Chapter Four

TIME HAS NEVER MOVED so slowly before in my life. I was extremely restless from a lack of sleep the night before, and here I sat, with still an hour before I was meeting up with Dodger. I was chugging water and half-caff coffee like it was going out of style. I felt grumpy. I’d tossed and turned on my overly comfortable bed pondering all the ways today would go down. But I knew that none those scenarios were likely to happen. Dodger was different. He was my constant, yet very unpredictable when it came to certain things.

My morning was spent primping and putting on several different outfits. My poor bedroom looked like a tornado ripped through it. Whatever I put on either didn’t look quite right or didn’t fit. I certainly didn’t have a visible baby belly, but things were getting tight. Why, oh why, were most of my clothes fitted? Fortunately, I found a pretty floral print top in the back of my closet that was loose. Still had tags on it, and I remember it was an impulse buy. At least floral was in style at the moment so, yay for that. Leggings, knee high boots, and a messy bun completed my ensemble enough to satisfy me. I had no clue why I wanted to feel pretty for Dodger, but I did. Like it was going to make telling him the news better. Just like matching a bra to underwear, it always made my day a little brighter.

“Argh! This is insane,” I growled to myself.

I looked at the clock again. I’d been sitting in the kitchen for the last hour trying to figure out the precise words that would hopefully not bring the poor guy to his knees. Didn’t matter what came out of my mouth, nothing I said was going to sound good. I still had thirty minutes before I needed to head out but I couldn’t sit here any longer. I decided it was time to head to the gym. Getting up, I started toward the door. Glancing at myself in the mirror that hung in the entryway, I swiped down the front of my shirt brushing away nonexistent fuzz, and wiping a little gloss away from the corner of my mouth. Grabbing my keys, I walked out.

The drive to the gym was short and sweet. And for the first time in my life, I think, I was early for something. I still had fifteen minutes to wait. I was certain if I walked in there right now, Dodger would know right away something was up. I did a quick scan of the cars in the parking lot like I had the other night. For the most part it was the same vehicles. But I noticed Dana’s car was missing. Hmmm, must not be working tonight.

Thank God.

I found a spot and got out. When I walked inside I noted that Camden was sitting off to the left in a corner helping and older man with his form. When he saw me, the look on his face told me that he knew why I was here. He gave me a tentative smile with a tilt of his head. Keegan must’ve told him, which I shouldn’t have expected anything less. At least I knew Camden wouldn’t be the type to tip his brother off. It was my news to tell, and he’d leave me to it. He likely had some things he’d like to say to me about all of this, but I had no plans to head in his direction to strike up conversation. Instead, I kept my forward momentum to the back where the PT office was.

I walked past several gym patrons lifting weights and stretching. This place always had such a distinct smell to it. It was a mix of plastic gym mats, sweat, and something else I couldn’t put my finger on. It wasn’t a gross smell or anything, but it was familiar and brought me comfort. The gym had been open for quite a long time, although Camden had replaced almost all of the equipment that was here when his dad owned it. I’d been in here more times than I could count. It had become another home to me, but when I’d broken up with Dodger, I stopped coming here and started using the gym at my parents’ country club and the hospital. Everything looked pretty much the same besides the new faces.

The physical therapy space in the back was a single room. The boys walled it off after Dodger graduated college and became certified. The door was currently closed, but I knew there wasn’t anybody else behind it besides him at the moment. I raised my hand to knock. Here goes nothing. I rapped three times.

The door opened. Seeing him standing in front of me was like a breath of fresh air and an ice pick straight through my heart all at the same time. He was stood tall with his brown hair slightly messy. I noticed it had been a while since he’d gotten it cut. Wonder if he was growing it out for some new style he may be trying. Either way it looked good. When his baby blue eyes caught mine and that crooked beautiful smile of his tipped up to acknowledge me, my heart oddly felt full and picked up its pace. Dodger did this to me every time. I tried so hard over the few years I’d known him to hide what he did to me, but it was futile. He always saw right through me. Avoidance with him had been key.

“Hi, Macie.”

