SEAL's Baby (Navy SEAL Secret Baby Romance) (33 page)

“Yes?”

“I have something to tell
you,” mom replied slowly. “And I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

  
I felt my stomach drop and I knew instinctively that it had
something to do with Lizzie. “Ok,” I said trying to prepare myself. “What is
it?”

  
“Last week I was doing my rounds in the hospital and I was
assigned to Doctor Towry,” mom started slowly.

“Ok…?”

  
“I was organizing her patient files when I came across a name I
recognized,” mom went on. “Lizzie’s name.”

  
“Lizzie …?” I said as my curiosity ramped up a notch. “Is
everything all right with her?” I was suddenly seized with the fear that she
was seriously sick. Was that the real reason she was avoiding me now? Was that
the reason that Maddie was being so standoffish? Maybe the doctor she was
supposedly dating was just her doctor and nothing more. “Just tell me mom,” I
said quickly.

Mom took a deep breath.
“I don’t know if I should be telling you this …”

“Mom!” I said
impatiently.

“I have an obligation to
be confidential with the information I receive at work.”

“I’m your son!” I said
childishly. “Please … I’ll go crazy if I don’t know.”

Mom sighed. “Lizzie is …
pregnant.”

I just stared at her for
a moment. “I’m sorry … could you say that again?”

  
“She’s pregnant,” mom repeated again and I knew there was no way I
could have misheard her a second time.

“You’re sure?” I asked
slowly.

“Completely sure,” mom
replied.

“How far along is she?” I
asked.

“Around four months,” she
replied. “But I can’t be sure; I didn’t have time to read through her entire
file.”

“Four months,” I breathed
as I ran my hand through my hair trying to process it all. “Four months!”

“What does this mean
Dylan?” mom asked slowly.

“What do you mean?”

“Is … the baby yours?”

  
I swallowed hard trying to determine that for myself. “I… I don’t
know,” I said finally. “I honestly don’t know. There’s a possibility it could
be mine but…”

“But?”

“I’ve heard that Lizzie’s
started dating another guy since I left,” I said. “It could just as easily be
him.”

“Well, you need to find
out then,” mom said as she reached out and squeezed my arm in support.

  
I stared off in the direction of the lake but I wasn’t really
seeing anything. My head was spinning and I was starting to feel as a though I
was in the middle of some surreal drama. I turned without a word and walked
back into the kitchen where Maddie and Tyler were.

“Maddie,” I said bluntly.
“Is Lizzie pregnant?”

  
Maddie froze in place. She glanced between Tyler and me and then
she turned back to me. “How did you find out?”

  
“Does it matter?” I countered. “I was wondering why you’ve been so
… weird this whole time.” Tyler was looking stumped and I knew he hadn’t known
about Lizzie’s pregnancy. “Is the baby mine?”

“Elizabeth is pregnant?” Tyler
said incredulously as he turned to Maddie. “You didn’t tell me that.”

  
Maddie sighed. “I didn’t tell anyone. The pregnancy obviously
wasn’t planned and Lizzie wanted to keep it under wraps for a while.”

“Who is the father
Maddie?” I demanded again.

Maddie looked at me and
sighed deeply. “You should ask Lizzie that.”

“I’m asking you.”

  
Maddie shook her head in defeat and threw her hands up in the air.
“I don’t want to get in the middle of this,” she said. “Lizzie has been really
specific about what she wants and I don’t want to get in the way of that.”

“For God’s sake!” I said
in frustration.

  
“Hey,” Tyler said taking a step forward. “Watch it ok? Maddie’s
not the bad guy here, she’s just trying to protect her friend.”

“I know,” I said quickly.
“I’m just … this is a lot to take in.”

  
“I get it, but standing there freaking out is not going to help
anyone,” Tyler said calmly and I thought it was ironic that he was the one
giving me that advice.

“What would you suggest I
do?” I asked in irritation.

“Talk to Lizzie,” Tyler
said. “And find out for yourself.”

  
I looked at Maddie and I softened my tone. “I get that you can’t
tell me too much … but can you at least tell me if Lizzie’s seeing some …
doctor?”

  
Maddie looked unbelievably uncomfortable and I knew it was unfair
of me to push her but I couldn’t help it. “She was seeing someone,” she said
with some hesitation. “I don’t know that she’s seeing him anymore though.”

“But he could be the
father?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Maddie
said helplessly.

“You don’t know?” I
repeated.

  
“No I don’t,” Maddie said firmly. “He very well could be but I
just don’t know. The only one who knows for sure is Lizzie and she hasn’t been
very talkative these past few months.”

 
 
“Fuck!”
I all but yelled. “I’ve got to talk to Lizzie.”

  
“Fine, talk to Lizzie,” Maddie said quickly. “But Dylan, be calm,
be sensitive, and be kind ok? She’s going through a lot right now and she’s
going to need some understanding.”

I took a deep breath. “Of
course,” I nodded.

  
Immediately after I left the house, I jumped on my motorcycle and
turned in the direction of Lizzie’s apartment. I had to find out, one way or
the other, whose baby she was carrying.

Chapter
Thirty-Four

Elizabeth

  
I had just managed to find a comfortable position on the couch and
I sunk down into it, enjoying the silence of my apartment, pierced only by
Elvis’s occasional meows. I had switched off my cell phone and taken the phone
of the receiver so that I could have a few minutes to myself.

