CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

AMBER

How did I make it home without falling completely apart?

It was probably because of the girl who drove me here. What a breath of fresh air. Hope she and her boyfriend make it; I really do. And they likely will if he’s not a cheating liar like Noah.

I was hoping it was all a big misunderstanding and when I met up with Blake, he would tell me so. “It will all be okay, Amber,” I hoped he would say. “Noah loves you and misses you and needs you back. You were made for each other… Go to him. Run.”

It’d be sunshine and roses from there. Happily ever after. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

They’re engaged for crying out loud. She’s carrying his baby while I lie here completely gutted. Will our babies be born at the same time? Is he expecting any more children from his other mistresses? Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

Sigh.

I need to get off this bed and begin searching for my new place. That’ll disappoint my parents, but I can’t live here forever.

My stomach grumbles. Hunger pangs. I need to eat. Nutrition is important. Staying healthy is a priority. It’s all about the baby now.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed and plant my feet on the floor. Head down to the kitchen. Before I make it to the refrigerator, knuckles rap on the front door. A brief hesitation ensues. Should I, or shouldn’t I? Not really in the mood.

The knock comes again. Guess it could be important. I answer it.

“Bobby?” I’ve been avoiding him. Things have been awkward between us, and I don’t want to deal with it.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

“Making a sandwich.”

“Can I come in? We need to talk.”

Oh, God. He wants to talk. This is where he tells me he loves me and that we belong together. He’ll make a good father, be a good husband. And he would, too. No doubt. I love Bobby. But not in that way. I’ll never marry if not for love.

“Can we do this some other time, Bobby?”

“No, we can’t.”

Guess this talk will have to happen sometime. Might as well get it over with. I step away from the door. “Come in. You want a sandwich?”

“Why not?”

“To the kitchen.”

Bobby heads that way, and I close the door. This won’t be pleasant.

* * *

I make sandwiches and set them on the table.

“Something to drink?”

“Tea if you’ve got it.”

I do and pour us each a glass. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

I sit across from him. “Go ahead.”

He picks the sandwich up and brings it to his mouth. Sets it back on the plate without biting. “I did something yesterday.”

“What?”

“I lied to a guy.”

“Who?”

“Some rich guy. Came in a limo looking for you.”

My stomach tingles. Rich guy and limo. That gives me a strong idea who it was. Blake must have come here. That has to be why he set up a meeting at the Waldorf. “Did he say what he wanted?”

“To see you, is all.”

“Did he leave a name?”

Bobby can’t look at me.

“Did he leave a name?” I ask again.

“He wasn’t able to speak after what I told him.”

My eyes narrow. I bite my lip. Shake my head. “I don’t understand.”

“The guy was a New Yorker. I could tell by the way he talked. What little he talked. And I think it was the father of your child. In fact, I’m sure of it because when I told him you and I were engaged, he got coffee-creamer white and shut down completely. It devastated the guy. Left after that without saying anything.”

My head moves back and forth. Little shakes. Bobby is right. It had to be Noah because finding out I was engaged wouldn’t bother Blake so much.

“Engaged?” I question.

“It just came out. I’m sorry. I had an inkling of who the guy was, and I didn’t want him coming here and breaking your heart again. I was trying to protect you.”

“I know you were.” I push my plate away. Appetite gone.

“Are you mad?”

Every emotion imaginable is tearing through me, and anger is one of them. Bobby wouldn’t have told him we were engaged if he didn’t wish in some small way it were true. I need to settle this now. Rip off the Band-Aid.

I reach across the table and take his hand. “I love you, Bobby, but not in that way. We’ll never be together.”

He looks at my hands, then back into my eyes. “I was afraid of that. No way to change your mind?”

“I’m sorry, no.”

“Now I really feel bad.” He pulls his hands away and sits back. “I’m telling you, this guy was heartbroken. You should probably talk to him. At least let him know you’re pregnant.”

I’ll have to think about it. I mean, I’m going to tell him, but it might be a while. Noah’s life is hectic right now. He has a lot going on, what with a wedding to plan and another baby on the way. Nah, Noah can wait, and maybe he can wait forever. He’ll never find out unless I tell him. With him in New York and me in Chicago, I’ll probably never see him again. I’ll need to think about this seriously. But I can do that another time.

“I’m going to start looking for apartments, so I’ll need help moving,” I say to Bobby. “Think you’ll be up to helping me?”

“Of course.” He flattens his lips. “We’re still friends, you know.”

“I know.”

We both take a moment. Might be a while before things get back to normal between us. But they will.

“I think I’m going to take off,” he says.

“You sure?” That’s the obligatory ask.

“Yeah.”

Bobby stands, and I follow suit. We stroll to the door, and I open it. We face up.

“I’m sorry about what I did,” he says.

“That’s okay.”

He kisses the top of my head. “Think about calling him.”

I tap Bobby’s chest. “I’ll let you know when I’m going to move.”

“All right.”

Bobby walks out, and I close the door. Go straight to my bedroom and sit at my little desk, open up my laptop, Google Farrah Conner. Click on her Instagram. Lots of well wishes and best of lucks under the photos of her showing off her wedding ring and rubbing her stomach.

That’s enough for me, so I slam the lid of my laptop and bellyflop onto my bed. The hell with Noah Dalton. I’m never talking to him again.