The way he said my name made me want to fall into his arms. I straightened my shoulders and did what I always do. I picked.

“Dodger,” I coolly greeted. “You just get back from being somebody’s golf caddie or is this the new uniform you force yourself to wear?”

That earned me a grin from ear to ear. He stepped aside and swept his hand forward as if to say please come in. “Your wit is quick, but we both know you’re not here to trade insults.”

I walked past him and entered the room. There was a black leather bed that could shift and break down to assist patients on the left side of the room. A tall green plant was in the corner, while another green plant was in the opposite corner, near Dodger’s desk. There wasn’t much in the way of decoration in here besides two sports photos of him standing next to Aaron Rogers, Green Bay’s Quarterback, and Derek Jeter, a retired Yankee. His college diploma was nicely framed by the bed. He equally split the room between office and patient rehab.

I sat as gracefully as I could on one of the two chairs sitting in front of Dodger’s large desk. He was still behind me and I hadn’t heard him move from where he was standing at the door.

“No, I didn’t,” I replied.

The door closed. “Well, clearly something big is up if you’re here. After your text last night, I had a hard time getting any sleep. So, please, put me out of my misery and tell me what you needed to talk to me about.”

I sighed. Spill it. There’s really no other way around it. Simply say the words so the man can start working through this like I have been. I sat there.

I heard him approach me from behind. He came around to my line of sight and leaned back against his desk, slightly sitting on it. The way he carried himself was really something. Like how I envisioned a million-dollar mogul would. Confident and charismatic.

“Mace, come on. It’s me. Whatever it is, I’m here and I’m listening.”

Yeah, except it’s a little more complicated than that.

I swallowed. “It’s not that easy.”

“Hey.” He demanded my eyes.

I looked up, and concern was etched in his features.

“I’m sure that whatever it is, it’s not that big of a deal and we can figure it out. I’ll help you figure it out. Okay? But you gotta tell me. The way you’re looking at me right now is a little disconcerting.”

That gorgeous face of his was about to morph into something I’d probably never seen on him before. Hate, disgust, anger. The words started to form on my lips. I braced myself in the chair like I would if I saw a speeding car coming at me on the highway head on.

“Something’s happened.”

He stayed silent.

My hands gripped the arms of the chair a bit harder, my nails biting into the underside of the wood. “This isn’t easy for me to just come out and say what I need to say, but I feel that it is only fair to you, to let you know.”

Really, that was the biggest hint I could have given him besides handing him some sort of baby onesie and expecting him to put the pieces together. Had this been a joyful announcement, I’m sure that’s the way I would have gone. Jesus Christ, this office was hot. I felt sweat forming just around my hair line. The way he was watching me after my small insight, he appeared stoic and still clueless.

“Let me know what, Macie? I may be good with charades, but I’m totally not following you.”

“About a month ago I started to feel . . . I don’t know. Sort of off.”

“Off how?”

“Well, I was tired all the time, my body hurt, food wouldn’t settle right with me.”

“Have you seen a doctor?” He sat a little more forward.

“I’ve spoken to one, but I haven’t been seen just yet.”

“If you’re still feeling like that, then maybe you need to make an appointment.”

I shook my head. “No, you’re not understanding.”

“Understanding what? I mean, I know you don’t like needles and all that, and I’m sure they will likely do some blood work, but I could be there to hold your hand if you need me to.”

I put my palm up in the air and said, “Dodger, stop. Okay. Just stop. I’m not freaking out about a little fucking needle. And I don’t need anyone to hold my hand.”

His brows came together. “Then what does all of this have to do with me, Macie? You’re going to have to come out and say it because I’m clearly not reading between the lines, nor am I in the mood for your games.”

“Games?”

“Yeah, games. I thought you wanted to talk. And so far all you’ve done is talk circles. You haven’t spoken to me since the wedding, you don’t come over to my parents’ house anymore, and then you text me out of the blue saying that you needed me. I’m here, but you’re not being your usual forward self. So whatever it is, just come out with it. Otherwise, I would like to get home and take a shower. I’ve had a long day.”

