Page 74 of Her Christmas Wish

She didn’t have a dog.

“Yes, everything is filled out. Just awaiting signatures.”

He knew that. She’d mentioned the fact that afternoon.

She turned to go again.

“Don’t be too hard on her,” he blurted next. “I really should have checked that someone knew she was there.”

“Did you really tell her that you’d take your punishments together?”

“I did. When I told her that she had to own up to her mistake and serve her time without argument.”

Sage’s face softened, and she smiled. “I’m probably going to let her go with a stern warning on this one,” she said. “So here’s yours. If ever there comes a time when she’s too much for you, or pestering you, I want your word that you’ll let me know.”

“That sounds more like a question than a warning.”

“I mean it, Gray.”

He got the warning loud and clear that time. In look and tone.

“It’s not going to happen. But if it ever did, I would absolutely let you know.”

She nodded. Watched him a second longer and turned to head back up the beach.

“Are you on birth control?” The question shot out. Hit her in the back.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, finding it hard to breathe, Gray waited.

Sage froze.

Was tempted to just start walking again. Go home. Pretend she hadn’t heard Gray’s parting blast.

Something in his tone played back to her. A kind of emotional desperation. Reminding her of their conversation in her office that afternoon.

Wasn’t such a shock. She’d been replaying it in her mind, over and over, ever since. Figured that damned conversation was why she hadn’t noticed Leigh missing until the little girl had had time to get to Scott’s, knock on the door and have a conversation with Gray...

That afternoon...he’d mentioned having a father who didn’t care enough to see if there’d been consequences for his actions.

Gray wouldn’t be that guy. But if she chose to keep something from him...

That would be on her, and he’d be free...

Sometimes loving meant being responsible enough to know that you weren’t good for someone and walking away. Her inability to take the morning-after pill...that wasn’t on him. She’d made the choice.

She’d have to cut all ties with Gray. At least for a while.

She had no right to make another person’s choices for them. Period. Just as he hadn’t when he’d chosen to walk away rather than be honest with her about his aversion to being a father. The causes. The reasoning. The conditioning that had built inside him over a period of years.

And maybe a whole lot of misplaced guilt, too. Feeling resentful sometimes, even as an adult, was normal. And for a teenager, all alone caring for an incapacitated grandmother...tenfold.

Thoughts flew as she stood there, looking at sand, seeing nothing. Maybe, if she didn’t move, he’d just slip away, and they could pretend his question had never happened.

Sage slowly turned. Looked at him.

And knew he already had his answer.

Her initial response...her hesitation...was enough information.