Page 92 of Nothing to Beat

The paternity of the baby, when she’d decided to go for it, was supposed to be a secret.

This wasn’t a secret.

She was having Breck’s baby.

THIRTY-ONE

HE FIXATED ON her stomach a lot.Too much for someone who was supposed to be keeping a secret.

“You keep looking at me like that, the whole world is going to know.”

Even sitting side-by-side, facing the front of the plane, she could tell he was staring again.

Breck was the kind of guy who took everything in stride.He was never overwhelmed or intimidated, he was a planner.And this most definitely hadn’t been the plan.

“No one here knows who we are.It’s a commercial flight.”

Shifting her head in the leather headrest, she got closer, but didn’t actually meet his eye.“When was the last time you flew commercial?”

“Bastian owns an airline.”

“I know he does, that’s why I asked.”

“If you’d let me call—”

“I want to be home, okay?”That’s what she said the moment they hit the sidewalk in LA.They’d gone straight to the airport.“I don’t want to wait.You could’ve stayed in LA if you wanted.”

“I can’t see myself leaving your side any time soon.”

“We’re glued together?”That wouldn’t be subtle either.“Won’t that be fun?”

They were flying commercial, yes.In first class, not slumming it in economy.It may be unusual, but it wasn’t any hardship.Luxury, when within reach, found a way.

The preened flight attendant approached wearing a broad plastic grin.“Can I get you anything?Food?Something to drink?”

Returning the expression, she didn’t envy the woman her job.“No, thank you.”

“You can bring her—”

“I don’t want anything, thank you,” she said, cutting Breck off.After the woman continued up the aisle, she flashed him a glare.“Have I ever needed you to speak for me in the past?”

“I’m speaking for my child.”

“Start that and you’ll be far, far away from this pregnancy.I’ll change the locks, hire security to maintain a perimeter.”

Okay, maybe she wouldn’t go that far, but she was making a point.

Like it bounced off, he became more discerning.“We need a bigger apartment.”

Maybe the perimeter thing wasn’t such a bad idea after all.“Oh,wedo?Dowe?”

“Unless you want to move into B House.”Ha, what a comedian.“We’d never have to worry about childcare.”

She laughed.“Or see our child again.”

“I’ll talk to Mom, she won’t overstep.”

Alice would, but it would be welcome.The woman had so much child rearing experience she could run her own university.Keeping the news quiet at that juncture was about rebounding from shock, not because she thought the Breckenridges would react negatively.