Page 105 of Playing the Game
I can’t bring myself to say she’s pregnant with my child. It’s something I’m having a hard time coming to terms with. I’m at a loss for how it could’ve happened with how drunk I was. It doesn’t make sense.
Dorothy drops her gaze and takes a sip of her coffee. I give her the time she needs to process my words.
She places her cup down and smiles. “Congratulations. You’re going to be a terrific dad.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“Please don’t doubt yourself, Hunter. You’re an amazing man with a big heart.”
My face heats. “That’s with people I love, not this.”
She sits straight. “Your child isn’t athis. It’s a human being.”
“That’s not what I meant. I was talking about the situation with Isabella.”
Dorothy's stance softens. “That’s good to hear because your baby needs you.”
“I know. I have no intention of walking out on him.” My heart skips a beat for fear she’ll leave me for good. “Jonah talked to me about it Friday when I found out. He made me understand it’s the right thing to do.”
She smiles from ear to ear. “Hunter, that’s great. I’m so proud of you.”
This woman confuses the fuck out of me.
Just when I think she’s going to blow a gasket about something, she does the exact opposite.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. This shows me you’ve changed.”
I shake my head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She bites down on her lip. “Why did you tell Jami that you and I had dinner the other night?”
A sliver of shame shoots through me. “Oh, that.”
“Yeah, that.” She rests back against her chair. “You did so much work on yourself, and then you went and pulled that. That’s the same behavior that put us all at odds.”
I shrug an apology. “He pushes my buttons.”
“I don’t care. It was wrong and only makes it difficult for me.”
Maybe my plan to get them into a fight on Friday worked out.
For a second, I relish the thought. “I’m sorry if I got you into an argument with him.”
“We didn’t fight about it. He just mentioned it to me.”
I huff a laugh. “There’s no way he brought that up to you without a few choice words.”
Her face turns red. “I’m not here to talk about what he and I discuss.”
“Alright. I see it’s a sensitive subject, but trust that I am sorry I ruined your Friday night.” I turn my coffee mug in a circle and tilt my head.
I’m going to get her to admit they fought. Their relationship can’t be doing that well when she was upset with him for weeks before he was shot, and I need to know she still wants to be with me.
“Trust me, Hunter. You don’t need to apologize. Jami and I didn’t argue about it. He wasn’t even mad.” Her phone beeps with a message.
She pulls it out of her purse as I stew in the fact she seems genuine about them getting along.
