Page 71 of Love Me Ever After
I closed the distance between us and grabbed her hands. “I’m sorry. I’ve been going out of my mind not being able to contact you and not having the first clue as to where you were. We need to talk.”
She nodded, pulling her hands away and turning her attention back to her bag. “Yes. We do. But not here.”
My brow knotted.Shit, she really was going to break up with me.
“Shall I make some tea and see you downstairs?” My voice almost cracked.
“That would be nice, thank you.”
I did as I suggested, making us both strong mugs of tea and checking to see if there were any biscuits. Despite my enormous brunch, hunger pangs had started. Although maybe that was my way of dealing with the nerves beginning to form in my chest in preparation for the conversation we were about to have.
Settling down onto one end of the sofa, I waited.
It was another ten minutes before Ems came downstairs, during which time I’d resisted the urge to check she was okay. However this was going to end, I didn’t want to be the one who had pushed for it too hard.
She sat at the opposite end to me and I took a moment to study her. Her face was pale, dark rings around her eyes. Inwardly, I winced. I’d caused that with mystupidactions. I was a fucking idiot.
“So,” she began. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
I held up my hand. “Before you do, can I just say that I’m sorry? Whit and I are only friends and there’s absolutely nothing going on between us, despite what you think you saw in that hotel room.”
“I know.” Ems spoke so quietly, I had to strain to hear her. “That’s not it.”
“And I’m thinking that even if I do get offered that job, I’ll turn it down,” I babbled on, wanting to get my side of the story out first, before she thought that was ammunition to dump me.
“For Christ’s sake, Mason, can you shut up and let me speak? This is important!” A tear slid down her cheek and she swiped it away before I could reach out to do the same.
I swallowed, preparing myself for the worst. “Sorry. Go on.”
Ems took a huge breath and then said two words which would change us forever.
“I’m pregnant.”
Silence descended between us.
“What?” I thought I’d heard her correctly, but I wanted to be sure.
“We’re expecting a baby.” This time, the tears fell unheeded.
I scooted over on the sofa and pulled her close to me. “We’re what?” I managed.
This was the last thing I expected, honestly, I didn’t know how to feel, after all I’d been assuming I’d be dealing with the gut punch of a breakup.
Ems sniffled in my ear. “That’s why I reacted to you and Whit like I did. The hormones. Although I didn’t know I was pregnant then. Georgie did a test with me.”
“I wish we could have found out together,” I whispered in her ear.
She pulled back and stared at me, her blue eyes glistening. “You mean, you’re happy?”
A grin spread across my face. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because we’ve never even spoken about having children. You were off pursuing your career in another country. I didn’t think you cared about what was happening back here.”
“Sure, I didn’t expect to be having a childnow. But as long as it’s with you, Ems, I can’t think of anything I want more.”
Her mouth opened, trying to speak, but no words would come out. “What about New York?”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re more important to me than that.” Tentatively I reached down and placed a hand on her belly. “So is this one. I fucked it up once before by going away and I’m not about to do that again.”
