Jayded (44 page)

“
Yeah, I
’
m starving. Where
’
s Valerie? Luke said you guys are inseparable,
”
I tease.

He chuckles.
“
She just got promoted to bank manager, so her hours have changed. She
’
s making some real good money now. We
’
re looking into buying a house this spring.
”

Shock smears my face.
“
Really? That
’
s a big step, Justin. What about marriage?
”
I ask.

The waitress brings our orange juices.
“
I actually wanted to talk to you about that.
”
He goes into his coat pocket and pulls out a little black box. I gasp and cover my mouth with my hands.

He opens the box and a one-carat pear-shaped diamond sparkles in the light.
“
It
’
s beautiful! When are you going to ask her?
”

When I look up at him, I don
’
t see my baby brother any longer. I see a handsome, grown man that I
’
ve missed out on getting to know these past couple of years. I
’
m so proud of him for doing the right thing. I just hope he knows what he
’
s getting into. It
’
s a big step.

“
I don
’
t know yet. I
’
m waiting for the right time. I guess I
’
m going to carry it around until I feel it
’
s the perfect moment. I don
’
t want to do one of those cheesy proposals or anything. I want it to be just about her and I and nothing else,
”
he explains.

I
’
m impressed.
“
You
’
ve thought a lot about this, haven
’
t you?
”

“
Yes. She
’
s the one,
”
he admits.
“
What about you? Luke mentioned someone named Kyle, is it?
”

A huge pain stabs my heart.
“
We had a fling two months back. It was nothing serious.
”
I shrug my shoulders while looking out the window. I don
’
t want him to see the pain across my face.

The waitress comes with two huge trays of food. My stomach is doing somersaults. I barely wait for the plate to hit the table. I begin inhaling the food. Justin eyes me closely.

“
What
’
s going on with you, Max? You
’
re acting like you
’
re eating for two,
”
Justin throws out there. I stop chewing and look up at him.
“
Holy shit! I
’
m right! You
’
re pregnant, aren
’
t you?
”

I nod. I haven
’
t told anyone other than Kinsey. I haven
’
t even told Luke.

“
Yes, I
’
m three months
’
pregnant. Please don
’
t mention this to Luke. I don
’
t want him hunting down the guy to kill him,
”
I beg.

“
Who
’
s the dad? Is it that guy, Kyle?
”
he asks.

I sip my orange juice. I could really use a coffee right about now
—
or maybe a stiff drink.
“
Yes.
”

Justin finishes his bite.
“
Have you told him yet?
”

“
No.
”

“
Then what are you waiting for?
”
he questions with his hands flaring about.

“
I don
’
t know. We sort of ended it before I found out. I made the choice to go on with the pregnancy, so I figure it
’
s my job to raise it. Not his,
”
I explain.

I push my plates away. I killed it all. They
’
re spotless.
“
But Max, you
’
re not even giving him a chance. You at least need to talk to him about it. If he wants nothing to do with it, then you
’
re still left in the same boat as before.
”
Wrong. I
’
ll be crushed into a million pieces. I won
’
t be able to recover.

My brother has become so wise. I
’
m so proud of him.

“
I know. You
’
re right. I
’
m going to have to figure it all out,
”
I admit.

The waitress brings the check. I reach for it, but Justin is faster.
“
It
’
s on me.
”
He throws the money down.
“
Come on. I
’
ll drop you home.
”

We reach my house, and I see a black Cadillac parked in front. My heart skips a beat. It can
’
t be Kyle
’
s. There
’
s no way. I can
’
t see inside, because of the tinted windows, but as Justin and I walk up to my door, I hear a car door slam.

“
Max?
”
Justin and I both turn around. It
’
s Kyle. He looks at me and then looks to Justin.
“
I
’
m sorry. I must have come at a bad time. I can see you
’
re busy,
”
he begins to walk away, but I call his name.

