She slammed the door behind her. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Her rage was a tangible life force in the room with him. Jeff turned away from his computer so that he could face her. Even as he wondered what she was talking about, he realized she’d never visited him at work before.
“Ashley, what seems to be the problem?”
Her eyes flashed with fire. “Don’t give me that. Don’t pretend you don’t know. What was it, Jeff? A game? Did you think it was funny? How dare you play with my life! Were you even thinking? Didn’t you care that I had goals and a plan? Damn you.”
He didn’t know what was wrong. He rose and walked around the desk so that he was standing in front of her. Had she finally figured out that his dreams weren’t strange images from his subconscious, but were, in fact, the truth? Had she realized he wasn’t like other men?
Tears filled her eyes. She angrily brushed them away. “Say something.”
“I still don’t know what’s wrong.”
Her mouth thinned. “How like a man. What am I supposed to tell Maggie? Did you even give her one thought in all of this?”
At the mention of her daughter’s name, his heart froze. “Is something wrong with Maggie? Is she hurt?”
“She’s fine. This has nothing to do with Maggie.” She shoved him away from her. “You and your big sob story. To think I bought into it. I’m such an idiot. You lied to me. How could you?”
“Ashley?”
She glared at him. “I’m pregnant.”
Chapter 14
Ashley continued to talk but Jeff wasn’t listening. He couldn’t believe what she’s said.
Pregnant?
He tried to figure out what, if anything, he was feeling, but he couldn’t tell. It was as if his entire brain had shut down. Pregnant. He turned the word over and over in his mind wondering how it could be possible.
“And don’t for a moment think that you’re going to say something stupid like ‘Who’s the father?’” she said, still glaring at him. “You know exactly where I’ve been spending my nights. This baby is yours.”
A baby. That was more real than hearing her say she was pregnant. Had they really produced a child together? A living being growing inside of her that would become an infant and grow into a child.
He hadn’t thought he was human enough to father a child. He remembered what the doctor had talked about when there had been problems with Nicole. That he, Jeff, had a low sperm count. Something about less than optimal numbers. That it was unlikely he could father a child in the traditional manner, although there had been other alternatives if they’d been interested. By then, Nicole wasn’t interested. She’d said that the reason he couldn’t father a child wasn’t about his sperm count but the fact that he was no longer human.
She’d been wrong.
Jeff had never thought to question the doctor further. Until Ashley had entered his life, he’d used condoms for health reasons. Although with her that had never seemed necessary. He knew he was healthy, so he hadn’t worried about passing anything on to her. But he’d never considered that he might be able to get her pregnant.
“Are you even listening to me?” she demanded.
Something bright and alive flashed inside of him. It was hot and pure and it took him several seconds to recognize the feeling.
Joy. Pure, wonderful joy.
He grabbed her at the waist and swung her around the room. She shrieked and hung on to his shoulders.
“Jeff! Put me down. I’m not happy about this.”
He knew, but he couldn’t help smiling at her. “We’re having a baby.”
“I believe I was the one who informedyouof that. Stop grinning like a sheep. This isn’t good news.”
He tried to sober. “I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t playing with you, Ashley. I didn’t know I could get you pregnant. Based on what the doctor had told me before, I never thought it would be an issue. I really do have a low sperm count. If you would like the name and phone number of the doctor, I’ll give it to you. I wasn’t being irresponsible on purpose.”
She pulled away from him and moved over to the leather sofa by the back wall. Once there, she sank onto a cushion and dropped her head into her hands.
