Page 30 of Love is Grand

I nodded. “She and Mom had words. Mom told her it didn’t matter what she thought of her, it was clear her son didn’t care for her, and that was it. Sophia said she’d stay for the ceremony and not make a scene. Of course, then she did.”

Shell stood there listening, looking radiant in her sheath dress. Fuck, is she really pregnant?

Shaking my head, I added, “Mom wasn’t wrong. I don’t care for her. Sophia.” My thoughts came out in fragments, my nerves getting the best of me.

“I’m sorry,” Shell said, her eyes not meeting mine.

“You shouldn’t be. Look at me, Shell.” When she turned her face toward mine, I noted her ears were bare. “Where are your earrings?”

“I put them away. They were too much for me.”

“Shell, listen. I know this isn’t a good time. Ry will want to kill me when this news breaks, and her wedding reception certainly isn’t the time or place, but we need to talk. How about tomorrow? I’m not running away from this.”

She swallowed whatever emotion was lodged in her throat and stared at the ground. “Tomorrow is my day with Weez. Sundays, we do something special like pancakes and snuggles. Yeah, I’ve missed a few, but I can’t tomorrow. Not with the major changes about to hit us.”

“You’re not coming to the brunch? First the barbecue and now this? Why are you skipping everything?”

“It’s enough. I knew I couldn’t do all these events with you. Be in such proximity to you. Especially after I knew you’d brought a date.”

“Shell, you’re coming to the brunch. Then we’re going to talk. Weezie can come eat pancakes at the brunch.”

We spoke in hushed voices, her breath tickling my cheek, warming me in places I didn’t know I could get warm, and that said a whole fucking lot.

“We can’t talk with Weezie there. She hears everything.”

I couldn’t help the growl escaping me. “Shell, someone will watch her. You have a bunch of friends at this hotel, like Teddi.”

Shell’s head whipped up so quickly, she probably gave herself whiplash. “Teddi? What does she have to do with this? And no, I can’t just leave my daughter with someone.”

“Teddi seems to know a lot about me and my comings and goings.”

Again, Shell’s gaze was downward. “We had one night of drinks, and she pulled all kinds of nonsense out of me. I’m sorry.”

“Hey.” I tipped her face toward mine with my index finger. “I’m not mad.”

Like I carried a virus, she whipped her face away from my finger. “Not here,” she said through gritted teeth.

“We’re having a baby together, Shell,” I said with a smile. “Pretty sure everyone is going to know about us. Now, I have to go give my best-man speech, and you need to figure out a plan for tomorrow. I have to be back in New York on Monday for work, but we’ll make a plan after brunch.”

I’d had enough of the back and forth with Shell. I might not know the first thing about being a dad, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to be a deadbeat one.

Shell

After a special dinner of mac and cheese and broccoli, two helpings of cake, three Shirley Temples, an hour of dancing, and a cookie or two from the dessert table, Weezie was asleep on a chair.

My dad had asked me to dance, and I agreed to one song. It was a slow song by Celine Dion, and the melancholy mood of it pooled in my belly.

My mom sat next to Weezie, rubbing her back and watching the dancers. Rylan and Adam had danced to a Justin Bieber song, and then exited the dance floor to visit with his mom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her gushing over Rylan, motioning to her dress and saying something to a relative. Probably how happy she was about the match. With my dad’s arm around my waist, I wondered if she’d feel the same about me.

It didn’t matter, though, because Cal would do right, but he wouldn’t marry me.

When the song came to an end, I gave my dad a hug. “Thanks, Dad.”

He kissed my cheek and said, “The honor is all mine.”

I decided to say good night to Rylan and Adam before gathering Weezie. Heading toward the bar, I saw Teddi to the right of Rylan, and made a mental note to text her later. I should have figured someone would have seen Cal and me together or sniffed out a story.

“Shell!” Rylan half shouted my name as I neared. “Weezie was so perfect. Adam and I want to take her to dinner one night. Something special.”