Borrowed (Embracing Series) (9 page)

“Bryn, I’m in shock. We were careful, the condom must have broken or something. Baby, I love you and I will always take care of you and our child. We are in this together. I will go with you to tell your parents. I know my parents will help us, or my grandparents. They won’t let us or our child go without.”

“Evan that’s just it, my parents are going to freak! They will make me get rid of it. I know them, you know that Duwayne is my nephew not my brother. They hid my sister until she had him, so no one would know she was pregnant, and not my mother’s. This will ruin their reputations. I can’t tell them Evan.”

“Bryn we will get through this I promise, baby. I will never let them hurt our family.”

Just thinking about it all, made me hate her parents more and more. We waited for a week then, we told them. They were both disgusted and of course wanted no part of us being a family. Her mother’s exact words was, “
No child of mine is having a baby at the age of seventeen, even if I have to give you the abortion myself
.”

Those words haunt me every day. A week later, they took her for an abortion and I never seen her again. I knew she didn’t have much control over her parents, but I feel she could have done something. It killed me knowing the perfect little life we had created out of love, was being sucked out of the woman I loved. I need to move on, it had been four years and it still gave me nightmares.

I was so tired, I skipped class. I text Lila and asked her to just meet me for dinner. That gave me time to take a quick nap. Just as I dozed off my phone beeped. It was Tatum.

“Hello Ta, is everything okay?” I asked I knew that jerk had been hitting on her from our previous conversation.

“Yes, I’m giving him another chance, please don’t be mad. I know he loves me and he won’t hurt me anymore. I just wanted you to know. Thank you for always being an ear for me. I got to go. Evan, I love you.”

“I love you too Ta, please be safe.”

I laid there trying to go back to sleep, I just kept tossing and turning again.

Damn, I can’t sleep now so I showered and called Lila. She said to pick her up anytime and I was ready to see her. Maybe she could take my mind off of Tatum.

“How was your day, darlin’?” I asked Lila as she got in the car.

“It was wonderful, I slept in a little and then went to class. How was yours?” she asked, she had a glow and seemed really happy. I wondered if it had anything to do with the Army guy Brody had mentioned. I still never questioned her, I hoped that she would be honest with me when she was ready to talk about him, if there is someone.

Sometimes Brody just talks to hear himself talk. We went to a small Mexican restaurant, I knew Lila loved Mexican food.

“I hope this is fine, I know how much you like spicy food.” I said as I opened her door. She looked beautiful she was wearing a pair of jeans and had her hair pulled to the side with her curls flowing.

“This is fine Evan, how is it that in the short time we have known each other, you know me so well?” She laughed as we walked into the restaurant.

Just as we sat my phone started ringing, it was Zander. I excused myself from Lila and took the call.

“What’s up dude, this better be important, I’m with Lila.”

“Evan, that fucker is beating on Tatum. Did you know this? If you did I’m going to break your fucking neck!”

“Zan, I knew but I promised I wouldn’t say anything. Is she okay? What the fuck did he do?” I asked, I was getting angry I wanted to stomp the shit out of that Thayer character.

“Yeah, she is fine now. He broke her arm. Audrey called me. I’m going there now. I will be back in a few days.”

Fuck he must have found out she was talking to me. I kicked the wall on the restaurant and realized I kicked a little too hard, probably broke my fucking foot. I went back in the restaurant and Lila had a concerned look.

“Everything okay?” she asked

“Yes, just a friend that had a little trouble is all.” I said as if I didn’t care. Who the fuck was I kidding I was so pissed off, I could beat the fuck out of that fucker, and not care about anything else.

“Ready to order darlin’? I need a glass of wine, how about you?” Hell right now I needed a fucking keg and to play my guitar. I still can’t believe Tatum, went back to him.

“I would love a glass of wine. It has been such a long month. I never imagined college would be this hard. Also being away from my family and friends, is driving me insane. I’m excited about going home for the holidays. What are you doing over break?” she asked and took a swig of her wine.

“I’m not sure yet, I really don’t want to go back home. I know my roommates will be leaving to head back to their families. I may just stay and play at Zeb’s every night.” I said with a wink.

“Evan, you can’t spend the holiday alone. You should be with your family and friends. I love to help my mom cook, and Addie and I always go shopping, while the guys watch football.” She said as she smiled, thinking of her family.

“We will see, I may go home. I know my folks would like it if I did.” I said trying to hide the fact that I didn’t want to go. I don’t know why I let what Bryn did to me make me hate being home. I’d moved on, but it seemed like everything in Utah screamed Bryn and baby!

