Page 117

Blake hung up the call, trying to breathe. Why was it that the harder he tried to move on, the more Jenny and the past seemed to come up? Thankfully, Hannah had stopped asking about her.

Speaking of Hannah, that was exactly who he needed to make his day better. Dialing her cell, he glanced at the clock. It was after four, so she should be home.

It went to her voicemail, and he left a message.

“Hey, Han, I just wanted to say hi and hear your voice. Give me a call, okay?”

I love you.

He hung up without saying it. No matter where they were or how close they’d become, those three little words still sent his stomach plummeting.

HANNAH CHEWED ON a cracker, trying to fight the nausea that had been plaguing her for three days. She’d thought she might be getting the flu the first day, but when it continued to come and go, she’d had a terrible feeling it was something else.

That’s when she’d called Nicki.

Her door opened, and Nicki came through in a black tank top and red shorts, pushing her sunglasses up on top of her head as she looked at Hannah.

“Oh, sweetie. Come on, let’s go.” She held up a plastic bag. “You’re going to take this test, and if it’s negative, I have Pepto.”

Hannah groaned as she got up, holding her hand out for the pregnancy test. She really didn’t think she was. Blake had always used a condom, and she’d started the pill a couple weeks ago, as a backup. Nicki assured her it was probably just a bug but had gone to the store anyway.

Hannah went into the bathroom and a moment later set the pregnancy test on the counter, waiting. She stared at the wall, taking deep, even breaths.

Nicki knocked on the door. “Have you looked yet?”

“Not yet.”

“It shouldn’t take long to show up if you are.”

Hannah looked over, and the blood rushed to her head, making the room spin a little.

The digital test’s answer box had one word, not two.

Pregnant.

She was pregnant.

Putting her face in her hands, she groaned.

“Shit, that’s not good.” Nicki came into the bathroom and stood over Hannah for a few seconds before she knelt down in front of her. “Hey, it’s okay. You have options. It’s not the end of the world.”

Hannah jerked her gaze up to Nicki’s. “That’s not it. It’s Blake. How am I going to tell him?”

“You don’t have to. Only if you decide to keep it, and even then, if you don’t think he’d be good for you—”

“It’s not that he’s not good for me. He’s wonderful. He’s sweet, and loving, and wonderful, and I love him, but . . . but he doesn’t love me. Not really.”

The incredulous look on Nicki’s face would have made her laugh if she wasn’t so miserable. “What are you talking about? I’ve seen him with you. He can’t keep his hands and eyes off you.”

“I thought he might, I really convinced myself, but now, I think he’s still hung up on his wife. I’m sure he cares, but I don’t think there’s any more room left in his heart for me.”

Nicki frowned at her, shaking her head. “That is crazy talk. Guys are always a little standoffish when it comes to feelings and all that love stuff. You’re just hormonal.”

Hannah didn’t argue. What was the point? She knew she was right. Blake might have put Jenny in a box in the closet, but she was still haunting him.

And if he couldn’t let go, then where would that leave them?

Chapter Thirty-Six