Page 79 of Forced Knocked-Up Mate

A couple of hours later, we close up the shop. Peter is so efficient at it, Sarah and I don’t have to do much at all. Afterwards, he drives me home and walks me to the door.

“I’ll open in the morning,” he offers. “So, get some rest. Just call or text me when you get up and let me know if you want to come in, or if I can bring you anything.”

“Okay,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m sorry, Peter. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me, but I’m having trouble believing this change in you is real.”

“Oh?” He looks confused but guarded.

“In the past, I’ve seen you make an effort, only to give up as soon as things get hard. You’ve spent weeks running away from me—or trying to—so I’m having difficulty believing you really want to stay.”

Now that I’ve thrown down this challenge, his reaction will tell me what I need to know more than his words ever could.

“Lucy,” he says, looking into my eyes. “I told you, I’m not doing any of these things to change your mind. I’m doing this because I’m committed to being a new man. I want to be in your life and support you, no matter what.”

Now I can’t hold the tears in. They pour down my cheeks in hot, salty trails, dripping from my chin as I look up at Peter.

He has changed. There is a light in his eyes now… and peace. Like a storm inside him has turned into a still, calm sea.

With a fierce act of will, I keep my hands by my sides so I don’t throw myself at him. “No matter what?” I echo. “Have you really thought about that?”

“Yes,” he says determinedly. “I’m ready for the future, Lucy. I’ll stand with you through any storm, and I’m a damn fool for not saying this sooner.”

The words are on the tip of my tongue. There is an immense pressure inside me to just blurt it out and have the moment over and done with.

Peter, I’m pregnant… with your baby.

As I imagine the statement coming out of my mouth, my mind serves up a whole bunch of possible reactions. I flip through them all in a millisecond—from the very best, where he joyfully agrees to stay with me forever, to the worst, where he turns and runs away, never to return.

I can’t do this to my baby, and I can’t do this to Peter. I trapped him once. How can I do it to him again?

I back away from him, fumbling for the door. “I can’t do this right now,” I stammer, finally finding the knob and shoving the door open. “I just can’t.”

“Get some rest, Lucy,” he says gently. “I’ll be here in the morning, and every day after, no matter what.”

I slam the door on him, my emotions spiraling into a full-on panic. His final words have only given me something else to worry about.

Every day I keep this secret to myself could be seen as a betrayal. No matter what his reaction is to the news, I’m keeping a terrible secret. He might condemn me for that, if nothing else.

Chapter 26 - Peter

Days pass, and I settle into a routine. Every morning, when I wake early and head to the bakery to open up, I can’t forget how the very idea of living this life filled me with dread just a short time ago.

And now, I can’t live without it.

Even though I enjoy my work at the bakery, I really love the sessions I have with the kids. We’ve organized a few meetings a week in Silver Meadows and New Hope, and I take groups of pups out on excursions as well as teach them practical skills in town.

Who would have guessed I’d end up coaching little kids. And teaching them to bake, of all things!

The Silver Meadows streets are dead quiet as I drive towards the bakery. It’s still dark out, and I enjoy the solitude as much as the sense of purpose.

The only thing that could make my life even more perfect is Lucy.

As I fire up the ovens, I try to put aside my anxiety, but I can’t. Every day that passes, she looks sicker and weaker, with dark circles gathering under her eyes and her skin taking on a deathly pallor. Everyone is worried about her, but she is still insisting that she’s fine and we should just leave her alone.

Never. I will always be there for her, whether she accepts me back into her heart as her husband or not. I won’t let her stand alone through any storm.

As I set up the bread and cakes, I try to think of a way I can convince her to go to a doctor. At first, she assured everyone she would if her sickness didn’t go away after a few days. It’s nowbeen over a week. Yesterday, when Fiona pushed her about it, Lucy snapped and told her to mind her own damn business.

I can’t crowd her, or try to change her mind. But I’m too worried about her to just leave it.

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