Page 344 of When We Fall: Part Two

The door opened, and the doctor returned.

“OK, Rosalie. You are pregnant. You are about six weeks and three days along. Give or take. Your due date will be July first. Congratulations!”

“She’s been having terrible morning sickness,” Anson said as Evan adjusted his sunglasses. He rarely took them off if we were in town. I thought he was still just as beautiful as always, but I understood his reasoning.

“She-She lost a baby before. Her morning sickness was bad then, too,” Anson continued. “We’re worried?—”

“I can prescribe her something that will be fine for her to take. We can try that and see how she does. If the sickness persists, we can move on to other options. We typically see this kind of sickness lasting until the second trimester. It usually clears up. It’s rare that she’ll be sick throughout, but it’s always a possibility. There are treatments out there.”

“OK. Get the meds,” Anson confirmed. “Right, baby? You want them?”

I nodded as Evan held me.

The doctor spent a moment on her laptop before confirming that the prescription had been sent to the local pharmacy and that she had written enough to cover the first trimester. She then urged me to find a provider when we arrived in California. I said I would, and we left the office.

Evan sat in the back of Anson’s rented SUV with me, his arm around my shoulders as Anson drove.

“It’s Cole’s,” I whispered as we pulled into the pharmacy parking lot several minutes later.

Anson turned and looked at me after he parked in a spot.

“Do you want to tell him?” he asked gently. He looked to Evan, who was tense. I knew what telling him meant. He’d know Evan—Fox—was alive. Evan didn’t want them to know. He wanted to stay hidden.

“It’s OK,” Evan murmured. “Ro, if you want to tell him, I’ll be OK. I want what you want, baby. If they find out I’m alive, they’ll bitch and moan for a bit, but they’ll be fine eventually.”

I closed my eyes, hating my answer, but knowing it was the right one. There was no way I wanted Celeste involved in my child’s life. If I told Cole, and he was involved with her, that’s what would happen. I couldn’t do that. I knew she was a horrible person. Ethan hated her, and Ethan loved everyone. That was her first red flag.

I swallowed. “I’m not going to tell him. He let me go. He said he loved me, but he still left with Enzo and Celeste. I-I’m not going to tell him.”

Evan hugged me as Ani held my hand.

“If that’s what you want. We’re here for whatever,” Evan said, kissing my temple.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“There isn’t a damn thing to be sorry about. We’re going to be parents. It’s a little bit of a detour, but honestly, LeeLee, thosecan be the best trips. That baby will have two of the best dads in the world. I promise you that.” Ani squeezed my hand.

I smiled through my tears at him, hating myself for keeping this from Cole. I knew how much he wanted this baby.

But he let me go a long time ago. He chose Celeste and Enzo. I had to protect my baby from that life. Things were far too dangerous there right now.

Everett Church was still out there.

“Let’s go to California,” I said, wiping my eyes.

“Let’s go to California,” Anson said, his eyes bright and a gentle smile on his face.

Evan kissed my temple again. “I’m ready when you are.”

I smiled at that.

“Forward only. No looking back,” I said.

“That’s our girl.” Ani grinned at me before getting out of the car and going into the pharmacy to get my meds.

“I’m scared,” I whispered to Evan.

“Me too, but we can do this. I have faith.”