Page 76

Her tears were flowing steadily now. “Please,” she whispered. “Go.”
Chapter 30
He took her face in his hands, tilting it up until she was forced to look at him. “Pomegranate?” He smirked. “What happened to Orange?”
“The baby grew again.”
“I liked Orange better. I was thinking OJ might be a good baby name,” he joked.
“Don’t try to make me laugh right now. I’m not done being mad at you.”
He didn’t know what had possessed him to come back there. But sitting home, wondering what was happening on her date with Max, wondering if he was kissing her goodnight, drove him insane. And when she stood before him again, with those beautiful eyes and kissable lips and that feisty attitude he loved so much, he couldn’t help himself. He’d needed her as close as he could get her. It had felt so good, so right, never wanting to let her go, not wanting her with anyone but him.
She was his weakness. Clearly, he couldn’t control himself around her. He had wanted to taste her lips again after all these months without it. And he nearly had. The guilt over that betrayal to Dréa was already eating him alive.
He was frustrated. With himself for almost kissing her. With his out of control emotions over her dating Max. Was he jealous? Heck yes, he was. But Jamie was right. She deserved happiness and someone to love her.
He hadn’t expected her to admit her feelings for him, though, and that made things more complicated.
“I’m sorry, Jamie. You’re right about everything.”
“Of course, I am. And you’re a jerk.”
He nodded. “That’s accurate.”
Jamie sniffled as she stepped away from him and took a seat on the couch. “I told you to let yourself out, didn’t I?” She tilted her head toward the door.
“I’m going.” He headed in that direction.
“Wait, what did you want to talk about when you stopped by before?” she asked.
He turned around. “It’s not relevant anymore.”
“What isn’t?” Her brow furrowed.
There was no way Jamie would move to Denver. Not after admitting how she felt about him. To ask her to live near him and his new wife would be like pouring lemon juice on a paper cut.
“You have to tell me now or I’ll wonder what it was, and that will drive me crazy. Please don’t torture a pregnant woman with overactive hormones.”
“It had to do with Denver,” he replied.
“You’re still moving there then?”
He nodded. “It makes the most sense.”
“Not for the baby.” Her tone was snarky.
He hesitated but wanted to be honest with her. “I was going to ask if you’d consider moving there.”
Shock spread over her face. “Excuse me?”
“I found a great apartment with a short-term lease when I was down there last weekend. I’m going to rent it for myself, for now, so I have a place to stay until the wedding, and I thought it would be a great place for you and the baby to live. It’s a nice neighborhood, good schools, not far from where Dréa and I are looking for a place.” He paused to look at her. “But I know it’s probably not going to happen.”
He could almost see steam coming out of her ears as she held her reaction in. It scared him that she was probably going to burst at any moment. And then she did.
“Probably? I’m not moving. I’m not upending my entire life for you. My business is here. I’ve got a support system in place for this baby with your family. Why would I move to a strange city, where I only know you and your new bride, where I have to start all over establishing photography clients? Have you not thought this through?” She didn’t give him a chance to reply as she continued, growing louder the longer she talked. “Apparently not. You only thought about how it would be for you, having the baby closer. And I get that you don’t want to be so far away, but that’s your choice, Duncan. So, go! Move to Denver! But I’m staying here with your sister and your family—”
“And Max?” he added.