Knocked Up(51)

Her friend was still in bed, her blond hair splayed out in every direction, but when the door banged against the wall, she shot up and stared around in shock.

"W-what? What's wrong?" Suzette drawled, rubbing her fist over her eyes.

"I-I-" She what? She didn't know.

There were no words, no thoughts anymore. All she could do was close the door behind her, slip into the bed beside Suzette and let the tears she'd been holding back fall one by one until the pillow was soaked and Suzette's protective arm was stretched around her, shielding her from all her self-inflicted pain.

It took a solid twenty minutes for the tears to slow and another five to get the words out.

"Did you know Luke wanted to open a bike shop...or that he hated Alhouette?" she asked softly, pulling back and meeting Suzette’s gaze.

"Darlin', what did he say to you?" Suzette rubbed Tawny's arm, but she shook her head.

"He didn't say anything. I just...did you know?"

"Well, considering we've been living in the same town since we were toddlers? I had an inkling that he wasn't the biggest fan of living here, yes. As for the bike shop, I thought everyone knew about that. It was pretty much the only reason he raced."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the races were Rex's idea. Luke was working on people's bikes on the side and then Rex started the racing so he could bet. They both always gamble on Luke and, from what I hear, it's starting to get hard to find anybody who'd bet against that boy at this point." Suzette shrugged. "Now will you tell me what happened? I just want to help."

So Tawny told her everything--about what Rex had said, about how guilty she felt for holding Luke back from his dreams, and how she knew that her only option to get him to live his dream was to lie to him. To tell him she’d decided she wanted to raise the baby alone and just have him visit Luke on weekends. That a relationship between them wasn’t going to work for her after all.

“Oh, girl, no. You can’t do that,” Suzette said, shaking her head slowly. “He’s a grown man. He has the right to make that decision for himself, don’t you think?”

“So far, I’ve been the one making all the decisions because it’s what I want. What about what Luke has always wanted?” She blew out an unsteady breath and ran a hand through her disheveled hair. “All he did was have a sexy night in the lake with some girl he barely knew. He didn’t sign up for all this, Suze. I don’t want him to resent me. And more than that,” she paused to rest a protective hand over her belly, “I don’t want him to resent our son.”

“I want to go on record here as saying I think you’re wrong this time, Tawny,” Suzette said, and then reached out to squeeze her hand. “But I’m with you whatever you decide.”

So it was done then. She’d cry it all out for a day or two, work up the nerve and then she’d break it off with Luke.

He’d stick around for the baby’s birth and then he could move where he wanted and start the life he deserved.

And she'd be alone.

This wasn't about her, though. For once, she had to make something about Luke.

But, damn, it was going to hurt.



“Sorry, bro. I feel like I cock-blocked you. Did I?” Rex asked, staring at the spot where Tawny had just disappeared and Luke shrugged.

Fact was, he had, but there would be plenty of time for that. Especially if his plans went accordingly.

“She had to go soon anyway.”

"Well, if you're not worried about it, I'm not." Rex took another bite of his bagel and Luke glanced down at his own, his mind racing.

"I'm actually a little glad we got this chance to talk alone."

"Why?" Rex frowned.

"I need to ask you something." Luke stood and made for his bedside table.

Ever since he'd gotten it, he hadn't worked up the nerve to take it from the place he'd hidden it. But now, after last night...

He couldn't keep it secret anymore.

Velvet box in hand, he returned to the table and flipped open the little box, showing his brother the simple silver ring and circular diamond that had seemed so perfect for Tawny.

"Woah." Rex blinked down at the ring, then took the box, examining it closer. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. I wanted to know if you might help me come up with a proposal plan. I mean, the baby and everything didn't go the way she'd hoped, so I thought if I did something extra special--"

"Wait, wait, wait." Rex held up his hands. "Pump the breaks. Are you sure about this? Getting married is huge. And if you're just doing it for the baby?”

"I'm not, though. I love her. It's like everything that happened between us--the accident, the lake, the baby--it's like it was fate." Luke shook his head. "I can't explain it. I just feel like this is right. It's what I'm meant to do."