Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I just moved here.” It’s all starting to make sense to me.
“What do you do?”
“I work with Caleb Walker at CW Construction.” I know the company. They rebuilt this bakery after a terrible fire. “About what you were saying before . . .” He puts his elbows on the table and leans forward.
“Yeah, about that,” I titter nervously. I know my time here is running out. I’m going to have to leave soon, and I need to get this over with before I lose the courage and don’t tell him. That would be horrible of me, and regardless of what people think of me, I’m not that person.
“That night,” I start, tucking hair behind my ear, “that was the first time I did anything like that.”
He smirks as if he just won something. “You don’t say—”
“Yeah, anyway,” I quickly interrupt him, “I’ve never really done the one-night stand thing before, so that was new for me.” I look at my fingers. “I’m assuming you’re a pro at them.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“You literally snuck out in the middle of the night. If that doesn’t scream fuckboy, I don’t know what does.” I close my eyes tightly. “I’m sorry, it’s more than okay if that’s the life you want to lead. I’m not going to judge you for it.”
“But you just did,” he points out.
“Is it judging someone if they are pointing out the obvious? I mean, are you going to sit there and tell me you don’t do one-night stands often?” He stares at me, and his silence is deafening. “Exactly. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there.” I exhale. “Something happened that night, and well, I didn’t know you lived here since I’d never seen you before that night, or after—”
“I went to help my sister,” he tells me, “a couple of days after.”
“Right. Um, I’m going to tell you something right now, and you aren’t going to like it.”
“Oh my god.” He puts his hand on his mouth. “You have a boyfriend?”
“What?” I shriek louder than I want to, and now everyone’s looking at us. I look down, embarrassed that I caused a scene. I wait a couple of seconds before I hiss at him, “Are you out of your mind?”
“What else could you possibly tell me that I’m not going to like?”
“It isn’t that.” I swallow. “It’s—”
“Well, what is it?” he prompts, impatient.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt the words in one go, like ripping off a Band-Aid.
His face drains of all color. His mouth is hanging open, and I can see his chest start to rise and fall as if he’s just run a marathon. I know exactly how you feel, buddy.
“Yeah, so.” I put my own hand to my chest as my heartbeat starts to match his. “I would have told you when I found out, but I didn’t know who you were.”
“I’m sorry.” He shakes his head, as if wishing the words away. “What did you say?”
I look around one more time, then back to him. “I’m pregnant.” I say it so low it’s a touch higher than a whisper. “I know this is a shock to you. It took me a full two weeks to wrap my head around it.” I can’t look into his eyes, so instead I focus on my fingers on the table. “With that being said, I want you to know I won’t tell anyone that you’re the father.” I close my eyes when the stinging hits them. “No one is going to know.” My eyes rise up to his reluctantly. “After I saw you yesterday, I figured the least I could do was tell you.” I push away from the table now. “I have to go.” I grab my bag. “Bye, Theo.”
I rush out of the bakery, but even when I’m safe in my car, it still feels like all eyes are on me. As if someone heard, and they are already starting the town phone chain, talking about Collins and her scam to trap a man with a child. The first tear escapes the corner of my eye as I put my hand on my stomach. “It’s just you and me, kiddo.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
THEO
I watch her walk out of the bakery. Scratch that, I watch her bolt out of the bakery like a bat out of hell. She rushes away with her head down, and I’m about to follow her, but my whole body feels like a lead weight.
I’m pregnant. The words she whispered play over and over in my head. I blink. That is the only thing I think I can do right at this moment. The blood rushes to my head. My chest feels like it’s about to crack itself open. My ears are ringing. Then I can hear myself starting to pant. The back of my neck tingles, and I wonder if I’m going to faint. I put my hand on the table to hold myself up, trying to get my whole body back under control. It feels like I’m in a dream. I close my eyes and force them open again, expecting to be in my bed. But the rude reality is that this isn’t a fucking dream.