And pale. He looks pale.
Shit, and now he’s biting the inside of his mouth.
“Yeah,” I continue. “And, well, it occurred to me that I still haven’t met her. I probably should before the shower, right?”
A muscle ticks in his jaw and he swallows audibly. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as my stomach drops. I can already tell I’m not going to like what he has to say.
“Here’s the thing, Luce,” he says slowly, taking my hand in his. “She, uh, she doesn’t know you’re pregnant. I … haven’t told my parents about the baby.”
CHAPTER 22
NOAH
“Did you just say they don’t know about the baby?” Lucy’s face has gone ashen. “What about me?” she asks.
“What … about you?” I ask slowly. I know what she’s asking, but I’m delaying answering. This is going to be bad.
“Do. They. Know. About. Me.” It’s a demand as much as a question.
I sigh.Fuck.
“No.”
“No.” She bites her lip but it’s in no way seductive. “No?!” she repeats shrilly.
I shake my head, unable to look at her.
“Noah,what the fuck?”
“I was waiting for the right time.”
“The right time? We’ve been practically living together! When’s the right time?! When our child is twelve? The baby will be here in just a couple of months. You– You– I don’t even know what to say to that. I don’t …” she trails off as tears well in her eyes.
Silence stretches out between us. I’ve really fucked this up.
“Are you ashamed of me?” she breathes out, finally.
“No! Of course not! I– it’s not like that.”
It’s them. I’m ashamed ofthem.
But somehow, I can’tsayit.
Forcing myself to meet her gaze I take in the pain–the hurt–in her expression. It steals my breath and any other words I might have found. The tears that had been gathering in those hazel beauties finally spill over and I reach out instinctively to wipe them away. She slaps at my hand.
“Get out,” she whispers.
“Luce, please …” I cast around for the right thing to say … a way to explain. To make her see that I’m trying to protect her. Herandthe baby. “Just let me–”
“I. Said. Get. Out.” She bites off every word, fury rising up to replace the agony in her features.
Lucy struggles to push herself up from the couch and I reach to help her but she again slaps my hand away.
“I can’t– I can’t look at you, right now, Noah. Please leave.”
And then she disappears down the hallway to her bedroom. The soft close of her door somehow echoes louder than had she slammed it behind her.
She’s gone, and I’m alone with only the sound of my pulse thrumming loudly in my ears.
