The last place Greyson wanted to be was a restaurant where he was trapped in a room with his dad, but it was his parents’ anniversary and he’d missed it the previous year. Sally threatened to show up every day at his office to annoy the crap out of him unless he agreed to come if not for Richard, then at least for her. He stood outside the door to the private room they’d booked, listening to his sisters and the rest of his family talk and laugh together. He straightened his button-down shirt, smoothed his beard, and pushed open the door.

“Greyson! There you are,” Sally announced when she saw him, and he groaned inwardly as she pushed through the family to reach him. “Give your mom a kiss!”

“Hi, Mom,” he rumbled, wrapping her up in a bear hug as she kissed his cheek. “Happy anniversary.”

“Thank you, dear, and thank you for showing up,” she said quietly, running her fingers over his beard. “This is coming in quite nicely. You should go find your sisters and your dad—he’s around here somewhere.”

“I’ll make my way over there eventually,” he said, wanting to avoid the man at all costs.

“Sooner rather than later, please,” she said and patted his cheek. “I have to get back to my guests, and you better stay longer than an hour, Greyson Taylor, or I’ll track you down tomorrow and lecture you like you’ve never been lectured before.”

He nodded, knowing she was serious, and watched as she wandered over to her sister. It wasn’t long before they cackled together about something or other. Greyson’s plan was to wander the room, say hi to the rest of the family, finally find his dad and shake his hand, smile for his mom, and then leave. But when he turned around, looking for the drinks table, he ran into Richard, who wore a scowl on his face, his hand gripping his glass so hard his knuckles were white.

“Dad,” Greyson muttered and forced a smile on his face.

Richard didn’t even try. “What are you doing here?”

The room fell silent. Richard’s words weren’t exactly quiet, and Greyson wished he was anywhere but facing down his dad again. “Mom told me to come. Came to wish you both a happy anniversary like any good son would do.”

“Any good son would do what his father told him,” Richard snapped. “Your company hasn’t gone public yet. Come to tell me you’ve failed, that you’re giving up? I won’t take you back. You hear me?”

Greyson gritted his teeth, counting to ten in his mind as he was told to do to help control his anger. A few minutes longer, and it wouldn’t work. “No, it hasn’t failed. We’re waiting until we’ve finished development on our first game to announce our launch.”

“Game? You’re going to make your living—a Taylor—off of a damn game?”

“At least I’m doing what I love instead of sitting in some stuffy office looking down on the world around me!” Greyson yelled.

“Boys, please,” Sally said, shoving between them. “Richard, enough.”

“No, I don’t want him here, not until he realizes what a horrible mistake he made.”

“That I made?” Greyson asked and laughed sharply. “I actually had a sliver of hope you wouldn’t be an arrogant ass tonight, but I can see now that you’ll never change. You’ll never accept me for what I do. I’m finished, done. Sorry, Mom,” he added to her as he turned and stormed out the door.

“Good! Leave. Don’t you dare step foot in my presence again!” Richard yelled after him.

Greyson didn’t look back, even when Sally called his name. He tugged hard at his collar, which was suddenly too tight. When he reached home—a small apartment out of the way and a place Richard would never approve of—he slammed his door and grabbed the closest piece of furniture. With a roar, he chucked it across the room, smashing it into the wall. The chair followed, along with another table until he tore through his whole apartment and stood at the far window, his chest heaving in anger. He didn’t know how long he stood there, but eventually, he moved to his bedroom, ready to crash, when his cell rang.

He frowned when he saw Mel’s number. “I’m not coming back to apologize,” he said, but she cut him off.

“Dad’s in the hospital,” she announced, and from the strain of her words, it wasn’t good.

His chest tight, Greyson moved back to the door. “What happened?”

“He collapsed when he and Mom got home,” she said, crying. “I don’t know. They said heart attack. Greyson…They said… they said he might not make it.”

“Is he conscious? Has he said anything?” he asked.

“He said—”

“Don’t you dare lie to him! He deserves to know,” Molly yelled in the background.

“What did he say, Mel?” Greyson snapped.

“Nothing. He didn’t say a word. Just get to the hospital,” she said, then yelped, and suddenly, Molly was on the line.

“He said it was your fault,” Molly told him, and he heard the same anger flooding his body filling her words. “Greyson? I’m sorry. I wanted you to know before you came out here.” There was silence on the other end, and Greyson didn’t fill it. He needed the few minutes to gather his thoughts and decide what he wanted to do. “Greyson? You there?”

“Yeah, Molly, what’s going on?”

“Mom called, they said it was a mild heart attack. Not as bad as they thought.”

“Good,” he said, blowing out a breath. “Good. Just keep me posted.”

“You’re not coming?”

