My brother's best friend

Chapter seventeen

Lights flash as a car pulls into the parking lot and drives up to me. When the car stops next to me and the passenger door is opened from the inside I see Daniel in the driver's seat. "What are you doing here?" I grumble. "I'm here to pick you up." He says, he doesn't seem too happy about it either. 

"I called Taylor," I say, crossing my arms. "Well, she called me and asked if I would pick you up since I was at the mall." I can't argue with that. I was the one that needed help. I get into the car and buckle up. 

"I assume the date didn't go all that well?" Daniel says, a smirk on his lips. I roll my eyes, "It wasn't a date exactly." "Pretty clothes. Fancy place. Beautiful girl. Sounds like a date to me." He declares. 

"You think I'm beautiful?" I ask sweetly, hoping to fluster him. Instead of being embarrassed, he looks at me, a smile on his lips, "Of course I do." I look away, a slight blush rising to my cheeks. I blame it on the hormones. 

"Who was the lucky guy?" He asks as we drive home. Why does everyone ask me that tonight? I look at him for a moment, taking him in. He's dressed in one of his better pairs of jeans with a white button-up shirt. 

"You were on a date." I declare. Guilt washes over me. He was on a date and he came to help me. He glances at me and shrugs. "Was it with Abby?" I ask softly. I know he likes her. "Yeah." 

"Daniel, I'm so sorry you had to leave your date." I don't know what else to say. I feel horrible. "Don't sweat it. We just rescheduled." He says patting my leg. We pull into his driveway and he shuts the car off. 

"What did you tell her?" I ask softly. "I told her Taylor needed my help." I nod, more guilt rising inside me. He couldn't even tell her it was me who needed his help. 

"Have you told anyone yet?" I ask, looking out of the window. I don't know what I was hoping he would say, but I have a sick feeling that whatever he said wasn't going to please me. "About Abby and me? She already met-" I shake my head, turning to face him. 

"No, have you told anyone about our baby?" He's silent for a moment then shakes his head. Just as I suspected I wasn't satisfied with his answer. He didn't want people to know I was carrying his child. But if he'd said yes, I bet I would have found a reason to be unhappy. 

"Oh." Is all I say before opening my door and getting out. I hear his door shut moments after mine. I start walking across the street when he calls me. "Lindsey, wait." I turn around and face him. "I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to tell anyone." I nod, understanding what he means. I had a hard enough time telling him. 

"I don't even want to think of how I'll tell Will." He says, running his fingers through his hair. I will be lying if I said it wasn't something I kept in the back of my mind since I found out. I can't think how he's feeling about telling Will. They were best friends, and I somehow believe there was a pact made right after Will and Taylor called it quits after Daniel punched him silly. 

I don't even want to think of what Will is going to do with the information that we're having a baby. He'd probably kill him, leaving my baby without a father. Before I can stop myself I apologize to Daniel for getting us into this mess. 

He takes me by my shoulders and slightly lowers himself to my level by bending his legs, to look in my eyes, "This is not your fault and it is certainly nothing to apologize for, Linds. This isn't a problem, this is a gift. And I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else." I bite my lip, "So, you are happy about the baby?" 

He lets out a chuckle and a wide smile settles on his lips, "Happy? Yes, I'm happy, Linds. Ecstatic is more like it." I smile, "That's good. I wasn't sure after, you know." I look away from him. "Sorry, about that." He mumbles dropping his hands from my shoulders. 

"Let's tell them together. All of them, you and me." I say looking back at him. Emotions flash across his face, too many for me to identify. Finally, he settles on a slight smile, "That'd be great, Linds." I nod, sending him a smile. 

"So, we'll tell them when we're all together," Daniel says, holding my gaze. "Tell who what?" I look past Daniel and see Levi a few steps away, his hand clasped in a girls hand. The girl seems to feel uncomfortable with the situation, but Levi is sending me his you-better-not-lie -to-me-face. "Levi, please-" I start but Daniel cuts me off, "Who's your girl?" 

Levi's eyes leave my face and I relax slightly. "This is Emma. Emma, my sister and Daniel. And they apparently have something to tell everyone." His eyes fall on me again and I wish the ground would swallow me whole. 

"Nice to meet you, Emma." I get out, reaching to shake her hand. She extends her own, "Likewise." Beautiful and intellectual. "I better go." She declares, turning to Levi. "I'll see you tomorrow." He kisses her cheek and she continues down the street and we watch as she turns into one of the houses only three or four houses away. 

"Let's get everyone together then," Levi says, walking down the driveway to the house. I watch as he disappears into the house. My chest tightens and I struggle to breathe. I wasn't planning on telling them so soon. 

"Lindsey, calm down." I hear Daniel's voice, but he sounds very far away. "It'll be alright." He coos in my ear. With every word, he says he sounds closer and closer. The tightness in my chest finally stops and I can breath normal again. "We're doing this together. I'm here for you." He kisses the top of my hand and leads me to the house. 

As we enter the house all I could think of is that the baby and I got lucky with Daniel. He'll be good for my baby. I know it.