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Chapter Twelve

Lana

"No, Daddy It isn’t that I don’t want to be there I do It’s just that I’ve never been in New York City and I’ve neverso anyone but your mother I don’t want to have to deal with her I do want you to et to know you We’ve got some special news for you"

"Special news?"

Dad cleared his throat and, covered the receiver on his phone, and spoke in a muffled voice to someone else What other news could he have? He’d already dropped theto Alpharetta That would be disastrous Myeveryone was talking about her or pitying her

"Shandra wants o ahead and tell you That way you can be prepared when you get here"

"Okay--" I replied waiting with a sick knot insister," he replied His excitement was unmistakable

"What? How? Does Shandra have a kid?" Nothing else made sense Why would he think I’d be excited over a step-sibling I’d never get a chance to know?

"No, Shandra doesn’t have a kid, yet You kno You’re eighteen years old, Lana You kno babies are made don’t you? I assumed your mother explained that--"

"I KNOW how babies are nant?" I asked in horror My dad had gotten soh! Yuck He was going to be like the kid’s grandfather

Dad chuckled into the phone, "Yes, Shandra is pregnant We’d planned on getting married this Christmas She loves Christmas in New York but well, the baby will be here by Christo ahead and have a su"

I was speechless How did one respond to this kind of news? I sank down on the backdoor steps of Ashton’s house and rested my forehead on my knees

My dad continued to chatter on about the wedding and baby plans They would beout of Manhattan and to New Jersey so that they could afford a house I wouldn’t have a room but I could share the baby’s room when I came to visit He told me I elcome anytime

"Lana?" Sawyer’s voice was a welcoin front of me with a worried frown I wondered how o My, uh, friend just got here and we have plans I’ll call you back later when I’ve decided what to do"

"You are coo now I’ll call when I know" I clicked end before he could say anymore I couldn’t yet stand up to leave; I needed ahimself to sit down beside et up

I started to nodit "no" instead

His arainst his side That small offer of comfort caused my eyes to fill with tears I buried my head into the curve of his arm, and tried to muffle the sob I couldn’t control

Sawyer didn’t try to offer ehter and dropped small little kisses on my hair, temple and forehead as I cried in his army emotions was new for me The part of me that was shocked by this behavior was pushed aside as I soaked in all the co but while I had it, I would take it

After severalup, I wiped at my face Thankfully, Dad had called me before I had a chance to put on makeup I’d have been humiliated if I’d smeared mascara all over Sawyer’s white polo shirt

"You want to talk about it?"

Sharing with Sawyer how nant twenty-three year old fiancée wasn’t so I’d ever do It was too much for me to take in I didn’t want to see pity in his eyes when he looked at me I preferred the lust or attraction If he pitied me, I wouldn’t be able to deal with it

"No," I replied, sitting back up and checking to see hoet I’d gotten his shirt

"I’ll dry," he assured me with a smile I could still see the concern in his eyes as he searchedabout er part knew he’d never look at me the same if he kne pathetic my life really was

"Thank you"

Sawyer leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on each corner of et entle and sweet "M," he whispered againstinto hih of Sawyer He pulled back, way before I wanted hi several curls around his fingers "Why don’t you go finish getting ready? I’et you all to s suddenly were in coain I stood up and smiled down at him, "Give me ten minutes"

Sawyer stood up and started to follow me inside when he stopped "Um, yeah, uh, I think I’ll just wait in the truck if that’s okay"

Ashton wasn’t inside She’d left with Beau an hour ago but I knew that wasn’t why he didn’t want to come inside There had to be a lot of ht now

"Okay, I won’t be long," I assured hi onto the dirt road that led out to the field seemed like a bad idea I’d just spent the day with Lana, all alone We’d bought her a sleeping bag, backpack and a few other supplies for our ca trip Then instead of a hteen holes of putt-putt golf It had sounded like a stupid idea but listening to Lana’s laughter and seeing her strut around when she’d gotten a hole-in-one had beenthan any movie

"I haven’t been to one of these since" she trailed off biting her bottom lip

The last field party Lana had been at, she’d covered for Beau and Ashton When the realization that Lana had known Beau and Ash werearound behind ht she was on h now to see that clearly Reaching across the seat, I grabbed her hand

"The last ti around behind ht it wasn’t your fault No worries, okay"

She let her bottom lip pop free of her teeth and it appeared red and swollen Well dao of her hand, slid hs, and pulled her over to me

"That’s better You were too far away," I whispered before I bent my head so that I could pull her bottoently suck on it The surprised little noise sheher closer I let s and squeeze the soft skin of her thigh in ainstup, I draped it over h Her breathing hitched and I realized e of her panties