“I can’t believe you disappeared like that. We started filming, and it was a mess. No one knows where they’re supposed to be. I don’t know what I’m doing. They keep asking for retakes, and their cues are really confusing.” He shook his head. “I know things have been strained between us, but I hoped I could count on you to be professional. The least you can do is your job.”
He expected Zoe to argue with him, as she’d always done before. He expected her to talk about how important her career was and howshehopedNathanwould be professional. He expected her to wave off his concerns and tell him to focus on what came next. He expected her to say that she’d be around from now on and that they needed to get back out there.
Zoe didn’t do any of that. Instead, the strong, composed, professional woman in front of him burst into tears.
For a long moment, Nathan just stood there, shocked. He’d seen Zoe cry before, when she’d mourned her mother after their visit to the hospice patient, but this was different. Tears spilled down her face as her shoulders shook. She wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach. Immediately, Nathan’s frustration with her dissipated like a soap bubble. He crossed to her.
“Zoe…” He wanted to fold her into his arms, but he held back. She’d hurt him. She’d used him. Though he wanted to comfort her, he wasn’t sure it would be appropriate.
“Nathan.” She looked up, her brown eyes glittering with tears.
“Why are you crying?” Nathan asked gently. He took a box of tissues from his desk and handed it to her. He could do that, at least.
“Because…” Zoe wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to say this now, but maybe I’d better.”
“Say what?”
“I’m pregnant.” Zoe placed one hand on her stomach and met his eyes. “I’m pregnant, Nathan. I’m having your baby. I only just found out — that’s why I wasn’t around for the filming. And I know,I know,the timing of this couldn’t be worse. I know I shouldn’t have lied to you about my experience, and I understand that you’re probably still mad. But please. Try to find a way to see this as good news. I won’t ask anything of you — not financial support, not your presence in the baby’s life, or mine, but you deserve to know. You’re going to be a father.”
Nathan took a step back. Automatically, he reached for his glasses and wiped them against the edge of his white lab coat. His mind was blank, as though he couldn’t even process whatZoe had said. She was pregnant? With his baby? He counted back and saw the truth behind her words. Their night together had been almost a month ago.
Nathan had no idea what to say. No idea at all. He still wanted to sweep Zoe into his arms and comfort her, but he also wanted to shout at her that this timing was beyond terrible. How was he supposed to raise a child with someone who had lied to him?
“I need a minute.”
“Right.” Zoe wiped at her eyes. “Of course. Take all the time you need. We don’t need to talk about this right now.” She still looked heartbroken, but Nathan turned away. He couldn’t reassure her when he couldn’t even reassure himself.
Leaving her standing in his office, he gathered himself and went back out to the waiting room. Somehow, filming had to continue. He would do his best to put this news out of his mind for now. He’d think about it later, when he had more time and when he wasn’t so overwhelmed.
Nathan stepped out into the waiting room, expecting the same hustle and bustle as before, but instead, the room was eerily silent. Everyone turned to him as one with expressions ranging from concern to excitement.
“What’s going on?” Nathan asked. “Is everything all right?”
“He doesn’t know,” one of the producers said quietly to another.
“Know?” Nathan shook his head. “Know what?”
“Doctor, your microphone.” The producer gestured to the mic pack someone had attached to the back of Nathan’s belt — the mic pack he’d completely forgotten about. “It was still on for filming. You didn’t turn it off, so…”
Nathan slipped off his glasses. He couldn’t face this room full of people who’d apparently found out that he was going to be a father right along with him.
“Don’t worry.” One of the producers leaned over to pat him on the shoulder. “This will make great TV.”
Nathan wanted to walk out, head straight for the forest, and never come back. The last thing he wanted was for this to “make great TV.” But he couldn’t just run off, not right now, so he put his glasses back on.
“Let’s just keep filming.”
Then, it got worse. Zoe came out from the hallway. She looked composed again, with no sign that she’d just been crying. Everyone turned to look at her, some of them whispering to each other, and her face went pale.
“Nathan?” She crossed to him. “What’s going on?”
He gave her a look that he hoped told her not to say anything else. “My mic was on. They heard everything. Let’s just get this over with.”
Zoe’s face went even paler, and she rubbed a hand across her collarbone, but she nodded.
“Okay. All right.”
So, they filmed. Nathan did his best to stay calm and do all the right things. Zoe managed to slip back into her professional persona and immediately began giving orders and instructing him on how to stand and what to do. Nathan didn’t want to admit it, but it helped — he understood better what was needed from him when it was Zoe who was explaining it.
