Brynn

 

The universe clearly hated me.

​

I was the girl who didn’t do relationships so the universe sent Jamison McCall my way. No matter how much I tried to resist all of the feelings he created inside me, I couldn’t. It was impossible.

 

That day at the jewelry store, I couldn’t watch him walk away. Now I was in an actual relationship with a man who had commitment phobias of his own.

 

Well, that wasn’t exactly right. He didn’t have a fear of committing. He had a fear of losing the person he’d given his heart to like his mother had.

 

Now this.

 

Jamison was going to lose his shit and I already was so I guess we made a great pair. But this wasn’t what I wanted. So, I waited until he came back to his mother’s house.

 

We were visiting Michigan so he could look for a place here. He was still on the fence about keeping the place in LA. The band wasn’t on tour right now and several members were located in Michigan because of their girlfriends. Plus, I was working with Charlotte, London’s girl, on her launching her animal rescue so I was going to be here a lot.

 

These guys were Jamison’s family so it made sense that he’d want to be around them. Grayson had said he didn’t care as long as Lilah could come with him. Which she could given that she was the band’s stylist. Avalon was going to be in school in Michigan. The only person without a reason to be here was Thatcher though Modestie said she preferred not to live in LA. She could fly back and forth when she needed.

 

Now this.

 

I let out a heavy sigh when I heard the front door close. His mother wouldn’t be home for hours so there was no reason not to assume it was him.

 

Quickly I left his room to meet him in the living room.

 

“Hey baby.” He took me in his arms and pushed his lips against mine. As always, he deepened the kiss and this could’ve gone somewhere but I had something to tell him.

 

When his tongue swept across my lips, I decided to let him live in ignorance for a little while longer.

 

“Were you eating chocolate?” he asked.

 

I snorted. “I’m always eating chocolate.” But this time I’d needed one. “Do you have a minute?”

 

“Of course.” He waved his hand so that I’d follow him to the kitchen. After he filled his glass with water, I watched his throat as he drank it.

 

There was something sexy about his neck. Well, about his everything.

 

“What’s up?” he asked.

 

I took a break then pulled on the hem of my shirt. I was wearing a long sleeve T-shirt and jeans with only socks covering my feet. The weather in Michigan had started to cool.

 

“Um…” I swallowed hard causing his brows to pinch together.

 

“What’s wrong, Brynn? You’re freaking me out.”

 

I let out a humorless chuckle. “Well, if that freaks you out…” I quickly wet my lips and knew that it was best to rip the band aid off. “I’m pregnant.”

 

He froze. Not even blinking and I couldn’t be sure he was breathing. Not until the corner of his mouth turned up. “What?”

 

“I’m pregnant. I’m sorry. I don’t know how this happened. I—” There wasn’t really anything else I could say.

 

“You’re… pregnant.” That corner of his mouth was still turned up but then it became a full smile as he came over to me. “Are you sure?”

 

“I took a test.”

 

Jamison wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted. I had no choice but to hold onto his shoulders. Then his hand snaked up my back, wrapping around the back of my head and he kissed me again. This time with gentle lips that made it feel more like a caress.

 

When he pulled back, there was none of the anger I thought I’d see. Not that he’d be angry at me. I didn’t do this alone. I just assumed that he’d be upset by the situation. Just months ago he didn’t even want a girlfriend. Now he had that and a baby on the way.

 

“I can’t believe it.” He kissed my cheek as he set my feet on the floor. “Don’t you have an IUD?”

 

I nodded again. In the time I’d been waiting for him, I’d googled that and wasn’t sure how I felt about the results. “Apparently it happens like one percent of the time.” And we’d stopped using condoms once we were together and both had a full STI panel. What were the chances that my best friend and I would both be in the one percent. “But it happens and I have to have it removed. Though I read that like one in five of these situations ends in miscarriage. And there’s a big risk of ectopic pregnancy. And—”

 

“And nothing. We’ll deal with whatever happens.” He held me by the hips. “Whatever is best for you and keeps you healthy.” Because that would be his priority given the intense fear he had over losing someone he loved. “We’ll get you to the doctor.”

 

He stepped back and looked me over. “Pregnant.”

​

It was almost like he couldn’t believe it.

 

Shit. Neither could I.

 

“So.” He sat in the chair and pulled me into his lap. “Do you want a big wedding, small wedding, or a quick thing in Vegas? I’ll make whatever you want happen.”

 

“What?” I furrowed my brows and looked at him as if he was crazy.

 

“Wedding. Or not a wedding. It’s up to you.”

 

“Jamison.” I turned to straddle him so that I could see his face. “What are you talking about?”

 

“You’re pregnant so we’re getting married.”

 

I rolled my eyes. “We don’t have to get married just because—”

 

“I know we don’t have to. I want to. I’m hoping you want to as well.”

 

Biting back a smile, I told him, “You’re crazy you know that?”

 

“I do. So, what do you say?”

 

Everything inside me said to tell him we should wait. That we don’t need this and would be fine without it. But that was logic thinking. Logic I’d used for far too long. This time, I was going with my heart.

 

“I’d say small. I literally know two people I’d want to be there but you have family and friends who should be part of it. I wouldn’t want to take that away from your mom.”

 

He ran his hand down my hair “They’re your family and friends too.”

 

And they treated me like I was. “This is insane. You were supposed to be a one night distraction. Now we’re having a kid? Why aren’t you freaked out?”

 

I chuckled, the movement vibrated my body. “I am kind of freaked out. If it was anyone else, I’d already be trying to find a way out. But it’s you, Brynn. I love you. Whatever else comes along doesn’t matter. As long as I have you, we’ll figure it out.”

 

This was why it was impossible not to fall for Jamison McCall.

 

“You know that every single person you know is going to lose it when you tell them.” The band was going to give him hell. They already did because he harassed them all so much about falling in love. Now he was on an express train to surpass them all.

 

“They are.” He chuckled again. “I’m not worried. I can handle it.” The garage door opened signaling that his mother was home. “We’ll start with my mom.”

 

“Jamison, we can’t tell people yet. What if something happens?”

 

He shrugged. “It’ll suck. But they’ll all want to be there for us.”

 

He was right. The band, the girlfriends, Jamison’s family, they were family and they’d do anything they can.

 

“OK, but we have to make sure we explain that…”

 

He stopped my words with another kiss. “We will. But for a moment, let’s also just be happy.”

With him, I could do that.

 

With Jamison, it felt like I could do anything.