He’d disrespected his woman for the sake of getting back at his old man. For something that shouldn’t matter anymore after all these years. At twenty-seven, playing get-back at his dad because he didn’t agree with who Tanner loved was unnecessary.
What kind of shit was that? What had he been thinking? If she took him back, he’d swear on his left testicle to never do anything so stupid again. Placing his key in the lock, he opened the door to the only place that ever truly felt like home and walked inside.
Chantell didn’t even look up from her reading tablet as he entered the living room from the main foyer. “Why are you here?”
“This is my home. I’m exactly where the fuck I belong,” he snapped. Taking a deep breath, he calmed down. He didn’t want to fight with her. This was starting off on the wrong foot. Running his hand down his face, he tried again. “I’m here because I can’t sleep on that damn apartment mattress. I need to be at home.”
Rolling her finger over the digital screen, her lips tilted in a small smile. “Not my fault you bought that cheap mattress. I told you to get something better.”
Removing his suit jacket, he laid it over the back of the couch. Sitting down hard next to her, he lay his head back. “Yes, you did. I didn’t think I’d ever have to actually sleep there,” he said with a small laugh.
“Hmph,” was her only response. Ignoring him again, she continued reading whatever was displayed on her tablet.
“I forgot you’d be at The Corner Pub tonight. My office had a happy hour, so I had to show up. My first instinct was to come over to your table and kiss you. Greet you like I do when we’re here at home.” But then he’d looked around and saw some of his father’s old cronies and changed his mind. He wasn’t afraid to show her affection, but to do so would have ruined his plans. Now, he wished he would have just done it. Gave them all the shock of their lives. Something to run and tell his father. Honestly, after the fight he had with Chantell and being away from her these past few days, he no longer gave a fuck what his father or his friends had to say.
“We can be in the same place, Tanner. I’m not going to make a scene if that’s what you’re thinking. Sonya and I decided to have our Thursday dinner and they have the best tater tots.” Looking up from her tablet, she looked him in the eyes for a second, before quickly turning away. “Then again, I’m sure if you’d come over to kiss me, all your grand plans to get back at your father would be foiled. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?”
He felt like shit for making her feel that way. His plans weren’t more important to him than she was, but he’d made her feel that way. Glancing over at her face, he wanted to capture her lips in a kiss to make her forget just how stupid he’d been. For a smart man, he’d been acting like a damn fool. He wasn’t going to tell that to Chantell though. He was positive she already knew.
If she weren’t so pissed at him, he’d lift her from this couch and take her to their bed. He needed to be inside her, fucking her into their mattress as they kissed and made up. Yeah, he was tired as hell, but not so much that he couldn’t put Chantell to sleep with a smile on her face.
Sitting up straight, he placed his elbows on his thighs. His mind replayed all the things he’d thought about on his way over here. Words he wanted to say. Promises he wanted to make.Again. With everything happening between them, he knew it would only make the situation worse.
“Sweetheart, look at me.” When she didn’t move, he said it again. “Chantell. Put the damn tablet down and look at me.”
She closed the case and set it down to the side. The look on her face could freeze water, but he just smiled in return. He’d been putting up with her attitude for over half his life. She knew that shit didn’t bother him, but still tried to test him on occasion.
“I know you may not believe me, but I need you to trust me. I don’t want to hide you. I’m not ashamed of you, even if that’s what it looks like.” He could see the tears welling in her eyes and it fucking broke him.
“Then what is it? And if you tell me some crap about your father, you may as well walk back out that front door.”
Shaking his head, he looked at her with a steely gaze. “No, sweetness, that shit’s not happening again. You’re not kicking me out of our home or out of our bed. If you’re upset with me, have at it. Be upset all you want. But I’m not sleeping in that damn apartment bed anymore. I belong here. With you.”
“Fine. Stay here if you want. I can’t stop you.” Arms folded over her chest, she reminded him of the girl he fell in love with so many years ago.
“And you can’t stop me from fighting for you. For us,” he added gruffly.
Her bottom lip began to tremble. “But it feels like you’ve already given up on us. Look at what’s happening with us. How we live our lives together. How am I supposed to feel, Tanner? Knowing that you’re willing to be in public with some strange woman just because your father approves of her, but you’ve hidden me in the shadows for so many years? I’m not sure you truly understand what that feels like.”
“Why does it matter if we go out in public. You know how I feel about you. I love you. I’m not going anywhere. If people know about us or they don’t, it doesn’t things between us. You know what I was trying to do here, and it has nothing to do with how much I love you.”
Suddenly, she hopped off the couch and glared down at him. Her eyes shot fire in his direction and he was taken aback for a second. This never happened. Not that she didn’t get upset on occasion, because she did. What surprised him was the visible anger that seemed to flow through every inch of her body.
“I. Am. Not. Your. Whore!” Yelling the words at him, her voice was raw with emotion. Eyes glistening with unshed tears, her hands were balled into fists at her side. As she continued to stand in front of him, her face crumbled, and the tears flowed in a steady stream. Sobs wracked her body as she raised her hands, trying to hide from him. He stared at her, shell-shocked at what just happened.
Tanner jumped up, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her close to him. “Why would you say that? Answer me, Chantell! What’s going on with you? I’ve never…” Words failed him as he watched her body shake and felt wetness drip onto his hands. What the hell was going on in her head? He couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. Something was very wrong with their relationship if that’s the way she thought he viewed her. “Why the fuck would you say something like that to me? Tell me right now!”
After a few seconds, the tears stopped, and she hung her head low. “That’s how I feel. You treat me like your whore. Like I’m nobody. I won’t have my baby raised in a home with a father who is ashamed to publicly declare his love for their mother. I can’t demean myself like that any longer. I won’t allow my love for you to make me hate myself. How would my child feel if they had to be hidden away because their daddy didn’t want them to be seen? No child should have to deal with that. For my baby, I need to be better. And if you don’t love me enough to walk away from this bullshit game you’re playing with your father, then I have no choice but to walk away from you.” Pulling away from him, she wiped her eyes. “You can stay here, but you have to sleep in the guest room. I’m tired, so I’m going to bed.”
Tanner was frozen in place. Heart beating out of his chest, his lungs stopped working for a few moments as her words sank in. Did he hear her right? She was pregnant? They were having a baby. Looking at her as she walked away from him, he smiled. That’s what this was about, they’d created a life together.
“Chantell,” he called out. She stopped and turned to face him, the expression on her face told him that she was done. His baby was tired and so was he.
Walking up to her, he cradled her face in his palms. “Did you just tell me that we’re pregnant?”
Seven
Chantell