Page 126 of Forbidden Hearts
“First, I think we tell Sara and your father tomorrow. Then Olivia has to be next, the same day.”
I let out a breath through my nose, suddenly nervous. I love Olivia, but being the cool, fun nanny and being your father’s new girlfriend are two very different things. “I worry she’s going to be upset.”
Asher pushes my hair back. “Liv is a good kid, and even if she’s upset at first, she’ll come around.”
“Not if she thinks there’s a baby to compete with. I don’t know how we do this,” I confess. “It’s all so complicated. I don’t want to lie to anyone or have people assume this baby is yours.”
“Who the fuck cares what they assume?”
I shift to fall back against the pillow and stare at the ceiling. “You didn’t knock me up.”
“No, but no one in this town is owed an explanation about our lives.”
I laugh once, turning to look at him. “You and I both know that’s not how this works.”
“We make it work that way,” Asher says, rolling onto his side. “I don’t care if they think it’s my baby or not.”
“And what do we say if they ask?”
“That we’re together and figuring things out.”
I don’t like any of this. I wish I could go back in time and fix my life so none of this was his problem. “I’m not going to be able to go to grad school this year.”
“Why not?”
My eyes widen. “Why do you think? I’d be dealing with finals while also being ready to give birth. I can’t. I have to defer and see where I am in a year.”
“Can you do that?”
“I think so. I can ask them for a gap year due to a medical condition. Then I could go back after the baby is born and hopefully things are more stable.”
Asher runs his finger down my nose. “You know I’m here. I want to help and be here for you, to love you and the baby.”
It all feels so fast, as if we skipped the dating portion and went right to marriage. Which, we’re not married, but it feels as though it’s all so permanent.
“Why didn’t you marry Sara or move in with her when she was pregnant?” I ask, feeling stupid as soon as I ask it.
“I didn’t want to marry Sara, and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to live with her.”
“You didn’t love her?”
He shakes his head. “No. Not at all. We were fun and we were careless, but even after we found out she was pregnant with Olivia, we never considered getting married or living together.”
I sit up, pulling the sheet with me. “And what do you want with me?”
Asher adjusts himself so his back is against the headboard. “I want to be with you.”
“I know that, but what does that look like to you? Do I live with my dad? Do I try to get a job somewhere close and an apartment? I’m sure I could rent the apartment in the barn at Declan and Sydney’s.” Which actually might be perfect.
“You’ll live here.”
I’m sorry, did he just say that? “What?”
“You can stay as long as you want.”
“As what? Your nanny?”
“I don’t mind you tucking me in if you’re naked.”
