Chapter Sixteen
Romy
“Okay… okay… let me explain. I can explain. Please.” I let out a breath since I feel as though I’m about to hyperventilate. “I know, I know. I can see on your face that you’re a little surprised.”
“A little?”
My mom keeps turning the doorknob, and I keep holding it tightly. She bangs on the other side. “Romy! Romy, let me out. This is not funny.”
I look at Zander. “I have to let her out.”
It’s obvious to me that my little stunt with the door has distracted my mom from looking in the drawer, otherwise, she’d be less concerned with getting out. She’d either speak softly to me and ask me to open the door because she wants to comfort me, or she wouldn’t be trying to get out at all because she’d be sitting there stunned.
He stares at my hand on the knob and doesn’t say anything. I have no idea what he’s thinking. I want to know what’s going on in his head. He’s probably thinking the baby isn’t his. The words paternity test must be flashing in his mind like a neon sign. He’s thinking about his money and that I’m going to want to take him for everything he has. He’s thinking this one woman that he spent very little time with is now a part of his life forever.
My mom yanks on the door even harder, and I have to use every muscle I have to hold the door shut until he can grasp what I’ve just told him and put on some kind of fake act, as if I didn’t just shatter his world with two words.
Right before I release the doorknob, I say, “I’m really sorry.”
I let go. My mom swings the door open, heaving for breath, totally pissed and giving me the meanest look I have ever seen her give any of us. Even when Bennett crashed the truck at sixteen for a second time.
Zander turns and walks away.
“What is going on? Why would you lock me in there?” I don’t answer, my eyes on Zander’s back as he pushes out the back door, and she says, “Romy, I want answers.”
I raise my hand. “Just give me five minutes, Mom. Just five minutes.”
I follow Zander without waiting for her to reply.
“You’ve got five minutes, and then I want some answers!” She sucks in a breath. “Jesus, I can’t believe you did that.”
“I swear I’ll be right back,” I say as I push out the door.
Zander is already halfway to the edge of the vineyard, heading down the hill.
Maybe I should give him some time to process things, but once I get close enough, I can’t stop myself from spitting it all out. “Let me explain. I know I should have told you. I get that. I know?—”
“Damn right you should have.”
He whips around, and I’m taken by surprise. I stumble back and trip on a small rock behind me. He grabs my arms and holds me steady. Then he just stares into my eyes. His pain flickers through, and my heart sinks for holding onto this information.
“Zander, I found out the day you showed up here. Like, minutes before. I was just trying to make sense of this whole situation before bringing you into it.” Wetness pricks at my eyes. My nose stings. My throat is closing up. I can’t hold these tears in any longer. I just want to crumble. I just want to— “I don’t expect anything from you if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Zero emotion lines his face.
“Just tell me what you’re thinking right now,” I plead. One tear falls, then another before I cover my face with my hands from embarrassment.
“Fuck, don’t cry.” He pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around me.
I’m surprised but comforted at the same time. My fingers grip the back of his shirt as I breathe in his scent. And damn it if that doesn’t somehow make me feel worse and better with every breath.
I hold onto him while I mumble, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
He draws back but keeps his hands linked behind my back. “Why do you keep apologizing?”
“I don’t know. Because… I feel like I just ruined your life.”
He smirks, gives me that half smile. Who is this man?