  
My pregnancy had somehow released a bout of creative energy and I
found myself not only eager to play music but also to write some arrangements
as well. I had a sheath of papers lying on the table beside me and I glanced
over at my notes. I had just finished practicing some of the music I had
written last week and it didn’t sound half-bad. I could hear the melody in my
head and I realized that the silence was pushing me forward and releasing all
these ideas in my head.

  
A sharp rap on my door broke the beautiful silence and I wrinkled
my eyebrows together knowing that Maddie was with Tyler today and mom was
working. I got up and walked to the door. Again there was another knock and I
opened the door without checking who it was. I found myself staring into
Dylan’s intoxicating, blue eyes.

“Dylan,” I stammered.

“Hi, Lizzie,” he said and
for a moment I wondered if he knew. But then his face relaxed. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I said taking
a deep breath. “Really good actually.”

“That’s good to hear,” he
said.

  
“I heard you’re in town for a few weeks,” I said trying to figure
out a million different things at the same time.

“Yes,” he nodded. “I came
in a few days ago. I’ve been wanting to call you up for ages now, but …”

“But?”

“I don’t know,” he said
with a shrug. “I guess I didn’t want to disrupt your life.”

  
I just looked at him, trying not to lose myself to those eyes. I
felt that if I did, my mouth would break open and all my secrets would start
spilling out.

  
Dylan took a deep breath and he looked like he was going to ask me
a big question. I tensed slightly and waited. “Would you like to go get some
ice cream?” he asked unexpectedly and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ice cream?” I repeated.

“Yeah, what say you?”

  
I smiled and nodded. “Sure,” I said knowing that turning him down
would mean a longer conversation and a painful explanation. “I can spare some
time now.”

  
“Great,” he said and he waited till I got my jacket and met him
outside. I paused slightly when I saw his motorbike but I didn’t hesitate.
“Where’s the spare helmet?” I asked, extending my hand out.

  
“Umm … if you’re uncomfortable with riding the bike I can always
borrow Tyler’s Jeep,” Dylan said unexpectedly and I grew instantly suspicious.
He had never asked me that question before and it made me wonder if he knew and
he was simply trying to suss out the truth for himself.

“Why would I be
uncomfortable?” I asked with raised eyebrows.

“No reason,” he mumbled
as he handed me the helmet.

  
We got to the Pink Scooper in twenty minutes and I got off the
bike and shook down my hair. “Why were you driving so slow?” I asked.

  
He shrugged. “I just wanted to enjoy the drive,” he said. “And
prolong the feeling of having your arms around me.”

  
It was such a typical thing for Dylan to say that I didn’t second-guess
it. He ran ahead of me and held the door open and I wondered whether this was
pure chivalry or if he was treating me with kid gloves for a reason.

“Whoa,” I said. “That’s a
long line.”

  
“Why don’t you go and sit down,” Dylan said. “I’ll get us some
cones; mint chocolate chip for you, am I right?”

“It’s fine, I’ll wait
with you,” I said.

“No, don’t worry,” Dylan
said insistently. “It’s better you sit down.”

I frowned at him as I
started to get annoyed. “I’d rather stand,” I said defiantly.

  
“You might want to get us a table before they’re all gone,” he
said sensibly and I was forced to stomp off to find us a table while Dylan
stayed in line. When he came back with cones, my mood hadn’t improved much.

“Here you go,” he said
passing me my cone.

“Thanks,” I replied as he
sat down opposite me.

“So …” Dylan started a
little awkwardly. “How have you been doing?”

“Great,” I nodded.
“Nothing much has been happening with me.”

“Oh … because Maddie did
mention that you were seeing someone,” he said.

  
I raised my eyebrows. Perhaps that was the reason he seemed a
little off today, but I had made the decision months ago. I knew I couldn’t
hide my pregnancy forever. I knew that Bastrop would know soon and the news
would eventually travel to Dylan. I had to make sure the story I would put out
was believable.

“I am,” I nodded.

“Who is he?”

“I met him at the bar
months ago,” I replied. “Shortly after you left, actually.”

“It happened that fast?”

  
I wondered if that was judgement I sensed in his tone but I
decided to let it go. “I guess so,” I nodded. “We hit it off right away and I
didn’t think there was any point in taking things slow … my whole life has been
pretty slow as of late.”

“How serious are you
guys?”

“Serious enough,” I said
with a shrug.

“What’s his name?” Dylan
asked.

I hesitated a little. “Am
I under suspicion for something here?”

Dylan gave me an awkward
smile. “Sorry, does it sound like I’m interrogating you?”

“Just a bit,” I said
lightly.

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m
just curious,” Dylan said. “And I’ll admit, just a little jealous.”

“You were the one that
left, Dylan,” I pointed out to him gently.

  
“I know,” Dylan nodded. “I’m not suggesting you should have …
waited for me or anything. I’m just telling you how I feel, unreasonable as it
may be.”

  
I nodded, feeling that gut wrenching pull in my gut and I wished
desperately that things were different between us. For the first time since I’d
found out that I was pregnant, I wanted so badly to tell Dylan the truth. And
it was for purely selfish reasons. In the moment it felt like it was enough
that he stayed, no matter what the reason, but I knew that once the feeling
passed I would always live in fear of his resentment. I would always know that
I had not been enough. The only reason he had stayed with me was out of a sense
of obligation.