Page 55 of The Fake Affair

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“Because I love you.” He turns to face me, eyes red but clear. “Not because of the board, not because of our arrangement. I love you because you’ve never let me hide behind my money or my accent or my walls. Because you challenge me, infuriate me, and make me laugh when I’m trying to be angry. Because you make me want to be better than my fears.”

My heart pounds. “You left.”

“I know. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for the past five days, if you’ll let me.” His hand hovers near mine. “I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m asking for a chance to prove that I can be the man you deserve. The father our child deserves.”

“How do I know you won’t run again?” I ask, tears welling in my eyes.

“Because running nearly killed me.” His voice catches. “Because the thought of becoming my father terrifies me more than losing you. Because I’d rather face every fear I have than spend another day without you.”

Through the window, I see Tracy and Dan watching, along with half the diner. By dinner time, the whole town will know about the fancy businessman begging me in his Bentley.

“I’m scared too,” I admit. “Of all of it. The pregnancy and the future. I don’t want my child to suffer.”

“Then let’s be scared together.” He finally takes my hand. “I can’t promise I won’t mess up again. But I can promise I’ll never stop trying to be worthy of you. Both of you.”

His palm is warm against mine.

“I won’t make it easy,” I warn him.

“You never have.” His lips quirk. “It’s one of the reasons I love you.”

I look at him and see the fear still in his eyes.

“Say something,” he whispers.

Instead, I kiss him. It’s not forgiveness, not yet. But it’s a beginning.

“We still have a lot to talk about,” I say when we break apart.

“Everything.” He rests his forehead against mine. “Anything you want to know.”

“Starting with how to explain to my mom that my boss and my boyfriend are the same person.”

His eyes widen. “She doesn’t know?”

“That’s tomorrow’s problem.” I kiss him again, softer this time. “Today, you’re buying me breakfast while my ex and his wife watch and die of curiosity.”

“Anything you want.” His smile finally reaches his eyes. “Everything you want.”

SIXTEEN

TRUTH

Logan

“Are you nervous?”

I look down at my fingers tightly gripping the steering wheel. Bella’s not wrong. We’re parked outside her mother’s house now, and I’m definitely uncomfortable. Not the kind of fear I felt in that hospital corridor twenty-eight years ago, but something different. Something new.

“When was the last time you were this nervous?” she asks.

“The day I walked Audrey down the aisle.” I try to smile. “At least then, I only had to give her away. Now I have to explain to your mother how I’m both the boss who drove her daughter away and the man who got her pregnant.”

“After lying about being her boyfriend for months.”

“Not helping.”

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