I pull back slightly, shocked that she would ever think that I would be the type of man to leave her high and dry with my kid.
“I don’t know where you got the idea that you were in this alone. Lizzy,” I begin, “we are both in this. So, with that being said, what do you want to do?”
At the end of the day, any decision is hers. I’m going to be here and support her either way.
“I want to keep the baby,” she replies in a shaky voice. “And I want you to do this with me. I don’t want to lose you, Jon.”
She begins crying once more, and I hug her tightly again. “You won’t lose me. I have no plans on leaving you high and dry. We are in this together, and we will figure this out as a team.”
Lizzy nuzzles into my chest, and I realize that this is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Adding a child to the equation is only going to make our lives more fulfilling.
It’s not the end of the world to have a family. I just need to practice because I wasn’t given the best example growing up.
Luckily, I have Lizzy to help me learn. Without thinking, I let the three words slip out that I’ve been feeling for a while now.
“I love you, Lizzy.”
27
JONATHAN
The lack of sleep is catching up to me as I sit at my desk, dreading the workday. I’ve been up all night going over every detail of my life. Now that I’m going to be a father, I have to evaluate everything.
It’s not at all going to be a bad thing, just different. I’ll be at all the appointments, I’ll take care of anything Lizzy needs, and I’ll be there for her throughout the entire pregnancy. I’ll definitely have to babyproof…
I’ve been going through the list over and over again, trying to make it click in my head.
I’m going to be a father.
The idea, while frightening and new, is exciting and thrilling. My life has been the same routine for a very long time, but now, I have something to live for and look forward to.
As I look out at Lizzy, who sits at her desk but seems far too distracted to work, I can’t help but smile. I finally have someoneI want to spend the rest of my life with. How could I be disappointed?
As she looks up from her computer, she smiles at me. Seeing her smile is enough to help me get through the day.
I just wish I could ease some of the weight on her shoulders. With the pregnancy and the drama going on with her family, it looks as if she hasn’t slept in a week.
I feel for her, but hopefully after today, things will start to fall in line for both of us.
Today is the day that Lizzy has been dreading.
In just a few moments, Ethan Jones will be arriving at the office to discuss Jones Construction. While buying his company will surely be a great thing for my company, it’s only going to damage Lizzy’s relationship with her family further.
I love that woman, and I want only the best for her. I want her to be happy, and without her family’s support, she is miserable.
Chase pops his head into my office. “Hey, you ready to head in? It’s almost time.”
Sighing, I grab my accordion folder that has all the documents we’ll need today and follow behind him into the conference room. As we enter, I notice the fresh carafe of coffee ready for me as I take my seat and fill up a cup.
Rubbing the back of my neck, Chase nudges me as we wait for Sherry to bring Ethan in. “Hey, you alright? I know it’s been a hell of a few days for you.”
“No, I’m not okay,” I admit. “I’m in a dilemma and I don’t know what to do. Even with the pregnancy stuff aside, Lizzy’s fatherand brother are going to lose their jobs if we buy it from Ethan. They found out and completely cut her off, and I don’t know what to do. Buying it will be good for the company but bad for her.”
It feels nice to confide in my friend. I’ve been keeping my life hidden from him for far too long. Chase has always been my voice of reason, so telling him will hopefully help me come to a decision.
“Wow,” he exclaims. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this sooner?”
