“Okay. I won’t take you, but I will be arranging for more detail.” I had another idea brewing in the back of my mind, but until I had everything in place, I wouldn’t bring it up to Sloane. “If you’re going to tell them you’re pregnant, I want to be there.”
“I wasn’t there when you told your mother.”
“Are you going to tell them I’m the father?”
“No.”
That hurt, and I couldn’t explain why. I’d known for less than twenty-four hours, and yet, the baby was mine, and I wanted the world to know it.
Sloane’s face softened. “I want to tell my parents and Knox that you’re the father at the same time. With you there. If Knox was back from New York City, then maybe I’d do it today.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I’m angry, Tackle.”
“I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“Okay, we’re both sorry. You made me promise I’d tell you the truth. Is it really too much for me to expect the same of you?”
“Of course it isn’t.”
“If you want me to ‘keep an open mind,’ then you need to be honest with me. That includes telling me things I should know or that relate to me, in real time.”
The fact that my mind was racing with what I hadn’t yet told her that I should’ve, drove home how right she was.
/> “I want to turn the smaller bedroom on the second floor into a nursery for the baby,” I blurted.
She walked over and handed me the other sandwich. We both sat on the sofa. When she put her plate on the coffee table, so did I.
“I love that idea,” she said, turning her body to face mine.
“Does that mean—”
“It means I love the idea.”
“Got it.”
“I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the truth.”
“Shoot.”
“Swear to me there isn’t any kind of relationship whatsoever between you and Nick.”
“There isn’t.” I said the word, but that didn’t change the fact that Nick wanted there to be, no matter how much I didn’t. What she wanted wouldn’t sway me; I didn’t want any other woman in my life other than Sloane, my mom, and our baby, if it was a girl.
“Was there one?”
“Not since high school. You asked me to swear, and I did.”
I hated that Sloane looked like she didn’t believe me, but I loved that she didn’t tell me to leave again.
Two days later, Ranger called.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Nick is making noise about needing you to come back out here.”
“Why?”