Your day is about to get a little longer.

“I’m pregnant.”

In the moment, blurting it seemed like the right answer. But, as the seconds ticked by, and I watched his face morph from confused, then to shock, then to pondering, then to something I couldn’t quite put my finger on, I wasn’t so sure my brashness was the way to go. Not that there really was any other way to soften the blow. Dodger was never really an aloof person. I couldn’t always read his every emotion, but right now, staring at him I could practically read the words rolling through his head like he was an illustrator drawing me pictures.

Breaking the silence, I spoke his name. “Dodger . . . please say something.”

He tilted his head slightly, still having a mental battle with himself. “Who is it.”

Confused I said, “What? Who’s who?”

He held his hand out in front of him, palm up waving it back and forth. “Who’s the person that did this to you?”

My mouth dropped open. I was tired and really didn’t care to keep up the façade that I was going to make this as easy on him as possible. A small giggle bubbled up my throat, even though it wasn’t funny.

“Shit on a stick, Dodger. Are you really that dense?”

“Dense about what?”

I started ticking off my fingers. “Let’s see. I said about a month ago I was feeling crappy. I learned that I was knocked up. Since it takes about six weeks to feel like I’d been hit by a MAC truck, I’d calculate that this little incident occurred, ohhhh, about the time of the wedding.”

His eyes went wide. “The wedding.”

“Yes.”

He stood up and plopped down on the chair beside mine. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. “But we . . . we used protection.”

“No we didn’t.”

He glanced at me. “You sure?”

“Sure enough that I’m now in this predicament and carrying half of your DNA.”

He shot a pissed off look at me. “Don’t joke, Macie. This isn’t the time.”

I stood up. “You see me laughing?”

He closed his eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be so abrasive. I’m just . . . not sure what to do with this information. Give me a minute to process.”

I let him sit there with his thoughts and waited for him to say something else to me. I wandered around his small office space. I inspected that leaves on his plants, straightened his hanging frames that were likely already level, and tried to figure out his PT table. That sucker looked complicated. By the time he spoke to me again, his voice made me jump.

“So, the baby . . . it’s mine?”

As much as that question grated my nerves, he had every right to ask. We’d not been a couple for a long time, and our one night together resulted in some pretty big consequences. He had no clue about my personal life anymore unless Keegan kept him up to speed. I didn’t really picture Dodger asking any questions though.

“Yes. I’ve not been with anybody since you. And before the wedding, it was only you.”

He jerked back. “Nobody?”

“No.”

“Macie, we hadn’t been together for over a year. You’re telling me you’ve not had sex with anyone in that time?”

I rolled my eyes. “For fuck’s sake, Dodger. Is it really that hard to believe that I am capable of being celibate?”

“Well . . . yeah,” he admitted.

“Fuck you, Dodger.” I walked toward him and started to reach for my bag I’d placed on the floor by the chair.

He reached out and grasped my forearm. “Stop. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that, before we even had a relationship, you were probably more promiscuous than I ever was. I’m sorry for saying so, but that’s how it was.”

He had a point. But I was never going to tell him that nobody ever really sparked my interest like he had after I left him. It was like I now needed not only a physical attraction to a man, but a mental one as well. They had to intrigue me, make me laugh, challenge me. Nobody I’d met had been capable of doing that for me. Not like he had.

I dropped my bag and crossed my arms, not completely wanting to let him off the hook. “I’ve just been focusing on building my career, okay? Sex isn’t everything.”

“No, it isn’t. But I also know how long it had been between the wedding and us.” He dropped his focus on me and looked down at his hands. “I can’t say I’m not happy to hear about that.”

“Don’t be cocky, Dodger.”

His blue eyes shot up to mine. “That’s not cocky, that’s honest.”

“Well, let’s just say that’s not a subject that is up for discussion now, or ever. There are bigger things going on at the moment.”

“Yes, there definitely is.” He eyes traveled to my stomach.

I instinctively covered the lower part of my abdomen with my hand, as if to shield his eyes from a non-existent bump.

