my eyes. “Jesus, and you run a business? How?”

She winked at me and started out the door.

I grabbed her hand. “Wait, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

With a worried look, she asked, “What is it?”

“I was thinking, with your permission, that I could talk to Evelyn and Denny. I know they want to tell the world you’re pregnant, and you’d like to wait until the first trimester is done.”

She sighed. “Is it fair for me to do that to them, though? It is their baby, and they have the right to be excited and want to tell people.”

“That’s a valid point, but this isn’t just about them; it’s also about you. You’re carrying the baby. They should respect your right to wait until you’re thirteen weeks along.”

Brystol smiled. “Thank you for that.”

Surprised, I asked, “For what?”

“For being on my side. I mean, I know there aren’t sides . But for taking the time to care about how I feel. That means a lot to me. My mother still isn’t very happy with my decision. She’s slowly coming around though.”

“She’s just worried about you, Bry. Try not to think too much about it. The last thing you need to be doing is stressing.”

She smiled again. “Thank you, Gavin. And I don’t have any issues if you want to talk to them.”

“Good,” I said, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head. “Let’s go get some tea.”

I stepped back, and Brystol looked up at me, tears in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away, started to stay something, then stopped.

“What’s wrong?

“Nothing,” she said with a soft smile. “Nothing at all.”