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All my energy left my body and dumped onto the sand. “You knew?”
She cocked her head to the side.
“I’m sorry, Mia. I didn’t want you to find out this way. I was going to tell you tonight.”
She shook her head, looked at Devlin, and walked away from me, leaving me in the middle of a bunch of people I didn’t know.
Her words struck me like a knife in the stomach, and I wrapped my arms around my waist. I felt light-headed pushing it away with a few deep breaths.
“Are you okay?” Devlin put his hands on my arms and leaned down to me.
“Who’s this?” A woman appeared next to him and slung her arm around his neck. He ignored her as he led me out of the crowd. He sat me down in the sand. He crouched down beside me, the woman following suit.
“Do you need some water or something?” he asked.
“No, thanks,” I muttered.
I looked up at him and then at the woman and had a feeling she was with him. Her swimsuit was black, her hair pulled up into a long ponytail, and her arms were peppered with tattoos. I wanted to be anywhere but where I was.
When Devlin stood up, she immediately possessed what she felt was hers by throwing her arms around his neck. He gently pulled her off him.
“Can you not, Lindsey?” he scolded. “Have some courtesy. She’s obviously not feeling well.”
I quickly looked away, pulling myself up off the sand and wiping myself down. “I’m sorry,” I fumbled. “I don’t know what Mia was thinking pushing me in the middle of you and your—” I looked at the woman again and shook my head.
“I’m sure she wasn’t thinking at all,” said the woman with sarcasm.
“Enough,” he said through his teeth.
I felt a numbing sensation waft over me as tears filled my eyes. All I wanted was to get away from everyone. Were they all against me? Were they conspiring against me? I felt trapped, almost claustrophobic. I gasped and ran in the only direction where there weren’t people standing around.
“Naomi!” I heard Devlin’s voice call out to me, but I kept running and praying he wouldn’t come after me.
By the time I stopped to catch my breath, I looked back at the beach and the crowd of people still having fun without me. No one came after me, and as far as I was concerned, I wasn’t going back there. I hated Mia for throwing me into the lion’s den. I hated Devlin for making a big deal over me in front of her.
I walked until I found a secluded spot under a cluster of trees, and I sat beneath them where my tears flowed easily. My mind was scattered, and everything had changed. My whole world that I was trying to piece back together was falling apart from under me.
There were so many variables. How did Mia find out I was pregnant? How was I going to tell Devlin? I scoffed. Mia wasn’t going to let that one go. Now, I’d have to deal with the guilt of trying to convince him it’s okay that he still does what he wants. I never expected him to be a father in the first place. Hell, I didn’t know what I was expecting. I was still trying to process the information myself.
CHAPTER 6
Devlin
I WATCHED NAOMI run away. I was still working it through my head that she had been standing directly in front of me. All those hours searching for her after that one passionate night together — I had finally given up, and in the most unexpected places at the most unexpected time I was presented with her only to have her dash away from me. I was going to be damned if I would lose her again.
I looked at Lindsey and saw her eyes glossy with tears. She knew how much Naomi meant to me, and she was also under the impression I wasn’t going to have Naomi back in my life. The evening I spent with Lindsey was more than I should have spent.
Naomi was back and the chance to be with her again was within reach. That determination was what set me into motion.
I went to Lindsey, and she looked hopeful that I was going to stay instead of running after Naomi. I took her arms and held her in front of me. I searched her face for some sort of understanding.
“That was Naomi?” she asked.
I nodded.
“The Naomi?”
“I’m sorry, Lindsey. I didn’t think—” I stopped. What was I supposed to say? “I tried to be as honest about you and me, about our relationship, as I could be. You knew this wasn’t something I could commit to. I took you out for dinner and drink as I enjoy your company. But that was it. Nothing more.”
