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Do not think about that right now.
It throws me.
“Okay.” Then I shake my head. “No. I. Ward, I have a meeting.”
He releases my fingers, and the loss is palpable.
“Of course.” Ward glances around and takes my arm, steering me outside. “Then have dinner with me tonight.”
What is going on?
The chilly air hits me and I realize I haven’t messaged my driver to meet me. I was so excited about the segment that I just raced downstairs.
Shit, fuck.
This appointment is expensive and important. Time of the essence. I had a friend pull strings to get this time slot. Usually, you have to wait months to get in to see this expert in the field.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I reply. “I really do need to go.” I pull out my phone and fumble so much it falls onto the snowy sidewalk.
Ward crouches, picking it up as it beeps and the screen flashes with the appointment reminder.
No!
He hands it to me as his eyes scan the message and I die on the spot.
IVF first appointment with Dr. Qwann.
Our eyes meet, and his face turns ruddy red.
No, no, no.
I want the ground to swallow me up. Having the man I was sleeping with learn I’m going to get artificially inseminated was not on my task list. Today or any day.
I feel ashamed and as if I’ve lied to him. God, what if he thinks I was just trying to get knocked up by him?
I wasn’t.
I wouldn’t do that to a man. Or my yet-to-be-born child.
“I have to go,” I whisper.
Then curse, because I still haven’t messaged my driver and now, I could very likely miss the appointment.
“Pen—”
I spot a cab, shoot Ward an apologetic glance, then dart around him, waving out my arm.
CHAPTER TWELVE
WARD
A BABY. PENELOPE WANTSto have a baby?
A fucking baby.
How did I not realize? She’s a woman in her early forties, single, and childless. Of course she does. Not that every woman in her position would, I just hadn’t taken considered what her life goals were.
Probably because there was never meant to be anything else between us except a night of passion.