Page 124 of My Fiancé's Brother
“You go on down,” I said. “I'll be just a minute.”
“You sure?”
I nodded. Not only did I need to pee, but I needed to gain control over the wild words that threatened to blurt out of my mouth.
I lookedin the mirror of the bathroom. In the light, my bruises were more pronounced than they had been at the hospital. Especially the ones around my neck.
My eyes looked wide and a bit wild. I was pregnant. A baby was growing inside of me. Jackson’s baby. I put my face in a towel and muffled a scream. I wanted a family, but not like this. I didn't want to trap the love of my life into something that he didn’t want. Every single time I had asked Jackson about kids he had been resolute that he did not want them.
I tried to imagine his reaction if I walked downstairs and told him what the doctor had told me. I had a terrible vision of him turning around and walking out of the loft. I would be left here alone. By myself.
My nostrils flared in fear. I feared to be alone right now. I needed to keep my mouth shut. At least a little bit longer. At least until tomorrow. Tonight Jackson would be here for me. I needed him. I needed his safe presence. I would still be pregnant tomorrow. I would tell him then. Surely one day wouldn’t make a difference.
He started to cook an omelet.I slid onto one of the stools around the island and watched him. His jeans were dry. I remembered him standing behind me in the shower with his jeans.
“Did you use the dryer?”
He looked over his shoulder at me, an amused expression on his face. “Is that okay?”
My head bobbed. “Totally okay.”
He chopped up a salad and then drizzled my favorite dressing on it before sliding it in front of me with a fork.
“Aren’t you eating?”
“Already ate.”
My appetite was ravenous. I couldn’t get that salad into my mouth fast enough. He put the omelet in front of me and then sat across from me.
“Have you been eating enough?” he watched me eat.
“Yeah, why?”
“You look like you’ve lost some weight.”
“It’s been busy.”
He looked around. “Where is Irene staying?”
I swallowed. “She’s checked into the hotel across from the hospital. She was finding the commute back and forth too strenuous.”
I didn’t mention that since she had turned her back on Jackson, our relationship had been on the frosty side.
His big arms crossed over his hard chest. He nodded. “What else?”
I glanced up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Is everything okay with you and Matt?”
My eyes dropped to my plate. “I needed some space.”
“Your phone has been dinging all day.”
I breathed in hard through my nostrils. “We had a fight, and I was avoiding him and Irene. And then today happened.”
“You should text him and let him know you are okay.”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
