“As long as you don’t hack any more of my private information,” she jabs, and I chuckle. I much prefer her like this—easy-going and funny. I know our situation is awkward, having slept together when I’ve known her since she was a teen, and now the pregnancy, but there’s no reason we can’t be ourselves while navigating all of this.
“I promise,” I place a hand over my heart. Allyson rolls her eyes, the hint of a smile tipping her lips up.
“How long are you here for?” She looks at me out of the corner of her eye.
“I got an open-ended ticket.”
“What? Really?” She turns to me, her eyebrows pinched together, causing her nose to scrunch up in the cutest way.
I tap my finger on her nose. “Yup. We’ve got a lot to discuss, and I’d like to meet the doctor if that’s okay.”
“Oh, yeah, of course.” Allyson scratches her forehead as the lines between her brows deepen.
I stop walking and turn to her. “I mean it when I say I’m all in for this. I don’t want you to feel like you’re doing this alone. I’ve even been thinking about names,” I smile wide.
“You have?” Her voice shakes.
“Yup. I’ve got options for a boy and girl, although I’ve got a feeling I’m going to have a football player.”
Her face turns to stone, as if the realization of everything hits her at once. “I haven’t even begun to think about any of that. I haven’t even wondered what gender it is. I’ve been so caught up in my worries and fear of having to tell you, my mom, and my brother, that I feel as if this is still a dream. Names?” She shakes her head, turning and walking forward again but slower this time.
I jog up the few steps to reach her and place my hands on her shoulders to stop her, turning her to face me. “Hey, you’ve got a lot on your plate right now. I’m not the one growing a child inside of me. You don’t have to have it all done at once. We’ll go little by little.”
“You’re really going to help me?” She looks up at me through her long lashes, her stunning green eyes pleading for support as they mist over.
I pull Allyson in for a hug, burying my face in her hair, taking in every sweetness she’ll give me. “You aren’t alone in this, Kiwi.” When her arms wrap around my body, and I hear soft sniffles, I vow to make this as easy for her as possible.
“Thank you,” her strangled voice cuts through me.
“Don’t thank me. It takes two to tango, so it also takes two to clean up afterward.”
She giggles softly, shaking her head. “That doesn’t make much sense, but oddly enough, I understood it.”
“We’re gonna be all right.” I drape my arm around her shoulder and continue on to the restaurant. In this moment, we’re two lost people in search of some light to shine down and guide the way. What I know for sure is that having her by my side to experience this with makes it better.
I enjoyed my time with women and then moved on when we went our separate ways. Until the moment a message like that comes through, and you feel as if the rug’s been pulled out from under you, I never really wondered what would happen if a woman I slept with ended up pregnant.
I’m still trying to get my footing after that, but it all feels okay with Allyson here. As much as a thought like that might scare another man, it excites me. And I’m certain it’s because of the woman walking beside me, who has yet to pull away from my hold. I smile at that thought, knowing she’s letting me comfort her.
When we arrive at the restaurant and are seated, Allyson asks me for the names I came up with.
I lean forward a bit, the tablecloth wrinkling where my arms press on the table. “If it’s a girl, Chloe, Amelia, Lynn, Alaina, Olivia, or Annabelle. For a boy, I was thinking Jasper, Isaac, Liam, or Camden, after me, clearly.” I smirk, and Allyson narrows her eyes. Camden wasn’t an option, but I’m sure it would annoy her that I thought about naming the baby after me and not her.
“Not gonna happen.” She shakes her head.
I tip my head back and laugh. “I’m just messing with you.”
“I know,” she rolls her eyes.
“In all seriousness now,” I begin, so tempted to reach for her hand across the table but hold myself back, “I did think that if it’s a boy, we could give him your dad’s name as his middle name.”
Allyson’s eyes soften as a sad smile marks her face. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was feeling something here.
“That’s really thoughtful, Camden. Thank you.” She nods, biting down her lips as her eyes water.
“You don’t have to thank me.” This time I don’t back down from reaching for her, and I grab her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. The look that passes from Allyson to me speaks volumes, and I’m starting to believe this could be more than two people on the journey to co-parenting.
chapter 15
Allyson
If someone had told me that one day I’d be sitting across from Camden at a restaurant, talking about our child, I would have spit wine all over their face as I laughed at their absurd suggestion. And yet, here I am.
After telling me he’d use my dad’s name for our son’s middle name as a way of honoring my dad’s memory, I about melted into a puddle of goo. I’m still in shock seeing Camden here, and now he’s telling me all this, throwing out baby name suggestions as if we’ve had years to prepare for this, as if it’s something we’ve both been waiting for.
I stare into his dark eyes as the rough pad of his hand