“There’s nothing to see. Don’t look at me like that.”

“I’m not looking at you like anything. So you’re positive you’re pregnant, and that it is mine. How many tests have you taken?”

“More than I care to admit.”

He sighed. “Okay. And you haven’t been to a doctor yet? Have you scheduled an appointment?”

I nodded. “I already told you I hadn’t. And yes, I go in a week.”

This seemed to satisfy him, even though he hasn’t really given me any indication whether this was all good news, bad news, or he simply didn’t care. Right now Dodger was knocking out all of the logistics of my announcement before I was certain he would allow himself to roll through his emotions over it all.

“Let me know what time and where. I’ll be going with you.”

I was taken aback. “You’re coming with me? I don’t recall asking you to.”

Dodger’s eyes flared as he stared at me. “You didn’t ask me to? Macie, that’s my kid in there.” He gestured toward my stomach. “If you have any appointments, ultrasounds, or anything involving it, I want to be there.”

“So, are you saying you want me to keep it?” Not that he had any say in the matter anymore. I’d already made the decision for the both of us a couple days ago.

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

Whoa, okay. There’s a reaction.

“Yes, I’m being very serious.”

“Why on earth would you even think that I wouldn’t want it?”

I glanced around as if all the non-existent people in the room knew how obvious it was to them like it was to me.

“Uh, cause you’re a guy. And guys don’t always want babies. Especially guys who have news like this dropped on them like the Hiroshima Bomb by a girl they weren’t even dating.”

Dodger was looking at me like I’d sprouted a second head. “Just because we aren’t together doesn’t mean shit to me. You’ve known from day one that kids were always in the cards for me. Was this an ideal way of us going about it? No. Do I wish we were still together and the circumstances were different? Yes. I have never been that guy, Macie. Don’t pin that shit on me like I am. I’m not some piece of trash you’ve been with in the past that knocks up a girl then hands over the cash to make the problem disappear.”

Wow . . . uh, okay.

“That’s not what I was saying at all, Dodger. But if I’m being completely honest here,”—I looked down and reached up to tuck some stray hair behind my ear. It was a nervous habit I’d had since I was a kid.—“I wasn’t sure what to expect when I came in here. We barely speak or see each other.”

“Not because of me.”

I took a long pause to look at him. His face reflected hurt back at me.

“No, that was my decision. You’re right.” I felt tears spring to the corners of my eyes. I didn’t want to cry. I blinked rapidly, attempting to hold them back. A lump was forming in the back of my throat and I knew if I swallowed it down, the tears would fall. I felt he needed to know where I was mentally, so he could understand how I felt about all of this. Then maybe he would express more than just saying he would be with me at the appointments. “When I started to suspect I could be pregnant, I took my first test about four weeks ago. That positive line,” I shook my head. “It was a shock. Granted, I knew it could happen. I’m not totally naïve to how all of that works. But I spent weeks throwing up, laying in my bed, and trying to decide if this was something I could actually do or not.”

I was intently watching him. His eyes narrowed.

“You’ve known this long, and you think that now was the best time to tell me?”

“Dodger, I wasn’t sure if I was even going to keep it.”

If words could physically wound someone, mine just had.

“You weren’t sure if you were going to keep it? And at any point in time during all your puking, and solitude, you didn’t think that maybe this was a decision I should have taken part in?”

I wasn’t going to answer him. He already knew.

He scrubbed his hand down his face and stood up. His back was to me when he said, “Unbelievable. You were seriously going to make it without knowing how I felt about it.”

“It’s my body,” I barely whispered, but he heard me.

He shot around. Fire was in his blue eyes and he was ready to rip me apart.

“It may be your fucking body, Macie, but that’s my fucking child. Jesus Christ! Since when do you go all women’s lib on me and pull shit like that? This,”—he gestured toward my stomach—“We did this together. It wasn’t a solo act. So after all of your thinking, what conclusion did you come to? ‘Cause I know one thing that’s blaringly obvious. You came in here not offering me a choice. So don’t do me any favors by making me think I ever had one.”

