The Way We Score: A small-town, accidental pregnancy, sports romance. (The Bradford Boys)

Henny Lane sits on her nest almost completely flat. Her breast is plucked almost bare, and she looks slightly deranged, like she’ll attack anyone who tries to touch the common, ole non-fertilized egg she’s trying to hatch.

Poor, crazy bird. I’m sure it’s the hormones (again), but I actually feel empathy for this mentally ill creature. I want to keep her safe.

“It’s okay, Hen.” I speak in a low, even tone. “I know how it feels to be growing a baby. I’m growing one of my own right now.”

Reaching out, I place a small cup of food on the edge of her roost. It’s attached to the side, so it can’t be tipped over, along with a cup of water.

Mom said Henny stays on her nest for hours at a time, only leaving for a few minutes each day to eat and leave a large, stinky poop.

The poop part has me a little worried. My nausea is back, and the prescription Dr. Beck gave me seems to have stopped working. Or my body has gotten used to it. Either way, I don’t like how large the swells of nausea have become, and I can’t seem to find the trigger.

Something tells me a big, stinky chicken poop might be it.

Glancing at the clock, I expect Garrett any minute.

“It’s so nice to have you home.” Mom walks out to where I’ve finished checking on her chickens.

“It’s so nice to have you moving around again. Are you sure you want to have a hip replacement so soon? You’ve just gotten your mobility back.”

“I might as well get it over with.” She shrugs. “It hasn’t been that long since I needed a walker.”

“It’s been almost four months.” Despite what she says, I suspect this might be another ploy to bring me home, but have I got a surprise for her.

As much as I hate to reward her for lying, her trick to keep me here for Dylan’s wedding played a pivotal role in making a dream I didn’t think was possible come true.

I’m going to be a mother. She’s going to be a grandmother, and the father is a person we both care for very much, even if it’s really, really complicated.

“Well, anyway, I’ve had this ache in my hip and he said hip replacement surgery is as common now as heart surgery.”

“Another very serious procedure,” I note under my breath.

She waves a hand over her head, going back to the house. “I’m just happy you’re here. Now what is all this important conversation we have to have right now? I’m missing my Dungeons and Dragons session at the senior center, and I’m the elf bard who plays bagpipes and wields a bow and arrow.”

“I don’t know what any of that means.”

“We have to get out of an alternate dimension of our homeland, Olivia! I can’t just blow off a session. People are counting on me.”

“I have something important I need to tell you, and I didn’t know you were on a senior-citizens DnD team. I thought Dungeons and Dragons was for kids.”

Her eyes narrow in disapproval. “Olivia Bankston, I didn’t raise you to be ageist. DnD is a creative way to keep your brain active.”

“Your brain’s active enough as it is.”

Outside, the sound of a car makes my stomach jump. I’ve been texting with Garrett all morning, so I know it has to be him, based on his ETA.

“Is someone here?” Mom tilts her head, walking over to look out the living room window. “Who in the world…”

“I’ll go see.” Leaving her, I hustle out the door, meeting him halfway.

As always, Garrett has my senses tingling. He’s in simple black jeans and a brown sweater with a tan suede bomber jacket on top, but my whole body hums at the sight of him.noveldrama

His dark hair is a little longer than it was in the summer, and I imagine threading my fingers in it. His beard isn’t as clean shaven, and my inner thighs tense at the thought of how it might feel. Heat rushes to my core, and I won’t lie, the rugged look is working for him.

“Perfect timing.” I do my best to distract my lusty brain. “The grandmother is getting restless.”

He grabs his duffel from the Uber XL, and I slide my hand into the crook of his arm. His blue eyes are heated when he looks down at me, and it’s all I can do not to pull him down for a kiss.

It’s been happening a lot more since we found out about Baby.

“How are you feeling?” He holds my arm, lifting it and moving me out as if he’s inspecting my appearance. “Still glowing, healthy. Boobs.”

“Shut up!” I laugh, pulling him to the house. “Mom’s not going to know what to think of you being here. We’ll have to tell her right away.”

“Lead on.”

“Garrett?” Mom meets us at the door. “What in the world? What are you doing here?”

