Chapter 20

Shepherd

"Don't talk about the moon landing," Felicity says from the front seat of my truck, her tone half-serious, half-amused.

I stop at a red light and shift to face her, raising an eyebrow. "Why the hell would I bring that up?"

Felicity shrugs, the action somehow making her look even cuter. She looks absolutely adorable today, wearing a summer dress that flows down to her ankles. The bright floral pattern is cheerful and vibrant, perfectly matching the sunny day. Her small baby bump is just starting to show, a gentle curve that makes my heart ache with the urge to touch it, to feel connected to the little life growing inside her.

Her hair is done up in a twisty-do, neat yet playful, and her makeup is subtle, enhancing her natural beauty without overpowering it. Soft, rosy cheeks and a light touch of mascara make her eyes seem even more expressive. She looks fresh and radiant, a picture of serene beauty that makes me want to lean over and kiss her right here and now.

"What's with the moon landing rule?" I ask, my voice tinged with curiosity and a bit of amusement.

"It's just a weird thing. My mother doesn't believe it ever really happened," she replies with a laugh, her eyes twinkling. "Let's stick to things a little more down-to-earth."

I chuckle, turning back to face the road as the light turns green. "Fair enough. How about we talk about how stunning you look today instead?"

She blushes slightly, looking out the window to hide her smile. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she murmurs.

I grin, feeling the warmth of her presence beside me. "Good to know."

We decided to take one vehicle to her mother's house, feeling weird following each other out here just to turn around and drive back to our side-by-side houses. It's early on Saturday afternoon, and all week I've been busy with the brewery that I haven't really spent much time with Felicity at all.

And I can tell she's missed the interaction. She won't tell me, but I know getting her off has become her favorite pastime.

I place a hand on top of her thigh, over her dress, and she smiles. "I figured afterward we could…" I let my implication for sex hang in the air.

"Maybe," she says noncommittally, her voice trailing off as something catches her eye. "Oh, look." She points out the window, her face lighting up. "I love this house."

I follow her gaze and see a large white house with blue trim sitting gracefully atop a hill. It's gorgeous, a picture-perfect scene right out of a storybook. The house has a wrap-around porch with hanging flower baskets swaying gently in the breeze. Tall, majestic oak trees frame the property, their leaves casting dappled shadows across the manicured lawn.

The front yard is dotted with blooming flower beds, a riot of colors that add a whimsical touch to the pristine landscape. A cobblestone path winds its way from the driveway to the front steps, lined with lanterns that likely cast a warm, inviting glow in the evening. Large bay windows reflect the morning sun, giving the house a welcoming, almost magical appearance.

Felicity's eyes are wide with admiration as she takes in the sight. "It's like something out of a dream," she murmurs, more to herself than to me.

"Yeah, it really is beautiful," I agree, feeling a pang of longing. "Imagine living in a place like that."

She sighs contentedly, her hand unconsciously resting on her baby bump. "It's the kind of house you can see yourself raising a family in, you know? Kids running around the yard, barbecues on the porch, watching sunsets from those big windows."

I glance at her, touched by the wistfulness in her voice. "Maybe one day," I say softly, my heart swelling with hope.

She swipes a tear away, and shifts in her seat. "I could never afford a place like that."

I stare at the home, wondering about the people who live there. Are they raising their very own family?

I think about my life. About the family I want to raise. The child growing inside Felicity's belly. The life I want to give this child. And her.

If she'd let me.

I keep driving, following the directions Felicity gives me as I navigate to her mother's house. When I pull in the driveway, Felicity turns to face me once more.

"Also, no bringing up how we made out at the actual Christmas party. My mother doesn't need to know the details."

I can tell she's nervous, and I grab both her hands with mine. "Felicity, I don't plan on giving your mother a play-by-play of that night."

Felicity blushes as she glances down at our joined hands in her lap. "I just want my mother to believe it was a special night. Not a cheap, drunken night."

I blink, placing two fingers under her chin to bring her gaze to meet mine. "I wasn't drunk," I tell her truthfully. A pain in my chest radiates outward at the thought of Felicity being drunk that night.

"I wasn't either," she whispers.

I squeeze her hand. I'm about to tell her how special that night was for me, but we're cut off by her mother knocking on the passenger side window. "We should go," I say instead.

Felicity nods, opening the door and greeting her mother.

I've met Felicity's mother a few times in passing over the years. I know she's in the local book club with many other older women of the community. A few times they've come into the brewery to have lunch and discuss a book or two.

The only real conversation I've had with Helena Lark was at the grocery store the other day. I don't a hundred percent know how she feels about her daughter and me having a child.

But I'm about to find out.

I exit the vehicle, putting on a brave face, remembering not to bring up Neil Armstrong or any of the other astronauts I know of.

What I really want to do is put an arm around Felicity as she introduces me to her mother.

"Yes, hello, Helena. Good to see you again." I shake her hand, not really sure how to greet the soon-to-be grandmother of my child.

