about him, but I didn’t want him to lose his job because of me. I found out I was pregnant about four months after we began sleeping together.”
I scrub my hands over my face. “I was so scared, but I was happy because I thought he wanted us to be together. Our baby was conceived out of love, or that’s what I thought. The day I told him about Ava, he screamed at me and accused me of getting pregnant on purpose. He told me he was married, and he couldn’t believe that I was so stupid to think what we had was real. He told me I was a stupid little girl, and if I was smart I’d get an abortion.
“That night I went home and told my parents about the baby. I didn’t want to tell them about who the father was, but they said he needed to take responsibility. When I told them it was Brandon, my dad tried to go after him. We stayed up all night talking, and then they took me to the police station the next morning to press charges. He was charged with statutory rape and felony grooming.”
“Of course he tried to say I was lying, but I had all of our text messages, and they got security tape from the motel we used to go to. He knew he was going to go to prison, but he demanded to have visitation with my baby. My lawyer was my dad’s friend, so he managed to get Brandon a reduced sentence if he signed over all rights to my baby. After he went away, his wife kept trying to come around and see Ava after she was born. My parents finally had to get a restraining order against her.
“Because I was a minor they kept my name out of the papers, but someone at school found out and the next thing I knew I was the talk of the town, being called a whore, slut. Kids blamed me for their favorite teacher being fired. I couldn’t take it anymore, so my mom pulled me from school and homeschooled me.
I look up at him, not bothering to wipe my tears away. He’s staring at his lap, not saying a word. The silence is unnerving, and I’m waiting for him to tell me it’s over—to get out.
“So you see I’m not good enough for you.”
Tears erupt. Brandon is still fucking with my life four years later. I jump up and go to my bag, picking it up. “I’m sorry,” I say before I run out of his apartment for the second time and fly down the stairs.
I’m just opening my car door when a large body hits me from behind. Chance turns me in his arms, hugging me tight. “Don’t run from me, baby. I’m so sorry you ever had to deal with that. Let’s go back inside, please.”
He keeps his arm around my shoulders and leads me into his apartment. We move until we’re climbing onto his bed with Chance lying on his back and me on my side with my arm wrapped around his waist.
“Thank you for trusting me with your story. Baby, you’ve got to be the strongest person I know. Is he still in jail?”
I shake my head. “No, he got out about six months ago. I-I actually saw him, his wife, and their kids when Ava and I were at the mall after we saw Santa.”
“Did they approach you?”
“No, as soon as I saw them I picked up Ava and hightailed it out of there. I swear my heart was in my throat the whole drive back to my parents. I never told them I saw him. I didn’t want to open those wounds.” I kiss below his ear. “My parents still hold a lot of guilt even though I told them none of this was their fault. They said they should’ve noticed something was up with me. I was really good at lying and sneaking around.”
Chance runs his fingers up and down my arm. “Laken, do me a favor.”
“Okay, sure. What is it?”
“Don’t ever say that you’re not good enough for me. If anything, I’m not good enough for you.”
He’s full of shit. I snuggle into Chance and feel emotionally exhausted, but I also feel lighter. In no time at all I fall asleep.
***
Goose bumps pop up all over my body as Chance kisses my neck. “Stop.” I laugh and try to jerk away from him. I’m trying to