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“I have to go.”
Trick clapped me on the back again, damn near rattling my teeth. “Go get her.”
Pregnant or not, we needed to have a conversation. I had a lot I needed to clear up with her, starting with this revelation. Pulling out my phone, I sent her a quick text message.
Me: I know I’m the last person you want to talk to right now, but that’s too damn bad. I’m coming home. Stay right where you are. We need to have a conversation.
She didn’t answer, and that sent a jolt of fear through me, but it didn’t stop me. I had let fear get in my way more times than I could count, and it wasn’t happening again.
Two hours later, after one missed ferry and some stop-and-go traffic on the way to the terminal, I finally pulled into the driveway. Lights were on in the house, her car was in the driveway, and my stupid heart was pounding. The thought that she might be pregnant wasn’t even the most important thing. That would be happy news. It would be one of the greatest things that could have happened to us. But add that to the notion that she wasn’t talking to me, and I was an absolute disaster.
I came in like a damn wrecking ball, swinging hard, ready to prove my worth and show her I’d be the best damn father there was if we were gonna be parents. And if we weren’t... I had plenty of other things to prove to her. Starting with exactly how much I loved her.
BECCA
I stepped out of the bath, my skin hot and pink from the too-hot water and the length of time I spent soaking. It had been too long, but I didn’t know how to face the rest of the day. Sure, I was hurt by what happened with Taylor, hurt that he must’ve told his sister in much greater detail than I’d shared about our bargain, even after everything that had happened between us. But even more than that, I was upset with myself for not being able to just let it go. It wouldn’t have been hard. All I needed to do was tell him I understood and move on. Except adding on the articles, his comments to the press, and the divorce... I wasn’t going to stay in a relationship that made me feel so worthless.
So I’d stuck to my guns and made us both miserable. But the worst part was he let me. He didn’t even try to fight for us.
I stared at myself in the mirror. Eyes that were once bright were now dull and lifeless. With a sigh, I applied my skincare routine, knowing it wouldn’t do me any good to wallow and neglect my self-care. Then I wrapped up in a towel and grabbed my half-empty wineglass from the small table Taylor had gotten me to put beside my bathtub. I could hear his voice clear in my head.
‘You shouldn’t have to balance your wine precariously on the side of the tub, hen. Let me do this for you.’Of course, that memory brought a fresh wave of tears because I missed him so much. All I wanted was for us to reconcile. For us to be together again. I didn’t need anything else. Just him. That was it. We’d figure out the rest. We had to.
Wiping away the tears, I padded out of the bath and to the bedroom, then put on a pair of fresh underwear and, because I was a disaster, I pulled his jersey over my head. I inhaled deeply, taking in his scent. It was already fading. What would I do when it didn’t smell like him anymore? When he got traded and left me and found something infinitely better. Because there was no doubt in my mind that he would.
I took my phone off the charger and made an effort not to immediately check my messages, but when I did, my heart fluttered because I saw his name.
Hook: I know I’m the last person you want to talk to right now, but that’s too damn bad. I’m coming home. Stay right where you are. We need to have a conversation.
I should’ve been hesitant, worried even, but I needed him more than I wanted to be upset. He was coming for me. He wanted me, and I was so damn happy about it. Pulling my hair into a messy wet bun, I raced downstairs to meet him. It had been two hours since he sent that message.
My heart stopped when I saw him on the porch, his hands braced on his knees as he sat on the steps. Instead of pulling open the door and throwing myself at him, I forced myself to stay calm as I walked to the kitchen and poured us each a glass of wine. I took a fortifying gulp and then made my way to the porch.
I opened the door and sat next to him, handing him a glass of wine.
“Lass, I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s not you that has to say anything. I overreacted. I’m sorry.”
“No, you didn’t. I should have come to your defense. Immediately. I shouldn’t have mentioned a single word about our arrangement to my sister.”
“Why not? I told mine. I’d be an incredible hypocrite if I was angry with you for sharing something so important about your life with someone you love and trust. Sure, she shouldn’t have told anyone, but she was just trying to protect her brother. I understand that. I’ve gone to bat for my sister more than once, and I would do it again and again.”
“I sure as hell should’ve told you what I was doing with that lawyer. He was helping me with contract things. He’s my friend. You have to know how much I love you. I’d never leave you, Tink. You’re mine. Forever.” God, the way his voice broke as he tried to get through those words.
My lower lip quivered. “I do. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have doubted you, but that article...”
“They’ve already taken it down. It might have started as truth, but it didn’t stay that way. And no one gets to say anything like that about you. You’re mine, and I couldn’t be prouder to call you my wife.”
Here I went again, crying. I took a deep breath to steady myself and then lifted my glass to my lips, but he batted it out of my hand, red wine splashing across the cement as the glass shattered.
“What the hell, Taylor?”
“What in God’s name are you doing? Ye cannae be drinking in your condition, hen.”
“What do you mean? Yes, I can.”
“Not when you’re...” All the wind left his sails as his brow furrowed.
