He hoped she wasn’t coming back to throw the ring in his face. He didn’t know if he could take another kick to the ass right now.
“No. We need to talk.”
“We were. You left.”
“I did. I’m sorry. I had to cool down. I went to see my mother.”
He put his hands in the pockets of his shorts. “You told her what an asshole I’ve been?”
“No. I told her you bought a house without my knowing. And how you shoved this ring on my finger when she noticed it.”
Yeah, not exactly the romantic proposal he’d been trying to plan.
Guess his temper got the best of him too.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I went about everything wrong. I should have told you about the house, but you get a stick up your butt about things when it comes to money.”
She sighed and moved past him. “I do. It’s going to take some getting used to. I thought I was getting better, but maybe I’m not.”
“You are. I’ve wanted to talk more about our future and you don’t. I felt as if my back was against the wall. You’re the planner, I’m not.”
“I know. And it’s difficult to find property on the island.”
“Yes. There isn’t a lot available. I looked at it all last night. That was by far the nicest. I even went back through to see what might have sold in the past few months.”
“Not a lot, I’m sure.”
“Exactly. I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for the perfect one to come on the market when it could be months or more. And I don’t want to live in my rental when a baby comes. Your apartment is too small. I worried about having the baby on another floor, but that sitting room is the perfect nursery.”
“It will work.”
“Ididthink it through. I know you think I fly by the seat of my pants with most things, but that isn’t true. I put a lot of thought into something when I’m ready to commit.”
She looked at the ring he’d had made weeks ago. The one that fit her hand perfectly and looked pretty stellar if he did say so himself.
“I know that about you now. Everything is happening so fast and it’s hard to keep up. It’s like a whirlwind romance you read about and I’m living it.”
He’d been thinking of this for months prior to showing up on the island. He had to remember that.
“I should have thought of that. I thought doing this would take that pressure and stress off of you. I know you’re busy atwork. You’re worried about getting behind because you’re not working as much. I appreciate you’re accommodating me there.”
“I won’t be stupid about things. I’m listening to my body and right now I feel great. There will be a time I won’t. I know that. But I also know that mentally putting myself in a bad spot won’t help. Like me leaving the way I had without talking it out more.”
“Tell me everything. I’ll listen to it and then I’ll give you my side.”
“Thank you for that. Please don’t judge.”
“I won’t. I promise.” He pulled her under his arm onto the couch.
“I told you. It’s all so fast. I’ve had people comment on me being with you. First as a guest, then when they found out who you were, last week it was me being pregnant and getting a twenty-year ride.”
“Whoa,” he said, sitting up straighter on the couch. “Why am I hearing this now?”
“Because I took care of it. It’s just jealousy. A way to get under my skin. If I react, they feed off of it.”
“I want to know who it is.”
“And I don’t need you to fight my battles. It’s no one important. I’m serious. You said you’d let me talk and you’re not.”
