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Onenight had sent me spiraling into the devil’s lair.Nomatter how muchItried to claw myself out, a force of nature kept pulling me back toAxel.Now, there was something that would tie us together for life.Except,Ididn’t know if it was in poppy seed’s best interest.
“Whatif he doesn’t have to be the father of the baby,”Jaysuggested softly.
Ifrowned. “Toolate for that, don’t you think?”
“Whatif you had a way of getting into your family’s good graces, didn’t have to worry about raising a kid with a stranger who may or may not come through, and still had a stable father for your baby?”
“Oo, this is a fun game.”Iclapped my hands. “Letme try one.Whatif you won a million dollars, could live forever, and travel to outer space?”
Jayrolled his eyes. “Ihave many millions of dollars, and it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be.Iplan to die young, andIhave already been to space.”
Ijerked back. “Youhave?”Damn,Jayhad lived a lifeIknew nothing about.
“We’lltalk about it another time.Areyou ready to listen without sarcasm?”
Iclosed my eyes, his tone bringing me down to earth.Jaywouldn’t have made the suggestion unless he had a follow-up idea.
“Ihave a solution for all of your problems as long as you agree.”
“Agreeto what?”Iasked.
“Agreeto marry me.”
Mybody reacted before my brain could catch on.Igripped the edge of the counter, threw my head back, and roared with a laugh so belly aching that it hurt.
Jaypatiently waited for my obnoxious laughter to subside.Whenhis expression remained solemn,Isnapped my mouth shut.Realizationswept over me. “Youcan’t be serious.”
“Iam,” he said simply.
Iblinked as the two simple words sunk in.Ididn’t know what to make of his offer.Wemight have grown up around the same group, but we have never particularly hung out, been friends, or had any special bond that warranted this offer.Whywould he go to such lengths to dig me out of this mess?
Yet,Jayseemed self-assured.Hewasn’t intimidated by the possibility of marrying a pregnant woman or becoming a father to another man’s child.Nohesitation.Noteven a slight tremor of indecision.
Mypuzzled look gave away the unspoken question. “I’vealways wanted to be a father,” he answered simply.
Iscoffed. “Noone’s stopping you.Aren’tyou like the king ofIndianBachelor?”
“Indianwhat?”
Ibit my bottom lip. “Um…Imeant the whole… you know how my mom… you know how she was trying to get us to talk…”
Hesmiled. “Yes,Piya.I’maware.Yourmom wasn’t exactly subtle.”
“You…”Iwaved my hand, gesturing toward his perfect body and perfect face and perfect clothes, and perfect hair, assuming it’d be enough to get my point across. “Youcan have any woman to have your child.Imean, literally any woman.”
“Ifonly things were so simple.”
Inodded thoughtfully. “Yes,Iheard it’s difficult being a rich, good-looking bachelor with women banging down on your door.”
Hegrinned. “It’sabsolutely unbearable.”
“Ihave no doubts.”Iwatched him for a moment after both of our smiles disappeared. “Whyresort to marrying a woman with a preexisting pregnancy condition?”
“Havinga biological child isn’t in the cards for me.”
Mylips parted, andIshotJaya blank look.
Thesmile didn’t disappear, though it turned somewhat morbid, “Myfather is sick.”