“No,” he said firmly. “No, I’m not. Just call me if anything changes.” He hung up as Mel got back on the line and started to tell him he should come. Greyson stalked into his bedroom and fell face first on his bed.

A single tear slipped down his face, and he swiped it angrily away. That man didn’t deserve his tears nor his worry, didn’t even deserve his prayers. He was finished. Done. He was never going to see him again.

Too bad he didn’t realize how true that statement would be until weeks later.

* * *

Present Day

Greyson raised his hand to knock on Sally’s front door, Belle held protectively under his other arm, leaning against him. He wished she was able to chase away his darkening thoughts and the cloud hanging over him, but even she couldn’t make the guilt over Richard disappear. He didn’t know why he was dredging up all the bad memories lately… being so close to Belle, maybe. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that he was still lying to her, and eventually, it would shove a wedge between them.

“You alright? Your brow’s doing that thing again,” Belle asked as he knocked, this time louder.

“Getting ready to meet the family,” he said simply. “I think I’m allowed to stress out.”

“Oh, it’ll be fine,” she said. “I’ve already met most of them, though I do wish you’d let me wear the ring and be done with all this secrecy.”

He opened his mouth to answer when the door opened. “There you two are,” Mel said excitedly. “Mom was starting to worry we’d have to send a search party for you.”

“Blame Belle. We had to stop on the way,” he teased.

She shrugged and leaned in close. “Don’t tell your mom. I was starving.”

Mel laughed. “Hey, Mom, Belle hates your cooking,” she called over her shoulder. Belle whacked her on the arm, and Greyson rolled his eyes.

“Nice job, sis,” he muttered, closing the door behind them. He took Belle’s jacket and hung it up with his own in the front hall closet, tucking his cell away while he was with the family.

Mel took Belle’s arm and dragged her into the room, leaving him to be hugged by Sally. “Sorry we’re late,” he told her.

“Nonsense. Your Aunt Selma was the one worrying about you,” she said. “Belle has quite the glow about her.”

Greyson’s head snapped up, hoping Belle didn’t hear. “Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure you’re wrong. She hasn’t said anything to me and I think she would’ve noticed by now.”

“Did you ask her?”

“No, that’s not exactly an easy question to ask.”

“She’s been eating a lot? Getting sick at all in the mornings?”

“Not that she said,” he muttered quietly, lying. He noticed Belle was off most mornings lately, but she never said a word to him about it and he let it be. If she knew and wasn’t telling him, she had to have a reason. Or the more simple answer was she wasn’t pregnant at all. “Mom, please, alright? If she is, she hasn’t said anything, and I don’t want to put her on the spot.”

She held up her hands, but the twinkle in her eye said she wasn’t promising anything. Greyson wanted to escape with Belle before things got out of hand, but she was cornered by three cousins, talking loudly and excitedly about her working with Greyson. Molly brought him over a whiskey sour and he gulped it down, praying they would make it through the next few hours without incident. Praying fervently that all his worries were about his past with his dad and not everything he hid from Belle.

* * *

Belle, sitting between Mel and Molly on the couch, laughed until her cheeks hurt. Selma was exactly like Sally, as were Greyson’s two female cousins who had made it out that night while their husbands babysat.

“So, what’s the next step for you two?” Selma asked.

Belle looked up, searching for Greyson, but he was in the kitchen with his uncle and third cousin. “Well, we’ve been talking about a few plans, but for now I’m getting settled into this new position and making sure the game gets out on time.”

“And you’re sure there’s nothing else happening?” Sally asked.

Belle frowned, laughing nervously. “No,” she said slowly. Her stomach growled, and she rested a hand on it. “Think I could use a little more of that chili, though.”

“Please, help yourself. I expect nothing less for… well, you know.”

Belle was halfway to standing when she paused. “Know what?”

Sally smiled. “I didn’t want to say anything. Greyson said you were keeping it a secret, but I’ve known it since your graduation though. Mother’s intuition,” she said quietly, leaning closer.

“I’m sorry,” Belle said, her mind racing as she tried to piece together what she was talking about. “I think I’m missing something huge here, but I’m not sure what and I really don’t want to stick my foot in it.”

“Mom,” Greyson said quickly, rushing over. “What’s going on? Belle?”

“I’m just letting her know she doesn’t have to hide. I told your aunt—couldn’t keep it to myself. She was worried about eating too much,” Sally said in a rush, and Greyson’s face paled beneath his beard. His gaze shot to Belle as Sally glanced from one to the other.

“Mom, I told you not to say anything,” he muttered. “I said there was a reason, and you just had to open your mouth. This is why I don’t tell you anything.”

“I couldn’t help it. I can tell. It’s hard not to notice,” Sally argued.

“Anything about what? Notice what?” Belle snapped as her confusion was replaced with anger. “Greyson, what is she talking about?”

