Page 96 of Nothing to Beat

“Why did…?”

“It’s the nursery,” he said, putting the roller down.“You shouldn’t be in here.”

“The nursery?And you thought it should be white?”

“I thought we should have a fresh start.”Putting an arm around her, he directed her out of that room and into their bedroom.“I didn’t know how you felt about colors, if you preferred a mural or paper.This is a blank canvas, ready for whatever you decide.”He frowned.“This is early for you.What happened?Why are you home at this time?”

“Nothing happened, I just…” Could she get away with saying she missed him?“We have to tell your mom.”

“Okay.”

“With some urgency.”

“Why?Is something wrong?”

Was this going to be the pattern throughout her pregnancy?Better that he cared enough to be concerned than the opposite.

“Nothing’s wrong…” Truth time.“I told your dad.”With a wince, she braced.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to, it came out all on its own.”

He relaxed.“Don’t worry.You’re close.I assume he agreed not to tell Mom.”

“I don’t want him to have to lie.”

“Sure, we can—”

“Wait…” She caught his arm as he started to pass.“I’m not done.We should… talk.”

“Because people will ask questions.Dad wouldn’t—”

“He didn’t.Support, not judgment.He didn’t even ask me who the father was.”

“Because he knows it makes no difference to our future.”

Oh, so matter of fact.“Maybe I want to run away with the fictitious father.”

“And you can, providing it’s fictitious running away.You said you’d only been with me…”

“Would you actually doubt that?”she teased.“How many women have you been screwing around with between our trysts?”

“I won’t grace that insult with an answer.”

Other people didn’t exist for them, not in a romantic context.

“We’ll need a bigger apartment,” she said.

“Not necessarily, we have two rooms here, that’s enough.”

“Do you really want to live at B House?”

“Where we live makes little difference.”

“What about work?”she asked.“Your father says you can come back to Breckenridge.”

“That’s up to you.”

Startled, her hands stopped mid-rise to his hips.“Up to me?You know how I feel about you at Breckenridge.”

“Yes.You worry that your father will gain influence over me or my family’s business interests and finances if he’s still on the street.”And technically he was, for the moment anyway.“I’m not convinced you’ll feel any other way until after his sentence.Maybe it will drag on until after he appeals.”