Page 22 of Hard To Love

Not because I wanted to shove it in his face, but because I wanted to reassure him that the child who shared his DNA would never want for a thing. I wanted to let him know I’d not only take care but protect and die for him or her.

“Good.” He nodded and let go of the envelope. I took it.

“You wanna tell her this?” I offered.

I didn’t want to let him close. I didn’t want the ass to breathe the same air as her, but I had to be the bigger man. I was confident with what Sandy and I shared.

“No.” He shook his head. “Just… make them happy. Give ‘em a good life.”

“I will,” I promised easily. Confidently. He tipped his head and turned. I didn’t move from where I stood until Cal was back in his little beat-up truck that had seen better days and disappeared from my sight.

I texted Troy to keep an eye on the truck on the security cameras and make sure to text me when he’d left the ranch. He might have come out here with good intentions, but that didn’t mean I wanted him lurking around the property.

Not that I thought he would.

He’d seemed genuine when he spoke to me, and I had a feeling we wouldn’t see the guy for a long, long time, if ever.

I walked in only to find Sandy pacing. Back and forth, her hands on her lower back. The moment the door shut, she looked up at me with worry in her eyes and stopped mid-pace.

“What’s up?” I asked. She stared at me.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Auggie.” She stood straighter. I knew that look. I shrugged and made my way right to her and picked her up like a groom would his bride.

Surprised she’s not wearing your ring.Cal’s words floated through my head, but I shook them away.

Fuck, I would have married Sandy right after our first official date. But I knew she had a lot going on. Pregnancy was no joke. Emotionally and physically. I’d wanted her clear-headed when I asked her so there was never any doubt she’d agreed to be mine forever for the right reasons.

But now, I was freaked.

Worried.

What if after the baby comes, she realizes she doesn’t want me?

“Auggie?” she called and snapped me out of the negative thought train.

Screw that and screw risking anything.

I’d bought a ring for her months ago. It was in my sock drawer waiting to be taken out.

“Is it bad?” she whispered, and that’s when I realized my silence was only fueling whatever thoughts were running a mile a minute through hers.

“No, baby. Everything’s fine.” I moved us to the couch. She complained about hurting my back with her in my arms, but I ignored it. Settled back on the couch with her on my lap, her legs between mine, I brushed her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ears.

“Tell me. What did he want?” She was breathing heavily, and her hands rested at the top of her belly. She was in full-on mama bear mode.

In a way, I knew she would constantly be when it came to our kids in the future. Clear as day, I knew it in my bones. Protective over our babies, Sandy would be an amazing mom. The best. I swallowed because the vision was so damn beautiful and crystal clear, it threatened to make me tear up.

“First, angel, I need you to calm down.”

“Auggie, don’t tell me—"

“Stress is not good for the baby,” I gently reminded her. She pouted, but what she didn’t do was relax.

“What did he want, August?”