Where We Belong

Chapter 15

~~~

Evan's POV—

"How are you feeling?" Eli asks Ashley when she opens the front door.

Originally, we thought it would take up to several days for the paternity test results to get in. We had Ashley's blood sample and mine and Eli's swabs sent in earlier this week.

It's Thursday and the results are already in. The lab sent an email saying that they're available. Ashley just needs to log into the lab's patient's website to get the results.

The past few days waiting to get the results have been torturous. If only because we've been anxious to actually get the results...and some answers.

Either I'm the father and we have nothing more to worry about and we can kiss Eli goodbye forever...or he's the father and the three of us will be stuck together.

And now I'm even more anxious because the results are in.

"Fine," is all Ashley says before she lets him into the house. Meanwhile, I stand by the couch, paying close attention to everything Eli does.

Our last encounter didn't go that great.

He threw shots at me and Ashley.

And while I am fully capable of defending myself and fighting back with him if needed, I don't want him throwing such attacks at Ashley.

Not that I think she can't handle herself but still.

"Evan," is all Eli says when he faces me, looking up and down at me skeptically.

"Eli," I say back to him, repeating his actions and looking up and down at him.

I'll admit it. He's actually pretty good looking. I'd never say that out loud though.

Dark brown eyes and light brown hair with surprisingly a lot of red in it. Almost as tall as me with a similar build.

"You guys gonna behave today?" Ashley says, an I-don't-have-time-for-your-shit expression appearing across her face.

Ok, yeah.

She's more than capable of handling herself.

"I don't know, Eli, are we?" I ask him as I move closer to Ashley. Everything within me demanding that I stay close to her to—I don't know—make sure she's safe from Eli.

Not that I think he'd really harm her but still.

"I suppose."

With that, the three of us move to the table where Ashley's laptop is. Ashley sitting between us.

I anxiously bounce my knee up and down as Ashley types on her laptop, logging into the testing center's patient portal.

"Ok...we ready?" Ashley says with a sigh of nervousness as she exchanges looks with both me and Eli.

"Yeah," is all I say as I reach for her hand, which she takes. I offer her a firm squeeze of encouragement, one in which she returns as Eli says he's ready too.

Ashley returns her attention to her laptop. And as she goes to click something, I do my best to brace myself for the results, my stomach twisting and turning violently in nervousness.

For a moment, Ashley doesn't say anything—her silence making me grow even more anxious and impatient. Eli must feel the same because next thing I know—"what's taking so long."

I narrow my eyes at him for trying to rush her, even though I'm getting impatient myself. He just narrows his right back at me.

"I'm looking at the instructions on how to read the results...give me a minute," Ashley snaps back at him.