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“No.” Grayson shoves the script into my hands, and I look down at it with a long sigh.

I study the lines until it feels like my head is going to fall off my shoulders, and we start to film. It’s mostly me, talking about how my business is a family business–even though that isn’t quite true. I guess it is when you consider my family is just me.

The camera pans past me to focus on the desk behind me, and Meredith smiles at the camera.

I don’t think much of it, to be honest. I’m busier worrying that Paul will try to flirt with Meredith again, and I’ll genuinely have to kill him.

Everyone leaves except for Meredith after the shoot is over, and I sit in my office, finishing up some paperwork for everyone’s return to work this week. They have been on paid leave–all but Meredith and, occasionally, Dina–while the renovations have been going on.

Meredith is likely still inputting the paperwork into the database. It’s a big job, and I feel kind of bad I dropped it all on her, especially now that she’s pregnant. Those boxes are heavy to carry.

I walk to the doorway to ask if she needs help and nearly run into her as she opens my door.

I lick my lips, looking down at her. “No knock?”

“Sorry.” She doesn’t meet my eyes. “I needed to... uh, talk to you about something.”

Oh, fuck.

She’s not going to tell me that the baby’s father proposed, is she? Something worse? Wait, what could be worse?

She takes in a trembling breath. “Please go and sit down.”

I realize I’ve just been staring dumbly at her and go sit behind my desk, staring dumbly at her some more, my heart racing.

“What is it, Meredith? Are you getting married?” My voice is strained, but I’m proud that it doesn’t break. Because God knows, if that’s her news...

“It’s yours.” Her voice is small and quiet, and I’m not quite sure I’ve heard her.

“What?”

“The baby…” She wrings her hands. “I lied before. It’s yours.”

I stand up, stalking over to her.

She doesn’t flinch, just looks up at me with those wide, blue eyes of hers.

I grab her in the biggest bear hug I can muster, and she squeaks.

“Please, Logan,” she groans as I squeeze her. “I’m nauseous all the time as it is.”

“I’ll go to every appointment. I’ll be there for everything, every milestone?—”

She cuts me off with a laugh. “Calm down, Logan. We don’t even know much, yet. I still have to go for my ultrasound.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s mine.” I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I pale when I think about Grayson. “What about your brother? Does he know?”

“No. And you can’t tell him.” She points a finger at my chest.

I hold my hands up. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I like my head on my shoulders.”

“I have to think about how to break it to him.”

My head spins when I think about what Grayson will say when he finds out, and it makes the blood run from my face.

It’s not just that he might cause me bodily harm, but it will feel like a betrayal. Especially if he finds out this all started years ago, when we first became friends.

“And I want you to know, Logan, this doesn’t.... mean anything.”