Page 97 of Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake

“It’s nothing against her,” Dominic continued, the tone of his voice indicating his attention was elsewhere. “Just use your head.”

“I’ll… I’ll take care of it.” Rake cringed.

“Good. We’ll talk more on Monday,” Dominic said, then hung up.

Rake continued to stare at the speaker, feeling like an absolute prick.

The whole conversation had derailed, and he’d felt incapable of processing it in real time. And what was he supposed to say? He needed to keep his job. He needed to make and save as much money as possible in preparation for the baby. He couldn’t jeopardize that by challenging Dominic, no matter how out of line he was.

When things calmed down with the company and Rake felt more secure in his position, he’d have a talk with Dominic about how he spoke about Lizzie. He’d make it right when the timing was better.

Rake hung his head, still feeling like an asshole.

And that’s when he heard a sniff and the soft padding of feet toward the kitchen.

Panic flooded Rake. Lizzie was home? He hadn’t heard her come in. His head jerked up, his gaze fixing on her watery eyes.

“Lizzie,” he whispered.

Lizzie cleared her throat, fixing her face into the saddestsmile Rake had ever seen. “Have a great dinner,” she said, tossing her bag of frozen tater tots on the counter.

“Birdy.” He stepped toward her, but she put her hands up, moving away from him.

“No, this is great. So great. I hope you get that title change.” The last words were almost an imperceptible whisper, but they punched Rake in the chest.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell him off. I just—”

“Why would you?” Lizzie said, closing her eyes and pressing the heels of her hands into the sockets. “You don’t owe me anything. None of this is real.”

If her previous words were a punch, these were a knife to the gut.

“None of it?”

Lizzie shrugged in defeat. “Nah. I guess I just got carried away, didn’t I? How typical of me. We’re nothing but strangers, after all. Two strangers and a soon-to-be baby. This is a relief, if anything. Consider it taken care of,” she said, throwing his words to Dominic back at him.

“A relief?”

“Of course. Now we know exactly where we stand,” Lizzie said, moving toward the bed. She picked up her clothes off the floor, shoving them into bags. “I’m this embarrassing piece of shit that got knocked up, and you’re some hero doing the world a favor by offering to help out. But hey, we had some good times, huh?”

“Lizzie, stop.”

“No,” she snapped, turning her sharp eyes on him. “You stop. Stop looking at me like I’m pathetic. I’m not pathetic. And I’m not some problem to be swept under the rug so you can impress your boss.”

“That’s not what I’m thinking!” Rake yelled, fisting his hands in his hair. “If you would let me get a word in, I could explain this to you. But you won’t. You’ll do what you always do, steamrollthrough a conversation. Have something decided in your thick skull and never let any words get through to you.”

Lizzie stared at him, hurt cracking through her beautiful face. “Wow.”

“What am I supposed to say, Lizzie?” Rake continued, his voice straining. “I’m doing my best. Do you want me to lose my job? Do you want me to tell Dominic to fuck off?”

“Yes! That’s exactly what you’re supposed to say. You want to pretend to be the hero? You want to try and make this something it isn’t? Then that’s exactly what you were supposed to say, you idiot.”

“So I can sit around here doing nothing? Not provide for you? Live off you? Be some deadbeat right in time for our child to be born?”

“How do you not get it?” Lizzie said, stomping her foot. “I don’t need you to provide for me in some archaic domestic facade. I’m a big girl, and I can figure out how to survive with or without your financial support. The only thing I’ve ever needed was someone to stand up for me.”

“I do stand up for you! I do. Remember when Thu was out of line? How about that whole shit show weekend with your parents? I’m always on your side.”

“Being on my side and snapping at people you don’t know or give a damn about is one thing, but defending me—going out on a limb for me—when the other person’s opinion actually matters in your life? That’s the fucking hard part. That’s the part that matters.”