He tugs me into his chest and holds my head against him. "I'm sorry. I'm not blaming you for anything. You know I love you."
My heart calms slightly. I sniffle. "I know you do."
"So give me a minute to process this, okay?" he says, hugging me tighter.
I don't say anything.
He finally speaks. "We need to get a test."
"I got one at the store."
"Where is it?"
I retreat from the safety of his chest and meet his gaze. He's trying to look calm, but his worry is obvious, and it freaks me out. My insides quiver, and I reply, "In my car."
"Okay. As soon as we're back, you need to take it," he asserts.
"I will."
"Good."
A moment of silence builds between us.
I blurt out, "If you go to Tennessee, I'll come with you."
His face falls. "How?"
"What do you mean?"
He chuckles sarcastically. "What would I say?'Hey, Jacob. I knocked up your daughter. And I'm moving her to Tennessee tolive in a bunkhouse with a bunch of other cowboys even though there's a no-women-allowed rule'?"
The earthquake in my stomach intensifies. "We'll get another place."
"With what money?" he asks.
"You've won a lot," I point out.
His expression shutters, and he looks away.
Dread claws at me. My voice trembles as I ask, "How much did you lose gambling?"
He takes a minute, then finally meets my eyes. "Almost everything."
I gape at him.
He closes his eyes. "I'm sorry. We just got carried away. I didn't realize how much I'd lost until the following day."
My anger flares. I accuse, "How could you not have known?"
His voice drops into the low octave he saves when he's mad. He admits, "We were drinking a lot."
My eyes turn to slits. I hiss, "I told you Jagger shouldn't go with you!"
"It's not his fault."
"Stop defending him!" I cry out.
Wyatt's face darkens. He insists, "I'm my own man, Willow."
