Chapter 44

T his scare has sent Sully into the deep end. I doubt he'll let me out of his sight until the baby is here. We stopped at my place to pack a bag, and now he's making me stay with him. Which is probably good because who the hell knows if I even have a job anymore.

I feel a lot better knowing our baby is healthy. Other than sending Rachel an update letting her know everything is okay, I've been avoiding every call that comes through my cell phone. Something I've never done in my life. His deep sofa swallows me up, and I'm wrapped up in a blanket and watching the fire crackle ahead of me. Sully hands me a cup of peppermint tea. I take a deep breath, hoping to calm my nerves.

He curls up next to me. "Whatever happens, happens. We'll figure it out. This mess is temporary, baby." I want to believe him, but this only ends badly. "I'm not giving up on us. You're it for me."

"They're going to fire me," I say, looking into the steaming mug. The show is toast. Sully's heart was in the right place, but he might as well have thrown a grenade on our careers. I'm not innocent in this either. I agreed to sneak around with him. For now, I'm thankful the baby is okay. I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow and mourn the career I lost, but for now, I'm just thankful Bo is healthy and Sully cares enough to possibly destroy his own career or team sponsor for the sake of my safety.

What's done is done, and there's no coming back from it, so we might as well stick together.

"We don't know that."

I do. I know that. "This isn't one of those glass half-full situations, Sully. I'm going to be fired. My only hope is that my reputation isn't destroyed beyond repair. This will follow me for a long time."

"We can prove that you were pregnant before the show began."

I nod. "It doesn't matter. I'm the villain in this story."

"I'm so sorry, Kendra."

"We knew we were playing with fire. I just need to figure out how to do damage control." This was supposed to be my debut as a producer, and instead, I've sabotaged my entire career. I lost it. I'm so fucking tired of having to choose. Choose between a social life or success, career or family, independence or love. These days, women can have it all … No we can't. Not really. One thing will always be forfeit for another to some degree. Sure, we've made progress, but it's not enough. Why do women have to make the sacrifices?

"I'm going to take a nap," I say.

"Kendra—"

"I'm fine, Sully." I smile. "I just need some time alone right now."

His eyes are full of sympathy. I can't sit around feeling sorry for myself; I'd rather rip the bandage off and figure out where I go from here. He takes the untouched tea from me, and I trudge over to his bedroom and shut the door.

I pull out my phone and click Pierce's name. I want to get this over with.

"Kendra," he answers.

"What do I do?"

He sighs on the other end. "Shit, I have no idea. I will help you as much as I can, but you gotta tell me everything."

So I do. I tell him everything.