I felt slightly relieved to see some emotion coming from him. This was more like what I pictured. Yelling. I could react to yelling. I could care less how correct he was with what he just threw at me.

“I weighed my options, yes. I got some information about everything and I decided that I’m going to keep it.”

His shoulders visibly slumped. I briefly wondered if people outside could hear him raising his voice.

“It’s not the most ideal situation, or how I saw my life going. Time for a change, I guess.”

He took a step toward me and laughed sarcastically. “A baby isn’t like having a new haircut or seeing if a pair of boots are the cool thing to wear this season. You can’t decide you don’t like it, or it won’t fit your lifestyle, and get rid of it.”

I got up and went straight to him. I held my head high and I was seriously ticked off. “At what point in time did you determine I had ‘Dumbass’ written across my forehead? Unlike you, I’ve had time to think about everything. I’ve weighed the pro’s and con’s. I know that I’m still a kid living at my parents’ house. I will have diapers to change and sleepless nights. How my fucking amazing boobs will sag when I’m done breastfeeding. How I’ll be shuttling a little person around to either ballet lessons, or baseball. I know that I’ll no longer have just myself to think about and I’m no longer number one.” I was definitely crying now. “I also know that I’m walking into this completely alone and I will have to learn as I go. My entire life is changing, and I’m making that choice unselfishly. If you think for one second that I don’t see the bigger picture here and that I view a child as disposable simply because it doesn’t fit the mold I saw for my life, you can go fuck yourself.”

As quickly as I quit speaking, Dodger reached out and pulled me into him. He wrapped his long arms around me and held me tight. My wet cheeks brushed across his polo shirt, leaving it damp. The smell of him was comforting and I buried my nose deep in the crook of his neck. I wanted to stay here. Right here where my world didn’t feel like it was crumbling, and he could hold together all of the pieces that were desperately trying to break free from me. When I smelled him, I was reminded of home. Not because it reminded me of things growing up, but because it was my comfort. Forget Netflix and Chill. I wanted this, and a warm chocolate cookie with milk on a front porch swing.

“Shhh, Mace. It’s okay,” he whispered into my ear. “You’re not alone. I’ve got you, and we will do this together.”

I lifted my head reluctantly. “But I am alone, Dodger.”

His hands moved up from my waist to my cheeks. He held my face and his thumbs wiped away my tears. “No. I let you have your way when you said you wanted us to end. I’ve always been here, Macie. There hasn’t been a damn thing you’ve said that has chased me off. Not then and certainly not now. I’ve just been waiting for you to see what I’ve always known.”

What he’s always known?

“I’m not happy that you chose to keep this a secret from me as long as you have. I get it, you were scared. But from here on out, I’m going to need you to understand that the decisions aren’t just yours any longer. This directly involves me. We are doing this together, and you aren’t alone.”

“This doesn’t mean we’re together, Dodger.”

He cracked a smile. “No, of course not.”

“I mean it.”

Kissing the top of my head he said, “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“More you mean.”

“Semantics.”

Bastard. “Mhmm, we’ll see. I know how pushy you can be.” I stepped out of his embrace and gave myself some much needed space. “So where do we go from here?”

“I’d assume you need to see a doctor. We also need to go talk to my parents.”

I stared at him. “We?”

“Yes, we.”

I rubbed my forehead with the palm of my hand. “God, Dodger, can’t you just sneak the news in in the middle of conversation at a dinner or something? Why do I have to be there?”

He looked perplexed. “Why don’t you want to be?”

“Dodger, this wasn’t some marriage proposal for fuck’s sake! You knocked me up at your brother’s wedding. We aren’t even together. What would I even have to contribute to that conversation? ‘Sorry Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, I took advantage of your little boy. Congrats, your first grandchild is illegitimate.’ Uh, no. Doesn’t even sound remotely appealing. In fact, your mother is going to hate me.”

He chuckled. “You’re being dramatic. I mean don’t get me wrong, they’d love it if we were married and this happened. But it’s life. So what that it didn’t happen like we’re told it has too.”

