Page 233 of Unexpected Hero

“Stop it right now, Lettie.” She squeezes my hand to halt my sobbing. “First, I didn’t only mention looks. James knows how lucky he is to have such an amazing partner. I’m telling you, he’s madly in love with you.”

“You don’t know that,” I contend, my voice raising and tears spilling over.

“Shh, shh. Honey, calm down.”

I force my mouth shut, tears trickling down my cheeks.

“Lettie, listen. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but you need to know. If he gets mad, so be it. I can’t watch you lose your shit like this for no good reason.”

“What is it?” I whimper past my trembling lips.

“He’s been in love with you since you first started at the club. Probably before then.”

I frantically wipe my tears as if dryer skin will help me hear better. “Did he say that?”

“Not with words. But his actions were loud and clear.”

My tears abate while I patiently await her explanation.

“When he found out you were living at that shit bag motel, he asked around to find a place for you to live. I was considering getting a roomie anyhow, so it worked out great. He paid for your first month’s rent and gave me a generous deposit, which I haven’t spent because I plan to give it back to him or to you if you ever decide to move out.”

My head slowly cranes to one side. “He did what now?”

“Plus, the bedroom was bare as a hairless cat’s ass. He bought all the furniture, bedding, curtains, shower mat, towels, and even the little toothbrush holder. Everything. He’s the one who sent the VR headset, which was so you wouldn’t go jogging alone at odd hours. He also—”

I hold out my hand, halting her words. “I don’t want to hear anymore.”

A deluge of emotion floods me, too powerful and convoluted for me to single out which feeling is the strongest. Anger, awe, confusion, self-pity, gratitude, and another one. Ah, yes... shame.

Shame.

When we first met, I was certain he saw me as a pathetic charity case. I’ve worked so hard to get past that. But this revelation is throwing me back in time.

Does he still see me that way?

If he does, it explains the Plan B. He must believe I’m incapable of raising a child. Either that or he thinks I’m too helpless to purchase it myself.

All my muscles tense at once.

Why can’t I just be touched by his generosity? Why the hell does it feel so icky?

Sensing my panic, Freya attempts to soothe the riot brewing inside me. “Sweetie, I know it’s a bit heavy-handed. Maybe think about why he did it, and not what he did.”

When I don’t fill in the blank for her, she explains her theory. “He did it because he cares about you. The man wanted you to be safe and comfortable, so he took care of it. He kept it a secret because he didn’t do it for recognition or to obligate you to him. I think it’s sweet.”

I push away from the counter and begin pacing. “No, no. I disagree. I don’t think he did it because he wanted me to be happy, safe, or whatever the fuck you said. He did it because he saw me as a weak, pathetic fool who is incapable of fending for herself. He was trying to be my savior.”

“No, baby, no. That’s not true. It can’t be. He loves you. I believe it with my whole heart, both tits, and all three nipples.”

My stomping around and angry hair-tugging cease. “Wait. Three nipples?”

She raises her shoulders to her ear and flashes a shit-eating grin. “Gotcha!”

I grab a pillow off the couch and chuck it at her. “Freya! This is serious. I don’t want to hear about your supernumerary nip.”

“Nice word. But at least it made you stop panicking over practically nothing.”

She crosses her arms at her chest — which I know for a fact only has two nipples — because I’ve seen her topless at the club.

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