Hunter

Pregnant.

How in the hell did this happen? We were safe. Every time.

She doesn’t even like kids. As far as I know, she never wanted to have them. Is she going to keep our baby? Do I get a say?

Fuck!

Ireland said she was keeping something from me. I never expected it to be this. I’m going to kill her the next time I see her. She should have prepared me. She should have told me. I deserved to know.

My brain is a cluster fuck right now. I can’t think straight. We need to talk, somewhere other than here. I’m finding it hard to concentrate when all I can focus on is her belly. It’s large and perfectly round. I want to reach out and touch it, run my hands all over it. Is it hard? Soft? Does the baby kick yet?

Fuck!

When she asks me to take her home I’m relieved. I was hoping we could talk in my office, but her house is a better idea. No prying eyes. No chance Ireland will bust through the door. Or Paul. This explains the smile on Ireland’s face when I told her I wasn’t going to take no for an answer this time. She’s enjoying the fuck out of this mess I’ve created.

Locking her front door behind me, I follow Reese into the kitchen. She heads straight for the fridge, pulls out a Tupperware container and sticks it in the microwave. Why didn’t she just let me feed her? Is she that stubborn?

I already know the answer to that. She hasn’t spoken a word to me since we left the safety of the bathroom. In the car, I thought of a million things I wanted to say to her, questions I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t. It felt like the wrong time. There’s never going to be a right time to talk about this, I guess. Best to get it over with.

“So, when are you due? When are we due?” I ask, correcting my original statement so she understands I’m here for her and the baby. Her back is to me as she watches the microwave count down the seconds before her food is ready.

“Ten more weeks, end of June,” she says, without turning around. Another twenty-nine seconds and I’ll have her full attention.

“When do we find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“It’s a girl.”

“Oh! Okay. Have you decided on a name yet?” I’m having a little girl. Pigtails and frilly dresses. Things I know nothing about.

Holy shit!

“No.”

Ding.

Reese carefully pulls the dish from the microwave. Turning, she places the dish on the island between us and hands me a fork. Lasagna, just like the first time we shared a meal together. I wonder if this is her way of making peace.

“Where’s the garlic bread?” I ask, taking a bite.

“Funny,” she replies dryly, but a small smiles appears before she puts a bite in her mouth.

We eat in silence, polishing off the entire contents of the dish. I eat slowly, allowing Reese to have as much as she wants. She’s eating for two. I don’t want to get in the way of that.

“I’m getting tired, so I think we should talk and get this over with.”

“Okay,” I say, swallowing the lump that’s now formed in my throat.

“I’m having the baby. I’m not giving her up. I never wanted kids, but she’s changed me in a good way. I can handle this. If you want to be a part of her life, we can talk about it. Not today, but before she comes. As far as what happened between us, it’s in the past. I don’t want to rehash it. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m sick of being mad and hurt. There are more important things I need to focus on right now,” she says, pointing to her stomach.

Giving her a moment to catch her breath, I formulate my plan of attack. When she doesn’t say anything else, I clear my throat and get ready for the fight of my life.

“Yes, I want to be a part of her life. And yours. You may not want to talk about it, but I need you to at least listen to what I have to say for a minute.” She opens her mouth to argue but decides against it, thankfully. “I love you, Reese. I know that’s hard to hear, but it’s the truth. I fell in love with you in the short amount of time we spent together. I know you feel the same, or you wouldn’t be so angry with me. That’s not the point, though. What I really want to say is I’m sorry. I should have told you who I was when you told me who you were. I was scared you wouldn’t let me help you if you knew. You needed me, and I figured if my face was hidden, no one would see who was behind the mask. In a small, twisted way, this was me redeeming myself for allowing Tiffanie to treat you the way she did back then. I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to be there when she realized she didn’t break you.

“I’m sorry you got hurt in the process, but I’m not sorry for making the choices I made. I would do it all over again if I had the option. Only next time, I would have been honest with you from the start. I never meant to hurt you, Reese. You have to know that.”

She’s facing me, but her eyes are staring past me. Quickly glancing over my shoulder to see what has her attention, I’m surprised to see Ireland standing in the dining room.

“What are you doing here?” I ask before I can stop myself.

“I came to make sure she was okay.”

“She’s fine. You can leave now.”

“Reese?” Ireland asks.

Turning my attention back to her, she’s frozen in place. Tears are beginning to form in her eyes and she’s holding her bump.

“What’s wrong, Reese? Are you okay?” I ask, quickly moving around the island, sliding up next to her.

“I’m fine. She’s kicking really hard right now, that’s all.”

My hand is poised at the top of the bump, waiting for her to give me permission to feel for myself. She nods and as I place my hand next to hers, I feel it. My heart melts instantly. My girl’s strong already. Both of my girls are strong.

“I’m guessing you don’t need me,” Ireland says as she takes my seat on the other side of the counter.

Looking from me to Ireland, Reese replies, “I think we’re good right now. Thanks for checking on me.”

“Anything for you. See you on Monday,” she says, hopping up and disappearing around the corner.

“Ireland,” Reese calls. When she reappears, “don’t ever lie to me again or I’ll fire you in a heartbeat. Understand?”

“Yeah, I do. It was worth the risk, though.”

“Love you,” Reese says, her voice softening.

“I love you, too, Reese.”