Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“We would,” Wes said as he looked from Reece to me and winked.
It didn’t take long for my mother to get back to grilling, though. “How long have you been dating?”
“We’re not dating, Mom. Reece is…he’s…um…”
All eyes turned to me, and I somehow managed to get the words out. “He’s a friend.”
“A friend?” Mom asked, looking between me and Reece. “A friend?”
“Yes, Mom!” I practically shouted. “A friend.”
Dad looked at me with narrowed eyes. “Angie, don’t raise your voice to your mother.”
I dropped my fork. “Dad, she is grilling Reece and me. Can we not just have a family dinner where Mom isn’t focused on my love life?”
My mother looked hurt, and I instantly felt like a piece of shit. “I was just happy you brought someone home. You could have told me he was simply a friend.”
“Could I have done that, Mom?”
Rory placed her hand over mine and softly said, “Angie, you might want to excuse yourself and calm down.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so angry. Is it wrong for a mother to want to see her children happy?”
“I am happy.”
She raised her brows. “Really? You don’t sound like it.”
I stood quickly, knocking my chair over. Presley cried, “Oh shit!”
“Presley!” Harmony cried out as Preston laughed, but tried to cover it up with a cough.
“Angie, sit down and stop throwing a tantrum,” my father said.
Reece stood, calmly walked over, and picked up the chair.
“I’m twenty-two years old, Dad. I don’t throw tantrums.”
“Angie,” Reece softly said as he placed his hand on my arm. “Maybe we should step away. You’re getting upset.”
Mom watched as Reece attempted to get me to calm down and leave the room to cool off.
“What is going on?” she demanded.
And just like that, the lid flew off the boiling pot. “You want to know what’s going on, Mom? I’ll tell you.”
Reece tried to step in front of me. “Not like this,” he whispered. “Angie, you’re going to regret this.”
My mother stood. “Angela Ward, what has gotten into you?”
“I’m stressed, Mom.”
Her face softened. “Okay, well, why don’t we talk about what has you stressed.”
“I’m pregnant. And I’ve been keeping it from you because I’ve been terrified you were going to judge me. Not to mention the second you found out I was pregnant you would demand Reece and I get married, and who knows what else you’d want from us.”
“Ohhhh man,” Finn said as he scrubbed his hand down his face.
“Angie,” Harmony softly said as she looked at me with a heartbroken expression.
My mother slowly sat back down while Reece guided me down into the chair before he took his seat again. Presley handed him his fork and napkin and he smiled down at her. “Thank you, love.”
She looked at him like she was smitten, and had I not been so upset, I would have thought that was the cutest thing ever.
“You’re pregnant?” Dad slowly asked. “And Reece is the father, but you’re not dating?”
Reece cleared his throat. “I think maybe this conversation should be held without little ears listening.”
Everyone looked at Presley, then at Karleigh, who was still too young to pick up on anything. But Presley was four and was like a sponge.
My mother cleared her throat and forced a smile. “I think Reece is right. Let’s eat dinner and then we can talk.”
Dad stood. “Better yet, the four of us can talk now in my office.”
And there it was. That familiar feeling I got when I was younger and in trouble.
“Dad, let them eat,” Wes stated.
My father shot my brother a warning look and started for his office, my mother right behind him.
Reece stood, smiled at everyone and said, “If you’ll excuse us.”
How in the hell is Reece so damn calm?
Finn stood and stepped in front of me. “You’re an adult, Angie. They love you and they will move past this.”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as I reached for Reece’s hand, and we started toward my father’s office.
As we neared the door, Reece leaned in and said, “I think I might actually need your brother’s protection after all.”
Looking up at him, I couldn’t help but laugh. He was smiling down at me, his face completely relaxed.
“How are you so calm?”
He shrugged. “Maybe because I know no matter what happens, we’re going to be okay. We’ve got this. Partners, remember?”
I nodded. “Partners.”