After a few hours, we finally get something that Samuel thinks can work. He has to bring it to his people, of course, and I need to run it by Ingram. But we’re both confident.

And we didn’t kiss a second time. I don’t know what I was thinking, letting him kiss me like that. I could have stopped it, but I wanted him so badly that it hurt.

And I lied to him, a little bit at least. He asked me about having a personal stake in this, and I thought I didn’t. But as soon as he kissed me, I realized that I was wrong, so very fucking wrong.

His baby makes this very, very personal. I’m pregnant with his child, a fact I keep trying to make myself forget, simply because I don’t know how to deal with it just yet. All of this is very, very personal to me, because my child is intrinsically wrapped up in it.

I can pretend that I could sell off the company and move away with a smile on my face, but that’s not true. I couldn’t do that to the father of my child. These are my future baby’s people, Samuel and all his friends, the workers of the mine. This baby is half mine and half his, and I can’t let myself forget that.

Still, I feel a little hope as I knock on Ingram’s office door at the end of the day. Fortunately he hasn’t left yet, and I step inside, nervous but excited.

“Amelia,” he says as I approach his desk. He eyes the contract in my hands. “What can I do for you?”

“I met with Samuel Carter today.” I stop and place the contract down in front of him. “We came up with this.”

He stares at the paper than back up at me. “You met with the head of the union… alone?”

“Yes,” I say.

“And you came back with a contract?”

“Yes,” I say again.

For a second, there’s a flash of visible anger on his face, but he quickly smothers it. He leans back in his chair and takes a deep breath. “Do you understand what you’ve just done?”

“Ingram,” I start, but he shakes his head.

“You just gave up any advantages we may have had. I don’t know what you said, or what this contract says, but we can only negotiate if we’re doing so from a position of strength. And now that’s ruined.”

I take a breath. I expected him to be unhappy, but not this angry. “How have I ruined it?” I ask him. “This contract is good. We can work with it.”

“Work with it?” he sneers. “I don’t want to work with it. I want to win this negotiation and make sure this company continues.”

I’m a little taken aback. “This is a win,” I say softly.

“I doubt it.” He picks up the stack. “You made a grave error here, Amelia.” He starts to page through the contract. “I’ll look it over, but I can already see some unacceptable numbers.”

I stare at him. I don’t know what to say. These numbers are well within an acceptable range for the company. It’s not perfect, definitely not ideal, but it’s pretty good. The workers get a bump in salary and benefits, but a reasonable one. It’s not a big win for them, either, but this is the sort of contract that makes sense. Neither side gets everything they want, but both sides walk away feeling okay.

“The board is never going to approve this,” Ingram grumbles. He sighs and looks at me again. “I’ll get back to you in the morning, Amelia. Thank you.”

I stand there another second before turning and quickly leaving his office, anger running through me.

I don’t understand why we live in a world like this. That contract is decent. It’s not the best thing in the world for the company, but it won’t sink us, either. We can work within those confines, maybe even flourish if we’re smart. But men like Ingram, greedy and used to getting everything they want, ruin it for the hardworking people that keep this place afloat.

I’m so angry at him. And for some odd reason, I’m angry at my father. I don’t understand why my father would hire a man like Ingram, let alone give him so much power. Ingram is ruthless and uncaring, but my father wasn’t like that. Everyone tells me how well liked he was, how everyone trusted him and he seemed to genuinely care about his employees.

I just don’t understand it. I slowly leave the office, my mind still reeling from that conversation. I make my way back home, back to my big empty house.

And I hate it here. I know I do. I can’t help it. Everything about this house reminds me of my father, the childhood that got taken from me when he sent me away. And the baby that’s growing inside of me.

I change clothes, but the prospect of sitting around all night tonight seems daunting. So instead of curling up on the couch in front of the TV, or getting into bed and sleeping early, I do something stupid, something maybe even irresponsible.

I get my phone and I call Samuel.

“I knew I’d hear from you,” he says when he picks up.

I almost regret this instantly. “Don’t be an ass,” I say.

“You want to see me.”

I sigh. “Not exactly.”

“Come to the Shaft. I’ll pick you up if you want.”

“No, you don’t have to pick me up. It’s just that…” I sigh and trail off.

“Tell me in person.”

I hesitate a second, looking around my room. This is what I wanted, after all, but it’s such a bad idea.

“Fine. I’m leaving now.”

“See you soon.”

He hangs up the phone. I don’t know what I’m thinking, but as I head toward the door, I put my hand on my stomach. I can’t feel my baby yet, but I know it’s there, growing inside of me. And Samuel is the father, that big, brutish asshole. That gorgeous man. I know I shouldn’t go, I should keep my distance at least until the contracts are finalized, but I’m in the mood for a mistake.

I head out the door, determined to make it.