Page 59 of Bad Boy for Hire
“I came here instead of going home because I didn’t want you to hear the news from Ant or Brady. I didn’t want you to think I was afraid to tell you the truth.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that. There’s not much you’re afraid of, May.”
“Just unopened wedding invitations?” she asked with a half-smile.
“That wasn’t fear. That was…indecision. Who wouldn’t pause before saying yes to an event that included an ex and their entire family?”
A puff of air left her lips. It was her turn to stare at the fire.
“I thought you were going to dump me.” When she didn’t respond immediately, he realized that her dumping him wasn’t technically off the table.
“I came here to tell you I’m pregnant and to find out how you felt about it.”
That was a landmine and a half. “How do you feel about it?”
She stood and plunged her hands into the pockets of her jumpsuit. Then she paced to the edge of the grass and stared at the tranquil surface of the lake. He took his place next to her.
“It’s possible I’m in shock,” he muttered.
“Ya think?” Her casual response relaxed him a bit. She crossed her arms over her belly. Her flat belly. But it wouldn’t stay that way, would it? Before they knew it, she’d be round with a child—his child.
The world canted to one side.
“I tried not to worry, like you said. But when my period didn’t come, I worried.”
“Yeah.” His voice sounded like it was coming from about three feet away. “You’re pregnant.” Those words rolled around in his mouth like oversized gumballs. “And…you’re having it.”
“Having it is the only option for me.”
He nodded. “Me too.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Really?”
“I mean, I would support your decision no matter what, but if it were up to me…” He shrugged, not sure where this was coming from, but oddly certain about it. “I love kids.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good.” She nodded. “I guess we didn’t really talk about that.”
Hell no, they hadn’t. Discussing the possibility of starting a family after the Case of the Missing Condom could have jinxed it. God, that sounded so stupid now.
“We should prepare for what’s coming,” she said.
“Now?”
Her laugh seemed to ask, Are you for real?
“Babies still take nine months, give or take, right?”
“Last I checked.” Her expression was uncertain.
“Not sure what we could prepare for tonight.”
“What would you suggest?”
“You know.” He came closer, faced her. “What we started in the driveway.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You want to have sex after hearing this news?”
“Fuck yeah, I do.” He’d barely had time to breathe, let alone process. But what was he supposed to do? Start Googling cribs or budgeting for college tuition? That wasn’t what she needed. Hell, that wasn’t what he needed.
