No Small Bet by Samantha Christy
Chapter Four
Addison
Lissa is behind the bar and I’ve never seen her happier. She recently returned from two months in Europe with my cousin, Lucas Montana. He asked her to go with him after they’d only been dating a short time. Unfortunately, it’s hard for me to get too excited for her. This is his MO. He falls fast and hard and then crushes hearts. He’s left two women at the altar already. The actual altar. That’s not hyperbole. He literally didn’t show up at the weddings. A third engagement he broke off two weeks before the wedding. All this and he isn’t even thirty years old.
“You seem chipper today.”
“Lucas said he loved me last night.”
“Oh, wow. Congratulations.”
What I really want to say is that I love my cousin, but she should run. Run now.
“I know what you’re thinking.” She pours two beers for table three and sets them on the counter for me. “It’s different this time. He was younger then. He didn’t know what love was.”
“I’m sure it is. And I’m happy for you.”
I deliver the drinks, drop a check at another table, and take orders for the rowdy group of college students in the corner. Serenity comes out front carrying a bag of limes from the local grocery store. Someone forgot to include them on the last order. Someone is my brother, Cooper. He’s still learning the ropes around here as he’s co-managing Donovan’s with Serenity and her father, Donny.
“I heard a rumor when I was at Truman’s Grocery,” Ren says from behind the bar.
I step closer. “Lot of those around this town. Be careful which ones you believe.”
“I hear that. But this one might actually be true. I ran into Ava Criss who heard from Regan Lucas who heard from Sarah Morton—”
“Who’s Sarah Morton?”
“A nurse at the hospital. She moved here a few months ago. Anyway, keep up. Sarah overheard some people talking about lab results.” She looks around to see if anyone is listening. She lowers her voice. “Hawk McQuaid’s lab results.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “And?”
“Seems the eldest McQuaid just became a daddy.”
I cover my mouth, trying not to laugh. Because, come on, this is funny. “Oh my gosh. But, wait, doesn’t that violate some law, Sarah telling Regan?”
“It does. We should make a mental note to never trust Sarah with any personal information.”
I pull out my phone and text Holland. When we spoke last night, she didn’t know anything more than Hawk had gone to take a paternity test.
Me: Hey, Auntie Hol.
Hol: OMG. Can you believe it? I think I’m the only one who’s excited. I mean, you have like a zillion nieces and a nephew. I honestly never thought any of my brothers would have kids. Wait. How did you know? He only found out a few hours ago. I didn’t think he told anyone. The only reason I know is that I came over to Hawk’s house to borrow his toolbox.
Me: You know how it goes around here. Someone spilled the beans at the hospital. The news is spreading like wildfire. How is he? What’s he doing?
Hol: Drinking heavily. Are you at work?
Me: Yes.
Hol: I’ll be there in ten.
I put down my phone. “It’s true,” I tell Ren. “His sister just confirmed it.”
She tries not to smile. “Cooper will be so pleased.”
“I have the feeling he won’t be the only one who will think Hawk just got served a heaping dish of well-deserved karma.”
I take care of my tables, wanting to have a little time to get more details when Holland arrives.
Over the next half hour, I hear Hawk’s name tossed around at least four times—and not by Ren or me. Apparently Regan is not the only person Nurse Sarah bestowed this little golden nugget upon.
When Holland is late, and I can’t stand it anymore, I text her again.
Me: Hol, I’m dying here. Actually, the entire pub is. NEED DEETS!
No response. Hmm. That’s unusual for Holland.
I distract myself by closing out a few tables. It’s almost nine thirty now, and we’re down to two couples outside on the patio and a small group of college kids in the corner booth.
“Take off,” Serenity says, glancing at my leg. “I’ll close out your last table.”
“I’m fine. It was only a four-hour shift.”
“Addy, your brother would kill me if I let you work one minute over. If you want to wait for Hawk’s sister, fine, but sit your butt on a barstool.”
I look at my phone to see if she texted me. “I’m not sure she’s coming.”
The second the words exit my mouth, the front door opens.
Ignoring Serenity’s order to sit down, I race over to Holland. “What took you so long? I expected you an hour ago.” Her face is long and sad. She no longer seems as excited as she was when we were texting. “Hol? What’s wrong?”
Ren walks over with two glasses of water. “Take the booth over there,” she says, leading us to the private table. She sets down the waters and we sit. “Need anything stronger?”
We both shake our heads, and she leaves.
Holland takes a large drink. “He’s not keeping the baby.”
“What does that mean exactly? Like he’s going to let family raise it?”
“Her,” she says. “It’s a girl. I have a niece.”
I put a hand on top of one of hers. “You’ve seen her?”
She looks down sadly. “No. He won’t even go to the hospital. He doesn’t want to see her and he claims we can’t either without his consent.”
My jaw goes slack. “He won’t see her?”
“He says he’s going to file a petition to terminate parental rights and put her up for adoption. Preferably as far away from New York as possible.”
“But… Can’t you take her? Or your mom? I’ll help. It’s a baby. She just lost her mother. And now she’s being abandoned?” I can physically feel my heart breaking.
“He says he’ll do everything in his power to keep us from getting her.” She wipes away a fallen tear. “I’ll never get to meet her. I won’t even be able to see a picture of her. In eighteen years, I could pass her on the street or sit next to her in a restaurant and never know we’re blood relatives.”
“Maybe he’ll change his mind.”
“Have you never met my brother?”
“I know. But you said he was drinking. People aren’t rational when they drink.” I touch my leg absentmindedly. “They make stupid decisions. In the morning when he’s sober he could see things differently.”
“He said he’s calling the family lawyer first thing in the morning to make sure everything happens quickly.”
“Oh, Hol. I’m so sorry.”
“I just don’t understand, Addy. There are so many people who would take her. I know I’m only twenty-two, but I could do it. I’d be a good mom, don’t you think?”
“You’d be a great mom. As long as you don’t bring all your dates home.” I wink.
She offers a sad smile. “I’d change. I’d quit sleeping around. For her. I’d do it and be a responsible mom. A perfect mother. Why is he being so stubborn about it?”
“Did your mom offer to raise the baby too?”
She nods. “It pissed Hawk off something awful when I called her and told her the whole story. He keeps her out of every loop. Never tells her anything.”
“Like I said, a good night’s sleep can work wonders.”
“I honestly think it would take a miracle to change his mind. The baby is going to be released from the hospital tomorrow. Do you know where she’ll go? I looked it up. To some foster home decided on by social services. And she’ll stay there, or maybe even get bounced around between multiple ones, until the paperwork is finalized and she can be adopted.”
I stand and hold out my hand. “Come on. We’re having a good old-fashioned sleepover at my house.”
“At John and Libby’s?”
“Thanks for pointing out the fact that I still live at home, but not all of us have trust funds we can draw from to live in fancy apartments. It’ll be fun. We’ll get a bottle of wine and reminisce about high school. When you didn’t have to worry about having nieces you’d never see again, and I could kick anyone’s ass at soccer.”
“Addison, you could still kick my ass at soccer.” She scoots out of the booth. “And a sleepover sounds exactly like what I need. But on the wine? I’m thinking we’ll need two bottles.”
I laugh. “As long as no one’s driving, we can even get three.”
We lock elbows and walk out the front door.