Page 99 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

“No,” I counter, my voice firm despite the tremor running through me. “Just leave. Now.”

I start to close the door, but his foot shoots out, wedging itself into the gap. Panic flares in my chest, a primal urge to flee.

“Liam,” I hiss, my voice barely above a whisper. “Get out, or I'm calling the sheriff's office.”

He holds my gaze for a long moment, then sighs, a sound that speaks volumes. “You've got to listen to me, Emma,” he says, his voice low and urgent.

“I heard enough the last time we talked,” I spat, anger mixing with the cocktail of emotions swirling within me.

“No,” he counters, taking a step forward. “Forget everything I said. This time, it's different. This time, I'm here to tell you the truth.”

I stop short, my breath catching in my throat. Truth? What truth could possibly change anything at this point?

I swallow hard, the words leaving my lips in a hoarse whisper. “Why are you here, Liam?”

He uses the opportunity to push the door open a fraction more, slipping into the room before I can stop him. The familiar scent of his cologne fills my senses, a potent reminder of everything I am trying to forget.

“Emma,” he begins, his voice laced with a raw honesty I've never heard before, “I was a fool. Scared. A coward for the things I said.”

My heart hammers against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. “What… What do you mean?” I stammer, my voice barely a whisper.

He takes another step closer, his hand reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from my face. His touch sends a jolt through me, a spark igniting in the ashes of my resolve.

“The truth,” he continues, her voice low and intense, “is that I love you, Emma. More than words can say.”

He pauses, his gaze searching mine. “I was scared, you see. Scared that good things are fleeting, that happiness wouldn't last. I thought… I thought that if I dared to love you, it would all end in bitterness. But then you left, and the thought of living without you… It dawned on me that it would be a far worse hell.”

A tear escapes, tracing a warm path down my cheek. “Liam,” I whisper, her words washing over me like a tidal wave.

He cups my face in his calloused hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tear. “Look at me, Emma,” he pleads. “I may have been scared about wanting a family, but living with you… It's made me realize that everything I was afraid of before… It all seems possible now.”

His gaze drops to stomach, a flicker of something akin to awe crossing his features. “And Emma,” he continues, his voice softer now, “I think you'll make a great mom. You're strong, compassionate, and you have a heart of gold. And maybe…maybe you can teach me how to be a good dad.”

My breath hitches. His words are a direct hit to the heart of the secret I’ve been desperately trying to keep.

“Why are you saying that, Liam?” I manage to choke out, the words thick with emotion.

He looks into my eyes, a flicker of understanding dawning in his gaze. “Because I know, Emma,” his voice is barely above a whisper. “I know you're pregnant.”

The revelation hangs in the air, heavy and suffocating. The air whooshes out of my lungs, leaving me breathless. My carefully constructed walls crumble around me, exposing the raw vulnerability beneath.

“You know?” I whisper, my voice barely a sound. Shock mingles with a flicker of…hope? Is it possible?

“Your dad told you?”

He nods, his gaze unwavering. “No he didn’t…not in words. I stormed into his office this morning and he asked me how I felt about being a parent. That’s how I knew and I rushed here,” he explains. “Around 4:00 AM. I’ve been here since 4:40, I couldn’t figure out your room until Derek from the fishery asks if I was coming to see you in 403..”

He looks excited, barely catching his breath as he speaks. Different emotions wash over me, hot and prickly. The one person I tried to protect from the truth now knows the full story.

“Why… Why aren't you mad?” I ask, the question tumbling out before I can stop it. Doesn't he understand what this means? Doesn't he see this baby as a complication, a constant reminder of a future that wasn't meant to be?

He shakes his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Mad? Emma, in a way, I'm…excited. Excited to start this crazy journey of parenthood with you.”

His words hit me like a physical blow, the warmth of his hand lingering on my cheek. “Excited?” I echo, my voice barely above a whisper. “But… But what about everything you said before?”

“The stupid things I said out of fear?” He counters, his eyes filled with a newfound determination. “I take them all back, Emma. Because the truth is, I can't imagine facing this without you by my side. You're strong, Emma. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. And I believe that together, we can do anything. Even something as crazy as being good parents.”

His words resonate deep within me, echoing the turmoil in my own heart. Fear, yes, there is still fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of this sudden shift in our relationship. But intertwined with the fear is a flicker of something else… Something hopeful. Something that feels suspiciously like assurance.

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