Broken Hart (A Cross Creek Small Town Novel #1) - Kelly Collins Page 0,49
man.” Benji rolled his eyes. “A big, strong man that deserves to know that his girlfriend is keeping something from you.”
He was toying with me, and I wasn’t in the mood. “Don’t you have some garbage news story to cover? Pretty sure tweed went out of fashion forty years ago. Maybe you can do something with that.”
He tugged his lapels and rolled his neck. “I’m wounded. Aren’t you curious?”
I was, but I stood by what I’d said; she would tell me when she was ready. I had no right to demand or expect information from her.
“Not really. Not sure I’d trust it from you anyway. Does she know the real reason you pretended to be her friend all those years?” I took a step closer to him even as Kandra tried to hold me back. “Does she know you only wanted one thing from her? It seems pretty suspect now that you’ve discovered she won’t give you the time of day, you try to ruin her life with what ... a secret that’s hers to keep?”
He planted his hands on my shoulders. “Noah, my friend … she’s pregnant.”
Chapter Twenty
Kandra
Noah looked like he’d been punched in the stomach as Benji’s hands fell from his shoulders. I stood there, unable to breathe. Asphyxiation might have been preferable to that moment. As Benji turned to me, the satisfaction in his eyes sickened my stomach.
“Were you planning to dupe Noah here into thinking he was the daddy?” He couldn’t hold back a smug grin as he stared at me.
I blinked and resisted the urge to slap the smile right off his stupid face. Instead, I shook my head. “What is wrong with you?” I asked. Truly stunned that anyone would even think I could do something like that, I shifted uneasily. Did Noah believe that’s what I was trying to do?
“What’s wrong with me? Honey, you’re the one who hid this pregnancy from everyone, even your boyfriend. What do you think people will believe?” He crossed his arms and studied me like he thought I would answer. Like he thought I owed him an answer.
I glanced at Noah and noticed his jaw flexing. I wanted to talk to him, but I didn’t know how to get rid of Benji.
“This exposé will be great for sales.” Benji pulled my attention back, and the way he gleefully rubbed his hands together made my stomach twist. He faked concern as he glanced at me. “It might not be so good for you, though.” The forced frown on his lips didn’t hide the joy in his expression.
My brows knitted together as pure hatred filled me. “Shame on you, Benji. The news was mine to distribute. This is the twenty-first century, and I have no obligation to share this kind of thing with anyone. You plan to tell the world without my permission in order to try to shame me, and that’s disgusting.”
I lifted my chin and took a step closer. His eyes widened, and I continued talking. “You’re reprehensible. It says a lot about your character when you’re so desperate to sell papers you don’t care if you become a tabloid. Congratulations because nobody will ever take you seriously as a journalist. Might as well sign up for some celebrity watch rag.”
My words seemed to ruffle him, and he glanced at Noah, back at me, and then around the diner. I took in people’s glares and ducked my head. I hated being humiliated in public. I’d never forgive Benji for this.
“Some friend you are,” I whispered. To my horror, my eyes filled with stinging hot tears. Noah was right; Benji was never my friend, but more accurately, my enemy. Maybe I’d always known it. He always seemed less concerned about me and more interested in being with me.
I was wrong.
Noah still hadn’t said a word, and he wasn’t looking at me either. I wanted to talk to him to repair the damage before it was too late, but Benji didn’t seem ready to leave me alone.
“You can go now,” I told him. “You got what you wanted. You embarrassed me, messed up my relationship with the man I love, and you stole the opportunity from me to tell my news when I was ready.”
Benji chuckled, but the fire seemed to have left his eyes. Someone in the diner cleared their throat, and the harsh sound made Benji jump. He glanced over to see glares aimed in our direction and gave Dottie a weak smile.