Page 43 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

“Oh! But I was looking forward to those elbow rubs.”

“I think we should save that for your car,” I reply with a laugh.

“Look at you, making plans for us for later. I think this blind date is already a big success.”

I gasp, staring at him with wide eyes. He puts his hands up. “Just kidding. But we could dance, though.”

I agree and we slowly start swaying to the soft music.

Ethan keeps saying silly things and making me laugh. I feel like confessing that I’ve never really ever had a date.Ever.And this is the first time I’m dancing in the middle of a gathering of a hundred people, where anyone could see us together, and he doesn’t mind.

When the music swells, he even dips me, helping me up later with ease. I can’t stop smiling.

The entire evening is perfect.

Later, Jane and Gunner take a cab while Ethan insists on driving me home. Since it’s late, I agree.

Everything is great until we pull up outside my building and he suddenly asks, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

My body freezes.

I must’ve taken too long to answer since he says, “Or maybe tonight could be like our Northern Lights holiday. Tomorrow, we get back home to our daily grind with just a few selfies to show for it.”

I don’t know if it’s the hormones, but my eyes tear up.

“Are you okay?” He looks at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“I’m three months pregnant.” I blurt it out without preamble.

“Wow! That’s huge. Does your friend know about it?”

I shake my head. “I discovered it a week back. I…I don’t know what to do. The father doesn’t want me. He got married two months back. I’m not even sure if I can keep it. I just…”

He leans in closer, gently pushing the hair away from my face and neck. I take a deep breath.

As more tears gather in my eyes, I suck in a few more breaths. “I haven’t had time to even process, but I need to get the procedure done by tomorrow or it’ll be too risky. Like how do I even decide if I keep or let go of a life in only a few days?”

He glances at the dark road for a while before turning to me and handing me a Kleenex. “It sure sounds difficult, but how about you try an experiment.”

I frown, wiping my face.

“Do you have a bathtub?”

I nod.

“So go inside, draw yourself a bath, kick back with some ginger ale, and close your eyes. For five minutes, imagineyour life with a baby one year down the line, and then imagine it without. You’ll have your answer.”

“I feel like I’ve wasted so much of your time,” I tell him as I unbuckle my seatbelt.

“Don’t be silly.”

He jots down his number on a fresh Kleenex and hands it over to me. “Text, call, leave a singing voicemail whenever you feel like it. It would be nice to take another holiday if you’re up for it.”

At two in the morning, I text Jane in tears:

I’m going to be a mom.

CHAPTER 16

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