Page 145 of Mistaken Impression

“Oh, God… that must have been hard for him.”

“It was. I think that’s why he called. Lexi’s sister is gonna be there at the birth, evidently.”

Ella shakes her head and then turns to me. “I’m sorry. This probably doesn’t make much sense to you. Our brother Drew was seeing Lexi for a while, and they split up shortly after he met her sister and fell in love with her.”

“Was that the reason they split up?” I ask.

“No. It wasn’t working out between them, anyway. Drew knew he couldn’t ask Lexi’s sister out straight away, so he was biding his time, and then Lexi got in touch and told him she was pregnant. That’s what I meant when I said he couldn’t be the man he wanted to be.”

“Maybe not, but I can… can’t I?”

Chapter Fourteen

Ella

He stares into my eyes and I swallow hard, wondering what he’s going to say next. The last half hour has been a rollercoaster, and I’m not sure how much more I can take. I can’t answer him and eventually he lets out a sigh. “Please, Ella… I don’t want that to be me in a few months’ time. I don’t want to be the guy rushing to be by your side when you give birth to our son. I want to be with you… all the time.” He reaches out, cupping my face and gazing into my eyes. “D—Do you think you could try loving me again?” His voice catches and the pieces of my broken heart somehow slot back into place, the pain of the last few months evaporating in his touch.

“I never stopped, Mac.”

He sucks in a breath, his eyes glistening as he leans in and brushes his lips across mine. My body sparks to life, just like it did that very first time, and I bring my arms up around his neck as he deepens the kiss, our tongues meeting in the most familiar way. I’m home at last, and I moan into his mouth, just as I hear a cough from the other side of the room, and Mac pulls away.

We both glance over at Hunter, who’s smiling from his place on the couch.

“Why don’t you take this to your apartment?” he says, looking at me.

Mac frowns, but then turns back to me, raising his eyebrows. “I can drive us there, if you want?”

“Drive us there?”

“Yes. To Boston.”

I shake my head. “I sold my apartment in Boston a week or so after… after what happened.” I can’t bring myself to say I left him… not now. “Hunter’s talking about my apartment here.”

“Of course. I remember you telling me about it now. But how could you have sold your place in Boston? I mean… what about the show? Surely you needed to be there for that, didn’t you?”

“No. I left the show. I told you, I never wanted to be in front of the cameras and I wasn’t interested in working on it with someone else. They hired another presenter… one who could cook. I—I only attended the awards ceremony because I was contractually obliged, and because I assumed it was Vivian who’d betrayed you to the press, and I wanted to confront her.”

“Why did you think it was Vivian?” he asks, looking confused.

“Because I knew it wasn’t me, and because I agreed with you that it didn’t make sense for Kennedy to have done it. I’m not sure I understand why she did, even now. She could have just explained the situation to you, and told you they weren’t going to renew your contract… but at the time, Vivian was the only other person whose involvement rang true. She was always flirting with you, and she never liked me… although that was because she’d slept with Drew and he’d dumped her, so…”

Hunter stands. “This is way too confusing for me,” he says, smiling down at me.

“Can I assume you’d like us out from under your feet now?” I say, and he shakes his head.

“Not at all. You’re welcome to stay wherever you want, but I’m gonna leave you to it. My wife’s probably wondering whereI’ve got to.” His smile widens, his eyes shining. “I really like saying that, you know?”

“What?” I frown up at him.

“That Livia’s my wife.”

I turn to Mac. “You’ll have to forgive my brother. He and Livia have only been married a couple of months. He’s still getting accustomed to the idea.”

“No, I’m not,” Hunter says, shaking his head again as he makes for the door. “I’m more than accustomed to it. But it’s not something I’ll ever take for granted.”

“I can understand that.” I look at Mac as he speaks, noting the smile on his lips and the way his eyes are fixed on mine.

“Shall… Shall we go to my apartment?”

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