One Moment Please (Wait With Me #3)(28)

Rage heats Dean’s eyes. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

I’ve never seen him this pissed before. “Dean—”

“Fuck that.” Dean makes a move to get up off the floor. “Where’s my bat?”

I drag him back down next to me and hold tightly to his arm. “Relax, okay? He seemed just as freaked out about it as I was, so I’m giving him a few days before I confirm that he’s a deadbeat.”

Dean’s nostrils flare with barely contained fury. “This is so fucked up.”

I take the moment to breathe in and out. “Look, I don’t even know if I want him in the picture. I mean, sure we had a connection that night, but he made it clear that he’s not into kids. And I’m not sure I want to be saddled with someone like that.”

“Fuck no, you don’t,” Dean says through clenched teeth. “What does Kate say about all of this?”

I swallow around the lump in my throat. “I haven’t told her yet.”

Dean’s eyes widen. “Why the hell not? She was at the hospital with you.”

“I know, but she was in the waiting room when I found out.” I exhale a shaky breath. “And I’m awful for lying to her that night, but I needed to figure out how I felt about this baby before I let her tell me how I was supposed to feel about it. You know Kate.”

Dean nods thoughtfully. “She is very opinionated.”

“Exactly,” I reply with a groan. “And if Dr. Dick doesn’t call and I have to raise this baby on my own, she’s going to have lots of feelings.”

Dean turns to face me, his jaw taut as he says, “I think you should stay with me, Lynsey.”

I roll my eyes and nudge him with my shoulder. “No way.”

He tilts my chin up so I’m looking at him. “I’m not kidding. You’re not ready to face your parents with this news, and Dr. Dick is a fucking asshole, which means you need someone to be there for you, now more than ever.”

“You’re insane.” I shake my head at the severe look in his eyes.

“No, I’m not,” Dean snaps and pins me with a glower. “I love you, Lyns. You’re my best friend, and I can help you through this.”

“Dean, you do not want me moving in with you,” I exclaim with an incredulous laugh. “I’m knocked up!”

“You’re pregnant, not diseased,” he retorts, his eyes challenging. “I can handle this.”

A manic laugh bubbles up my throat. “Dean, what do you even know about pregnancy?”

“Not much but I’ve proven to be good at self-educating.” He shrugs like we’re having the most casual conversation in the world. “I could even go to those panting classes with you if you want.”

“You mean Lamaze?” I laugh. “Dean, you don’t want all this”—I point at my belly—“invading your mancave. What’re you going to tell the parade of women marching in and out of your place?”

Dean smiles. “I’ll tell them, behold…your future.”

“Exactly. They’ll get one look at me and run for the door.”

Dean rolls his eyes. “I’m not worried, Lynsey.”

“You should be,” I state accusingly. “I’m emotional, my boobs hurt, and I haven’t shit in a week.”

“Now, that’s hot.” Dean gives me a flirtatious smirk.

I shove him. “I’m serious. I’ve been a wreck for the past couple of months, and now I find out it’s because I have a tiny human growing inside me. It’s only going to get worse.”

“You don’t have any better options!” His face grows serious. “Your mom will make you go to Mass every Sunday and force you to eat nothing but produce from her creepy basement hydroponic plants.”

I laugh, and then I cry because he’s right.

He wraps his arm around me. “I’ll buy you Oreos and rub your feet when they get all cankly. That’s a pregnancy thing, right?”

“Hell if I know,” I groan, holding up my bare feet just waiting for them to betray me. “I only recently learned that I can’t eat cold lunch meat anymore.”

“No lunch meat?” Dean asks curiously.

“There’s some weird enzyme in it. I can only eat it if I microwave it till it steams.”

“Gross.”

“You’re telling me,” I reply with a huff. “But seriously, I’ll be fine with my parents. Once I get the nerve to tell them, they’ll be…fine.”

“And you’ll be miserable.” Dean drops a kiss to my hair. “Crash in my spare room as long as you like. You don’t need them riding your ass about your lack of employment and weird baby daddy situation.”

My shoulders shake with a pathetic laugh. If there even is a baby daddy in the picture.

Dean chucks my chin. “I’m not telling you I’m your forever, Lyns. But I’m telling you I’m happy to be here for you as long as you need me.”

I stare at my friend incredulously. Who knew the mountain manwhore had a heart of gold buried deep inside him?

He smiles and squeezes me into his side. “Just remember when you’re at your parents tonight and your mom is asking why you can’t be more like Christine, you and I could be reading baby books and watching Nanny 911.”