Her eyes move from him to me and back so fast, I know she’s scheming. She’s smart, and she’s already been working on her own plan to put us together since the wedding.

“Come inside.” I take her arm, moving her into the living room. “Sit down.”

“You are so bossy.”

“I learned it from the best. Now, here. Garrett and I have some important news, but I want you to listen all the way to the end without interrupting. Can you do that?”

She exhales a disgusted noise. “Of course, I can do that. Don’t speak to me like I’m a child, Olivia.”

“No interrupting.” I hold up a finger. Another scoff, and I continue. “We’ve got some good news, but it’s not what you think.”

Her mouth opens, and I hold up my finger. Instantly it closes.

“I’m going to have a baby… and Garrett’s the father.” Her eyes bug, but I push on quickly, knowing I’ve hit her limit on self-control. “We’re not getting married, but…”

Her expression melts from ecstatic to confused, but I won’t let her start with the pressure yet.

“We’re committed to this baby. Garrett’s planning to retire and move back to Newhope, and we’re going to do this together.”

Her lips tighten, and I watch as she inhales deeply through her nose.

“Now you can go.”

Blinking her eyes, she shakes her head, a smile spreading across her face. “I’m going to be a grandmother?”

That makes me laugh. “Not just a grandmother.” I drop to my knees in front of her, clasping her hands. “You’re going to be the best grandmother.”

With a little squeak, she pulls me into a hug, and the two of us rock side to side. After a few minutes, she releases me, and I look up at Garrett.

His hand is on the back of his neck, and his brow is furrowed. I almost laugh at his bewildered expression.

“Garrett Bradford!” Mom pushes off me to stand. “Get over here and give me a hug.”

I sit back on my heels, watching as he bends down to hug my tiny mom. “One person down, ten more to go?”

Releasing her, he shakes his head. “Nobody knows I’m here. The only person I’ve told is Jack, and he’s sworn to secrecy.”

“Why is it a secret?” Mom’s tone is indignant. “Everyone knows the two of you belong together. It’s the happiest news you could give us that you’re back together and having a sweet little baby!”

“Mom, you’re not listening. We’re not back together.”

“Why not?” She seems genuinely confused, and I exhale heavily.

“We can’t get married just because we’re pregnant.”

“People do it all the time.”

“And they get divorced all the time. I’m not vying to be the next Kim Kardashian.”

“I don’t know what that means.” She shakes her head, closing her eyes. “When it’s right, it’s right. And this is right.”

I look helplessly up at Garrett, and he gives me a warm smile. He doesn’t say a word, and so much emotion is in his blue eyes. My chest squeezes, and I have to look away.

How can we know if it’s right so soon? I thought for four years Garrett was right. I spent my entire high school career thinking we’d never be apart. I even went to college thinking we could never be apart. I was wrong.

Mom reaches up to take his arm. “Garrett, are you staying for supper?”

“No, ma’am, I’m taking the next flight back to Manhattan. I can only miss so many practices before it starts to add up.”

“What does that mean? You have to pay to miss practice?”

He gives her a little wink. “They like to call it a fine, but it’s basically the same thing.”

“Garrett!” I push to my feet. “You should’ve told me. I didn’t even think about you getting fined. I’m sorry.”

“I told you no more apologizing. You needed me here, and I told you I’d be here when you needed me.”

Mom looks from him to me, and she steps back, picking up her oversized bag. “Well, I’d better get going. If I hurry, I might still make my DnD session.” Stepping forward once more, she hugs Garrett again. “It’s always good to see you, Garrett. Liv, I’ll be back later.”

She hurries out the door so fast, I almost call foul on her hip replacement ruse. Instead, I look up at Garret. “You can’t do this.”

The smile that lifts his cheeks almost does me in. “I can do whatever I want, Liv. I only have one chance at getting this right, and I’m not wasting any more time worrying about other people.”

“Still, you have to tell me when I’m causing you a problem. I’ll understand.”

Reaching down, he takes my hand in his. “I only have one problem, and it’s scheduling. Now what should we do for an hour that won’t get me busted?”

Scratching my forehead, I look up at him. “Want to see a hysterical chicken?”

That makes him chuckle, and the protective shield I’ve been clinging to so tightly starts to slip.