Page 44 of Rescuing Tobias

Becca was in full-on nesting mode right now, buying item after item for her baby.

Maybe Isabella was a little guilty of that, too. It had only been nine days since she found out she was expecting, but she’d already developed an obsession with purchasing stuffed animals for her baby. By the time it was born, she was likely going to have dozens of the things.

Smiling to herself, she opened the front door, already ready to bend down and snatch up whatever parcel was waiting there.

That was why she was surprised to find a pair of shoes standing on the porch instead of the brown box she’d been expecting.

It was also why she didn't immediately see who it was.

Guessing it was the delivery person and whatever Becca had ordered this time had to be signed for, she straightened and then staggered backward when she saw who was there.

No.

It couldn’t be.

There was no possible way.

Yet itwastrue.

Tobias Ashford was standing there.

Actually, he wasn't just standing there, he had a suitcase beside him and an overnight bag in his hand.

The expression on his face was inscrutable so she couldn’t figure out why he was there, or why he had luggage, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know anyway.

Taking a step back, she moved to close the door, unable to deal with him and the ragged tangle of emotions he stirred up inside her. She wasn't ready to see him yet. Not after he’d thrown her out without even having a discussion.

Before she could slam the door shut and retreat into the backyard for her quiet time, something she needed now more than ever, Tobias had his foot in the way, blocking her. Becca and Connor were right upstairs, and all she had to do was call out to them, and they’d be down there to deal with Tobias, but for some reason, she couldn’t seem to make her voice work.

Why was Tobias there?

Had someone told him about the car almost running her over?

About the pregnancy scare?

If they had, she could understand that maybe he would check in with her, but that didn't explain why he’d flown there. Or why he had enough luggage with him to last several days or weeks depending on how good a packer he was and how often he planned on doing laundry.

“Can we talk?” Tobias asked.

For some reason, those words flipped a switch inside her, and all of a sudden, it wasn't hard to find her voice anymore.

“Nowyou want to talk,” she snapped. “Now. When it suits you. But you didn't want to talk when I turned up at your door to tell you I was having your baby. Then you just stood there and stared at me, then informed me you wouldn't be involved in our child’s life, but you’d send money. Like financial assistance was what I needed and not emotional support. Do you think I wasn't equally as shocked to find out I was pregnant?”

“I'm sorry.”

Shocked that he hadn't offered any excuses for his behavior, just immediately apologized for it, for some reason that made her irrationally angry.

How dare he throw her out, refuse her a discussion, then just turn up here like it was no big deal. Being all understanding and apologizing. It made her feel bad for being angry with him and hurt by his rejection of both her and her child.

“I don’t care that you're sorry now,” she raged, surprised that Becca and Connor hadn't heard her and come to see what was going on.

Right on cue, as though they’d read her mind, she heard footsteps at the top of the stairs and then voices accompanying them.

“Izzy? You okay?”

“Bella, something wrong?”

Becca and Connor spoke at the same time as they clattered down the stairs, obviously in a hurry to get to her. It was nice knowing she had people who cared about her, and it reinforced to her that she wasn't in this alone. Maybe she didn't have her baby’s father, but she had a whole bunch of other people who would support her.

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