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Avoidance is still my best friend, especially after our run-in at The Charming Bull back in January.

I flip him off. “She looks terrible.”

“Maybe she has a cold.”

“Yeah, maybe. But then why is she here?” I keep my gaze on her as I watch her interact with the girls in the booth, but there’s no denying that something is wrong with her. I’ve studied her face too much not to be able to pick up on a detail like that.

I should think about it more, but before I know it, I’m standing from my stool and taking another drink from my glass before announcing to Owen, “I’ll be right back.”

“And I’ll be here drinking another beer.”

My feet carry me across the restaurant to where Ginny and Lennon are standing, whispering between themselves. But when Ginny’s eyes lock onto mine, she nudges Lennon with her shoulder, alerting her to my presence.

I know I shouldn’t care what has her upset, but I can’t help it.

Lennon Riley has always had a hold on my heart, no matter how hard I try to keep it out of her reach.

Little did I know she was about to capture the damn organ yet again, and this time, there’d be no getting it back.

Chapter 6

Lennon

The Wrong Guy Cares

A truck horn in the distance pulls me out of my trance as I lean against my car, waiting for Adam to show up at the spot where we agreed to meet.

After I cried myself to sleep last night, I woke up this morning with a wave of determination mixed with nervousness. I didn’t want to put off the conversation that I need to have with Adam, so I texted him before class today to see if he could meet me halfway between our towns so we could talk.

The anxiety in my stomach is actually covering up the constant nausea I’ve been feeling all morning as I see his truck pull into the parking lot. When he hops out of his truck parked next to me, the smile on his face drops the second he sees me. “Hey, babe. What’s wrong?” Searching the space around us, he says, “I thought you’d be happier to see me.”

The corner of my mouth lifts but falls flat just as fast. “Well, I wanted to be. But I—I need to tell you something.”

He shoves his hands in the pockets of his pants and then blows out a breath. “Okay…”

Opting to rip off the Band-Aid, I let the words fall from my lips. “I’m pregnant, Adam.”

His eyes widen in shock. “What?”

“I’m pregnant. Seven weeks along by my calculations, but once I make my appointment with the OBGYN, I’ll confirm.” The appointment that I don’t have health coverage for and haven’t even had time to think about scheduling yet.

All he does is blink slowly for a few moments before clearing his throat. “And you think it’s mine?”

My brows instantly draw together. “Uh, I know it’s yours.”

A cruel laugh escapes his lips. “Oh, and I’m supposed to just trust you? For all I know, you could have a whole roster. You live two hours away from me. I don’t know what or who you might do when we’re apart!”

The man might as well have plunged a knife straight through my heart. Tears build in my eyes. “How could you say that? You’re the only guy I’ve been with in the past six months.”

He tosses his hands up. “Well, get rid of it then! If it is mine, I sure as hell ain’t ready to be a dad!”

My mouth falls open. “I—I can’t do that.”

“Why not? It’s easy. There are plenty of places you can go out of state.”

Shaking my head, I feel the first tear slip free. “I’m not going to abort my baby, Adam.”

“Well, I don’t want a kid, Lennon. That is, if it really is even mine.”