Page 19 of Faking with the Bad Boy Billionaire

"Josephine, you are pregnant." Josephine blew out the breath she was holding in.

"Okay." Josephine sat there, and the doctor started talking. She could barely hear words or register what was happening then but wanted to call Steven. Then she thought about Steven and everything he had going on. She knew one of them would have to uproot their lives, and it was not about to be her. She decided to go visit him a few weeks later to give him the news.

"The nurse will be back in with all of the paperwork, and we will have scheduling give you a call to set up your appointment with your OB."

"Sounds great. Thank you." Josephine could not believe she used the word great, but she did. She was sure she ran out of words to describe what she was feeling, so she used the first thing that came to mind.

Back in the waiting room, Josephine walked past Lana and out the door. She did not even hear her name called until she was bent over, trying to catch her breath by the car.

"Jo?" She started rubbing Josephine's back. "Are you okay?"

Josephine nodded and then stood up, trying to show fake composure. "I am fine. Can we just get out of here?"

"What happened?" Lana was not going to let her get away with dodging the question.

"Just let me in the car, Lana." Josephine yanked on the handle a few times and then stared Lana down. Lana unlocked the door and scooted in beside her.

"I'm pregnant," Josephine whispered so low Lana thought she misheard her.

"You're what?" Lana yelled.

"Pregnant." Josephine took a deep breath, "I am bun in the oven, baby on the way, pregnant."

"I need a drink." Lana leaned back and stared out the window.

"I can't have one, so drink some for me." Josephine bounced her head twice on the headrest and then looked out the window.

She was running through every single moment with Steven in her mind. Every deliciously dirty moment and that was when she realized that he did not pull out, nor was she on any birth control. They never had that conversation. They should have taken the time to do so, but they both were so caught up in the moment. It was everything she wanted from him. It was everything she craved and needed. He was.

Steven.

The perfect man who was nowhere near ready to be a dad. The ideal man who worked in another city. The perfect man who would expect perfection from her. She had known him almost her entire life, give or take a few years apart, and she knew where he sought perfection. Despite her imperfections, she celebrated them. How could she tell him that she was pregnant and expect him to agree with whatever she wanted to do?

Josephine had to think long and hard about the whole situation. What she came up with had better be a solid idea.

Josephine stopped at the club once, five months after Steven left. He sent her a text that made her think of things. Ways it could have all worked.

Josephine had driven down to see him at the club, but some beautiful woman was there talking to him and hanging on his arm. It lasted a moment, but his smile told her everything she needed to know. He had moved on, and so would she. He might have mentioned Hawaii, but when she did not answer, he moved on quickly. So, Josie got in the car and shot a message back to protect herself and her child.

I am okay. Just busy. I am still determining when I will be able to go to Hawaii. If you go before we can go together, send me some pics. XO

She felt justified sending it, and she did not regret a thing.

Chapter twelve

Steven

Stevenwatchedherpullthe small boy out of the stroller. She gave him little kisses on the nose. She sat at a table at the café across the street. She let the little boy hold himself up and slowly walk along the table's side. When the boy fell on his butt, she picked him up and cuddled him close. She was so tender and loving. It was as if she could sense him staring because she started looking around. She had not seen him yet.

He could not believe how unbelievably beautiful she still was. Everything in him wanted to reach out to her and pull her into his arms, but then there was something telling him to confront her. He was ready to see her. He had been for a long time. Sometimes everything melted together in a pile of crap because she was not there keeping him level. He knew he could not put everything on her, but she had shut him out so many times he gave up on the idea of keeping track of time. He thought she would first reach out to tell him she missed him. He just wanted to hear her voice.

Steven picked up his phone slowly and dialed her number. He watched her pull the phone from her purse rapidly, and she set the boy in his black stroller. She started rocking the stroller slowly back and forth while she rummaged around. She handed the young boy something. He thought she was about to ignore the call right before his waiting eyes. He watched her even more intently as the ringing continuously went off in his ear.

He could see her as she closed her eyes and took a breath, puffing out her cheeks to release the air in her lungs before answering his call, "Hello, Steven." He was almost too stunned to respond to her.

He took a second before falling in line with the safest greeting option, "Hello. It's been a long time." Steven watched her for a long moment from above before slowly making his way downstairs out of sight. He felt as if he drifted out the front door back to where he could see her. She still had yet to spot him. He was a little amused at the moment she was oblivious to his presence.

"How are you?" Her voice was still as sweet as he remembered. Something about her was still entirely captivating. Too captivating. The closer he got, the more he forgot his initial mission with the phone call.

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