Adam calls me constantly. Sometimes two or three times a day.

When the calls stop coming, I assume it means one thing. He must be back with Alice. Even though I was the one to walk away, and even though I knew the consequences, the idea still makes my heart ache.

I’m starting to get morning sickness. The reality of my pregnancy is kicking in. Hannah has been nagging me every day to call Adam and tell him the truth, but I’ve been unable to find the courage.

I’m scared he’ll want nothing to do with me or our baby.

“Maybe he won’t. Maybe he’ll step up and be a fantastic dad,” Hannah advised. “But if you hide it from him, he has no choice either way. You and Adam are both going to be parents. It’s not your secret to keep.”

I’ve thought about what she’s been saying carefully, but every time I pick up the phone to return one of Adam’s calls, I remember being hidden away in a bathroom so he could spend another minute with his fiancée. It makes me feel ashamed. I can’t bear to talk to him, let alone tell him he’s the father of my child. I picture a future of being pushed out of the picture every time Alice shows up. After all, if he didn’t break things off with her at the hotel after two and a half months apart, what are the chances of him suddenly deciding to do it once he’s back in Michigan?

I scroll through another page of pregnancy advice. By now, my baby’s the size of a blueberry. It has a heart hardly bigger than a poppy seed.

I place my hand protectively over my belly. Even though this child was unplanned, I already love him or her fiercely. A maternal instinct I didn’t know I had has kicked in. I can’t wait to be a mom, even if the idea of doing it alone terrifies me.

The divorce papers arrived in the mail this morning. It stung when I received them. It meant that even though I hadn’t spoken to Adam, he’d still been forging ahead in making sure the divorce went through.

It’s time to call.

I pick up my phone and dial his number. It rings three times. Each ring I hear makes my heart beat faster. I desperately want to hear Adam’s voice again, but I’m still angry and hurt. The tears are already welling in my eyes before he answers.

“Laura.” I can hear the relief in his voice. “I’ve been trying to call you for days.”

“I know.”

“You haven’t given me the chance to say I’m sorry. For everything.” I squeeze my eyes shut. His apology is too little and too late. “I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened between us. I made so many mistakes. I lied. I took advantage of you. I was selfish. I put you in a totally unfair position. I’m sorry for it all.”

He’s saying the words I’ve dreamed he would say, but right now, I don’t feel like I can accept his apology. He’s still hundreds of miles away from me. He’s probably in Alice’s arms. I’m a secret he’s keeping from his fiancée, and I’d be a fool to believe I could be anything more to him than the other woman.

I don’t acknowledge his apology and swiftly changing the subject. “I received the divorce papers today.”

“Oh. That’s good, I guess.”

“What am I supposed to do with these?”

“Sign them.”

“Will I get yours?”

“Let’s meet.” He sounds nervous. “We’ll sign them together and swap everything at the same time.”

“Isn’t that what the lawyers are for?”

“We left on bad terms, Laura. Let’s end it right. There won’t be any funny business. I’ll come to your apartment tomorrow at noon.”

I open the door and there he is. Adam looks even more gorgeous than I remembered. His tan has faded from a pink glow to rich mahogany. It makes his chiseled jaw look sculpted, and his dark eyes smolder.

He’s wearing a light blue cotton t-shirt with a pair of gray denim jeans. It’s a change from his vacation clothes in Vegas and his business suits on the road. He has sunglasses balanced on the top of his head.

“Hi, Laura. It’s good to see you.”

I force a smile and step back to let him cross the threshold. “You’ll have to take the place as you find it. I was away for quite a while.”

There’s an unnecessary venom in my voice. Adam catches it and winces at the sound.

“Did you get my voicemails?”

“I saw you called.”

Adam frowns and steps into my living room. He sits on the arm of my sofa, facing me where I stand with my arms folded over my chest. My posture is hostile and distant.

When I look at him, I’m not seeing the man with a secret fiancée. I’m seeing the handsome stranger from the casino who swept me off my feet, showed me the time of my life, made me feel like the only woman in the world. The man who opened my eyes to a more adventurous, exciting way of living. I see my husband.

