Page 41

I may have lied

How am I supposed to believe him? God, I want to believe him. That would make things so much simpler, but I’ve had months to process everything. And in all my musings one thing was always the same, he left. He was gone, and this, us, was not what he wanted.

“You may be here now Warren, but that’s because you reacted to surprising news dramatically. In a few weeks or months, maybe even a year, you’ll regret your decision. You’ll be unhappy, just like you were before. I don’t want that. I don’t want a repeat of your childhood. You don’t have to do this just because you feel obligated to. I was just fine doing it on my own.”

Warren doesn’t say anything in response to my little speech, he just stares at me. Eyes roaming over my face looking for the truth. It’s all truth. I was fine doing this on my own. I’ve had six months to get everything in order to raise this baby on my own. With the help of my best friend and Gigi of course. He can turn around and leave and no one has to be the wiser. No one has to know he was here or that he’s the father. Nothing has to change.

“You really think that’s why I came back?” he asks, a bit dejected.

He’s one of my best friends and I love him, and hate hurting him, but I can’t pretend. For the happiness and safety of my son,I can’t let him waltz back into my life just to flip it on its head in the future. It’s not just me anymore that I have to be concerned with, I have to think of the baby too.

“Maybe. Sometimes you react without thinking. You make rash decisions and don’t think about the consequences. You heard about the baby and panicked. It’s okay. You don’t have to stay because you feel guilty or obligated. I don’t want that, and I know you don’t either.”

His brows pull together as he frowns down at me, his gaze filled with so much turmoil I can nearly see the thoughts pouring from his gaze.

“If that’s what you think…” he says, dropping his hand from my belly and stepping back. The warmth of his body leaving me with a chill across my skin. “Then I’ll just have to prove you wrong.”

That was not what I was expecting. Although I should have known better, he is extremely stubborn.

“Warren?”

“No Bambi. I’ll prove to you that I’m not going anywhere. That I didn’t come back out of someobligation. I should have never left, but I did, and I’ll have to live with that. With missing out on waiting for the pregnancy test to read positive, for not holding your hair back while you puked, for missing the first sonogram.”

Warren’s throat bobs with an audible swallow, his chest heaving with his breaths, visibly affected by his own words.

“But not anymore. I’m going to be here from now on for everything. You have a weird craving? You call me and I’ll go get it. You need a ride to the doctor? I’ll drive you. You have swollen feet? I’ll rub them. I’m not here accidentally. You’ll see.”

Bending over he swipes up his shirt and hoodie, pulling them both back on, covering his impressive form. I will admit, seeing him shirtless again was not a bad thing.

Momentarily distracted by his body, I don’t immediately realize he’s moving again. This time directly towards me. His hands engulf my face and hold me still as he plants a desperate and heart palpitating kiss on my lips. I’m too stunned to do anything but react, melting against his lips and giving in to my own desire for him.

My brain is a little fuzzy when he pulls away, eyes half lidded as I watch him release me and back away.

“I’m going to go get my boat settled at Gigi’s, but I’ll be back. I’m not going anywhere Bambi. You’re stuck with me now.”

He gives me a wicked grin and slips his knit cap back on his head, flattening his mop of thick brown hair, before leaving me standing in my apartment completely confused.

I need to talk to Izzy.

~

Less than an hour later I’m sitting on Izzy’s couch sipping on hot tea, waiting in silence for her to sit so I can try and explain the whole Warren situation and why I lied to my best friend.

“So, what’s the emergency? You said it has to do with the baby but the baby’s fine?” Izzy finally sits on the opposite end of the couch and curls her legs under her, steam curling from her mug as she sips it gingerly.

“Yeah, so I may have lied to you, just a tiny bit,” I admit, hiding my face behind my mug.

Izzy narrows her gaze at me. “Lied about what, exactly?”

“Um…who the father is.” My admission is muttered but my sharp as a tack best friend still hears it.

Izzy lowers her mug resting it on her knee, her lips pursing in a disapproving manner.

“Mmhmm. So, who is the father? And why did it matter so much to lie about it?”

“Once you know who it is you’ll understand why I lied.”

My best friend waits patiently, watching me with suspicious eyes. Her soft blonde hair is pulled up into a top knot and her oversized sweater is perfectly slid off one shoulder. Her house is just as thought out and put together as she is. Everything in her life is put together, unlike mine.