Free The Quarterback's Baby: A Secret Baby Sports Romance by Stephanie Brother

email saying that he is coming to stay for a while. He says his separation has come through and he needs a break away from the house.”
    I knew that Dad loved Michelle. The whole idea that he’d decided to separate from her must have been hard on him.
    “At least now he won’t have to work so hard!” Grandma did a sign as if she was praising God.
    “Why?” I asked as Grandpa nodded in agreement.
    “Because she was bleeding him dry. Why do you think that your dad worked so much?”
    Everything was falling into place. I felt so bad that I had been so conceited and worrying about myself all the time that I never took note of what Dad was going through, and for once I considered his feelings. Maybe this new grandchild wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe it could help glue back together all the pieces of our family that seemed to have fallen apart.
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Twenty One
     
      As the weeks rolled by, I tried to not think about them too much as I stood looking in the mirror wondering if going to the wedding was such a good idea. I had spent the last seven months avoiding any contact with Noah .  When I’ d received the wedding invitation, I’ d ignored it, thinking that it was for the best.
    Mia was going to marry some guy that she had met in the Army, and claimed that it was love at first sight. I could relate to that feeling so well, and it saddened me that I used to think that Noah and I would get married after he graduated from college.
    That had been a vision I had held on to for so long. Now we weren’t even lovers, let alone friends, and yet there was this one little person who connected us - and I hadn’t even told him about him, just so that he could pursue his career. I often wondered if I was too selfish and didn’t deserve him. All the time it felt as if I was looking out for my needs and not his.
    “You ready for this, Ava? ” Dad asked as he stood at the doorway .  His eyes glowed as he continued to say, “You look beautiful… ”
    I felt anything but beautiful in my dress .  We were going straight from the airport to the wedding. I did think about changing as we landed, but there was little time .  I just had to hope that the pink dress I wore would remain the same way when we arrived .  It showed off the new shape of my body .  No longer a teenager, but an adult, with a crossover top that made my boobs look full and erect .  I hadn’t lost my baby fat, then again that was the least of my worries. I had only had my baby three months ago, and already I was leaving him for a night. I felt so bad, but then this had to be done. I should have told Noah from the start, but the idea of telling him now just scared me.
    “Dad, do you think it’ll be okay? ” I sighed as I thought about seeing Noah .  There was a part of me hoping that he had missed me as much as I had missed him, while the other part hoped that he had gotten on with his life and wasn’t hurting the same way.
    He nodded as he came over to me and gave me the biggest hug in the world .  I needed that reassurance .  
    “I’m so lucky to have a dad like you, ” I said as I looked up into his eyes, knowing that he left Michelle because of me. H e’ d realized that she was using him, and had stood up to her. That was a big thing for someone on their second marriage. Dad was lonely, there was no doubt about that, but he had met Sarah in Minnesota and I wondered if he was hanging around here more to be with his grandchild or because of her.
    “You and me both.”
    “Right, everything’s setup. Dad is ready to take us to the airport.”
    “Can I—”
    “No, let’s go, ” Dad said as he urged me to get my things. Dad’s face said that I had to get in the car with Grandpa and be on our way.
    They knew me too well. If I went back in the house, I would think twice about going to the wedding. Seeing Noah again was going to bring back a million memories. I just hoped that I was strong enough to be