“And Dad won’tmind?”
“He won’t have a choice. This is my ranch as well as his, and you’re my daughter. Your grandpa loved that cottage, and he loved you. He would have loved the idea of you living there, I’m sure of it,” she told me with a reassuring smile. “We’ll go have a look after dinner—it’s going to need some tidyingup.”
“Have a look at what?” I heard Brody say as he came into the kitchen, flopping down in the seat next tome.
“Hi Brode, I’m just talking to Mom about me moving into Grandpa’scottage.”
“Why would you want to do that?” he asked, frowning atme.
“Brody, I’m having a baby. It’s going to cry all night and keep everyone awake, and I know how much you need your beauty sleep,” I joked, nudging my shoulder against his. “Plus, things with Dad aren’t good,” I said quietly with a loose shrug of my shoulders. “Maybe if I move out, things will getbetter.”
He put his arm around me and pulled me into his side. “Dad won’t want you to move out Sav, he’s just having a hard time accepting what’s happening. He’ll come aroundsoon.”
“I hope you’re right, I really do, but I need to do this for me. I can’t rely on Mom and Dad forever. I’m going to be a mom myself soon, as scary as that mightbe.”
He pulled me tighter into his side. “You’re going to be a greatmom.”
“Thank you,” I sighed, wondering how on earth I was going to cope alone with ababy.
“We’re going to have a look around the cottage after dinner. I think it’s going to need some work before I’m happy for my daughter and grandchild to live there,” my mom announced as she began preparingdinner.
“Count me in, I’m happy to help. I’m going to jump in the shower.” He stood up and headed to the door. “Dad won’t be back until later, he’s working out some problem in the guest house,” he said before making his wayupstairs.
I sighed. Dad always made it back for dinner, so I knew he was staying away because of me. My mom gave me a smallsmile.
“I know what you’re thinking honey, but I’m sure he really is working out a problem.” I nodded, not wanting to upset her. The sooner I had my own place, the better—at least then my dad wouldn’t avoid cominghome.
An hour later, Mom, Brody, and I were standing inside the empty cottage. It had been over two years since I’d been there, and it was more rundown than I remembered. I felt my shoulders drop as I realized just how much work would need to be done before I could movein.
Grandpa’s things had been cleared out after he died so the cottage was empty. There was a fine layer of dust on the floor and window ledges, and the wallpaper was peeling from the walls. Everywhere needed a good clean and a fresh lick of paint. Wandering into the kitchen, I looked around; it was small, but big enough for me. The cabinets were old and needed repairing, and some of the doors were loose. The whole thing could do with a coat of paint. I felt my mom come up behindme.
“Are you sure you want to live here Savannah?” she asked, squeezing my shoulder. “Your home is still your home. No one is asking you to moveout.”
I nodded. “It’s not that bad. It just needs a clean and a freshen up,” I told her, trying to convince myself it wasn’t as bad as itlooked.
“Just head around the back of the house and keep walking. You’ll see the cottage, we’re right inside. Great, see you in five,” I heard Brody say, obviously on the phone with someone. I made my way back into the sitting room, my mom followingme.
“Who was that Brode?” I asked him as I watched him slip his phone into hispocket.
“Josh. I called him after I showered earlier. I asked him to come see what needs looking at, although I’ve got to say Sav, it’s worse than I remember. Did Gramps really live in it in this state?” My eyes widened in horror. “What’s wrong? You don’t mind me asking him, doyou?”
I could feel my heart pounding and the nervous butterflies taking flight in my stomach. Josh was the last person I wanted working on the cottage, though logically it made sense—he worked for his dad’s construction company and while his main job was as a carpenter, he was handy when it came to most things. I had planned to be helping out around the cottage as much as I could, and having Josh do the work would mean being in this tiny space alone with him. I wasn’t sure my battered heart was ready forthat.
“Does he know about the baby?” I asked Brody. I felt my mom reach down and hold my hand, and I watched as Brody’s eyes fell to our joinedhands.
“No, I haven’t really seen him since you told us last week. What’s going on?” He crossed his arms, a frown forming on hisface.
“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Nothing’s going on, I just wasn’t ready to tell him about the baby yet, that’sall.”
“What baby?” I heard a voice say from the doorway of the cottage, a voice I recognized as Josh’s. My heart dropped and I squeezed my eyes closed. Taking a deep breath, I turned around. Opening my eyes to look at him, my breath caught in my throat—he looked incredible. He’d obviously come straight from work and was dressed in his black work pants with his work belt slung around his hips and a tight grey t-shirt stretched across his chest. As my eyes met his, he raised them inquestion.
“Brody, come look at these kitchen cabinets—I think we can get away with painting them,” I heard my mom say to Brody as she released my hand and guided him out of the lounge, leaving Josh and mealone.
“What’s going on Sav? Brody said you’re moving in here…why?” he askedquietly.
Dropping my eyes from his, I fixed them on the floor; I hadn’t wanted him to find out like this, but I couldn’t see a way of not telling himnow.
“I’m pregnant,” I said slowly, not knowing how he would react. It shouldn’t have bothered him whether I was pregnant or not, but even so, I was nervous about telling him. The last time I’d seen him was in my bedroom the night I’d told my parents, and we hadn’t exactly parted on greatterms.