Page 35 of Single Dad’s Fake Bride (Billionaire Baby Daddies #7)

SADIE

I slipped into the restaurant booth across from Kramer, my shoulders finally releasing tension I hadn't realized I'd been carrying. The dim lighting and steady hum of conversation felt safer than the quiet house where every word might be overheard.

"You look terrible," Kramer said, sliding a glass of water toward me.

"Thanks. That's exactly what I needed to hear."

He grinned, but concern flickered behind his eyes. "What's going on, Sadie?"

I wrapped my hands around the water glass, needing the cool surface to ground me. "Where do I start? The board launched a formal investigation into my employment at the school. They're calling it a conflict of interest review, but we both know what it really is."

"They're trying to discredit Harrison through you."

"Exactly. And it worked. Dr. Sterling terminated my contract earlier this week." The words tasted bitter. "She said they couldn't risk the appearance of impropriety while the investigation continues."

Kramer leaned back, his expression darkening. "That's completely?—"

"Legal. Justified. Reasonable." I took a sip of water, forcing myself to stay calm. "I'm a substitute teacher married to the man who stands to inherit the school. Of course they can fire me."

"What did Harrison say?"

Heat crept up my neck. "That he'll fight it. That he'll make sure I get my job back once the inheritance goes through." I met Kramer's eyes. "But what if it doesn't? What if the board finds a way to invalidate the marriage? What if his sisters succeed with their lawsuit?"

"Then you'll figure it out. You always do."

I shook my head. "This is different. I've never been this… dependent on someone else. My entire life is tied to Harrison now. My income, my housing, Mom's medical care, even Eloise's stability. If this falls apart, I don't have anything that's mine alone anymore."

The server appeared, and we ordered quickly. When she left, Kramer studied me with the patient attention he'd perfected over years of friendship.

"There's more, isn't there?"

My throat tightened. "I'm pregnant."

He blinked once, then leaned forward. "Harrison's?"

"Of course it's Harrison's." I pressed my palms against the table. "We haven't exactly been… careful lately."

"How do you feel about it?"

"Terrified. Confused. This wasn't supposed to happen. We had rules, boundaries. The marriage was supposed to be practical, not…" I trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

"Not real?"

I nodded, then immediately shook my head. "But it feels real. That's the problem. I'm falling for him, Kramer. I'm falling for this life we've built, and I don't know if he feels the same way or if I'm convenient. And what if this turns out just like my dad? I mean…"

"Have you told him about the baby?"

"No. Not yet." I took a shaky breath. "How can I? He married me to save his daughter's place at school, not to create more complications. What if he thinks I'm trying to trap him?"

"Sadie." Kramer's voice was gentle but firm. "You're spiraling."

"I'm being realistic."

"No, you're being scared. And I get it, I do. But you're also being stubborn." He waited until I looked at him. "You've already chosen him."

"I haven't?—"

"You sleep in his bed. You take care of his daughter. You worry about his future and whether he's eating enough. You defend him to your mother, and you light up when he walks into a room." Kramer counted off each point on his fingers. "You've chosen him in a hundred small ways."

My chest tightened. "Those are just… we live together. Of course I care about his well-being."

"Bull. You've been taking care of people your whole life, but this is different. You're not Harrison's caregiver, Sadie. You're his partner."

"We have a contract."

"And? Harrison is a smart man. He's a good father. He could have married anyone with money or connections, but he chose you. Not because you were convenient, but because you were the right person for his daughter and for him."

I stared at the table, Kramer's words circling in my mind. "What if you're wrong?" I hated that he was making sense, especially after Harrison confessed that he loved me last night. It was too much, too fast, and I hated that it felt right. I hated myself for my reaction.

"What if I'm right?" He reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Sadie. No matter what happens with the inheritance or the job or anything else, you'll be fine. But maybe it's time to stop assuming the worst will happen."

We ate in comfortable quiet after that, the conversation shifting to safer topics. But Kramer's words followed me home, echoing with every step.

The house was dark when I slipped inside, Mom and Eloise already in bed. I found Harrison in the kitchen, reading on his laptop with a mug of coffee at his elbow.

"How was dinner?" he asked, looking up.

"Good. Kramer says hello." I moved to the sink, needing something to do with my hands. "How's Mom? She seemed tired when I left."

"She had a good day. Dr. White was pleased with her progress." Harrison closed the laptop and stood. "I made tea earlier. Your favorite. It's still warm if you want some."

The gesture was small but thoughtful, and it made my chest ache. "Thank you."

He poured the tea into my usual mug, the one with the chipped handle that I'd claimed as mine without asking. Another small intimacy that felt larger than it should.

"Sadie." His voice was careful. "About what happened Monday with Dr. Sterling?—"

"It's fine." I wrapped my hands around the mug, letting the warmth seep through my palms. "She did what she had to do."

"It's not fine. You love teaching, and you're good at it. Eloise talks about your lessons constantly."

A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. "She's a good student."

"She's happy. That's because of you." Harrison moved closer, and I felt the gravity of his presence. "I know this is hard. The uncertainty, the gossip, everything feeling out of your control. But we'll get through it."

I nodded, but I couldn't quite meet his eyes. The walls were already building themselves, brick by brick. It was easier to retreat behind routines and politeness than to risk the vulnerability of hoping he meant what I wanted him to mean.

"I should check on Mom before bed," I said, though I'd already looked in on her when I got home.

"She's sleeping. I checked twenty minutes ago."

"Right. Of course you did." I set down the mug, suddenly exhausted. "I think I'll turn in early tonight."

Harrison studied me for a long moment, and I could feel him choosing his words carefully. "Okay. Sleep well."

I made it to the bedroom and was turning down the covers when I heard his footsteps in the hallway. He appeared in the doorway, already pulling his shirt over his head.

The sight of his bare back made me freeze. He moved carefully, favoring his left side, and when he reached behind to rub his lower back, I saw him wince.

Guilt crashed over me. "Harrison."

He looked over his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Your back. It's hurting again, isn't it?"

"It's fine."

"It's not fine. You're in pain." I moved toward him, then stopped myself. "I should sleep on the floor tonight. Or the couch."

"Sadie, no."

"You need the space. You need to be able to stretch out properly."

He turned to face me fully, his expression serious. "I said no."

"But your back?—"

"Will be fine." He stepped closer, and I caught the faint scent of his soap, clean and familiar. "The floor is fine."

I shook my head. "I can't keep making you uncomfortable in your own home."

Before I could retreat, he caught my hand, his fingers warm against mine. With gentle pressure, he guided me toward the bed.

"Harrison—"

"Trust me." He pulled back the covers and waited until I reluctantly climbed in, then tucked the blanket around my shoulders with careful attention. The mattress dipped as he settled beside me, maintaining the careful space we'd grown accustomed to before I made him sleep on the floor last night.

In the darkness, his voice was barely above a whisper. "My sleeping here doesn't have to mean anything, okay?"

My heart twisted, because that was exactly the problem.

I wanted it to mean everything. And when the tears came, I had to use every ounce of strength in my body not to shake the bed or make a sound when I cried.

I couldn’t even tell him I loved him back because I was too afraid to let go and risk my heart being destroyed again.

My father did a number on me, worse than I ever imagined, and now I was about to upset Harrison's whole world. I was pregnant, lying about how much I wanted him, and confused about everything.