Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Nate didn’t say anything as Sarah opened the door, stepped through it, and left.
He didn’t have to wait long for Reese to make his appearance. He dropped down into the chair opposite, looking tired.
“Out partying all night?” Nate asked.
“Misha is pregnant,” Reese said.
Misha is a woman Reese had been seeing for the past couple of months. Some days it had looked serious, while other days it looked like they were just having fun.
“She is?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it yours?”
Reese blew out a breath. “Yeah, it’s mine. She hasn’t been with anyone since me, and I trust her.”
Misha was a high school teacher. He didn’t know how Reese had met her, and he didn’t ask questions.
“And?”
“How the fuck can I be a dad, man? It’s insane. I don’t know if I should tell her to get rid of it.”
“You want her to abort your baby?” Nate asked.
“Look at me.”
Nate stared at Reese. “I’m looking.”
Reese growled and then turned and sat properly in the chair. “I don’t know the first thing about being a father. My dad loved to beat the shit out of me, and that was when I followed all his directions. If he wanted a beer, I got him a beer.” Reese shook his head. “I don’t know how to pick up a baby. I can’t do it. I’ll ruin another kid’s life, and he’ll probably end up in a foster home, and with a group of friends. I can’t do it.”
“You can, because you know what it means to be a shit dad. You do the opposite of what yours did.” Nate looked at Reese and saw the other man’s doubts. “Be the dad you always wanted. Remember when we were kids, and you were staring at the fucking full moon?”
“So?”
“You made that fucked-up list, remember? Everything you wanted in a dad, in a mom.”
“I can’t be a mom.”
Nate chuckled. “No, but do you think Misha has what it takes to be the mother of your children?”
“She’s amazing,” Reese said. “I don’t deserve her.”
“And now, she is pregnant with your kid. You’ve got to make a choice here. Either be the father you always wanted and prove your dad has no control over you—you’re the one in control here, no one else—or you leave her and allow someone else to raise your child.”
“Have I ever told you how much I fucking hate you?” Reese said, getting to his feet.
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to a woman about a kid.”
****
Carly looked across the bar at Dalton.
“Why do you look miserable?” Carly asked.
“No reason.”
She pursed her lips. Years of knowing Dalton, she knew when he was lying, like right now.
Reaching over, she tapped him on the arm. “Come on, this is no time to mope. Tell me what’s going on.”
Dalton lifted his body and blew out a breath. “You heard the news about Reese?”
“Yeah, he’s got a kid on the way. I heard.” She couldn’t help but smile. Reese had been so excited about it on the phone, and she was going to get to meet Misha. They all had an agreement, that they were not going to introduce their other halves, unless they felt it was serious. Reese finally having a child with this woman was serious. Carly couldn’t wait to meet her.
“What’s wrong with Reese having good news?”
“I saw her first.” Dalton scrunched up his face.
“You did?”
“Well, I saw her, and then I saw this blonde chick that had a real tight ass, so I went and talked to her instead. Reese wormed his way in on Misha, and, well, the blonde chick was a boring lay, and I can’t even remember her name.”
“You do realize you have guy friends to talk to about this?” Carly asked.
“Yeah, but they will just laugh. You listen.”
“I imagine they won’t be quite so disgusted at the prospect of you talking this way about women, but…” Dalton glared at her. “What do I know?” She forced a laugh. “Are you telling me you’re in love with Misha?”
“No. I don’t love Misha. She is a boring teacher, but why does Reese get to have the fun life, and I’m stuck?”
Carly wrinkled her nose. “Maybe because Reese was more interested in conversation than Misha’s ass?”
Dalton sighed and for several seconds he didn’t say anything. “You’re right.”
She didn’t smile. Dalton hated to admit when someone else was right.
He lifted his head and looked so pitiful, in an adorable way. “What do I do, Carly?”
“About?”
“Finding a woman. Having kids. I’d be an amazing dad. I’d take them out shooting. Teach them how to fight, blow shit up, and how to get women.”
She took a deep breath. Any woman that ended up with Dalton would have to keep her wits about her. “Well, first, you’re going to have to be open to the possibility of monogamy.”
“The board game?”
“No, no, no, not a game. You know, where you only have eyes on one woman.” Dalton already looked like he wanted to tap out. “Look, some women might be okay with the idea of you cheating. Some women, a small, teeny-tiny number, and that might be because they’re cheating also.”