I dropped her off and tried to convince her to stay here. She just laughed. And gave me a quick hug, as we parted I reach down and kissed her cheek.

It had been weeks since I spoke to Tatum, it was like I was borrowed time with her. I was still worried about her though. Lila and I had been getting closer. I wish she wasn’t going home for break. Hell I would love to stay cooped up with her all weekend.

Me: Hey beautiful, are you sure you don’t want to just stay with me all weekend? I will be lonely.

Lila: Sorry, but no! You will have Brody!

Me: He isn’t as pretty as you are

Lila: I will be back soon!

I packed my bags, I was either going home or to the farm. I still hadn’t decided. On my way to see what Brody was doing, my phone rang. I didn’t even look at it, I assumed it was Lila, because she was just texting me.

“Hello darlin’, you change your mind?”

“Change my mind about what, Evan?”

“Oh, hey Tatum. Everything okay? I thought you were someone else.”

“Will you please come home with Zander? I miss you and want to see you, I think we should talk.”

“Ahh, I guess I could. I will see you soon.”

“Yay, thank you. Be careful, love you.”

“Love you, Ta.”

Tatum wanted me to come to Birmingham with Zander, she said she needed to talk. I had never told Zan about my feelings for his sister. Of course he would rather see her be with me than Thayer.

“Hey Brody, I think I’m just going to head to out with Zander. I would like to see my grandparents.” I said as I sat next to him on the couch.

“Evan, I know you aren’t going to see Pap and Gran, it’s Tatum Kelley who you really want to see. You can’t fool me, bro.”

I ran my hands through my hair and looked at my best friend, he was right. I was going to see her. I can’t believe I was, considering I had try to get her out of my mind.

“Man, you are so right. Between her and Lila, they have my mind going crazy! I’m chasing them both around, hell I haven’t been laid in months. I just don’t know where the fuck I stand with either of them.” I said as Brody cocked his head back and laughed.

“Well you need to figure out what you want. Or see what the hell kind of games they are playing. I’m telling you, Lila has a dude. I guess he was here a couple weeks ago. Nikki didn’t see him, but he was at the townhouse with Lila.” Brody said as he stood up.

She was fucking her boyfriend, then hung out with me?

“Alright, man I have a plane to catch. I will see you next week. I will go see your parents, too.”

“Thanks Brody, have a safe flight.” I said as he walked out the door. I was waiting for Zander, he was with Heather. Now the two of them, they was on a day off the next day. She had him wrapped.

I loved seeing the look on my grans face, I hadn’t told them I would be there. She was in the kitchen, baking pies just as she always did.

“Evan, baby. What a great surprise. Your father didn’t tell me you was coming out for Thanksgiving. Do they know you are here?” she said with a look of concern.

“Yes Gran, I told them this morning. How could I miss having a wonderful dinner with my favorite girl?” I winked and then placed and kiss on her cheek.

“Oh son, you are so handsome. You remind me so much of your pap, when he was your age. Have you seen Tatum yet?” she said has she slung a dishtowel over her shoulder.

“No Ma’am, you know she has a boyfriend Gran? I’m kind of seeing someone from NYU. Her name is Lila and she is from California.” I wasn’t lying because I had been hanging out with her. I was just leaving out the fact she seemed to be involved with someone else.

“That reminds me Gran, I would like to have a couple jars of your apple butter and jelly to take back with me, if that’s okay?” I said, hell Brody and I loved that stuff, but I also wanted to give some to Lila.

“Of course, you can son. I will get you a box together. I worry about you boys out in that big ol’ city all alone.” Gran said has she patted my arms.

I gave her a quick kiss and went out to see Pap. He spent all his time in the barn or in the pasture. He was close to seventy years old and had the energy of a thirty year old. And of course Mr. Kelley was with him.

“Well I will be, it’s my favorite grandson.” Pap said as he hugged me.

“Sir, I’m your only grandson.” I said with a laugh.

“How are you doing Mr. Kelley?” I asked as I shook his hand.

“I’m good, how is New York treating you and my son. You aren’t having any wild parties are ya?” he said and laughed as he patted my back.

“No Sir, we are doing well. No big parties, just focusing on classes.” I said to the two men.

My phone started vibrating, I looked down and it was a text from Tatum. She said to meet her at the swimming hole. So I excused myself and headed that way. The weather was great, it wasn’t hot or cold just perfect. I could see her from a distance she must have been here already.