He gave the door a light rap and, after a moment, it opened.
The smile stilled on his face.
Kizzie looked up at him, eyes red-rimmed, tears still wet on her cheeks. Heat left his body, and he took her by the shoulders. “What? What's wrong?”
She pulled in a shaky breath, fresh tears forming in those cerulean eyes. “I'm … I'm so sorry, Noah. I didn't know. I promise, I didn't. If I'd knownyoucould be in my future, I—I never—”
“Good heavens, darling, what's happened?”
She shook his arms free and wiped a hand over her face. “I … I went to the doctor this morning.”
His entire body froze. Doctor? What was it? Cancer? “Whatever it is, Kizzie—”
“I'm pregnant.” The declaration shook out of her with such force, he didn't fully comprehend.
Pregnant?
“It must have been from the last time Charles and I were together.” She pulled back another step, Charlie's little voice still humming through the room. “I didn't know. I wouldn't have … I'd never have entertained loving you at all, if I'd known. But … but …”
“You're pregnant?”
“Dr. Palmer said I'm five months along, at least.” She shook her head, more tears running down her face. “I promise you, Noah, I didn't know until last night and I started feeling the baby move. That's when … I wondered.”
“You're five months pregnant?” He said the words aloud to fully comprehend them. Five months. November? Long before she ever met him.
And had she said she loved him?
His mind wrestled with the two competing thoughts. He wasn't certain how to fully respond. His care for her hadn't changed. His desire to be with her still anchored him to his resolution. But the news of her pregnancy took some time to digest.
“I don't expect you to renew your … affections from last night.”
His gaze shot to hers. “What?”
“I was ruined goods when I came here. I already have a reputation, Noah.” She wiped at her face again. “And when the news gets out about your brother, you'll have enough dirtying your family name.” She waved to her middle. “If folks keep seeing us together, you know exactly what people will think about this baby. They'll think—”
“That I love you?”
The words slipped out effortlessly. They'd nearly choked him to get out last night. And now in the middle of her revelation, news which should send him stepping back a little to regain his footing propelled him forward. Nothing had really changed, had it? She was the same woman she'd been yesterday, the one he'd slowly been falling in love with for months.
Charlie still needed a father.
The only difference now was he'd become a father of two.
And was the brother of a criminal.
Plus, the little fact he was nearly penniless.
And, at the moment, he'd never been happier.
“I love you, Kizzie; that's not changed at all.”
Kizzie's heart had broken into a million pieces at having to tell Noah the news which was bound to end any hope of their future together, and now, her mind swept completely blank and her reprimand died on her tongue. What had he said?
“You—you love me?”
He shifted a step closer to her, his gentle smile turning into a quiet laugh as if he'd just realized it too. “I do.”
Perhaps the situation with his brother had addled his thinking. She shook her head, new tears blinking free. “You can't.”
