Page 66 of A Sweet Mess

“I love you, Mom.”

After they hung up, Aubrey knew what she needed to do. She had to tell Landon she loved him and wanted forever with him. And tell him about the baby. Even if he wasn’t ready to become a father, he’d make a great one. What mattered most was whether he wanted forever with her. If he wanted her like she wanted him, they could figure out everything else together.

Aubrey was going to fight for them.

After a long nap, which she finally understood was a symptom of early pregnancy, Aubrey prepared for the battle of her life.She actually hoped it wouldn’t be a battle at all. She would tell Landon she loved him, and he would tell her he loved her back.Yay.

Aubrey cooked balsamic-marinated chicken breasts and tomato bisque, planning to serve them with crusty bread. She wouldn’t be eating much, so she kept the menu simple. She washed her hair and dried it with care and put on light makeup to boost her confidence. Then she squeezed into a soft, pink dress and waited for Landon to come home.

The wax from the candle had melted and dripped into globs at the base of the holder. The minutes ticked by, and their dinner grew cold. And Aubrey’s dress grew increasingly uncomfortable. She checked the wall clock for the seventh time in fifteen minutes and jumped when her cell phone binged. A text from Landon.

Landon: Please have dinner without me. I’m putting out a fire. I’ll be back late.

The unexpected delay deflated her like a punctured balloon, and her hands started to shake as the adrenaline faded from her system. Aubrey blew out the candles and put away the dinner with the speed and agility of an unoiled Tin Man. Once that was done, she found herself pacing around in the quiet house, unable to settle her nerves.

For a change of scenery, she climbed up the stairs to pace in her bedroom. After slipping out of the torturous dress, she took in a nice full breath and sighed, unconsciously placing her hands on her stomach. She’d only known for hours, but she loved the baby growing inside her.

Aubrey wanted Landon to know how much she loved him and how happy she was to be pregnant with his child. Even if he didn’t love her in return, she wanted him in their child’s life.If he didn’t want anything to do with either of them, she would have the baby without him. The thought petrified her, and a part of her still wanted to run away—to give up without a fight. It would hurt less than having him tell her he didn’t want her or the baby.

Tired of all the pacing and the endless what-ifs, Aubrey went out to the balcony with a thick robe wrapped around her and plopped down in a chair to gaze at the stars shining down on her.

The sound of a car crunching up the driveway jolted Aubrey awake. She must’ve dozed off, which seemed to happen whenever she wasn’t standing. Rubbing the chill from her arms, she walked inside and glanced groggily at the clock in her room. Past midnight.

It was too late for them to talk. She was half-asleep on her feet, and he had to be exhausted after such a long day. The sound of the front door opening made her squeak in alarm. She was too nervous to act normally, so she slid under the covers. She didn’t need to pretend to be a sleep for long. Thanks to the baby, she fell asleep soon after Landon came to bed and wrapped his body around hers.

The next morning, her eyes opened at the crack of dawn, and she didn’t wait for Landon to wake up. She sneaked out of bed and headed for Landon’s unoccupied room, grabbing some clothes on her way out. Once she was washed and dressed, Aubrey set out for a long walk down the hills.

All the courage and strength she’d scrounged up last night seemed to have evaporated into thin air. But she had to tell him. They were leaving Bosque Verde tomorrow, and she needed to know where they stood before that happened. She had to know she wasn’t his shameful secret. That they could build a real future together.

She was blind and deaf to the beauty surrounding her, barely conscious that her feet were moving. When a hand grasped her arm, she jolted back to reality with a startled scream.

“What was that for?” Landon looked more alarmed than she felt.

“I didn’t hear you coming. You scared me.”

“How could you not hear me? I called out for you loudly enough to scare the birds out of the trees.”

“Well, I didn’t hear you.”

“Fair enough, and I didn’t mean to startle you.” Landon raked his fingers through his hair, standing shirtless and barefoot in front of her. He must’ve scrambled out of bed to catch up with her. “Now, do you want to tell me why you’re avoiding me?”

“Whatever made you think that?” Aubrey asked with a guilty flush creeping up her neck.

“You were pretending to be asleep last night. I wanted to talk to you in the morning, but you weren’t in bed. I saw you walking down the driveway, so I ran after you. And you know the rest of the story.” He heaved a deep sigh and mussed his hair some more. “What’s going on?”

Aubrey stared at the ground and drew little circles on the dirt road with her Vans-clad toes. She wasn’t ready to talk. Fear clamped its teeth into her, and she wanted to run.Coward.

“Damn it, Aubrey. Just talk to me. Something’s been bothering you since your final shoot,” Landon said. “Please don’t shut me out. I need to know what’s going on.”

“Don’t push me.” She hated how petulant and pathetic her voice sounded. Where was her resolve and bravado now?

“You’re the one trying to push me away.” He stepped toward her. “Please tell me what’s going on. I can’t do this. I don’t want to leave you in Weldon and be on my way. I don’t want this to end. I want to be with you.”

“You mean you want to keep me as your dirty little secret.” The words flowed out of her before she could stop them. That wasn’t where she’d wanted to start. Not at a place of hurt and fear.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I heard you.” Her accusation hung between them. “I heard you talking with Stan after my last shoot. I heard you tell him that I’m nothing to you.”

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