And why would he have to know?
He doesn’t have to know.
I’m an adult who doesn’t need permission from her partner to run out for twenty minutes to find her nieces a gift.
I need to breathe some fresh air.
I walk over to the mirror and look at myself. My reflection looks… horrid. Pale skin. Messy bun. Zander’s sweatshirt—it’s the only thing that still fits lately.
I could get out and back without him even knowing. He’s not due back for hours.
And when I get back, I’ll tell him I was able to do it. I’ll prove to him that it’s possible.
I dig through his bag and find the baseball cap he left behind. I put on oversized sunglasses. A scarf knotted at my throat. A plain gray coat that Beau bought me when we got to the colder states. I’d already busted three buttons on mine.
This is harmless. A quick trip in and out. Nobody will notice. Nobody will recognize me.
I’m still a nobody except when Zander is by my side. By myself? I’m just like anyone else walking down a busy city sidewalk.
I leave the room, walk softly across the plush carpet to the elevators, and press the button. My pulse ticks as if I’m a thief or a fugitive and not an aunt going to buy toys for her nieces.
I tip my head low and move quickly out of the lobby, hoping everyone is too busy to give me a second glance.
As soon as I’m out on the city streets, I stare at the world and relish it. The cars honking. The voices overlapping. The cold air tinged with exhaust.
I hesitate at the curb, tugging my coat a little tighter, and scan the sidewalks. Then I walk steadily until I reach a souvenir shop and duck inside. I hunt the aisles quickly, grabbing two snow globes. Two keychains. Anything glittery. A couple teddy bears.
I pay in cash. Avoid eye contact with the cashier. Then step back out onto the street. My heart is racing, but this stolen sliver of normalcy is exactly what I needed.
Either from my adrenaline or the heated store, suddenly I’m overheated. Underneath my coat, sweat gathers at the small of my back, and my disguise feels suffocating. I’m so hot that it makes me feel a little nauseated.
I glance around. Nobody’s watching. Nobody cares.
I unbutton my jacket, letting the cold breeze seep in through the sweatshirt. The relief is instant. Cool air slides across my overheated skin.
Click.
The sharp noise might as well have been a gunshot to my ears.
My head jerks in the direction of the sound.
A man stands across the street, lens aimed squarely at my stomach and me.
I freeze.
He lowers the camera, smirking as though he’s already cashed the check for the shot he just scored.
Heat floods my cheeks. I yank my jacket closed, but it’s too late.
I’ve been seen.
And no matter how fast I walk back to the hotel, no matter how tightly I shut the door behind me, the damage is done.
Tomorrow… or probably even tonight… hell, within minutes, the world will know that I’m carrying Zander Shaw’s baby.
Chapter Forty-Two
Zander
