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I felt my back stiffen. What angle was he trying to play here?
“Jared,” I said, sighing. “I’m not really in any shape to talk to you about this right now. But I’m going to need someone to manage me when I get back to Honolulu, anyway. Why don’t we talk about this later?”
“I’m not kidding, Lena. This morning I looked through some of the stuff you did for Alex’s company. It looks great. You’re really talented.”
I looked down. I felt suddenly guilty for being alone with Jared. What would Alex think? Would it hurt my chances of apologizing?
“We should discuss this another time.”
“Why not now, Lena?”
“I have a lot on my mind right now and this isn’t necessary to discuss right now!”
“But I can see it, in your face. You don’t want to. Why not?”
The secret was on my tongue, and it felt like it had been waiting, crawling up inside of me and waiting to pounce. All of a sudden, my eyes were welling up.
“I just can’t, okay? I can’t work anymore this year.”
“Why not? You hurt or something?”
“NO! I just … it’s …”
“Lena, what is it? You’re scaring me? Is it something private?”
I let my hands fall away from my face, and then the tears were running.
“I’m pregnant,” I said.
The words fell softly from my mouth into the hotel room.
There was only silence and guilt in my eyes as they darted to Jared’s face. He hadn’t moved a muscle. His expression hadn’t changed at all, except for the creases around his eyes, which relaxed and softened a bit.
“I’m … well. That’s good news.”
I said nothing. Jared peered at me across the room, and then he sighed.
“He doesn’t know, does he?”
I shook my head.
“Lena, maybe we can find a way to …”
“No, Jared. I’m sorry. But I can’t talk about this anymore.”
“Please—”
“I mean it. Would you leave?”
I got up and went to the door. Looking back at Jared, I opened it, and gestured. “Come on. Out now. I need to get out of here, anyway. The ferry leaves in an hour.”
“Okay,” said Jared. He stood up and straightened his suit, preening himself in the mirror.
He turned to leave, and then he stopped. Eyes wide, he stared out of the door.
I turned and saw Alex. Standing in the doorframe.
He’d been listening.
