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“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know how.” She shook her head. “The shock of losing our baby hit me hard. I barely got through my finals. I didn’t want you to suffer as well. You had your life planned out.” She also knew how he felt about commitment.
“And you didn’t have yours planned out?” He stood up and began pacing the room. “I should have been there for you.”
“Maybe.”
He whirled around. “What do you mean, maybe?”
“Be honest with me. You were already backing away from me, and you told me from the beginning you weren’t a commitment type of guy.”
“I wasn’t. I’m not. You know how I feel about that.”
“I do. When I thought about it, I didn’t want you to think I got pregnant on purpose to force you to marry me. I would never do that.”
He ran his hand over his face. “I wouldn’t have thought that.”
“Really?” She stared at him. “You were the one who told me you’d broken up with several girlfriends because they wanted more than you could give. While I lost our baby, I wanted it, but I also didn’t want to force you to choose, so I kept silent. You would have run—hard and fast—had I told you.”
“You don’t know that.
“I do. Gabriel, I watched you each time you came home from a dinner with one of your parents. You were cold and distant. And you never took me with you.”
“I was protecting you. You should have told me about the baby.”
“Maybe. But I didn’t. I was barely coping, and when you sprang kink on me, I lost it.”
“If you had told me, I would have understood.”
“Like you did when I freaked out about the kink? Be honest with yourself. You weren’t committed to me anymore than you are now.”
“What the hell? I am committed to you.”
“Are you?” Dani took a deep breath and plunged on. “I heard you talking with Zeke last night. You told him you could never be committed to one woman.”
Gabriel opened his mouth and then shut it. “I did, but I didn’t mean you.”
“Who did you mean? We were already seeing each other again and playing in the club.” He didn’t deny it. Dani’s heart grew heavy. “You said it yourself. You still don’t believe in commitment. And I want that. With you. Maybe us getting back together wasn’t such a good idea.”
His features flattened out and went dead, spearing Dani’s heart with knives of pain. He didn’t love her. Or, if he did, it wasn’t enough.
“Maybe it wasn’t.” Gabriel stood and walked into the bedroom. When he returned, he was dressed, his face still an emotionless mask. Dani’s heart pounded. Gabriel had shut down again. He was going to leave her, not fight for her. She’d caused it, but darn it. If she meant anything to him, he’d stay and talk this out.
She stood up.
“What does this mean?” she asked.
He marched to the front door and turned back to stare at her. “I need to think.” Before she could ask him how long he needed, Gabriel was gone.
Dani sank back onto the sofa, her heart hurting along with her soul. She hadn’t been sure how Gabriel would take learning about the baby, but now she knew. A sigh escaped her lips. Last night had been so beautiful for both of them. Now, she wasn’t sure they even had a future together.
Chapter 8
Dani walked around Max and Sierra’s backyard. Her work was almost complete thanks to her crew and a run of perfect weather. The new trees and flowers complemented the layout. She checked her list as she walked over the brick pathway to the club. The last of the privacy bushes, hedges, and trees were being put in. She’d picked fast growing ones.
While she was proud of her work, she was tired. She’d worked flat out this past week. Mainly because Gabriel was avoiding her. She hadn’t seen him on the job site or at the club. The frustration was beginning to wear on her.
“Hey, Dani,” Max said as he rounded the corner. “I was hoping to catch you.”
