One Simple Step (Journey Series) (21 page)

I thought about Ally and the night I had planned for her. I wanted to do something extra special to show her how much I loved her, and I figured this would be exactly the type of thing she would love. On the outside, everything was going good, but on the inside, I was having a little bit of inner turmoil.

I had come to the conclusion that Ally didn’t want kids, now and maybe ever, just by little things she would say once in a while, and the comment that I overheard when we were visiting her parents. What was I supposed to do about that? Should I come clean to her about my situation, or should I just end things now?

That thought made me sick to my stomach. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I loved Ally more than anything, but at the same time, I had to think about my daughter. I couldn’t see Ally as some evil stepmother, but could she really ever love a child that I shared with another woman? Just because my life was going to be changed forever, didn’t mean she wanted hers to.

And then there was Kara. What in the hell was I going to do about her?

I parked my bike in my parents’ driveway, taking my helmet off as I opened up the front door and walked through the house. I heard noise coming from the backyard, so I opened the patio door and found them sitting at the table with two glasses of wine. “Nicholas, what a surprise, honey!” My mom stood up to give me a hug, and I patted my dad on the back as I took a seat across from them.

“I thought you had a big date planned for tonight, son.” My dad took a sip of his wine, and I shifted in my seat uncomfortably, not sure exactly how to tell them. I had always been a good son, never really gotten into much trouble, went to college, and got a good job. I hated to think I was going to disappoint them.

“Yeah, I’m going to pick her up in a little bit, but there was something I wanted to talk to you guys about.”

“Oh really?” My mom leaned forward, her lips curving into a smile. “Is there a certain question you’re going to be asking Ally tonight? You know I have your grandmother’s ring, it’s just waiting for you.”

“No, Mom.” I shook my head sharply, swallowing thickly. “That’s not it. I’m actually…well, I’m not really sure...” C’mon Nick, you’re a grown ass man, just say it. “I’m gonna be a dad.”

Both of their mouths dropped open, I saw the shock register across their faces, and then it slowly turned to joy. My mom’s smile was so big it caused her eyes to slant.

“Oh, Nicholas.” She jumped up, clapping her hands together before leaning down to smack a kiss on my cheek. “I’m so excited to be a grandma, you have no idea. Do we know what the baby is yet? I can’t believe Ally didn’t let it slip when we went out for lunch the other day. She must not be too far along because she’s not showing yet, so when’s the due date? There’s so much to do!”

“Mom.” I drug a hand over my face, knowing that I should’ve explained things a little more before I came right out and said it. “Ally’s not pregnant.”

Her eyebrows knitted in confusion for a second, but then the realization washed over her face, and I could tell she knew. “Oh no, Nicholas.” She shook her head repeatedly and my dad gripped her hand giving it a squeeze. “Kara’s pregnant,” she quietly finished. “How far along is she? You didn’t cheat on Ally, did you? Please, tell me you didn’t do that. We raised you better.”

“Of course not, Mom,” I said, sitting up straighter. I was sort of pissed that she even thought that. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did something like that to Ally. “Kara just didn’t tell me right away. She wanted to give the baby up for adoption, but I couldn’t let her do that. She’s due next month.”

“Adoption?” my dad repeated; the word sounding just about as foreign to him as it did me. “She doesn’t want the baby?”

I shook my head even though I wasn’t so sure about that lately, another reason I didn’t know what in the hell I was going to do when it came to Ally. Kara and Jared were now over, what a surprise, and that made me think that maybe she was going to change her mind.

She hadn’t actually said it, but she made little comments whenever we talked, like names she picked out, or that she had just bought an adorable outfit. I didn’t want to have to deal with Kara for the next eighteen years. Did I really want to put Ally through that, too?

“I don’t know, she says she doesn’t, but I could see her changing her mind. Kara won’t sign any papers until after she’s born.”

“She?” my mom asked quietly. “You’re having a little girl?”

I nodded my head, smiling at the thought. I might not like who I was having a baby with, I definitely wished it was Ally, but I was still going to be a dad, and would love her unconditionally. “Yup. Are you ready to be grandparents, ‘cause I have no clue how to raise a baby, especially a girl, and I could use the help.”

