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Which didn’t make sense.
He’d come to her house, not the other way around.
But there was something antagonistic about him that she’d never seen before—something dark and stormy, brewing just beneath the surface.
“I... I enjoy our relationship,” she admitted. “But I’ve not changed my mind about marriage.”
Just the thought of saying she’d even consider marriage had her stomach twisting. No way did she want to risk feeling again that horrible feeling she’d had when she’d been at her wedding venue alone, when she’d had to tell her guests that Johnny hadn’t shown, when she’d had to pretend everything was okay when it hadn’t been okay, when she hadn’t been okay, and then walk away with her head held high even though she’d felt lower than low.
No, she wouldn’t be risking that kind of rejection and heartache again.
Taking a step back, Riley inhaled deeply and ordered herself not to let thoughts of Johnny invade a moment when she already felt defensive.
“Where is this coming from?” she asked. “What happened at the museum yesterday? Did your family say something? I feel as if you’re wanting to fight with me.”
“I don’t want to fight—not with you or anyone—and of course my family didn’t say anything. They’ve never met you. Why would they say something?”
His tone said that it was a problem they hadn’t met her. Had he wanted her to meet them? He had asked her multiple times in the past, but he’d never acted as if it were a big deal when she said no. The thought of going had practically had her breaking out into hives.
“Why are you so against having children?” he asked.
Eyeing the way he held her dog, stroking Daisy’s fur almost methodically, Riley winced. “What relevance does that have to anything? You’ve known from the beginning how I feel. Why are you making it a big deal now? If you want to break things off, then just do it.”
Oh, heavens. Had she really just told Justin to break things off with her? Her heart slapped her for saying such a stupid thing. Logic told her to brace herself for his answer.
Because he’d not come to her house to make things right. He’d come to fight.
But Riley didn’t want to fight. She wanted—Justin.
“I’m going to be a dad.”
The earth stopped spinning and Riley’s body jerked from the force of it.
“What?”
Putting Daisy on the ground, he walked over to the eucalyptus tree and placed his palm against the bark, as if to gain some magical power to continue their conversation.
“I should have said I hope to be a dad. If the judge approves my request, I’m adopting Kyle.”
“That’s wonderful!” she said, and she meant it, joy replacing her anxiety.
Momentarily forgetting their tension, she moved toward him, planning to throw her arms around him, but stopped as she recalled that they were at odds and reality hit.
Justin was adopting Kyle. He’d be a father.
Breathing became difficult... Air was not able to find its way into her contracted lungs. Her knees threatened to wobble, possibly to give out completely and let her drop to the earth, and her mind echoed with one thought.
Justin was going to be a father.
“Not everything is finalized,” he continued, his words somehow making their way beyond the noise of her mind, “but after she met with the judge today my lawyer thinks it’s going to be. The judge wants proof that I can provide Kyle with a stable life. I spent this afternoon at my parents’ putting together an action plan for doing just that.”
Justin was adopting Kyle. He was going to be a father. The thoughts continued to race through her mind.
“I want to do what’s right for Kyle.”
He would do what was right for Kyle—would be an excellent father.
“Which is why he’s so lucky to have you,” she managed to say.
