Unexpected (The Unexpected Series) (9 page)

In the comfort of the front seat, I let them fall freely, not caring about holding them in anymore. “FUCK!” I scream louder than I ever thought possible. Pain shoots through my right hand as I hit the steering wheel repeatedly.

“FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!” I say, each time slamming my palms down.

How could I tell him like that? I should have waited a little longer. Sat him down. Told him I had some news. Not blurt it out like a moron in the middle of the gym for Christ’s sake!

I start the car and put it in reverse gliding out of the parking spot. A loud bang on the roof shakes me to the core. “ERIN!” Walker’s muffled yell hits my ears.

Not looking at him I put the car in drive and leave him standing there. Blindly searching in my bag, I find my phone and attempt to call Noelle.

A honking horn blares and I slam on the breaks just in time to stop at a stop sign. The angry driver passes through the intersection shaking his fist at me. I can’t hear him but I’m sure he is yelling obscenities and giving me the middle finger.

I inwardly scold myself. I need to keep this baby in mind at all times. No more stupid moves. Looking behind me, I make sure no one is there, and I pull up Noelle’s number just in time for a text to pop up.

Unknown: We need to talk.

Me: Who is this?

Unknown: Mr. Prescott. Meet me. Tonight.

Mr.
Prescott? So formal now, and pushy.
Jeez.
I can’t meet him alone; if he touches me I will probably not be able to make him stop.
Or want him to
. We need witnesses. Quickly I save his number and change his name in my phone. Something I should have done months ago.

Me: Not tonight but we can meet at the school in the morning to set up our rooms. We can talk then.

Walker: 8am. No later.

Another honk from behind prevents me from texting him back. I drop my phone into the passenger seat and finish the short drive home.

That night nerves consume me. I realize tomorrow is "make it or break it" time. Not knowing if Walker will accept the fact that I am having his child has my stomach in knots. I hope he can at least agree to be there for the baby. I want nothing else from him. As much as I would have loved to be married and in love with my child’s father, that might not happen. I just don’t think I could ever trust another man so easily. Robert ruined that for me, made me gun shy, and I still hate him for it.

A
ccording to my reflection I look like crap. My half assed make up job does nothing for my bloodshot eyes or the dark circles beneath them. The three restless hours of sleep seem like zero and I would give my left leg for a cup of coffee...or three.

Noelle never came home last night and she wasn’t answering my texts. Normally her long hours don’t bother me but I needed to talk all this through with her. Get some clarity. So, I did the next best thing; I called my mom. After giving her all the details of the day’s events she went silent. I thought maybe the line cut out. It’s happened before in the middle of my rants and then all the sudden it’s ringing right next to my ear.

She finally spoke but with so much excitement that I had to try and calm her down. She said this was my chance and was spouting out her “everything happens for a reason” boloney. When I reiterated that he looked angry after my confession she toned it down a bit, got her head on straight, and started to think clearly and give some better advice. Her attempts to calm me down were working until she said something that completely freaked me out.

“It is your responsibility to give him the option to be there for his child. It’s his choice whether he wants to be,” she said, just before hanging up, providing the reason for my insomnia.

So, I tossed and turned and waited for Noelle to get home and maybe put my mind at ease. I never texted why I wanted to talk to her so she didn’t know how dire the situation was. She finally replied at midnight saying she was out “with a friend.” Which means she was getting some action...I was more jealous than disappointed. I had a steady boyfriend for so long that the most we had gone without making love was a week, maybe ten days. Then I got a taste of Walker, leaving me desperate for MONTHS without it.
I’m going to have to buy a new vibrator soon.

I throw some concealer over the bags under my eyes and settle for the zombie look. I want to have the upper hand and be prepared for when Walker arrives so I leave at 7:30.

When I finally get to my classroom I am far from ready. My hearts stops when I find him sitting at my desk leaning back with his hands casually behind his head, eyes closed, leaving me the opportunity to shamelessly check him out. His hair is disheveled and looks like it did after our one intense night. The day old stubble has my hormones running wild and I can't help thinking of how it would feel on the soft skin of my thighs. His biceps strain against the short sleeves of his white polo shirt. Both legs are up on my desk covered in dark distressed jeans with tan construction boots. My eyes make their way back up and embarrassingly meet his now open ones.

“Erin, Erin, Erin.” He places a palm over his heart. “I’m starting to feel like a piece of meat.”

I throw my bag down on one of the desks in the back row, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re ego is huge, Walker. MASSIVE in fact.”

As soon as those words come out of my mouth I blush, knowing he could turn that around. His eyebrow raises, he stands up and walks down the center isle towards me.

“There is a lot about me that is massive. You should know.” As the distance between us gets shorter my knees start to get weak. His hand reaches for mine and as I take it, he pulls me into a seat.

“I’m sorry," he relents. "Let’s start over. I have some things I want to say to you.” He takes the next seat in front of me, keeping his grip firm.

“I have some things I want to say too,” I tell him but he waves his hand as to signify that he wants to go first.

“Erin. Please let me apologize for my actions yesterday. That wasn’t right. I know I come off cocky and egotistical but I’m a good guy, I promise. I couldn’t stop thinking about you all summer. You just walked out of that hotel room and I thought it was no big deal, but I couldn't get you off my mind. I’ve never had someone take over my senses and consume my thoughts like that...and after just one night. You had me... But I feel like a jerk. I cornered you yesterday and I goaded you and made you uncomfortable. And again, I’m sorry." His face drops to look at our entwined hands and he finally lets go of mine. A flurry of emotions run over his face, before he gathers his breath and says, "Robert is very lucky to be having a baby with you.”

