Page 29 of Rim Shot Rebound

He put his hands on her arms. “Are you okay?” Then his forehead wrinkled in confused again. “Wait, can you know that fast?”

Kelsey shook her head. “The last time, before this weekend. We’d all been drinking after that gig, and we weren’t exactly…careful. And yes, I’m fine.”

She watched the tightness in his face as he mentally did the math. “Jesus, Kelsey. You’ve known all this time? Why didn’t you tell me?”

It was a fair question. One she knew he’d ask. One she didn’t have an easy answer for. “Pretty sure we covered that Saturday night.”

“Saturday night.” He was quiet for a second. Replaying their conversation, their time together. “Oh, God. Saturday night.” He held her arms tighter, but still gently, and looked her up and down. “But you’re okay? That didn’t—”

“It’s fine.” Kelsey laughed. Why did men always think they could poke the fetus? “I promise. It’s fine.”

His brow was strained, then his eyes widened with a realization. “The candy. The suckers.”

She nodded. “It’s getting better.”

He relaxed a little, and his lips quirked into a small smile. “Well, that’s good. Are you…I mean, is this past…last time?”

A wave of nausea that wasn’t morning sickness rolled through her. She reminded herself that it was natural for him to be worried about her. Especially considering her history. “No. That’s partly why I didn’t want to tell you yet.”

He closed his eyes. “I get it.” He opened them again, the rims of his eyes red now. “What made you decide to tell me now?”

“I couldn’t be with you and hide this.” She left out the part where she couldn’t figure out how to not be with him anymore. That wasn’t a power she felt like handing over just yet. Plus, she wasn’t sure it was entirely true. If she got the hint that he cared more about them as a family deal, or if she felt like he might bail on her, she would pull the plug on this relationship before he had the chance to hurt her that way again.

If it wasn’t already too late.

He moved his warm hands up to place them on the sides of her face, tilting her head up toward his. With a deep, soulful stare, he said, “Thank you for telling me.” He stared at her some more, then said, “Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for letting me be here for you.”

When he kissed her, his lips were soft and warm against hers. He held her there with a long, loving kiss edged with grief and regret. She kissed him back with all the reassurance she could muster. Not quite hope or faith, but at least a kiss of truth, respect, and…love.

He broke away and said, “Come on. Let’s go talk at my house for a while.”

“I should get home.” It had been a lot for one night. She felt euphoric and sick all at once. The only thing she wanted to do now was go home and absorb everything. “I’ve been really tired lately, and I’ve got to work in the morning. I should just go to sleep.”

“You could sleep at my place.” He wagged his thick, dark eyebrows.

“That doesn’t instill much confidence that there would be much sleeping.” She laughed and patted him on the chest, part of her wishing she could keep her hand there for a while and do more than sleep beside him. “There will be plenty of time for that. I really do need sleep. I promise we can talk more another day.”

“Okay, fine,” he said. “But you’re sure you feel okay? No cramps or anything?”

“I’m fine.” In truth, she’d felt nothing last time either. It had felt like what she’d thought was a normal pregnancy. No signs that anything was wrong at all. Even her body couldn’t face the fact that she’d lost the pregnancy. The only indication was that damned ultrasound.

She tiptoed to meet him with another quick kiss. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” he said. “But promise you’ll call me if you need anything. Day or night. Call me.”

She looked at him, the sincerity and unabashed hope clear in his face, and nodded. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time everything really would be okay.

“I promise.”

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