“So what?”

“Macie, I don’t get what the big deal is here. Don’t you think the bigger deal is that there is a baby currently growing inside you? What could they possibly say besides being overjoyed? I know my mom. She’s been poking at my brother to give her a grandchild. I really don’t think it will matter how it happened. She loves you anyway.”

“It’ll certainly be a reason for her to dislike me now,” I grumbled.

He took a step toward me. I shot him a look that said “no.” He stepped back where he was, clearly frustrated. I didn’t feel bad. We weren’t a couple. I’d just got done making that clear.

“Could you at least think about it? I will obviously let them know regardless, but it would be nice if you were with me when I tell them.”

“You do realize you’re giving me puppy dog eyes, right?” Of course he knew. “Whatever.” I caved. It’s not like life could get much more unforgiving at the moment.

He grinned his beautiful crooked smile making my resolve falter. Dodger . . . the con artist. It was times like these I wish he didn’t know what made me weak.

I looked down. “Okay, Dodger-one, Macie-zero. You win this one, but I’m not going to be the one to actually tell them. I have my own parents that need to find out. And before you ask, no they don’t know a thing. I’m dreading what my dad will have to say.”

“I could come . . .”

“No!” I said curtly. “I’d rather break it to them in my own time and way. I don’t want it to be a planned thing. It’ll make me too nervous. Anyway, back to what I asked before. Now what?”

He pondered. “Well, to be honest I’m not sure. This wasn’t exactly the news I’d anticipated hearing this evening. I had planned on stopping at the new Mexican restaurant by my apartment and trying out their enchiladas and watching some episodes of Dexter.”

I sighed, turning to grab my bag and whined, “Enchiladas used to sound good.”

“Taste buds change?”

“No, not exactly. It’s the smell that I can’t stomach. In fact, I haven’t been able to stomach much of anything these days.”

He looked at me curiously. “Well, I was going to suggest you join me, but if you don’t want that, then maybe we could try something else? It’s not like I was set on Mexican tonight.”

“No, that’s okay. I’m tired. I think I should just head home.”

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. I was only a couple feet away from it, so naturally I made the move to answer it. Swinging it open, I wish I would have known what was going to be on the other side so I could have schooled my face to not appear so shocked. Dana was here as if life had told her to play a joke on me. She stood with her hair flat ironed and make-up done to impress. She was wearing a skin tight black tank top, brown leather jacket, and black jeans. The outfit was adorable but I’d rather stab myself in the eye with scissors than confess that to her. At least she seemed just as shocked to see me as I was her.

I heard a small groan come out of the man behind me.

“Oh! Hi, Macie. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” She chirped in her annoying fake sing song voice.

In true bitch form, I scowled back at her. “I bet you didn’t.”

She tilted her head at me, then glanced behind me. “I was just stopping in to see if you wanted to grab a bite to eat.”

She was making a show of purposefully not speaking to me, but to him.

“Thanks, but I was going to go home and go to bed,” Dodger replied to her. That’s not what he’d just said to me.

She smiled. “Come on, Dodge. I’m sure you haven’t eaten yet, and I want to tell you about this new bar they are opening in town.”

Dodge? Did she suddenly forget how to say her R’s? His little nickname made me want to puke in my mouth.

I could see him out of the corner of my eye shifting uncomfortably. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m pretty beat.”

Instead of disappointment, she said, “Okay, no problem. Maybe another night.”

“Actually, you two should go grab that bite. I’m going to head out. Don’t let my being here stop any plans.” I turned and glared at Dodger. He knew my feelings toward her.

“Macie, you don’t have to go.”

I slung my bag up on my shoulder. “Nah, you guys go have fun. I’ll see you later.”

Normally I would have done everything in my power to make her squirm and want to leave, but this to me was confirmation that maybe Dodger had gone out with her a few times. If she was this comfortable to stop by unannounced when she wasn’t on the clock to see if he wanted to hang out, there was a high likelihood I was correct. If I didn’t leave, I was going to flip my shit on him.

