"You are plenty. You are the best thing a baby could have. You’re a wonderful person and you’re going to be a great mom.” Suzette wrapped her arm around her friend and Tawny let another tear fall before swiping it away.
Tawny shook her head. "I tried to force Luke into my dream and he had no place there. What kind of person am I that I never asked what would make him happy? What his dreams were?"
Suzette shook her head. "Sweetheart, I think you're getting a little emotional. When tomorrow comes, you'll be able to see everything more clearly."
"When tomorrow comes, I'll still be alone."
Suzette frowned, then, quirking her mouth to the side, she held up one finger. "Hang on right here for a minute. I have something I want to show you."
She rushed upstairs and Tawny waited, still doing her best to choke back the tears threatening her at the back of her throat and stinging the corners of her eyes.
When Suzette reappeared, it was with a computer in hand, and she took her seat again before placing the thing securely on her lap.
"What's all this?" Tawny asked.
On the web screen there was an image of a tiny little shack near the edge of the woods--the only thing recommending it was the massive barn near the edge of the trees, but the bricks were old and crumbly looking. The polite way to put it was likely that it had good bones, but not much else.
"I was thinking if you didn't break up with him today, you might be able to talk him into getting this place. It's on the edge of town—fifteen minutes closer to the city, and that barn could easily be converted into a bike shop, don't you think? It's already zoned residential and commercial because the woman who lived there was a hairdresser before she died. It’s super cheap and has been on the market forever.”
"How did she die?" Tawny asked, staring at the picture, trying not to let Suzette’s plot get the best of her and shake her resolve.
"Not important. There may have been...a grizzly murder. But that was ten years ago!” Suzette rushed to add, ignoring Tawny’s shocked gasp. “The house has been abandoned ever since and that’s why it’s such a steal, don't you think?"
Tawny raised her eyebrows. “Even if he didn’t care about the fact that the place is likely haunted and was the site of a murder, Luke doesn't want to live in Alhouette, Suze."
“No. He didn’t used to want to live in Alhouette. Now I’m convinced of that, way more importantly, he doesn't want to live without you." Suzette brushed her shoulder, then gave it a little squeeze. “The least you can do is come clean and give him the option. Don't you think?"
"But to put him through all that for nothing?" Tawny shook her head. "It's selfish. It's selfish to ask him to stay."
"It's selfish to take this baby from him, too," Suzette murmured and Tawny looked at the house again, trying to examine it with new eyes.
If the windows had shutters and flower boxes...if the floors were redone and the walls were painted? It might be a nice family home. And it was still close to Luke’s family and Suzette. It would be amazing if the baby had a chance to be with both his parents, but—
“Ah!"
A sharp pain pierced her insides, and she felt a strange sensation inside that seemed to travel. With a gasp, she looked down to find that her maternity pants were dark with something wet.
She could barely process what she was seeing as the pain subsided. Jesus. This was it. She was having the baby.
Panic threatened to take her over as she breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth--or was it in through her mouth and out through her nose? God, one contraction and she was already losing track of everything she'd learned through all her reading.
She shot an alarmed-looking Suzette a weak smile as she leaned back and breathed deep again. "I owe your parents a new couch. My water just broke.”
Suzette’s eyes widened and she let out a squeal. “This is the worst couch ever anyways. Oh my god, Tawny!”
"I know," Tawny said, the realization finally hitting her that it was time. It was really, finally time. "We're having a baby," she whispered, just as another wave of piercing hot pain shot through her. She was so happy that her friend was here for her, but in the deepest part of her, all she wanted was Luke…
Chapter 22
“I don't want some life where I'm stuck with you forever just because we had a baby together.”
Fuck, just thinking about how cold her face had been when she’d said those words chilled him to the bone.
It took him a second to realize he’d been standing, motionless, in front of a wall of diapers at the store for a solid five minutes and people were going to start wondering if he was having some sort of mental breakdown soon.