“
Kyle, this is my little brother, Justin. He is just dropping me off.
”

Justin walks down the steps with his hand out.
“
Great to meet you, Kyle. I was just making sure she got in safely. You two have lots to talk about, so I
’
ll be on my merry way.
”
He comes up to give me a kiss on the cheek and says goodbye.

My hands are shaking. I haven
’
t been this nervous since I was dropped off at college for the first time. I unlock the door and step in. I don
’
t even have to turn around to see if Kyle is behind me. I already know. Every nerve in my body is awakened. I
’
m no longer numb when he
’
s around. I feel alive, and I also feel all the pain he left behind.

I take a seat on the barstool. I can
’
t stand for this. I don
’
t know what
’
s going to come out of his mouth. He looks like he hasn
’
t slept in weeks. He also looks just as nervous as I am.

I speak first.
“
Why are you here, Kyle?
”

“
I
’
m here to tell you that I
’
m sorry, Max. I should have never walked out on you like that,
”
he says. I continue to look at him, flabbergasted. Does he really think his sorry will make up for it all?
“
I was an asshole. I
am
an asshole. I was completely in the wrong. I should have waited to hear your side of the story, but instead I let my ego and temper get in the way. I shouldn
’
t have hit Cody either, but
God
it felt so good!
”
he admits.
“
I am so sorry, Max.
”

A tear slides down my cheek. He walks around the counter, lifts my chin, and gently wipes the tear from my face. I look him dead in the eyes, and I can see the anguish and remorse deeply imprinted on his face.

“
I didn
’
t tell you about Cody, because it wasn
’
t important. I was with him for three years and only engaged for a few months. I realized he wasn
’
t the one, and I broke it off with him. He just didn
’
t want to accept it. I wanted to leave him in the past. I was ready to move on, Kyle. That is why I never mentioned him.
”

He drops his head, ashamed.
“
I should have allowed you to explain this then. I can
’
t tell you enough times how sorry I truly am, Max. Please forgive me?
”
he begs.

I
’
m still so angry, but seeing him this broken kills me.
“
You hurt me, Kyle. I will accept your apology, but if you hurt me or walk out on me like that again, there will be no forgiveness,
”
I inform him, making sure he understands. It
’
s not easy for me to let someone in, especially after hurting me so much, but for some reason I believe what he
’
s telling me.
“
So, what now though?
”
I ask.

He grabs my hand and places it with his.
“
I want you to come back with me. I want you to be with me, Max.
”

My heart picks up.
“
Be with you how?
”

He makes sure to look me in the eyes.
“
Max, I
’
m in love with you. Being apart from you has been driving me crazy, eating me up inside. Please say you
’
ll come back? You
’
re my everything. I need you.
”

“
Kyle, I love you too, but it
’
s just not that simple,
”
I confess.

His smile turns into a huge grin.
“
Wait, you love me too?
”
he asks.

I sigh. Is that all he heard?
“
Yes.
”
I smile.
“
If you would have stayed longer when Cody was here, you would have heard the words come out of my mouth. That
’
s the reason why he finally left, because I confessed that I am in love with you, not him.
”

He grabs my face and smashes his lips against mine. His lips feel like home. In his arms is where I
’
m meant to be. I can
’
t get enough of him, but then I remember, there
’
s still more. I push him away. Now I
’
m terrified. How is he going to take this news?

“
Kyle, there
’
s something you need to know.
”

He looks a little worried.
“
Whatever you have to say, we can get through it. I love you, and I
’
m not going to get scared away again.
”

I just have to say it. The words are stuck in my throat, terrified to come out, but I just have to say it. It
’
s now or never.

“
I
’
m pregnant, Kyle.
”

The blood runs from his face just as it had mine.
“
Are you sure?
”
he asks.

“
Yes. I
’
m most definitely sure. I
’
m entering my second trimester, a little over three months,
”
I explain.

I can
’
t tell what he
’
s thinking. He
’
s like a blank page right now. He places his hand over my belly in amazement.
“
You mean, I
’
m going to be a father?
”
he asks, his hand still on top of my stomach.

“
Yes, you
’
re going to be a father.
”