Page 14 of Chasing Liberty

“The plan?” she droned. “Because I stopped taking birth control?”

“You and Honor have always been in competition. Barrel racing. College grades. Fastest horses. Sam’s attention. Now it just so happens that you’re both pregnant?” He looked down his nose at her. “I should have listened when Sam said this would happen.”

His words both hurt and angered her. “Daddy said I would get pregnant on purpose?”

“He said you and Honor can’t do anything solo.” Wyler’s voice was low and thick. “He didn’t insinuate you’d do anything on purpose. That’s coming purely from my point of view.”

“Is that what you think? That I’d intentionally get pregnant so I can steal the spotlight?” Even as she voiced the words, she felt an invisible stab to the center of her chest.

“Steal the spotlight? Probably not. But maybe you got the baby itch seeing Honor pregnant.”

“Are you trying to be an ass or is it just coming naturally?”

“I have a right to question your motives.” He tilted his chin.

“You have a right to your opinion, and I have a right to discard it.” She started to take a step, but he caught her by her wrist.

“Uh-uhh, sweetheart. You searched me out and now we’re discussing this until I say we’re done.”

He was different, more assertive than she remembered. Impatient even.

“Let me remind you that you were the one who didn’t wrap it up that night! Or any of the other nights. Maybe this wasyourplan?”

He looked over at the traffic light that was squeaking annoyingly then back at her. His jaw was tight. “Plan for what? That I’d be stuck in a marriage of convenience for another six months? Yeah, because it has been so much fun so far.”

“You did say that you’d like kids eventually. Fathering a child would certainly put you in good graces with Daddy,” she said haughtily. He gritted his teeth and she smiled. “Oh? You don’t like being accused of secretly planning a pregnancy? This wasn’t what I wanted or planned, despite your opinion.”

“Unwanted. Just like this marriage. Those are your feelings.” His voice was laced with incredulity.

“Unwanted isn’t the word. A shocked pregnancy. I did want you, Wyler. But…” How could she find the right words. She swallowed hard. How could she have ever believed that she could have kept her emotions safeguarded? What they’d shared before they married had been fun, spontaneous, exciting…and when she said “I do” Wyler had become…a husband. A man who made her breakfast in the morning, brought her coffee, stopped by the ranch just to check on her. It had been enjoyable. And scary. Especially when she found herself depending upon him. “We both are responsible,” she said softly.

He pushed away from the wall but kept his gaze connected with hers. “The baby changes everything.”

“If you think I did this as some kind of plan to trap you, you’re wrong. I’m not ready to be a parent, and I’d never do this behind your back. I don’t think you did this as part of some kind of plan either.”

“And you think I’m ready to become a parent?” He rubbed his palm down his face, looking tired.

“If you want, we can still get the annulment.”

“If you think I’m walking away from my child you have another thing coming,” he said in a low voice. “When I say I’mnot ready it doesn’t mean I’m some dipshit father who is willing to leave his kid. That’ll never happen.”

“If you want to be a father—”

His gaze turned steely. “Iwillbe a father.” His glare left no room for doubt.

“We can work out some kind of an arrangement.”

He laughed but nothing about the harsh sound evoked humor. “Is that how you see this? As another arrangement? That’s just like a Rose to categorize a human’s life as an arrangement. Next, you’ll be talking about visitation like a business plan.”

“Wyler, I—”

“Not this time, Liberty. You’re not going to check off a list of rules and expect me to abide by them. The day you told me we were through you showed me the light.” He brushed past her and paced the sidewalk as if he needed to purge his body of restless energy. When he stopped, he faced her with an expression that she couldn’t read. “We’re done playing byyourrules.”

“It’s important that we don’t lose our heads and react accordingly. That’d be a mistake. There’s no reason to be angry.”

His brows came together over his glimmering eyes. “Which part should I remain calm about? The fact that you came to me and told me our marriage is over, or the itty-bitty fact that we’ve created a baby?”

She twirled a piece of her hair around her knuckle, almost finding his troubled expression comical. “First, you and I had both agreed to getting married. You can’t tell me you didn’t see an opportunity when I offered Crescent Rose. And as for the end, one of us had to initiate it.”

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