Bourbon Nights - Shari J. Ryan Page 0,10

place my hands on her shoulders. “Abby, what are you talking about?”

“It was my twenty-first,” she begins.

“You don’t go to bars,” I remind her.

“Yeah, well, I did that night. Then, I remembered why drinking at bars is a terrible idea.”

I wasn’t expecting the shocking news. I wasn’t expecting life-shattering news moments after stepping off the bus from a deployment. “You don’t know the guy?” I repeat.

“No,” she says, glancing down to her protruding stomach. “I know what you’re thinking, and I already think that way about myself, so you don’t have to say it.”

I wouldn’t share my feeling of disappointment with her because this is out of character, and I don’t know what to say. “How many months along are you?”

“Eight,” she says with a shrug.

“How are you going to do this while enlisted?”

“I am going to figure it out as I go. It’s all I can do. I’m not the first Marine to become pregnant. It happens.

“Has anyone been around to help you?” I ask.

Abby cocks her head to the side as if my question is ridiculous, which I realize is, but I wanted to know. “Like who?”

“I don’t know, maybe whoever persuaded you to go out that night?” Anger was settling in, and I wasn’t choosing the right words to respond.

“No, Brett. I didn’t ask for help. I don’t need help. This is something I was reckless about and I will handle it now.” Abby isn’t the type to make close friends with the other women. There are forceful personalities in her unit and most of them keep to themselves. She doesn’t fit in with the wives of Marines because they seem to treat her differently, so she flies solo if I’m not around to keep her company. “Okay, let’s pretend I’m not pregnant and you’re just coming home from a year-long deployment. We have lots of other things to catch up on, right?”

“Of course,” I tell her without meaning it. I’m worried about her.

“Did you get a response to any of your love letters?” Abby teases as we walk toward her car.

I chuckle. “Not one.”

“Maybe she didn’t get them,” Abby offers as a plausible reason.

“I don’t know. I think she has a boyfriend. Brody mentioned something in a letter a couple of months back. It’s fine. I’m home and alive. Life is wonderful, right?”

Abby wraps her arm around my back and presses her cheek into my arm. “I’m glad you’re back. I missed my bestie.”

I get my pack settled in the trunk of Abby’s car and hop into the passenger seat. “Seriously, Abby, how are you going to do this alone?”

“Like I said. I’ll figure it out. You don’t need to worry.”

“How does Lindsay feel about all this?” Lindsay is her barrack roommate. I don’t think Abby can stay in the barracks with a baby, but I don’t know what she has arranged at this point.

“Well, she doesn’t want to get an apartment with me, but I can understand why. I’m looking for a one-bedroom place. I’m sure I’ll find something soon. They have moved me to the top of the waiting list.”

“That’s good,” I tell her. She’s eight months pregnant and somewhat calm for a person who could go into labor within the next few weeks. Maybe she’s putting on an act. I want to jump in to help her, but she’s not the kind of girl who seeks sympathy or accepts charity.

My heart skips around in my chest as I dial Harold’s phone number. He answers on the first ring, sounding better than I was prepared for.

“Harold, it’s Brett Pearson.”

“My saving grace, you mean,” he replies with a chuckle.

“I don’t know if I would go that far, but you know I’m always happy to help.”

“Your kindness is much appreciated, son,” he says.

“Well, I’m heading down to The Barrel House as we speak. Is there anything in particular you need me to check on?” I ask.

“Yes, I need sales numbers from yesterday. An inventory of Quinn Pine so we can release that in a few weeks, and there should be two shipments going out today.”

“You got it,” I tell him.

“Also,” he says, clearing his throat. “Melody, you remember my daughter, don’t you?” He doesn’t need to ask, but it’s been awhile since we’ve all been around each other.

“Of course.”

“Well, she just insisted on heading to the shop. Melody is grieving uniquely, and she has an intense determination to take over the business. However, my sweet daughter, one of the loves of my life, she knows nothing