He stared at the clock again, then looked at the strawberries, already rinsed and freshly cut with a side of chocolate and whipped cream. It was simple--he knew that--but if he knew anything about Tawny, it was that she didn't want some big spectacle. His words would have to be enough, and he'd spent the whole of the day composing them, making sure every last one was right for her. That it was a speech they could frame and show to their son when they explained their love story to him.

Clearing his throat, he pulled the sheet of paper from his pocket and scanned the lines again.

Tawny, I've had some incredible high points in my life and still you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You, not just the idea of our family, but you--your kindness and your good heart. Your humor and your grace. You're everything I've ever wanted and now, looking at you, I know that this was fate. That, no matter what I did with my life, it would have been less special without you in it. You are my dream come true.

I can't think of spending another day without you in my life, and because of that I--

There was a knock on the door and he shoved the paper back in his pocket before sweeping toward the door and opening it. Tawny stood there in a pretty white maternity top and a pair of black leggings looking cute as ever and it took all he had not to scoop her up, but something in her expression stopped him cold.

He hadn’t seen her for two days because she’d been under the weather and had just wanted to sleep, but looking at her now, it didn’t seem like she’d done much of that at all. Under her eyes were dark purple smudges and he rushed to pull out a chair at the dining room table before asking her to take a seat.

"Are you okay? You look like you haven't been sleeping."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. This late in the pregnancy...well, you know the deal."

She sank into the chair, then, with wild eyes, looked down at the strawberries. "What's all this?"

"I haven't seen you for a couple of days. I thought our reunion could be special. Still craving strawberries?"

"Oh." Her face fell and she averted her gaze from him. "Um, yeah. Thanks. You didn't have to do that."

"I know I didn't have to do it. I wanted to." He studied her, wondering if this was really the right time after all.

Maybe he ought to have gone bigger--drawn her a bath with rose petals and candles and everything she liked. Maybe he should have...

But that didn't make any sense. When love was real, it didn't matter when he asked, the answer would always be the same, wouldn't it?

"Tawny, are you sure everything is alright?" he asked.

"Yes, everything is fine. I just...I wanted to talk to you."

"I actually wanted to talk to you, too."

"Okay, well, I'll go first. These past couple of days I've been by myself, I was thinking..." She let silence fall heavy between them and she twisted her hands in her lap. Still, she wouldn't meet his gaze and he had half a mind to tuck his hand beneath her chin and pull her toward him, forcing her to show him whatever was waiting there behind her eyes.

But he didn't. Instead, he sat there, waiting for whatever it was she had to say, his senses on high alert with apprehension.

“Look, Luke…you’re amazing in bed. Truly, amazing. And you're so smart and good-looking. You're a great guy in every way and I know you're going to be a great father." The words came out in one breath and his brain scrambled to untangle them even as his gut clenched with dread.

He knew this speech. Hell, he’d said it in some form or another a dozen times. And he knew what came next.

"Wait, Tawny--"

"No, let me finish." She held up a hand. "Pregnancy is a really emotional time for women and sometimes our hormones get in the way. I mean, you of all people know that I had plans for my life before you and the baby came along."

He said nothing, waiting for the inevitable shoe to drop.

"Well, I've just been thinking.” She let out a long breath. "And I came to the conclusion that what we have here might have just all been in my head, you know?"

“What was?” he started and she shook her head.

"I liked the idea of a big happy family, but that's not who we are. I don't love you. I hardly even know you."

He could see the determined set of her jaw. Hear the chill in her voice, but still, he couldn’t stop himself from trying. “We’ve spent months together now—”

"Months doing what?” she asked with a shrug. “Preparing for our baby. I love this baby with all my heart and all that energy...well, somehow I think it got passed on to you, and I don't think it's right to lead you on. When the baby is old enough to be away from me overnight, we can talk about custody days and things like that, but I think it would be better if we were co-parents at a distance rather than a couple."

Was this seriously happening? His brain reeled wildly, running through the past few months, combing through every memory for some clue that this was on the horizon, but he came up empty. “Tawny, I don't know what the fuck happened in the past two days, but if you just tell me--"

"Nothing happened, Luke. I just came to my senses. This baby is coming. Soon. And we need to make sure we're being practical. Our decisions now lay the groundwork for the rest of his life."

"And two loving parents together--"

"Look, don't make me say it," she snapped, and then he looked at her--really looked at her and saw the hurt and pain on her face. The way her mouth twisted and trembled.

"Tawny--"

"I don't want some life where I'm stuck with you forever just because we had a baby together. Is that what you want me to say? Is that what you want to hear?"

He swallowed hard. "Only if it's the truth."

"It is."

Fuck, that hurt.

He stood from the table and paced toward her. "You love me. Three days ago, you loved me. I could feel it, Tawny. What happened?"

"I'm not going to argue this with you. I'll text in a few days and we can discuss if we need a mediator or if we should get lawyers involved."

"Lawyers?" He blinked. "What the hell? What are you--"

"Custody. You can keep everything from the baby shower here. Your family gave most of it to you anyway--it wouldn't be right for me to keep any of it besides the crib from Suzette."

"You can't afford to replace all that stuff.”

"I'll manage." She stood and stalked toward the door, her shoulders high and proud. “Goodbye, Luke. I’m sorry to put you through all this.”

“Don't go--"

But it was too late. With a click of the door behind her, she disappeared and he was left in his room, staring at the stacks of gifts from the shower and wondering what the hell had just happened.

How had it all gone so wrong? And right when he was about to propose...

For the briefest moment, the shock wore away and he was left alone with what replaced it--a deep, seething grief. And anger. And confusion.

It all came over him like waves and he found himself running to the door to chase after her one minute, then stalking back across the room and punching the fucking wall the next.

He needed to get out of this room--to go to a bar, to find some release and vent. But then, if he went someplace like that, everyone would know. Word would spread around this town that he and Tawny had split and, before long, people would be coming up to him, asking him about how he was holding up. He didn't want that--couldn't handle it.

So, instead, he hauled the box with the crib inside down the steps and into his car, then did the same with the rest of the gifts. Tawny didn't want this stuff?

Too fucking bad, she didn't have a choice.

If she was going to leave him, she sure as hell wasn't going to leave behind everything that reminded him of her, too. Their child would soon be reminder enough.

So he drove to her apartment and dropped the boxes off in front of her door, careful not to make a sound, then, when he'd unloaded everything, he got back in his car, slammed the door and hit the road.

He didn't know where he was going or why--all he knew was that he had to do something to get out of his own head and focus.

Focus on himself and the fact that now he would be a single father.

The fact that after all these years of needing so desperately to be in a better situation than his parents, he'd landed exactly where they'd started out...except worse.

She'd already tried to keep their baby from him once and now she was doing it again. Visitation every other weekend wasn't fatherhood. Hell, seeing his kid three times a week wasn't even fatherhood.

Being there in the middle of the night when they had a bad dream and taking care of them when they come home sick from school? That's what he wanted. Who knew what he'd miss? Not just the little stuff, but the big stuff, too. The first steps, his first word...the first time he smiled.

A tightness gripped his throat and he forced it down again. He'd have to find a way to make it bearable, that was all.

Without the baby in his life on a daily basis.

Without Tawny.

That was the part he’d been avoiding in his mind while he focused on his anger.

It wasn’t just about the baby. He loved Tawny. If there was no baby, he’d still want to marry her. Even now, his chest ached at the thought of life without her. The last thing he wanted was to let her go.

But it was no longer his choice.

Tawny had walked out and she wasn’t coming back.