Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
His words blindside me. Just like today’s pregnancy test, I was not prepared for him to say that.
My first reaction—the thing my body is telling me to do, is to slip out of his arms and get away from him. That’s terrible, and I know that, and I know it’s leftover trauma from losing my father and fear that if I let Ethan into my life, one day I will lose him too. But somehow, I manage to push that reaction down and stop myself from doing something terribly stupid.
I don’t focus on the fear of losing Ethan; like the two feelings I felt when I learned I was pregnant, there are two here now as well, and I choose to focus on the feeling that I know is good for me and my life. The feeling that is happy that Ethan just told me he loved me, and the feeling that knows that I love him too.
“I…I think that might make sense,” I say slowly, smiling and nodding, looking at Ethan in a way I never have before.
I love him. I truly love this man.
Ethan leans in, runs his fingers through my hair, and uses his other hand to pull me closer. Is this really happening? I can’t believe how far I’ve come. From trying to walk away from this job on the first day we met, to being pregnant with Ethan’s child and thinking that my life is now over.
“So,” Ethan says softly. “I love you, Mya. I think it’s time I finally said that to you.”
His words shake me in a way I’ve never experienced before. My heart skips a beat, and I feel myself beginning to tear up as I stare into his eyes. Words that months ago would have sent me running for the hills now swim through me like bubbling bits of magic. I giggle and place a hand against his chest.
“I…I love you too, Ethan.”
Just saying it feels so good, but the kiss that follows, sealing our mutual profession, feels absolutely incredible.
That’s it. My walls have come down completely. I’ve given myself over completely to this man—the man who just didn’t give up on me, who knew that if he hung in there and persisted, I’d eventually come around. I don’t know how he knew when even I didn’t, but I guess he’s not only incredibly handsome and a great businessman, he’s also a genius as well.
He’s just sliding his hand up my shirt when an obnoxious buzzing blares from behind me. We both groan, and I look back to see his phone vibrating on the bedside table.
“Mr. Important,” I tease as I reach back and grab his phone for him. “Someone always trying to reach you—”
My voice cuts off when I see that his phone isn’t ringing; there’s a text message on the screen from someone named Joe. The words send a chill down my spine:
Next sugar pills batch ready. Meet tomorrow??
Realization hits me so hard that Ethan’s phone slips from my hand and lands on the floor. I’m not even worried if it breaks.
“Whoa, easy there,” Ethan laughs, leaning over me to retrieve it. “That’s my phone there—”
But like me, Ethan’s voice cuts off when he sees the text. That’s when the serious terror hits me like a dagger being driven into my back.
It’s like a bad dream. Tears are already starting to form in my eyes, and panic is tightening my throat, making it hard to swallow. The dead silence in the room is palpable. I look over at Ethan and see his eyes fixed on me, filled with something I’ve never seen before: fear.
He’s been caught, and he knows it.
God, no. Please no.
This time, I listen to my instincts and push away from him, off the bed and over to the door, where I stand looking at him in disbelief.
“You…you didn’t—” I can barely even speak, but somehow get the words out. “You switched them…”
“Mya—”
“You switched my pills, that’s why I got pregnant!”
I don’t even need him to respond to know the answer. Of course he did. That’s the only explanation.
“Mya, please—”
Again, I listen to my instincts. I turn and run, out the door of the bedroom, down the stairs, and out of the house. I don’t bother grabbing any of my things; I just keep running and don’t stop until I reach my car. And then I’m driving, away from the house, away from my job, away from Ethan and everything I’ve grown to love over the last months as the tears begin to stream down my cheeks.
I knew it, I think as I mash the gas pedal to the floor. Men are liars, and I never should have trusted him.
10
Mya
Here I am again, The Towering Pines Bed and Breakfast, renting a room like when I was sixteen and when I was eighteen and I was on my own trying to get on my feet, the only difference between those times and this time is that I swore I would never be here again. And here I am.