Robert?
He thinks this is Robert’s baby. There are few times in your life where you have two choices; do the right thing or do the easy thing. I said all summer I could do this alone. I could take care of my little bean by myself with the love and support from my family. No complications. I never thought Walker would be in the picture. I could stick with my plans, and avoid the heartache that comes along with being tied to a man indefinitely through a child. Especially a man like Walker, who makes me so angry one minute and so hot the next. I can move on from this point and raise my child alone. My mom’s last words run through my thoughts. As easy as it would be to let Walker think the baby is Robert's, I just can’t do that.

“He's not,” I barely manage to get out.

“Who's not what?” His eyes meet mine again with confusion and bewilderment.

I speak up and say, “Robert is not the father. We haven’t seen each other since a few weeks before I met you.”

The walls close in and I feel as though I’m in the desert, searching for a glass of water. Or wine. At this point I don’t care. He is quiet, seemingly searching for words, and I am desperate for him to say something.

“Erin,” he says cautiously, grabbing my hands once again like he is talking to a suicide jumper. “How far along are you?”

Here it is. The point of no return. My search for him didn’t work and my plans had changed but he is here now. It’s my responsibility to let him choose to be an active or inactive father. I hope he wants to be a part of this small life, for the baby’s sake. “Thirteen weeks,” I answer.

Silence follows as I stare at him. He says nothing. The ticking of clock on the wall gets louder and louder with every minute that passes by.

“I just need a second.” He stands, dropping my hand again, and races out of the room like it’s on fire.

My head falls forward onto the desk and I start to cry. I don’t think I have ever cried as much as I have in the past three months. My tear ducts should be dried out by now.

I should be relieved to finally get it all out there and off my chest. But I am not. I’m still petrified of the road my life is going to take when Walker decides what he wants to do. Either way, it changes the plan I had in place just 24 short hours ago. The door flies open making me jump and Walker strolls in half paying attention to me while looking at a book he has in his hands. “Last period, Erin?” He demands.

What? Is he crazy?
“Walker, I don’t think...”

“DATE OF YOUR LAST PERIOD ERIN!” He commands looking up from the book.

“May 28
^th
. Jesus. What is the matter with you? You can’t just come in here yelling questions and demanding answers like that,” I yell back at him, standing up.

His finger flips the pages over and over until they land on their target and then his emerald colored eyes look straight at me.

“Mine? This baby is mine?” He asks with little emotion, using his index finger to point towards my belly. “Are you sure? Because I used protection. I am certain of it.”

I look at him trying to read between the lines, and realize that I need to be clearer.

“Yes, it’s yours and I’m sure. I got my period the day after Robert and I broke up. You are the only man I have been with since,” I verify, trying to appear strong.

His gaze looks at what I’ve figured to be a calendar, then at me, back to the calendar, and then down to my stomach. Throwing down the book on a chair he takes the few steps needed to be right in front of me and brushes his knuckles over my abdomen. “Mine,” he repeats more as a statement than a question. .

He wraps his arms around my waist and picks me up so my eyes are level with his. He places a soft lingering kiss on my cheek.

“You’re happy?” I ask, unsure if I am delusional.

Setting me back down, he places both hands on either side of my cheeks. “Happy? Baby, I’m thrilled. This wasn’t planned, but of course I am happy. THRILLED! I want to scream it from the rooftops, Erin. I found my girl and we have a baby on the way.”

“Wait. Walker, I don’t want you to feel obligated to me...or this baby. You can be as involved as you want but I don’t expect you to jump into a relationship with me. I can’t even think about throwing a relationship into the mix right now. I’m still in shock that you are even here in front of me. I looked for you all summer. I checked the hotel, the bar, Noelle and I even stalked pictures of men named Walker on Facebook. Not in my wildest dreams did I expect you to want me. I just wanted you to know about the baby. He or she needs you.”

“Are you kidding? Did you not hear a damn word I said yesterday... or today? I want
you
. I spent three months dreaming about you, wanting you, and thinking I would spend the rest of my life without finding you. And now you're here and I can touch you and talk to you. Of course I want you, and now that I know about the baby, I want to make it work that much more. ” He moves even closer to me, if that's possible, and places a kiss on my forehead. “I want this so much, Erin. All of it...”

“Let’s take this one day at a time,” I say as I grudgingly push us apart. “Besides one night of sex we know nothing about each other. Let’s take the next six months to get to know one another, and when the baby is born, we'll figure out the rest.”

He dips his head so he is eye level with me.

“I agree that we need to learn more about one another, but know this Erin, by the time that baby is born I can assure you that you will be mine. One night of sex,
amazing sex
, was all it took for me to be hooked on you. There's no one else for me but you and now this baby. Please don’t shut me out. Let me in.”

His words tug at my heart. It's more than I could ever dream of hearing him say. But, everything is still so complicated. It can't be that simple, can it? How can he be so certain when I'm so confused?

“Okay," I concede. "I’m open to letting you in but I can’t make any promises.”

I spend the next hour telling him what happened since our last encounter. Talking about my summer seemed a lot easier than deciding what would happen with the two, well three, of us. I share the experience of my first two doctor appointments with him and extend an invitation to the next one in a few weeks. He doesn't hesitate to say yes, flashing me a huge grin that makes me warm inside. He tells me that my due date, March 4
^th
, is also his birthday. He will be the ripe old age of 24 when the baby is born. I’ll be 28 by then, my birthday being in November.