I winced, a cramp rippling through me.Braxton-Hicks,Dr. MacDonald explained at our appointment last week, in depth, due to Max’s probing. “What did Max tell you?”
It wasn’t until I saw her eyes flare and then chin dip that I realized my tone was sharper than I’d intended, not because of her question, but because of the pain.
“He didn’t tell me anything, just that you decided to come home last night. Sorry if you don’t want to talk about it. We don’t have to.” She scooped some honey onto the knife and spread it over her muffin.
“No, I’m sorry.” I shifted to alleviate another cramp. “I didn’t mean…it’s just been a long night.”
“It’s okay. I only asked…” She paused and swallowed. “I only asked because I know Blaze was at the gala.”
Blaze. That’s right.Now, I remembered what Max had said about being surprised that Harper had bailed on going with him to the gala—because he thought she’d want any excuse to see Blaze.
“Yeah, we talked to him for a few minutes. He thanked Max for letting him use the apartment, but that was about it.”
She made a soft sound but kept eating, almost like she was trying to stop herself from asking more.
“Do you…know when he’s moving in?”
I shook my head, uncertain. “He didn’t say. I’m sure you’ll see him around as soon as they do, though.”
Her eyes dropped. “Oh, I hope not.”
“No?” A crease pulled through my brows.
Harper shook her head. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just…I think it’s better if I don’t see him. That’s why I told Max I couldn’t go last night.”
“Why don’t you want to see him?”
“Aside from the fact that my family has already made it awkward by sharing about my high school crush on him?” She laughed weakly. “I think it’ll just be better for me if I don’t interact with him. Help me get those girlish fantasies out of my head.” She tried to play it off lightly, but there was only self-deprecation in her eyes. “Can’t fight reality, right?”
I set the other half of my muffin down. What little appetite I had was gone.
Can’t fight reality.
“Todd’s parents were at the gala.”
“What?” Food practically spilled from her mouth as it dropped. “Did they…” She trailed off when I nodded.
“I think that was the only reason they were there. To talk to me.”To threaten me.
“What did Max do?”
“He wasn’t there. Not at first.” In hindsight, maybe that was a good thing. If I hadn’t heard her out, who knows what they would’ve done—if they would’ve just started cutting off his business without warning.
“They want the baby,” I heard myself say.
“What the hell?” Harper’s hands planted on the counter, and she glared at me. In that moment, I saw the similarities between her and Max. “They can’t just demand someone else’s baby. This isn’t the eighteenth or whatever century. I hope you told them to go f?—”
“They’re going to come after MaineStems if I don’t,” I interrupted, not wanting to hear all the ways I should’ve stood up to them—stood my ground and said screw it to whatever consequences Max would endure because of me.
“I don’t understand.”
“They’re going to ruin his business. All his contacts. His contracts. All the deals he has in the works…they’re going to lean on all their connections to hurt Max.”
“How…can they do that?”
“What? Spread rumors? Spread lies?” I choked out, my throat burning with anger and loathing. “People can say whatever they want—write whatever they want. No one bothers to check anymore if it’s true.”
It wasn’t until the color drained from her face that I realized I’d hit close to home. Well, at least she understood now. All it took was one word, a single lie dropped like dye into a bucket of clear truth, and the whole thing would be tinted. Tainted.
