Page 46 of Risk

“You should have texted or called. I would have come back earlier or met you somewhere.”

“Yeah, sorry. I didn’t think.”

“It’s fine.”

The elevator doors slide open onto a wide hallway. I follow Kaden down the hall, seeing a huge living room off to my right, but he keeps walking, straight into the most gorgeous kitchen I’ve ever seen. Cooking is not my forte, but I’d definitely start if I had a kitchen this nice.

“Can I get you anything? A drink?” he asks, walking over to his refrigerator.

“Water would be good.” Unsurprisingly, my mouth is as dry as my humor is these days.

He takes two water bottles from the fridge and hands one to me.

I uncap it and take a sip. “Your apartment is gorgeous.”

“Thanks.”

He takes a seat on one of the barstools. I stay standing.

“I hope it’s okay, me coming here?”

“Of course.” He doesn’t seem okay, based on the tense line of his shoulders and his tightened jaw.

“I just needed to talk to you, so I asked Cam for your address, and she gave it to me. I hope that was all right?”

“It’s fine.”

I take another sip of my water, screw the cap back on, and put it on the counter. Then pick it back up and hold it to my chest.

Kaden’s brow rises slightly. “So, you said you needed to talk to me.”

“I did. I do.” I swallow down the rock in my throat, and it sits heavy in my stomach. Right next to the baby I’m carrying.

Just say it, Missy. Just say the wordsI’m pregnant.

“Missy, you’re starting to freak me out a bit now. Is everything okay?”

No. I’m pregnant.

I risk a glance at him. His brow is furrowed, and there are fine lines of concern around his eyes.

“I’m sorry…I just…I don’t know how to say this.”

“Say what?”

“That I’m pregnant.”

Oh, guess I did know how to say it.

“And I’m keeping the baby.”

He looks stunned. Like I just hit him.

I guess I have, metaphorically speaking.

“You’re pregnant?” His voice sounds scraped raw.

“Yes.”

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