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Crap. Why does he have to sound sincere? How can I hold onto my anger when he apologizes?
“It’s fine. It takes two to tangle.” He wiggles his eyebrows, but before he can speak, I continue. “Now, what can I do for you? Do you need some extra towels? A new pillow?”
“Why have you been avoiding me since my return to town?”
So much for my evasive maneuvering. I huff. “I haven’t been avoiding you.” Lie. “I’ve been busy.”
“You hid from me under your desk because you’re busy?”
Dang it. Can’t he at least pretend he didn’t discover me hiding? I’m having a child for goodness sake. I’m supposed to be the adult here.
“I was searching for a pen?”
“You can’t avoid me forever.”
Ha! I can try. I kept my pregnancy secret for four months in Winter Falls – the town where gossiping is considered an elite sport – I think I can do pretty much anything I put my mind to.
“We need to talk,” he insists.
I’m not ready to talk. I have no idea what to do about the baby. Have it, obviously, but what about afterwards? Do I give him up for adoption? Do I raise him on my own? Do I let Cole be a part of the baby’s life? How do I share custody with Cole and not get my heart broken?
“You only found out about the baby a few days ago. Maybe you should take some time to come to terms with his existence and then we’ll talk.”
“I’ve come to terms.”
He has? How? I haven’t come to terms yet and I’ve known about the baby for months now. “Yeah, sure.”
“I’m serious. After Lyric and Rowan kidnapped me—"
“They did what?” I screech. “How dare they? You leave them to me. I’ll handle them.”
He smirks, and I realize I showed him my hand. Ugh! He’s not supposed to know I care about him. I’m supposed to be the ice lady over here.
“What I meant to say is it’s not okay for my brothers-in-law to kidnap people especially since Lyric is the Chief of Police.”
Cole grins and it’s obvious I’m not fooling him.
“They didn’t harm me, except for the ice cold bath.”
There’s only one place to get an ice cold bath in town. I grab onto the topic change with both hands. “What did you think of the falls?”
“They’re beautiful. I can’t wait to see the area when the trees are full of leaves and the flowers are blooming.”
What is he talking about? It’s nearly winter. Blooming flowers are months away. “You won’t be around then.”
“I told you my firm is going to win the contract to build the community center and I’ll be in town on a regular basis.”
I sigh. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll leave afterwards and then—”
His growl cuts me off. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare say I won’t be around for our child. I will always be there for her whether or not I’m in Winter Falls. You don’t know me.”
I latch onto his last sentence. Because I am not talking about him being there for our child. And it’s not because the idea scares the pants off of me. “Exactly! I don’t know you. I have no idea what kind of person you are. Maybe you’re a horrible man who shouldn’t be anywhere near our son.”
And maybe I’m a big, fat liar who’s going straight to hell in a handbasket.
“Good idea. Let’s get to know each other.”
I rear back. Did he seriously suggest we date? “As in date? Don’t you think it’s a little late to date when I’m carrying your baby?”
