His eyes widen and I shrug. "I wonder what he wants."

"Don't know. Answer it."

Biting my bottom lip, I mutter, "h.e.l.lo?"

"Hey, it's Dad."

"I know, Dad. I have caller ID."

"Oh yeah," he says slowly, letting out a long breath. "How are you?"

"Good."

"Still married and pregnant?"

"Yup," I say simply. "Nothing's changed."

He sucks in a deep breath. "Okay, well, I wanted to let you know that we will be in Nashville two weeks before Christmas. We want to meet your..." he pauses and clears his throat "...husband, and we would like to see you."

"Why?"

"Because you are our daughter."

I make a face because I know d.a.m.n well that isn't the reason. "Okay, but why are y'all coming into town?"

"Matty is playing the Bullies, and this was one of the games we bought flights for. We figured we could watch him and see you at the same time."

I know that shouldn't make me mad. I know I should be happy he wants to see me, but it p.i.s.ses me the f.u.c.k off because I know I'm not the original reason they are coming to see me. I haven't heard from anyone, not even my mom. But now they are coming into town to watch Matty and figure they might as well see the daughter they made too. Whatever. If they were really concerned about me, or even meeting Jace, they would have come weeks ago.

"I think I'll pa.s.s."

"Why? Won't you be at the game?"

"Yeah, to see my husband play, and that's it."

"Avery, we want to see you."

"No, you are coming 'cause of Matty, and like always, I'm an afterthought."

"That's not true, Avery. We wanted to see both of you at the same time."

But I don't believe him. Fighting back the tears, I shake my head. "Dad, if that were true, why haven't you come sooner?"

"I'm busy. I work all the time."

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. "Yeah, whatever."

"I'm not sure what that means."

"It means if I see you, I see you. If I don't, then I don't."

"You'll see us. We want to go to dinner with you two. I'd like to get to know the boy who has married my daughter and made a child."

I pause. "Dad, do you know his name?"

My dad pauses. "Sinclair."

"First name." I hear him typing and I shake my head in disbelief. "You're googling him?"

Jace snorts from beside me as my dad says quickly, "No, Jace, his name is Jace."

"Whatever."

He pauses and then says softly, "Please, Avery, I want to see you."

The sincerity in his voice leaves me breathless as I close my eyes. "Fine, I'll talk to him and see if he wants to go."

He chuckles. "He will. He isn't stupid; he knows who I am."

"Wow, okay." I shake my head. "Very arrogant, Dad."

"Maybe, but I want to see you."

"Why?"

"Like I've said before, you're my daughter."

"Who you've cut off," I remind him and he lets out a breath. I can't say I was surprised when I went to use my credit card and it didn't work. But I wonder if he would cut off Matty or Laurence if they got into a position like I did. I doubt he would have, and I really wonder what he would do if he found out Matty was gay. Not that I plan on telling him or anything, but I just wonder.

Would they get treated the same?

"You have a husband. You don't need me."

"You're right. So I don't need to see you."

"Well, I'm asking to see you," he says, his voice dropping an octave. "Please, Avery. Your mother is worried sick about you."

"I bet. That phone is ringing off the hook."

"Avery Rose, please. We want to see you. I feel you think things you shouldn't, and I want to make them better."

Make them better?

How do you fix eighteen years of s.h.i.t?

When Jace squeezes my hand, I look over at him and he nods his head. "Just say yes," he mouths and I shake my head, but he nods his once more.

Glaring, I say, "Okay, Dad. We will go to dinner with you."

"Good, I'll call you when we get in that Friday."

"Okay."

He pauses and he says very softly, "I love you, honey. I do, and I don't know how that got forgotten, but I'm sorry for that."

My heart stops as my eyes fall shut, shocked at the unexpected apology. "Dad, I never thought you didn't love me, it's just that you don't care."

"And that's my fault. I'll see you soon. I wish it were sooner, but the d.a.m.n All-Star game is keeping me busy."

"Yeah. Like always," I say and I can hear the remorse in his voice.

"I'm sorry, love. I'll be in touch."

I don't answer him, I just hang up and let my head drop. Squeezing my hand, Jace kisses the back of it. "That didn't sound so bad?"

I shrug. "I just don't know what he's doing. Why does he care now?"

Pulling into a spot, he looks over at me. "Maybe he always has and didn't realize he wasn't showing it?"

"Maybe." I think that over and I guess it could be true. He works constantly and I know his job is important, but I should be important too. Closing my eyes, I try to regulate my breathing because my heart has been pounding since I saw his number on my phone. I just don't want to get my hopes up. I've wanted my dad and my mom to care about and love me for so long. I craved it. I don't want my heart to be smashed again. When my chest starts to tighten, I suck in a deep breath and let it out, because I've got this. I can do this. I know the score. I just won't go in there expecting things they aren't capable of. No matter the sincerity in his voice, I have eighteen years of proof that I was second best to everyone.

I have to remember that.

"Let's just take it one day at a time," Jace says, and I look over at him. "One thing at a time. You know? Everything will work out. I know that for sure."

Leaning over, I press my lips to his as his hands come up, tangling in my hair. Pulling back, I press my nose to his and agree. "Okay."

"I'll do the same. I probably need to start going to yoga or something. Do they have prenatal yoga?"

My brows pull together. "What? Why?"

"If I'm seeing that douche-f.u.c.ker of a brother of yours in a little under a month's time-which, by the way, how did I not know we were playing him?"

"You've been distracted," I supply with a grin and he nods.

"I have, but anyway, if I'm seeing him, then d.a.m.n it, I need to find my happy place and not kill my new brother-in-law."

I smile. "Good plan. The commissioner might frown on that, Sinclair."

"I thought so too, Sinclair," he says with a grin, kissing my lips. "Now go write some songs and be awesome."

"Aren't I always?"

"Of course," he says as I get out. Before shutting the door, I bend down, meeting his gaze. "I'll text when I'm ready."

"Cool, see you in a bit."

Shutting the door, I tuck my hands into my pockets and rush to the door to head up the stairs to Jelly Records. As I start to climb, my phone sounds and I pull it out to see it's from Jace.

Confused, I open the text and smile.

Jace: I love you.

As I type back the same, I can't help but laugh.

It's so funny how things change in the blink of an eye.

Three months ago, I wanted to be a star.

I didn't want any man, and I sure as h.e.l.l didn't want to trust anyone.

Now, I just want to love this guy and my baby.

Crazy.

I didn't want to do this.

I still don't.

But I don't think I have any other option.

I have to take care of Avery.

Swallowing hard, I stare at my phone.

d.a.m.n it.

Maybe I should call Jude. See what he thinks. But I know what he'll say. It's the same thing Jayden and Lucy will say too. No, I can't call them. They wouldn't understand. They have good jobs; they haven't felt the complete and utter failure I'm feeling. Plus, I know they'll try to throw money at me, and I don't want their money. I don't want to owe anyone anything.

No, there is only one option.

Dialing my dad's number, I wait for him to answer. I haven't talked to him much in a while, and he doesn't even know Avery is pregnant. I don't know, I just didn't think he needed to know, which might bite me in the a.s.s now.

"Son, I was seriously about to call you," he says with a laugh. "I just got the craziest email."

I pause. "Yeah? What about?"

"Avery," he says and I pause.

"What about her?"

"Well, I guess she's at the studio with Stu. And he emailed me razzing me about being a grandpa again. I was confused, 'cause I didn't know I was going to be a grandpa."

"Wow, okay. Because that's the reason I'm calling," I laugh, but he doesn't laugh with me.

"So, it's true?"

"Yeah, she's pregnant and we got married," I say simply, and he draws in a sharp breath.