Helena nods with a tight smile. "Hello, Shepherd."

Her greeting is rather cold, but I think I know why. I think she feels like Felicity feels. Like I'm going to bolt the moment the child enters this world.

I'm not.

Helena leads us into her home, and I follow closely behind, taking in the warm, inviting atmosphere that greets us. The hallway is adorned with family photos in elegant frames, capturing moments frozen in time. Among them, I notice several pictures of Felicity when she was younger, each frame telling a different story of her childhood.

In one frame, she's grinning widely, missing front teeth adding to her youthful charm. The photo seems to capture a carefree summer day, with the sun highlighting her tousled hair and freckled cheeks. In another, she's dressed for a dance recital, a shy smile on her face as she stands proudly in her costume. The joy and innocence radiating from these images paint a vivid picture of the girl Felicity once was.

The house itself exudes a cozy elegance, with tasteful décor and comfortable furnishings that blend seamlessly with the family mementos. Soft, ambient light filters through lace curtains, casting gentle patterns on the hardwood floors. The living room features plush sofas arranged around a coffee table adorned with fresh flowers, creating a welcoming space that invites lingering conversations and shared moments.

Helena gestures toward a cozy reading nook tucked by the window, where a well-loved armchair sits next to a bookshelf filled with classics and contemporary favorites. A fireplace anchors the room, its mantle adorned with more family photos and carefully curated knick-knacks that reflect a lifetime of cherished memories.

As we move deeper into the house, I catch glimpses of a spacious kitchen with gleaming countertops and the aroma of something delicious wafting from the oven. Beyond that, I can see a dining area bathed in natural light, set for a family meal and we make our way to the table.

"Everything's ready. Let me just get the rolls," Helena says as Felicity takes a seat.

"I can help you," I say, wanting to give her the best impression of me. Also, my parents raised me with manners, and it's just a little something I can do to help out.

"No, it's okay. Please sit. I'll only be a minute." Helena moves into the kitchen and I take a seat across from Felicity.

"This isn't so bad, right?" Felicity asks me as she sets her linen napkin into her lap.

"It's going great. Don't worry. I only almost brought up the moon landing about four times before I stopped myself."

Felicity cracks a smile. "Ha ha," she sasses back at me.

"You have a lovely home," I say as Helena returns with a small basket of bread rolls.

She smiles wide, her brown eyes, same shade as Felicity's, shine bright. "Thank you. I worked hard to give my daughter everything I could."

"And you did a great job," Felicity says. "I just thought you two should get to know each other. Pretty soon there'll be a child that we're all going to love so much. And we're all going to need to be on the same page with raising him, or her."

I nod. "Absolutely."

Helena smiles, and then she offers a quick grace, and I wait for them both to fill up their plates before I fill mine up.

"This all looks amazing," I say, plopping a roll onto my plate. "You didn't need to go through so much trouble just for me."

"Anything for my daughter. Besides, I wanted to see what type of man you are. I want to know my grandchild's father." There's tears welling in her eyes, and I try to give her a reassuring smile.

"This came as quite a shock to me," I tell her. "I want to be honest with both of you. I never saw myself having a child so soon."

"Me neither," Felicity chimes in. "I always thought I'd be married. And settled."

Helena smiles at her daughter. "You still have plenty of time to meet somebody, dear."

I bristle at her words. Felicity has met somebody. Me. And then another thought enters my mind. Felicity dating. Her meeting a new man and that man raising our child.

"No," I say, abruptly. "She's already met somebody. Me."

Felicity's eyes widen, and her mother nearly chokes. "Shep," Felicity warns, but I'm not hearing any of it.

I told her I was all in with this baby.

And I mean I'm all in with her too. Why can't she see that? Why won't she believe me?

"What?" I ask, deathly serious.

"Can we not discuss this right now?" Felicity gives me a look of warning, and I back down.

I don't want to put any undue stress on her or the baby. "Actually, the more people to love this baby the better. Maybe one day the kid will have a great step-father, and step-mother in their life." I'm pissed.

Two can play at this game.

"I think we're getting ahead of ourselves," Helena says, and I couldn't agree more.

I push the peas around on my plate as I try my hardest to stomach the food. There's this constant anger in my system every time I think about Felicity raising this baby on her own.

I plan on being around, dammit.

I guess the only way to prove to her that I'm not going anywhere is to stick around.

"So, Shep, how's the brewery?" Helena asks, changing the subject.

"It's great. A few weeks back we had a party for the mayor and the chamber of commerce, and since then business has been booming."

"Anya wants to throw me a baby shower at the brewery," Felicity says.

I smile. "I think that's a great idea."

Helena claps her hands together. "Will you find out the sex of the child?"

Felicity and I lock eyes, not really knowing the answer to the question. It hits me like a ton of bricks. I will know soon if I'm having a son or a daughter.

"I'd like to find out."

Felicity smiles wide. "Me too."