mug down.
“I’ll make you some decaf later,” I said.
“That’d be nice.”
“How are those two?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder at Andrew and Gia gazed at the baby together.
“Couldn’t be happier,” Annie said. “Andrew’s still wrapping his head around it all, but he’s thrilled to be an uncle. And Gia’s going to be an aunt, whether it’s the official kind or not.”
“Seems like there’s more than just fawning over a baby going on in there,” I said, watching as Andrew said something to make Gia laugh, Gia responding by giving Andrew a playful shove.
“I think you’re right about that,” she said.
More silence. It was time to talk about us – no putting it off.
“Listen,” she said. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. Showing up on the verge of having a kid certainly is one way to let a guy know he’s about to be a dad.”
“It happened out of nowhere – I wasn’t due for another week. But there I was, at Apres Ski with Gia, snacking on a scone, and then, all of a sudden, my water breaks.”
“Didn’t think you’d make it to the hospital?”
“That was the plan. But when Gia pulled it up on maps, there was some kind of accident on the highway. Believe it or not, your place was closer.”
“It’s all good,” I said. “Worse things in the world than helping someone you love give birth to your own son.”
She cleared her throat. “How…how do you feel about that?”
“How do I feel about the fact that I’m a father? Well, I wouldn’t have minded knowing it was going to happen before literally the hour before birth.”
“Hey!” she said with a smile. “I was going to tell you. But when I found out and looked you up, you’d flown off to Africa. I figured it could wait until you got back.”
“He’s my son, too,” I said quietly. “I had a right to know.”
Her expression fell. “I get it. Truth be told, I was being stubborn. Part of me was sure I could do it all on my own, that I didn’t need some man to help me take care of my child.”
“And how’d that work out for you?”
“It was hard. Gia helped, and so did the rest of my family. After...things went badly between you and me, I moved back in with them. But I knew, as mad as I might’ve been with you, I was doing something wrong. You were the father – you had a right to know. But I figured you had your reasons for leaving.”
“I did. But I would’ve been there for you, Annie. Regardless of how things were between us, I would’ve been there.”
She reached over and took my hand. “I know. I don’t doubt that for a second. And looking back, I should’ve told you.”
“Then I’m glad you came here,” I said. “It’s all out in the open now.”
“I just…” She stopped herself.
“You just what?”
“I just wish things didn’t have to happen the way they did. Why’d you do it, Duncan? Why’d you blow me off like that?”
I smirked. “Annie, you know one of the things I love about you is your stubbornness, how you don’t take shit from anyone.”
“It’s gotten me into trouble a few times, I’ll admit.”
“Right. Like when your boyfriend’s father has a heart attack and he have to go to the hospital with him, and he’s so focused on that he forgot his phone, and then it’s dead when he gets back and he doesn’t have a chance to tell his girlfriend what’s going on.”
She gave me a quizzical look, as if I’d just laid out some bizarre hypothetical situation. But then the realization dawned on her.
“You…that’s what happened?”
I nodded. “I wish I would’ve told you. But I was so fucking worried for my father that I couldn’t think of anything else. And when I tried to tell you the next day, I could sense that you didn’t want to hear a word of it, that no excuse would’ve been good enough. So, I took that as I sign things were done between us.”
“And then you went to Africa.”
I nodded. “I figured some time away from Colorado would do me some good. And more than that, I’d gotten so wrapped up in the business side of Pitt Medical that I’d lost sight of what was really important – the people.”
“I saw the pictures you posted on social media,” she murmured. “All those musicians…” She smiled, clearly happy about it.
“Hey, you were onto