Page 40 of Six Nights in Paradise

“Not yet,” I offered with a tight smile. My fingers curled into my thighs as nerves overtook me. Gianna took that as her cue to offer me comfort. She wrapped her fingers around mine and I fought the urge to shake her off. I didn’t need her touch, didn’t want it. But I had to play nice. Not just for her parents, but for our child.

After dinner, I drove Gianna back to her condo. She hesitated before opening her door to get out. “Can you walk me up? I hate coming in at night.”

I couldn’t really say no, could I? Her safety was paramount, and if she felt she needed to be escorted to her door, I wouldn’t hesitate.

“This neighborhood isn’t what it used to be,” she lamented as she punched the code to get into her building. I pushed the door open and waited until she stepped inside to follow. “It’s not as safe as it was when I moved in.” She only moved in about six months before we got engaged. The neighborhood hadn’t changedthatmuch. Maybe she was more cautious now that it wasn’t just her she needed to worry about.

“If security is an issue, we can find you a new place.”

Her shoulders sagged with disappointment and it took me a moment to realize why. She wanted me to offer to let her move into my house. That was the plan at one time. Her lease was up in a couple months, but she would’ve already moved in with me if we’d gotten married. Now she would need to sign a new lease or find somewhere else to live. If she needed help, I wouldn’t hesitate to help her, but she wasn’t moving in with me. There was no place for her there anymore.

We stopped outside her door and she pulled her keys from her purse. “Want to come in for a minute?”

She looked at me hopefully and my heart twisted inside my chest. It was about to tear me in two. Part of me wanted to say yes, to just give in. Like it or not, we were going to be a family. It would be so much easier if I just went with it, if we got back together and raised our child in a two-parent home, like the one I dreamed of as a boy. But how long would that be the easier option? She’d damaged our relationship beyond repair. I no longer looked at her like I once did. I didn’t see the love of my life and the woman I wanted to grow old with anymore. Part of me would always love her, but I wasn’tinlove with her, and it wasn’t fair to either of us to pretend.

I sighed and placed my hands on her shoulders. This was going to suck, but it had to be done. I couldn’t beat around the bush anymore. She didn’t do subtlety, so I would have to be blunt with her. I just hoped she didn’t try to keep me from my child as punishment for what I was about to do.

Taylor

Twelve missed calls. Maybe I was crazy. Maybe I was obsessive, but I couldn’t bring myself to clear out my call log because I liked seeing how many times Dalton had tried to get a hold of me. He called me three times that night, but only left one voicemail. I listened to it once, not allowing myself the chance to wallow in it before deleting it. It didn’t matter. I knew it by heart.

Taylor, I need to talk to you. I need to explain. This isn’t the end. It’s just an intermission. Please, call me back.

Intermission, my ass.

He called three times the next day, and three the day after. The following day was two, then one, then none at all. He gave up and part of me felt relieved. The other part of me was disappointed all over again. I went back to work and fell into a normal routine. I half feared Gianna and Dalton would show back up, but they didn’t. At least not together.

It had been nine days since the moment I learned they were back together— not that I was counting or anything— when Gianna came waltzing in with three of her friends. I was working the floor so I didn’t have to seat them, but they were placed in the section adjacent to mine. They were just two tables away from my closest customers and I could feel the heat of Giana’s glare on my back when I was taking down orders. I avoided her gaze at all cost, not daring to look toward her and her friends. When two of my tables emptied at once, I collected my tips and took a much-needed bathroom break.

I was reaching for the toilet paper when two female voices entered the restroom giggling. I froze, hoping one of those voices didn’t belong to Gianna. Two sets of heels came into view beneath the stall door as they stood in front of the mirror. They were probably reapplying their lipstick after taking two miniscule bites of salad.

“Can you believe what she’s doing to Dalton?” My ears perked up at the mention of his name. It was one of Gianna’s friends.

“Why? What’s she doing?” the other friend asked.

“She didn’t tell you?”

“I know she’s trying to convince him to let her move in because of the baby, but he’s keeping her at arm’s length to punish her,” she harrumphed, clearly offended on Gianna’s behalf.

“You are so naive, Jacklyn,” the other woman scoffed.

What were they talking about? If Gianna was doing something behind Dalton’s back, he had a right to know, didn’t he? A thought occurred to me while they were gabbing. Unbeknownst to them, they were about to reveal something big and I had to ensure Gianna didn’t get away with whatever scheme she’d concocted. I pulled out my phone and started a voice recording.

“You know the baby isn’t his, right?” A loud gasp echoedthroughout the room. I covered my mouth to conceal my own shocked reaction.

“You’re kidding!” Jacklyn exclaimed. “How do they know already?”

“Simple DNA test.”

“Does Dalton know?”

“Of course not. Do you think he’d be sticking around if he did?”

“So, who’s the father? Is it Antonio?” There was no reply, but the first woman must’ve nodded her head because she was met with a “No way!” and a “Does he know?”

“Nope. She had them collect his blood then told him it wasn’t a match.”

“Why would she do that? I thought she loved Antonio.”

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