“We’ll always be there for you, Nick. I’m sure your mom would know more about the girl business than me, though, but I can guarantee she’ll be spoiled by the both of us.”

My mom nodded her head in agreement, reaching out to pat my hand. “Have you told Ally yet?”

I tipped my back and let out a deep sigh. “No, Mom, I haven’t. I don’t know how to, I’m not sure how she’ll react.”

“That’s understandable, honey, but you do need to tell her, presumably before the baby arrives, so that doesn’t give you much time.”

“I know, Mom. I just have to figure out exactly what I’m going to do.” I stood up, pushing my chair back in, and leaned down to give them each a kiss on the cheek. “I better head out, I’ll call ya tomorrow and maybe we can meet up. I definitely need your help getting some shopping done.”

“Of course, honey. Have fun tonight.”

I planned to, but I wasn’t so sure I should. What was I doing to Ally by not telling her the truth? Really, I was no better than that ex-husband of hers. After tonight I was going to make a decision, I had to. I was going to try to keep Ally in my life forever, or I would have to let her go. Either way I needed to decide, even though I had no fucking clue how. For now, I would push it out of my head and try to make tonight perfect for Ally, because she deserved it.

Ally

“We’re going back to your house?” I asked, a little confused as Nick pulled his bike to a stop in his driveway. I slid my legs off the back, trying to keep as much covered as possible while I adjusted the midnight blue dress I had picked out.

I loved riding on the back of Nick’s bike, my arms wrapped around his waist, my head resting against his back. Plus, the ride itself was always a thrill, but it wasn’t the first thing I would pick to ride in a dress. Judging by the way Nick’s eyes were raking over my body, his lips twisted into a smirk, he enjoyed it way more than I did.

And he didn’t look so bad himself.

I could tell he had come straight from work to pick me up, but he looked sexy as hell in a pair of fitted black pants, and a black dress shirt rolled to his elbows with just a hint of his tattoo peeking out.

I asked him multiple times before he finally told me what it meant. Really, it was just some sort of tribal design that he found in the book at the tattoo shop he went to with Danny when they turned eighteen. I found it pretty amusing that Leah and I had done the same thing when we had gotten our matching star tattoos.

His dark hair was a mess, and there was light stubble covering his face, something I loved but didn’t like that often since it tended to cover those dimples of his.

“C’mon.” He laced his fingers through mine, but instead of going into the house, he pulled me around to the back.

The small deck that overlooked the ocean was covered in hundreds of twinkling white lights, making it look like tiny stars against the blackness of the night. The table that usually sat in the corner was in the middle of the deck, covered with a lacy white tablecloth, and a single white daisy in a clear glass vase sat in the center. The speakers that he had wired into a sound system were playing soft music in the background as he led me over to the table, pulling out the chair for me, and helping me sit down, before taking the seat across from me.

All of this, along with the sounds of the ocean, the water gently lapping against the sandy shore, was almost overwhelmingly sweet. He didn’t take me to some fancy restaurant, where everyone was stuffy and the pricing was outrageous, because he knew that I didn’t like places like that. This,
this
was perfect.

“How did you do all of this?” I kept glancing around, still amazed by all of the lights. I was pretty sure I was going to make him leave them up forever. He pulled out a bottle of wine from beneath the table, along with two glasses and slid one across to me, his fingers lingering on mine as he brushed his thumb over the top of my hand.

“Believe it or not, Danny helped me. We put up all of the lights last night, and he came over while I was at work and set everything else up. Were you surprised?”

“Very, especially that Danny helped.” Something like this wasn’t really his thing. I took a sip of wine, and Nick stood up, heading towards the patio door.

“I hope you’re hungry,” he called over his shoulder. “I made just about every Italian dish you could think of, and then some. Sit tight, I’ll be out in a minute.”

Nick had done exactly as he promised. His Italian heritage came from his mom’s side of the family, and since she didn’t have a daughter, she taught Nick every recipe she knew while he was growing up. He started the night off with salads, bruschetta, and minestrone. I was pretty much stuffed after that, but I knew how hard he worked on everything, so I had to eat everything, or at least try everything.

