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“Because I’m in love with you!” she shouts at me like I’m stupid for not knowing this already.
The couple walking past us flinches at her volume and I scowl at them, giving them a mind-your-business warning look that they both quickly adhere to. As they scuttle away, I turn back to Caroline, who’s shifted close enough for me to smell her perfume.
Dammit!
“I loved you before I even met you.” Her voice has dropped to this feathery, husky sound that makes my chest hurt. “And then I did meet you, and you exceeded all of my expectations. So now I’m like full-blown head over heels for you.” She fists her sweater over her stomach. “This kid can’t belong to anyone else. It has to be yours. Casey, please, it has to be yours.” Her words are getting fast, panic obviously riding through her as she tries to sell me on this.
But I can’t take it.
She loves me? Yet she’s been playing me this whole time?
What the actual fuck am I supposed to do with this right now?
She’s a liar! Am I just supposed to shrug and say, “Oh well, no biggie”? If that kid in her belly isn’t mine, I don’t… I don’t know what to do with that.
And what if this Ben guy is the father? What if he’s totally into it? Doesn’t he deserve a chance?
I’ll just fuck it up anyway. Maybe it’s better if she goes to him.
The idea curdles my stomach, and I don’t want to unravel the reason why.
“Please,” she whispers, her eyes glassy with desperation. “I need it to be yours.”
“What if it’s not?” My voice comes out low and gravelly.
She goes pale, her complexion practically translucent as I let that little nugget sink in.
“I want a test,” I grit out. My jaw is clenched so tight, my stiff lips only just moving. “I have to know if it’s mine.”
“A t-test?”
“Yeah, a paternity test. I deserve the truth.”
Her eyes go wide, the first tear slipping free as she swallows.
What? Am I asking too much? Is she fucking kidding me?
I’m about to bark at her that she doesn’t have a choice over this, but then she nods. “Um… o-okay. I’ll, uh… I’m not sure how to do?—“
“Well, figure it out. Google it or some shit. Just get it done.” I’m sounding like a harsh asshole, but I can’t care about hurting her feelings. She’s fucking destroyed mine.
This is why I don’t do relationships!
How could I walk into one so easily?
Fuck! Fuuuuck!
Her fingers are shaking as she pulls a red curl away from her mouth. “It means I’ll have to tell Ben.”
“Something you probably should have already done,” I growl, glaring at her.
She knows. She knows I’m right. The shame washing over her face right now is raw and real. She looks to the ground, her chin bunching like she’s fighting the urge to ugly cry, and I can’t watch that shit. I want to stay mad and indignant. It’s my fucking right.
So I do the only thing I can—I spin on my heel and walk away.
It takes everything in me not to look back and check on her.
Instinct is scraping at my neck, my muscles tingling with the urge to run back and comfort her. She’s crying. I can’t hear her, but any dumb fuck could work out that she is.
