“No… no, it’s…” Laurence resisted a sigh. He was making this more difficult than it needed to be. “Is Samantha Harper yourmother?”
Alex lifted his head and looked Laurence over suspiciously. “Why are you investigating me and myfamily?”
“So sheisyourmother?”
“Yes. She is. But that doesn’t answer my question.” Alex set his lips. He took a step forward, posture proud and chest puffed, like he had something to prove. The timid creature he’d been moments before was gone. “Why are you investigating me and my family? I never told you my last name. I never told you who my parents were… so what are you doing, and why are you doingit?”
“I wasn’t looking into you. It turns out that we have a mutual friend, and through that friend, I found out some details you hadn’t previously disclosed. I’msorry.”
Alex furrowed his brow. Irritation flicked across his lips. Laurence didn’t let it derail him—he needed to make sure Alex knew what was going on so they could come up with a plantogether.
“But I’m glad that I found out what I did when I did, because we have a problem, and we can’t let it go on for much longer. Samantha Harper is CEO of Synecta—the company I workfor.”
“Oh.” Alex shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It sounded like he was doing his best to hold himself together, but beneath his level tone, Laurence heard the first stirrings of doubt. “But… what should it matter? You’re a scientist, and that means you work in the labs, right? You don’t have anything to do with the business side of things. There isn’t any crossover between your departments. She probably doesn’t even know yourname.”
To his credit, Alex was taking it remarkably well. The uncertainty in his eyes was the only indication that the news affected him atall.
“No,” Laurence admitted. “She does. The team I work with is important, and the work we do is under constant supervision by those higher up. Your mother knows me byface.”
Alex dropped his arms and started to pick at a spot of dried paint on his hand. “But it’s not… it’s not a big deal. You don’t work directly under her, so… so it’s not like anything bad is going tohappen.”
“Alex…”
“Besides, it’s not likewework together.” Alex met Laurence’s gaze, his own steely with determination. “If she wants to get mad about this, she can get mad at me. I was the one who started it. If she fires you, then you can sue her.” Alex stopped picking at the paint on his hands so he could ball his fists. “It would be wrongful termination. She can’t fire you for dating me. Shecan’t.”
“You’re right. If she did fire me, it would be wrong. I would have legal recourse. But can you imagine being in her shoes?” Laurence searched Alex’s expression for understanding. The age gap between them made him question whether Alex could see the bigger picture. “Her son is dating a man twice his age—a man to whom she recently approved a raise. Wouldn’t that feel like a slap in the face toyou?”
Alex looked down. He shook his head. There was something else burdening his heart, but Laurence couldn’t piece together what itwas.
“Alex?” Laurence asked carefully. “Is there something that I don’tknow?”
“Yeah.” Alex chuckled. It was a small, hollow sound that sank Laurence’s spirits. “On top of everything you just said? It’s worse than that. Way worse.” Alex rifled through his pack on the supply table, then tossed Laurence a clear plastic bag containing something light. It was a thin white strip of plastic that Laurence recognized right away. His heart hammered so hard, he was sure he was going to break arib.
Two parallel pinklines.
Alex sucked in a breath, shook his head, and shared his truth. “I’m pregnant by you, and I’m keeping the baby. She’s never going to want to talk to either of usagain.”
26
Laurence
The braveryin Alex’s expression shattered and, like fragments of a broken mirror, the tiny pieces left behind reflected the emotions going on inside of him. The fear in his eyes was matched by the thin, trembling line of his lips. His shoulders were pinched to his neck, and his arms were folded defensively across his chest. Then, as if understanding that his mask had been knocked askew to reveal the truth, he turned his head to hide hisexpression.
Laurence’s heart bled forhim.
He stepped forward and pulled Alex into his arms, only for Alex to yelp like he was afraid he might be hit. When Laurence didn’t let him go, he relaxed, then nestled against Laurence’s chest. Laurence held him. Kept him. Comfortedhim.
He didn’t speak. He didn’t know what tosay.
Alex was pregnant. It was as much Laurence’s fault as it was Alex’s own. Laurence wouldn’t blame him, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure how to make the situation any better. They were in trouble. The odds were stacked against their relationship to begin with, and now the stakes had been raised. A single sentence had reshaped Laurence’s priorities and stretched them between two opposinggoals.
He had a son and a grandson to provide for—Matthew was depending upon him for financial and emotional support while he navigated fatherhood on his own. But if he sided with Matthew and ended his relationship with Alex should things not go well with his parents, then he was saying to his unborn child that he or she meant nothing tohim.
He didn’t know what todo.
“It’s going to be okay,” he said, even though he wasn’t sure he believed it himself. He stroked the back of Alex’s head with one hand—the other rested on the small of his back. “We’re going to find a way to make thiswork.”
“It was an accident,” Alex murmured. His words didn’t wobble, but they were strained by the intensity of his regret. “I wasn’t supposed to be at risk for another few days… my heat came almost a week early. It… it’s not like I did this on purpose. I need you to know that. I’m not trying to trap you. I didn’t mean for this tohappen.”
