The Pickup

“No, I mean what do you want in order for me to sign over my rights? How much? You’re right, I don’t want to be a dad.” My heart breaks when he says this.

“It’s all over social media! Do you not understand how bad this looks? And I’m your fiancée! A phone call to let me know would’ve been nice.”

“I don’t want or need your money, and if you don’t want to be this baby’s father then I don’t want you to be. If you want a paternity test, fin

“No, I mean what do you want in order for me to sign over my rights? How much? You’re right, I don’t want to be a dad.” My heart breaks when he says this.

“It’s all over social media! Do you not understand how bad this looks? And I’m your fiancée! A phone call to let me know would’ve been nice.”

“I don’t want or need your money, and if you don’t want to be this baby’s father then I don’t want you to be. If you want a paternity test, fine. I know he’s yours. Now both of you…get out.”

After I was told I needed to settle down, figuring I had nothing to lose, I called up Celeste and agreed to go through with our pact. At least with her, I knew what I was getting myself into. A business arrangement. We dated for a couple months and then announced our engagement. Celeste let the lease on her apartment go and moved in with me once I purchased a place in Lower Manhattan near the stadium—and directly above Killian.

Celeste wanted to make sure we were both on the same page. She told me she didn’t want to have kids and I agreed.

“She probably wants to trap you.” “Did you not see her in the hospital? She can barely stand to be in the same room as me.” “Then she’s doing it for the money,” Celeste states. “I don’t think so,” I say honestly. “She said she doesn’t want my money.” “There you go being all naïve once again.” “I’m not being naïve,” I argue.

“Yeah, okay, Nick. We both know you think with your heart. It won’t be long until you’ve ditched me to play house with your baby mamma.”

“All I want to do is find out if that little boy is my son.” “And what if he is, Nick? What then? What will that mean for us?” “I’m not breaking off our engagement,” I tell her.

Celeste was right in that regard. The tabloids and gossip rags are all talking, and none of it is projecting me in a positive light.

Celeste may think I’m going to end up with Olivia, but she’s wrong. Olivia chose to walk away that morning after. She’s one of the reasons I agreed to the pact with Celeste in the first place. No emotions.

If he’s filed because he wants to be a dad, I’m going to have to share my son…our son with him—as well as with his soon-to-be wife.

“My dreams are finally coming true.” She looks at me with a watery smile, and before I even know what’s happening, her mouth crashes into mine. I back up quickly, confused. “What are you doing?” “Kissing my fiancé,” she says, hurt evident in her tone. “Since when?” I ask.

“Do you not understand how bad this all looks, Nick? You’re going to be raising another woman’s baby.” “No…I’m going to be raising my baby.” “That you had while engaged to me!” “No,” I repeat. “He was created before us. He was born while engaged to you.” “Everything is about to be destroyed.”

“You’re my fiancée.” “Exactly! So can we maybe…try for real?” She gets up from the bed and approaches

Letting go of my cock, I feel a sense of relief for about a minute, until it hits me that I just got off to the visual of Olivia, the mother of my son, the woman who isn’t my fiancée. And with that thought comes the sobering realization that this engagement isn’t going to last.

What I’d like to know is what your baby daddy is doing here and not at home with his fiancée.”

All my life I watched my mom and dad live in a fairytale. I imagined one day I would have that. Instead, I’m a single mom with a baby by a man who’s engaged to another woman.

“He’s a freaking pro football player who’s engaged to a gorgeous, successful supermodel. I bet they jet off on his days off to the Caribbean or some shit. Nick probably lives an extravagant, over-the-top life while I prefer mine to be more…low key. Sure, right now he says he wants to be a better parent to Reed than his were to him, but that’s only because Reed is like a shiny new toy. Once Nick gets bored of playing dad, I’ll be the one who is left to pick up the pieces of our son’s heart when I have to explain to him why his father doesn’t want him.”