The Best of Us (Sullivan's Crossing #4)(65)

“Starting again must terrify you,” she said.

“Well, there’s the thing—it’s not terrifying at all. I have the experience. It’s exhausting, that’s what it is. Babies and children and teenagers.” He laughed and shook his head. “I won’t be in a walker but I’ll probably feel like I should be after forty years of raising children.”

“You can bail out now, you know,” she said.

“And leave my child? And leave you? I don’t like that idea. I’m in for the duration.”

“You know there are other options,” she said. “We haven’t even discussed termination.”

“Because neither of us wants that,” he said. “Once you know what it’s like to have a child and watch him grow, that just isn’t a consideration.”

“There’s adoption,” she said.

“What a thought,” he said. “Carry it, give birth and give it away?” He shook his head. “Believe me, you would grieve every day. I know I would.”

“I’m not ready to marry someone I’ve just begun to know,” she said.

“Leigh, you’re already pregnant. Your baby is going to be born in just over seven months. Getting married tomorrow won’t fool anyone. It’s not urgent. It’s a good option for us to think about, though.”

“What would we do? How would we live?”

“That’s just logistics,” he said. “But at least we’d be able to share a bed.”

“My house? Your house?” she asked. “What about your boys?”

“My house is roomy. It would take some rearranging. Organizing. It’s doable,” he said.

“Oh God, I need time,” she said. “It’s so complicated...”

He kissed her forehead. “Don’t panic. We’ll find the solution that works best for all of us—the boys, Aunt Helen, you, me...”

Just as he mentioned her name, they heard the front door open and close. “Hello,” Helen called.

“We couldn’t be more naked,” Leigh muttered. Then she scrambled off the bed, dragging the throw with her, leaving Rob without a cover. He rolled off the bed in search of his clothes.

“Be right there, Auntie,” Leigh called, closing the door. Rob was hustling into his clothes. “Apparently I have lost the ability to do anything convenient!” she said to Rob. She pulled on her pants and looked in the mirror to fluff her hair. “Lord. Well, she’s going to have to be told. Would you like to leave that to me?”

“You want to come out with it now?”

“Just to Helen,” she said. “She’s very stable and calm. Stay or go?”

He tucked in his shirt, ran his fingers through his hair and sat down on the bed to put his shoes on. “I’ll stay. But I feel sixteen.”

“She can’t ground you. You don’t have to stay.”

“I did it,” he said stoically. “I’ll stay.”

This is one of the worst moments of my life, he thought. Helen was in every way a lovely, funny woman. She was also intimidating as hell.

“There you are,” Helen said as they came into the living room. She was sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine and looking at her phone. “I thought that was Rob’s car out there.”

“I wasn’t expecting you, but since you’re here, I have something to tell you,” Leigh said. “Family business for now, Auntie. Let’s not share this yet.” Helen’s face looked bright and happy with expectation. “We just found out,” Leigh went on. “I’m pregnant.”

Helen’s face fell and her expression darkened. It took her a moment to absorb the news. “And how the bloody hell did that happen?” she said, her temper showing.

“The usual way,” Rob replied.

“It’s a little complicated...” Leigh began.

“Turns out it was sex,” Rob said. “That old demon. We have details to work out but we’re in this together.”

“Good God, aren’t the two of you old enough to know how to prevent pregnancy? Until you plan it at least? Oh dear God, you didn’t plan this, did you?”

“It’s a legitimate accident in spite of our efforts to be responsible,” Rob said. “But since it’s happened, we’re going to take a little time to figure out our next step.”

Helen looked right at Leigh. “Don’t take any steps you don’t feel are right for you, Leigh. Please don’t rush into anything.”

“I plan to think it all through carefully. The only decision we both agree on so far is that I’m having the baby.”

Helen let out an audible sigh of relief. “I assume you two fancy yourselves in love or something?”

“We’re a little surprised by the whole thing,” Leigh said.

“Yes,” Rob said, clearly having noticed Leigh didn’t confess to feeling love. But he’d tackle that later. She was entitled to be a little confused.

“This is the first time since I lost my wife that I find myself with a woman I can’t imagine being without. And whatever Leigh wants to do, I am the baby’s father and will raise it with her, whether we’re married or there’s some other kind of arrangement. I think Leigh finds the idea of moving in with two teenage boys a little daunting...”