“I never got a call.”
“Your manager answered. Said you wouldn’t take any calls from me. I told him I was pregnant.” A tear escapes. Linc is on me immediately, picking me up before sitting on the couch with me in his lap. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to be in his arms again. A sense of peace settles over me even though the conversation we’re having is hard.
“What else did he say?” I can feel the anger roll off Linc in waves. He’s trying to keep it under control, but I can read him like no one else can. We’ve always had a special connection, which is why I’d been so hurt by his lack of fight for us.
I sniffle. “Baby, your tears are killing me.” He kisses my neck. God, this feels way too good. How did I go all these months without Linc? I should have left with him in the beginning, but I doubted myself. I doubted us. I’d become too focused on trying to get a degree in a field I didn’t even want to be in. I’d made it through one semester and had to pull out because Bailey was born. I thought I’d be able to do everything, but reality had sunk in pretty quick.
As I stare into Linc’s eyes, I realize that we’ve lost so much time already and that I’m not willing to lose another second.
“Go on. I want to know it all.”
I nod, not wanting to say the last part, but I will for him. “He said it probably wasn’t yours.” Linc’s hold on me tightens. “You did think I was with someone else,” I remind him.
“I didn’t tell Hal that,” he grinds out between his clenched jaw. I touch his face, making him relax. “I know the baby is mine, but I wouldn’t have cared if it was someone else’s. You’re mine and that makes your babies mine too.”
I snort a laugh because that is ridiculous. I don’t tell him how wrong that would be because it’s really kind of sweet. It also would never happen.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him.
“No, baby. I’m sorry. You were right. I should have fought for you. I never should have left without you. You were all alone and I know how much you hate that. I was so focused on making a future for us that I forgot about the present.”
“It was hard.” My bottom lip trembles. “I should have gone with you. I could have gotten my stupid GED or something. I don’t even know what I’m doing in college or what I want to do. What I have always known is I want to be with you.”
“We are staying. You can figure out what you want and go back to college. I know that having an education is important to you. This time I want to put what you want first.”
“No, you have to go back. This is not only your dream, but Benjy and Nick’s too. We’ll do better this time.” I am still mad at them, but I’ll deal with them later.
“I want to do whatever is best for you and our baby girl.”
“We’ll come with you. Then everyone gets what they want. I just want you.” His mouth comes down onto mine. I wrap my arms around him, kissing him back until we’re both breathless. Linc starts to pull on my clothes, but Bailey cries.
“I’ll get her.” He sits me down on the sofa before going over and picking Bailey up. “What last name did you give her?” He stares down at our daughter. I may have been upset with him but there was no way that I would have given her any other name than his.
“Yours.” I hate mine and everything it stands for. It was only a reminder of my parents and their lack of love for me. I would never attach it to anyone else.
“We have to get married.”
“We don’t have to.”
“Cherry, are you trying to kill me today?”
“We can get married.”
He comes over, sitting down next to me. “I went from having nothing to having it all.” He rocks Bailey in his arms. Seeing him like this makes it pretty hard for me to deny him anything. Plus, I know it’s right. I may have thought our journey was over, but after today, I realize that it’s just beginning.
Chapter Thirty-One
Linc
“It’s so loud!” Cherry shouts. Her whole face is lit up in wonder. I’m probably wearing the same expression, although part of me is nervous as fuck. Nick’s in the bathroom throwing up the pint of vodka he downed to settle his nerves, while Benjy is in the corner running in place to burn off his anxiety.
Tonight we’re playing our first stadium concert, and while we might not lose our careers if we don’t go out and make everyone believe this is the best night of their lives, we don’t want to shit the bed either.