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‘Go on,’ Merida invited.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
‘It does to me.’
‘Fine. You were a struggling actress when I met you, Merida. If I remember rightly “nearing desperation” were your words about yourself. I’m not saying you set out to get pregnant, but I don’t think you exactly rushed to take your Pill.’
He felt a flicker of guilt when he saw her already pale face bleach.
In truth, that day, walking away from her, hearing his father was dying... Well, he’d forgotten even to eat until the next day, let alone take some damned pill.
But he would not back down. This was too important for sentiment to get in the way.
‘I’ll never forgive you for that, Ethan.’
‘That’s okay,’ he said. ‘I don’t need your forgiveness, nor a life spent living a charade.’
He told her they would be divorced after one year, and then spoke of allowances and apartments, rattling off details as she sat there stunned.
‘I don’t want the first months of our child’s life spent with us hammering out details through attorneys on either side of the Atlantic. By the time our marriage is over we’ll have hopefully come to an arrangement that works for both of us.’
Merida felt her breathing turn shallow.
Yes, she might have fired the first ‘lawyer’ shot, but being mired in a custody dispute was the last thing she wanted for her child. She’d been mired in her parents’ disputes for years.
Ethan was right—he was a complete stranger, but he was right. Theyhadto do what was best for the baby, and right now that meant her staying here.
And to do that she needed his financial help.
But marriage...?
‘I want my child to have my name,’ Ethan reiterated. ‘And, given my father is dying, I’d like to think the baby could be born here and...’
He didn’t finish. In fact, Merida thought she heard a slight husk to his voice. But when she looked up his expression was as stony as ever, and she decided she’d misheard.
‘Take your time,’ Ethan said.
Merida read through the contract, but the words blurred.
Suddenly she’d becomethe aforementioned. Their babythe dependant.
She didn’t need to read through all the pages to guess there would be no mention of love.
‘Do you have any questions?’ Ethan asked, just as he had on the night they had met.
But there was no suggestive edge there now. No seamless move to invite her to dinner. Or to bed.
Not that she’d go.
Merida felt utterly wiped.
‘None.’
‘If you can give me your parents’ contact details I can let them know that I’m happy to organise their attendance. Helene will sort out flights and accommodation.’
Merida nodded.
‘I think that’s everything, then.’ He stood.
