She gasps as if I’ve said something awful when I’m only speaking the truth. “Ally, don’t say that.”
I lean toward her. “Why? It’s true. I’m not marrying Austin, and this baby is not his. I don’t know why he insists—”
I cut myself off because I don’t even know what to think anymore. I got pregnant, and the dad wants nothing to do with me or the baby. I waited to tell Austin, because I know how he is. Any time I ever have a problem, he fixes it. In my mind, this wasn’t something he could fix. Or so I thought, anyway. It was barely out of my mouth before he told me, “You and I are getting married.” And then he pointed at my then flat belly and said, “And that baby is ours now.”
I argued with him, and quite honestly, I’ve always gotten my way with Austin. It’s a common joke around his family that if any of them want something from him, they go through me to get it. But this was not something I could talk him out of. From the day I told him, he has said we are getting married and having a baby.
It’s only when I shake my head from being lost in thought that I realize all my friends are looking at me. Olivia is the first one to speak. “Okay, so you’re telling me that the baby’s father wants nothing to do with you or the baby?”
Natalie swats her friend on the arm and admonishes her. “Olivia!”
I drop my fork on the napkin beside my salad. I know she doesn’t mean anything by it. I’ve been around Olivia enough to know that she just says it like it is. We work in the same salon, and even though we’ve never really hung out together outside of work until recently, I do know how she is. “No, it’s okay. Yes, Olivia, that’s right. Gregory, the biological father, doesn't want me or the baby.”
She nods and leans forward. “So your best friend, who I mean, let’s forget the fact that he is a Blaze and one of the richest men in the state for right now, but your best friend wants to marry you and wants to claim your child as his own. Is that right? Are the rumors true?”
I gulp, staring at Olivia wide-eyed while jutting my chin at her. “Yes, that’s true.”
She creases her forehead, staring at me. The place may be full of people, but right now, I’m only focused on the women at my table, staring at me as if I’ve lost my mind. I know they think I’m crazy. I’m sure they all know that I don’t have any family to depend on and I live on the other side of town in a trailer park. I’m sure they know that I don’t fit in with Natalie or any of the rest of the Blaze family. Under the intense scrutiny, all I can do is ramble. “Look, yeah, of course he offered to help me. That’s what Austin does. He’s a helper. Since the day we met in middle school, he’s been there for me, so of course he thinks he has to be the one to fix this. But I’m not going to punish him for the rest of our lives by forcing him to be with me. He doesn’t want to be married to me…. He definitely doesn’t want to be the father to some other man’s child. No, I’m not doing it. I won’t.”
By the time my rant is over, I’m wiping at the tear on my cheek, half disgusted with myself. I’m stronger than this. I don’t cry, but these stupid pregnancy hormones have me doing all kinds of crazy things.
Nat wraps her hand around mine, offering me comfort, and Olivia raises her hand, palm out to me. “I’m sorry, Ally. I know this is none of my business, and I should stay out of it. But can I ask you one thing?”
I shrug my shoulders, still on the defensive. It’s not like whatever she’s about to ask me is going to make me feel any worse.
She takes a deep breath. “This is all I’m going to say and then I’ll stay out of it. First of all, we’re all on your side. I know you’re new to the group, but you’re one of us, and unfortunately that means you’re going to get my opinion even when it’s not what you want to hear.”
I nod as my heart picks up a little. I know I’m not really one of them, but it’s nice to hear nonetheless.
“The other thing is, I’ve seen you two together at the shop and here. We’ve seen you with Austin… and we’ve seen the way he looks at you. You may think he’s doing this because of his need to look out for you, but there’s more to it than that.” She leans forward. “All I’m saying is to listen to him. See what he has to say. You owe yourself that.”
I sniff and nod my head, not believing any of it. There’s no doubt that Austin and I have a good friendship. The best. But there’s nothing more to it. No matter how much I wish there was.
Chapter 2
Austin
Space. I know she wants space, but I’m not giving it to her. For the last six months, I’ve tried to be patient and give her a chance to make her own decision. I’ve had to step up my efforts, and by the way she’s glaring at me, she knows what I’ve done.
“Really?” she asks me.
I shrug, not giving away a thing.
She looks around the salon, and the women under hair dryers have their eyes glued on us. I’m sure that even though they can’t hear anything, they are trying to read lips. Ally is sweeping up the hair on the floor from her last client, and I wish she was looking at me instead, but since the moment I walked in here, she’s avoided my gaze.
I sit down in the closest vacant chair and wait her out. I know she won’t avoid me forever, and I’m willing to wait. That’s one advantage to being friends with Ally for so long. I know how she is, and right now, she’s overwhelmed, and if it makes her feel better to have time to think things through and form a thought before we talk, I’m fine with it.
After she finishes sweeping, she walks into the back. The ladies sitting under the dryers all look at me, and one peeks her head out. “You going to go after her?”
I look at the door Ally just disappeared through. “No, she’ll let me know when she wants to talk to me.”
The woman nods her head. “She’ll come around. It’s those pregnancy hormones. You just have to listen to her and give her what she needs. Every couple argues, but I see you two… you’re going to be fine.”
I nod, putting way too much value in the words from this woman that I’ve never talked to before. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
She nods and tucks her head back under the dryer just as Ally comes from the back room. She doesn’t look at me, instead staring at the floor in front of me.
I take the opportunity to look at her. Her eyes look tired, and I know she’s not resting like she’s supposed to be. I’m glad she went out with Natalie and her friends last night, but it looks as if she’s paying for it today. I take in the expanse of her belly, and my hands itch at my sides, wanting to touch her. Her long red hair curls down her back, and even now after all these years, she takes my breath away. She’s always been beautiful to me, and I hate that she’s self-conscious now that she’s put on weight. She doesn’t realize that she’s beautiful this way too.
Ally finally walks over to me after straightening up her station. “Hey, Austin, my schedule is full today. My next appointment should be here any moment. You want me to see if Olivia or someone has an opening?”