His head hanging, he shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s nothing. Mom’s just a little overzealous and let her imagination run away with her. I’m sorry, Belle. Just please, let it go.”

“About what?” she yelled, losing control very quickly. She glared fiercely, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides as the pieces slowly fell into place for her, too. She wasn’t going to say it out loud, and as she wished for Greyson to be honest, she hoped he wouldn’t, not in front of his whole family.

“She thought… She thought you were pregnant,” he whispered, his eyes darting to her stomach. “You were getting sick in the morning, you’ve been over-emotional, eating more than normal… But I didn’t want her to say anything since you didn’t say anything.”

Belle’s mouth opened and closed in shock. There were words… She was sure there were words she should say, but nothing came out of her mouth. On their own, her hands lifted to hold her belly as her eyes drifted towards it.

“Sweetie?” Sally said, reaching out then pulling away. “I’m so sorry. I thought you were waiting until tonight, maybe, to tell us. The twins were going to surprise you with a mini graduation ceremony, and you know… with the family all here.”

“If I was going to wait it wouldn’t have been for this,” she said stiffly. “I would’ve waited for your son to finally tell everyone we’re engaged.”

“Engaged?” Sally yelled and whipped around to smack Greyson on the arm. “When did that happen?”

“I was going to tell you,” he said, “but you’re the one who opened your mouth to me about her being pregnant.”

“So you both knew before I knew and you didn’t tell me?” Belle took a step back. “I can’t believe this. I don’t even know… if… if I am… oh, God,” she whispered, counting out days on her fingers. She should’ve had a period two weeks ago. Should have and didn’t. “Oh God, I’m pregnant,” she whispered. “We’re… we’re pregnant.”

Greyson’s face brightened until she glared at him and he walked towards her. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about it. I thought you were just going through something.”

“Clearly,” she muttered rigidly. “You kept this from me since graduation?”

Through her yelling, a cell phone rang from the front closet where they hung their jackets. She recognized the ringtone as Greyson’s, but he made no move to get it. The ringing kept going before it finally stopped. Silence fell over the house until the ringing started again.

“Get your cell,” Belle told him, but he shook his head. “Greyson, please, just… just give me a minute.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” he said. “Mom, I think we’re going to leave.”

The cell kept ringing, and Belle gritted her teeth until Mel hopped up from the couch, saying she’d get it. Belle held her stomach—a stomach she realized held a baby. Greyson’s baby. All the food she ate that day twisted in her gut, and she wanted to dart to the bathroom when Mel answered the cell.

“Yeah, hold on a second,” she said and walked it over to Greyson. “Says it’s important.”

“Take a message,” he growled, eyes still on Belle.

“She says her name is Aiden and she won’t take no for an answer. It’s about Belle,” Mel said sternly.

“Aiden?” Belle whispered and her whole body tensed. “You’re talking to Aiden? And what the hell does it have to do with me?”

“Mel, just hang up on her,” Greyson snapped, moving towards Belle. “Hold on just a second.”

“No! My God, what else have you lied to me about—to your family? Damn it, Greyson, I’m supposed to be engaged to you and I can’t even trust you! I knew it. I knew you were pushing me away and keeping things from me again!”

“It’s not what you think,” he argued.

“No? You’re talking to your ex-lover on the phone after you promised me you wouldn’t have anything to do with her. What am I supposed to think, you moron?” She moved for the door to snatch up her jacket when his next words stopped her.

“Belle, wait, please. She’s helping me track down your family.”

All of Belle’s faith in Greyson not pushing her away, not hiding from their relationship, not lying to her, shattered in an instant. Slowly, she turned around to face him and the rest of his family. Her cheeks hot with embarrassment and rage, she tucked her hair behind her ears.

“You were looking for my family with her? That woman who obviously wants you back at whatever cost?”

He nodded. “She’s good at tracking down people,” he said quietly. “I thought she was the best choice.”

“Your ex-lover, who tried to break us up,” she said, voice shaking.

“Yes, but—”

“And you kept trying to find my family, even after I asked you to stop,” she continued, holding up her hand to shut him up. “You betrayed my trust—again. You lied to me again. Hell, you knew I was pregnant before I did! I can’t… I can’t do this, I’m sorry,” she whispered, backing towards the door. “Mel, could you give me a lift back to his house—and please don’t follow me,” she added when Greyson moved to go after her. “Please, I just need… I need a minute.”

Mel nodded and hurried over to find her purse and keys.

“Belle, can we talk about this?” Greyson pleaded, but she shook her head.

“No, alright? Just… no.” She walked out the door, Mel right behind her, and hurried as quickly as she could to Mel’s car, her heart torn between wanting to believe Greyson trusted her, wanted what was best for her, and him still finding a way to push her out of his life and away from who he really was.