Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Want to take a walk with me?” she asks with a look that says this isn’t a request but I’ll be polite and ask anyway.
I loop my arm around her neck, pull her in for a quick kiss to the top of her head, and say, “Sure.”
I knew she’d want to talk privately to me at some point.
She and my father flew in late last night. Max and Jules picked them up at the airport since Mom and Dad are staying at their house for a few days. I left Stephanie’s apartment early this morning to have a family breakfast with everyone, which I knew would include our parents having personal talks with Simone and me to get a grasp on the new changes in both of our lives. Dad is with Simone now—because she’s a daddy’s girl—and I knew it was only a matter of time before Mom made her move on me. Jules is cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast and Max is watching TV with the kids. Stephanie is going to meet us all for a late lunch so I can introduce her to my parents, then everyone’s going to the game tonight. It’s game five in this series against Florida and I fully expect us to put it away tonight.
“Let’s walk down to the lake,” I suggest as I release my mom and take her hand.
Max and Jules’s property abuts a small lake. It’s more decorative than functional because of its size, but it’s pretty to look at. It’s a beautiful late-April day and warm enough that we don’t need jackets.
When we reach the edge of the lake, we take seats on the outdoor furniture that’s set up around a fire pit. Mom curls her legs up under her and stares at me with bright eyes. “So…how ready are you really to be a dad?”
“Not ready at all,” I tell her with a laugh. “But I will be by the time the baby’s born.”
“Big change for you,” she muses with a serene smile. “I always wanted my kids to have babies, but I never thought you’d be the first.”
“I never thought I’d be the first either, but shit happens, right?” I tell her with a grin.
She wrinkles her nose over my curse word. She’s a public-speaking coach and thinks cursing in any form is crass. Unfortunately, with three boys, she’s had to adapt to us.
“Tell me truthfully,” she begins in a sober voice. “What are the issues you’re going to be facing?”
“Issues?” I inquire evasively. I knew Mom would poke and prod at me, but I wasn’t going to make it easy on her. I like making her work at her job as a wonderfully involved parent.
She rolls her eyes at me, another trait that lends to her youthful nature, because it’s a little immature. I grin at her and she glares at me. “Spill it, Lucas. This was an unplanned pregnancy. While I know you’re a family man at heart, I also know this wasn’t what you wanted at this time in your life. I want to help you deal, so tell me…what are the issues you’re facing?”
I contain my fond smile because she amuses me, and give her a little. “Well, the pregnancy seems to be going—”
“Not the pregnancy,” my mom interrupts me, and my eyes widen at the iron in her voice. “I want to know about you. How are you doing with all of this, and don’t think to lie to me.”
“You act as if this is ruining my life,” I say defensively over her mama-bear claws that came out.
She shakes her head, those blond curls swinging. “A baby would never ruin anything. But I also know this wasn’t in your immediate plan. This is a disruption to your life, and more importantly, you’re not doing this in the traditional sense.”
“Traditional sense?”
“Lucas,” my mom reprimands me. “Don’t play stupid. You’re young and you’re enjoying the single life. I know you, middle son. Max is the one who was always the old soul and I knew he’d settle down fast. Malik is going to be on an adventure his entire life and probably will never settle down with someone. But you’re a combo of the two. You take great advantage of your youth and you’re on a mission to squeeze every drop of fun and vitality out of your life before you do settle down. You weren’t done squeezing, Lucas, and you’re moving on to settling down not through a choice of your own, but by an accident. You were not ready for this, so I want to know how you’re doing.”
My mouth hangs open in surprise over how astute and incredibly silly my mother is. “All I can envision is me standing at a sink squeezing juice from grapes or something in my mouth.”