“Macie, why don’t you join us.” Dana asked, knowing I wouldn’t accept.

The bitch was good. “You two do this often, right? I’m sure I’ll catch you another time.”

I stepped around her not waiting for an answer. I briskly walked through the gym, not noticing if anybody was around. I had no clue how long I’d been here talking to him, but I could see it was dark outside. I was almost to the front door when I heard him. Dodger was hot on my heels.

“Macie.”

Keep moving.

“Macie, god damn it. Would you stop?”

No thanks.

“Macie.” His voice was booming and stern.

This time I halted. I knew if I took another step, he was close enough to reach out and grab me. I couldn’t go there. Not right now. I tried to steel myself for an onslaught of emotions. Twisting, I narrowed my eyes at him.

“What?” I shouted.

“Would you fucking stop.”

I held my arms out. “Do you see me moving?”

He came to stand right in front of me, only inches away. I could smell the mint of the gum he was chewing on his breath.

“Cut it out. Whatever you’re telling yourself right now, just stop.”

“I’m not telling myself anything.”

“Bullshit.”

I smiled at him sadistically. Rage was beginning to roll through me. This wasn’t how I wanted my night to end. Dodger had been more receptive to our news than I had expected. He embraced it and wanted to show me that he was here for me. Seeing that girl, made any feeling of happiness dissipate in a matter of seconds. Now I wanted to walk out the door and deal with my new life on my own. I didn’t need this.

“No, it’s not bullshit. There’s nothing I need to tell myself, that isn’t more than the truth.”

“You have no clue what you’re even talking about. I didn’t ask her to come.”

“I know you didn’t.”

“Then why are you so mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

“Yes, you are,” he argued.

“No, Dodger, I’m not. I’m indifferent. I could care less that she’s here.”

He put his hands on his hips and looked up at the ceiling. “Jesus Christ, you’re a difficult woman.”

I got a little pleasure out of knowing I was giving him a hard time.

“I’m not difficult. But let me make myself clear. Who you date or don’t date used to not be my business. However, if you plan on having someone in your life and you plan on being in my child’s life, then it is no longer just your decision. From day one that girl,”—I flung my arm up, directing it toward the back of the gym—“Has had it out for me. She’s wanted you and made no qualms about trying to get your attention when we were together. If you are still going to deny it after all this time, then you’re fucking blind.”

“You think I don’t have Dana pegged? I know her game. No need to rush out of here like you’re on fire. I told her no. But I did ask you to join me.”

I looked around. Camden wasn’t anywhere in sight, and the gym was almost empty besides a teenage kid puffing out his chest in front of the mirrors. Good, at least I didn’t have an audience.

“And I declined. I’m going home, getting into some comfy pants that don’t cut me in two, and crawling into my bed.”

“Gaining weight are we?” Dana spoke over Dodger’s shoulder.

I hadn’t seen her coming.

I took a step forward, brushing against Dodger and letting him know my intentions. I was about to tear this chick apart.

“Dana, I think you need to go,” Dodger said, trying to maintain control of us both.

He’s hysterical. Nobody controlled me except for me.

“Actually, no. I was just telling Dodger that we have a bun in the oven. He’s going to be a daddy. Isn’t that wonderful news?” Sarcasm was oozing from my voice. I put my hand on my stomach, making a show of it. Her eyes followed my movement. “Seems that the wedding was the perfect setting for incredible sex and baby making.” My other hand went up to Dodger’s cheek to add insult to injury. “He’s going to be the best father.”

Her mouth dropped open. My eyes squinted as if to really make the news sink in. I swear to god, she had anything else to say, I wouldn’t be held back.

I dropped my hands and looked up at Dodger. My voice went cold. “I’m going home. I’ll text you if I need anything.”

I walked out without so much as a second thought. I did what I came here to do. Baby bomb dropped. At the moment I still didn’t know what I needed to do to make this all seem okay, but one foot in front of the other toward my car seemed like a good start. Oh, and getting the chance to tell Dana my wonderful news . . . yeah that.

Damn that felt good. I smiled and got in my car and headed home.