“When did you find the time to make all of this?” I asked in between bites of homemade ravioli. I was seriously ready to marry this man on the spot. Chase had nothing on him, when it came to a guy knowing how to cook. “They’re all so good, but this one has to be my favorite.”

He shrugged his shoulders, smiling as he watched me eat another bite. “I’ve been getting everything ready the past couple of days, and putting it in the fridge so I just had to heat it all up. Are you ready for dessert yet?”

“Well, depends on what it is. My stomach’s saying no, but my head’s telling me yes.”

He laughed as he stood up and grabbed our now empty plates. “We can wait until later, then. Be right back.”

We spent most of the night just talking and laughing while sipping on wine, and listening to the sounds of the ocean. It was so peaceful here. I could just sit in silence with him by my side and be happy.

“You ready for dessert now?” he asked, wrapping his arms around me from behind, and brushing his lips against my ear, the stubble on his face tickling me. “I have cannoli and panna cotta. I figured I’d skip the tiramisu since I know you’re not a fan of coffee.” Always so thoughtful.

I groaned, letting my body lean back against his warm body. “That sounds delicious, but I still don’t think I have room for anything else yet.” The song changed, and I grabbed onto his hand. “Let’s dance, maybe that’ll help me make some room.”

“Nu-uh.” He pulled his hand backwards, but I didn’t let go. “Me and dancing don’t go together. It’s not a guy thing, Al.”

“Um…do you not recall your cousin’s wedding? You wouldn’t even let me sit down.”

He smirked at me as I looked over my shoulder at him. “That’s because I didn’t want any of my uncles or cousins to get ahold of you. Plus, they’re family, I don’t care if I make an ass out of myself in front of them.”

So, that’s why I ended up with sore feet. It had totally been worth it. “Oh please, there’s no one else here but you and me. I promise, I won’t laugh…too hard,” I added as I walked towards the small cleared area of the deck and turned my body around, placing his reluctant hands onto my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder as we slowly swayed to the music. “See, it’s not so bad, right?”

“Right,” he said, pressing his lips against mine before burying his nose in my hair. I squeezed my eyes shut and let myself get lost in his warmth. The breeze coming in from the ocean was starting to get a little cool so late at night, but I didn’t notice it too much while in Nick’s embrace.

One arm slipped from my waist as the song transitioned into the next, and he dipped me backwards, his forehead coming down to meet mine. “Don’t know how to dance, huh?” I said, giggling as he flipped me back up and twirled me around in a circle by my hand.

“I never said I didn’t know how to dance, I just don’t do it. I was my mom’s favorite dance partner when I was younger. She used to teach me things for hours. It was so embarrassing.”

I smiled, picturing Kelly teaching Nick how to dance when he was a little boy. It was definitely something I could see her doing.

He wrapped his arms back around me, pulling me tight into his body as he backed me up against the railing of the deck. He reached up to tuck a piece of hair back that had escaped my tight bun. “So, you ready for dessert yet?”

I scrunched my nose, shaking my head. “No, are you trying to fatten me up or something?” I poked my stomach, guessing I had gained at least five pounds from what I had already eaten.

He brushed his lips against mine, and I could feel his smile against my lips. “Of course not.
I’m
ready for dessert, though.” He dropped back, scooping my body up into his arms, and I clung to his neck as he made his way through the patio door and into the house.

“The fridge is back there.” I pushed my thumb towards the direction of the kitchen he had just passed. He flashed a dimple at me, bouncing me once in his arms, before darting his tongue out to lick the side of my neck.

“I have my dessert right here.”

Chapter 22

Nick

I squinted my eyes at the rays of sun that were coming in between the blinds as I slammed my hand down on my alarm. I shouldn’t have stayed up so late last night when I knew I had to get up for work early, but it was worth every second.

The night turned out exactly as I wanted. Ally had been in love with all of the lights that took me and Danny forever to string up, she ate as much as she possibly could, and I even enjoyed the dancing. Holding her body in my arms, how couldn’t I?