Like a Boss - Annabelle Costa Page 0,81

I went to a doctor once to see if they could stimulate some sperm production but nothing worked. They said maybe they could try surgery or something, but… I don’t know. I’m not optimistic.” He drops his eyes. “It sucks because… I really wanted to have kids. It’s something I had looked forward to my whole life, believe it or not. But there’s always adoption… if I ever find a partner…”

Oh God. This is horrible. I can’t let him think he’s sterile when he’s not. I have to tell him about this pregnancy—now. It’s the right thing to do. But if I tell him, it will change everything. I square my shoulders.

“Luke,” I say carefully. “Um, there’s something I should tell you.”

He studies my face. “You’re seeing someone else,” he says sadly. “Christ, I knew it. Shit.”

“No, Luke, I…” I take a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

He gets this incredibly hurt look on his face. “You are? With… with who?”

“With you, you idiot!”

“No,” he says, looking perplexed. “I just told you, I can’t…”

“Obviously, you can,” I say. “There hasn’t been anyone else, believe me.”

Luke gets this shell-shocked look on his face. But he doesn’t look unhappy. Just the opposite. “Are you serious about this?”

“It’s not a funny joke, is it?”

He lifts his eyes and asks timidly, “So, um, what are your plans?”

I glance down at my watch. I’ve still got an hour. “I’ve got an ultrasound at two.”

“So…” He sits up a little straighter in his chair. “So you’re going to have the baby?”

“Yes.” I add, “Alone.”

“Oh, boy…” He looks at me for a long minute. Then he reaches out and puts his hand on mine. “Ellie, listen to me.” His hand is shaking. “I didn’t want to pressure you. I wanted to prove myself to you, that I’m a good guy, but… well, screw taking it slow. Ellie, I love you. I adore you. You’re the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. I want to spend my life with you. And… I really want this baby. I want to have a baby with you. I want to be part of it—all of it. You have no idea how much.”

I look into his eyes. There’s something very earnest there. For the first time since I’ve known him, I am a hundred percent sure that Luke Thayer isn’t lying to me. He loves me and he’s trying very hard to change. I’m impressed. How many men would sell a multi-million-dollar company just for me?

“Please give me another chance, Ellie,” he says. “Please. I’ll make you so happy. You and the baby. You will never regret this decision. I swear it.”

The crazy thing is, I’m starting to believe him.

“If I agree to give you another chance,” I say thoughtfully, “it doesn’t mean I’m going to marry you. Don’t even try to ask. It’s off the table.”

“We’ll take things slow,” he promises. “We’ll go out on a date, to a nice restaurant. I’ll bring you back home before ten. I won’t even try to kiss you.”

“Well,” I say. “I don’t want to be too strict.”

Luke smiles slowly. “Maybe one kiss, then?”

I look down at my watch. “Maybe one kiss,” I agree. “But I’ve got to go now. I’m going to be late for my appointment.”

“Your appointment,” he breathes.

“My first ultrasound.”

“Your first…” He blinks at me. “Ellie, will you... let me be there? Please? I want to see the baby.”

I lean in for that one kiss as I look into his eyes. “Our baby,” I correct him.

Epilogue

Five Years Later

We live in Greece now.

It started as a vacation shortly after Luke’s father’s funeral. I took two weeks off from work, and Luke didn’t have to take off time at all since he just sold his company. We flew out to the island of Mykonos and rented a house there.

I extended my vacation another week. Then another. I was told I had to come back or resign, but when I said I was resigning, they begged me to stay. The new company figured out how big my app was going to be and didn’t want me to leave. I cared about the project too, but I still didn’t want to return home. So I installed my unemployed friend Rita in my role and stayed on giving advice remotely for another few months. The project was ultimately a success, but I wasn’t part of it. And that’s okay, because I had so much more.

We lived in the house we rented for a few more months, then Luke said