Page 21 of Daddy's Reckoning

I stepped into the hall, stopping on the other side of the door to catch my breath. That had not gone the way I wanted. Not at all.

I’d wanted to fight, to push to convince her, but I knew I couldn’t risk it. If I’d done that, she might have left. And I needed her here. Not just for her own well-being, but for my peace of mind. And not just for the weekend, either. I knew I would have a fight on my hands come Monday, but there was no way in hell I was letting her go.

With a resolved sigh, I pushed away from the door, down the hallway and into my office, where I opened my laptop and tried to focus on getting some work done.

I just stared blankly at the screen, replaying the entire day in my head over and over. What had I done wrong to not get the results I wanted? I wasn’t used to that. I went after what I wanted, and I got it. I was never the pursuer in a romantic relationship, but I’d just assumed that would still be the case.

The fact that it hadn’t been was a blow to my ego I didn’t know how to handle. There was a part of me, the old part—the geeky, asthmatic kid with braces and bad eyesight—that wanted to turn with my tail between my legs. That screamed rejection was par for the course. Who the fuck was I to think I could just have something or someone simply because I wanted it?

But I could see my reflection in the computer screen, reminding me I wasn’t that person anymore. I didn’t have to be that person ever again. Perfect skin, straight, white teeth, twenty-twenty vision, stacked muscles and six-pack abs, a good job, a robust portfolio, and a ginormous bank account. I was a catch. Any woman would be lucky to have me. Any child would be lucky to be mine.

That was the pep talk I gave myself in order to get to the pep talk I needed. The pre-pep-talk, pep talk, if you will.

Finally, I could draw a breath, look myself in the eyes, and promise not to stop trying.

Don’t give up.

She needs a Daddy.

Not just any Daddy.

Her Daddy.

You.

The speech I’d given to Lennon rang in my ears, beating a pulse in my brain like a drum. Loud. Repeating. Insistent.

Don’t give up.

She needs a Daddy.

Not just any Daddy.

Her Daddy.

You.

It was no longer just my ego talking, because I knew there was truth in my words. Erin needed me. Not just because she was alone in this world with a baby on the way and no support system to speak of, but because she needed me.

Her Daddy.

The knowledge was a salve for my bruised and battered pride, giving me the strength I needed to do what I knew was best for both of us.

I would keep fighting. No matter how many times she rejected my advances, no matter how many times she tried to push me away. I would be there for her, and I would do everything in my power to continue to be there for her. To stand up for us. To show her she could count on me. To give her everything she needed, and not just the stuff money could buy.

Because I remembered what we had, and I knew what we could have. Everything that mattered was on the line, and I was in for the fight of my life. I would not back down.

Shoving my laptop closed, I picked up the phone and made some calls.

ERIN

I hadn’t meant to fall asleep. I hadn’t wanted to, but the morning and the emotions that came with it had worn me right out. I didn’t know what to do about Theo, didn’t know how to interpret all the things he’d said. My brain flopped between wanting to believe he’d meant them and he actually wanted me, to reminding myself that I was carrying his baby, and to a man like Theo, that changed everything.

I laid in his oversized bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering how I’d gotten myself into this mess until I realized how badly I had to pee. The urge was nearly a constant these days, just another reminder of my new reality.

I knew Theo would probably want to know when I got up, and track the minutes I spent out of bed, and I should probably tell him I was awake, but making him follow me around timing my bathroom breaks seemed excessive.

Rolling out of the bed, I padded quickly to the bathroom, taking care not to get up too fast, but also not to move too slowly. I only had an hour a day of upright time after all, and no matter how inconvenient or excessively cautious I thought the restriction was, if it was better for my baby, I’d do it.