“I didn’t realize how callous I was at the time,” Adam tells me. He hangs his head. “In my mind, I’d already broken things off with Alice. It was selfish of me to do what I wanted without thinking about everyone else involved. I should have had the difficult conversations before I started having fun. I want you to know I recognize what I’ve done. I want you to know I’m sorry.”

I swallow. “I know.” I look away. “We still have these papers to sign, though.”

Adam stalls. He rises from the arm of the sofa and strolls slowly around my apartment. I feel exposed as he looks at my paintings, bookshelves, and clutter. “This place suits you.”

“You mean it’s shabby and cheap?”

“That’s not what I meant at all. It’s beautiful and understated.”

I turn away from him. “You should be saving those kinds of sweet nothings for Alice.”

“What makes you think I’m still with Alice?”

I spin back quickly to examine Adam’s face. There’s no sign of dishonesty in his expression, but I know he’s damned good at living a double life. He’s an expert at half-truths.

“Even if you’re through, you’ll be back together next week.”

Adam pulls out something from his pocket and drops it on the coffee table. I take a step closer to look at it. It’s a gorgeous white-gold ring with a diamond the size of my fist.

“I’ve broken off the engagement. I’ve ended it.”

“What made you change your mind?”

“She was still cheating on me. Her lover called, and I answered her phone.”

Bitterness swells within me. If Alice had been on her best behavior, I doubt Adam would be here in person right now, trying to convince me he’s the good guy.

Yet what we had was real. No matter what happened before or since I know our feelings were genuine. The spark wasn’t a lie. We had real, authentic chemistry, and we connected.

“I can’t believe she was dumb enough to keep seeing other men after. She fought hard to get you back. Why bother if nothing’s changed?”

Adam sighs. “I don’t want to say it’s the money, but I can’t figure it out either. I was ready to walk out the door after the first incident. She begged me to come back to her.” His eyes darken. “It’s a horrible thought that someone you were with for so long could have been playing you for a fool the whole time. It makes me wonder if she ever loved me.”

Just like I wonder if your feelings were real. Or were you faking love the whole time?

“I knew we were finished before we went on that trip.”

“If that’s true, why did you bother to go back to her?” My eyes fill with tears. “Why did you choose her over me?”

Adam looks down. He shakes his head and clears his throat like he’s holding back a flood of emotion. It’s the first time I’ve seen him look so vulnerable.

“As a matter of fact, one of the biggest issues between Alice and me was kids. I wanted them, and she didn’t. We’d argued about it for years.” He runs a hand through his hair. “After I caught her cheating, she told me she was ready to start a family. She said this situation had made her realize what was important. She said she wanted a future with me that included children.” He swallows. “But she was only saying what I wanted to hear. It would have never happened.” He shakes his head. “Nobody should bring kids into a toxic relationship. I guess I just really wanted to be a father.”

My heart is pounding in my chest. Does he know about the baby? Is he saying these things to hint he’s found out? Did Hannah contact him?

“You’re still young,” I say. “There’s plenty of time for you to have a family.”

He nods. “You’re right. It’s better if I start it with the right person, though.”

I shoot him a sideways glance. If he’s onto me, he’s got the best poker face I’ve ever seen. I calmly pick up my copy of the divorce papers and take them to the coffee table, opening a little drawer beneath the table to pick out a black pen.

“We’d better get these papers signed so you can get back to Michigan. I appreciate you sorting everything out.”

“No problem. I know you had a lot to catch up with at work. How’s it all going, by the way?”

“Great, great. We’ve had a few major orders this week.”

“That’s good.”

It’s a stilted, awkward conversation. I get the feeling Adam is trying to buy more time like he has more to say but doesn’t know where to begin.

Talk to me now or leave.

“I read over everything,” I say. “Everything looks fine.”

“It’s as simple as I can get it,” Adam says. “An annulment in everything but name.”

I hand him the pen. “You sign first.”

Adam flips to the first page where he must write his sophisticated signature. He flips through page after page doing the same, until there are no more blank lines.

He sits back. “There we go.” He hands me the pen. “We just need your signatures, and we’re ready to close the door, once and for all.” He smiles sadly. “You’ll never have to see me again. I’ll be out of your hair.”