to my hair. I have a sweatband up on my forehead. I know my face is shiny and damp. I need to get out of these sweaty clothes. Especially since he looks perfectly handsome and sexy.
He looks me up and down. I fumble with my key and unlock the door.
“Do you want to come in?” I ask. He steps past me, looks around my apartment. I’m glad I gave the place a clean-up last night when I had nothing else to do.
I go directly to the fridge and pour some orange juice into two glasses. I’ve given up caffeine for the pregnancy, and I don’t want to offer him any, so he doesn’t ask questions.
“My mother came to see me a few days ago,” he says.
I put the glass down, suddenly feeling dizzy.
“Oh!”
“Did you know about this?” he asks accusingly.
“No, Reed, of course not. We’re not buddies. We spoke to each other once. That’s all. I had no idea she was going to see you. I didn’t know she even knew where you live.”
“My mother has known everything about me all my life. She used to visit me when I was growing up. Along with my caseworker. I remember her. I had no idea who she was.”
My heart thuds against my chest. I didn’t know this. Annie hadn’t mentioned it. My hand goes up to cover my mouth, and he can see how shocked I am by it.
“Reed, I’m so sorry…”
He says nothing, just glares me. I can see how much he hates me. Everything is ruined. He asked me to stay away from his family. Not to go digging. I should have listened to him. Now I can see how much damage I’ve caused. He was far better off not knowing.
“She also told me about what happened to my dad. About the accident.”
I have to lean against the kitchen counter for support. I can barely look at him.
“So, yeah, thanks for that, too,” he retorts.
“If I knew the truth, if I knew what was going to be revealed, Reed, I never would have put you through all this.”
He comes up to me, taking long sudden steps in my direction. I gasp from his closeness. My body physically reacts to him, yearning for him to touch me. He doesn’t. He leaves just a few inches between us. I can see how tightly he has his jaw clenched.
“What did I tell you to do, Ella?” His voice is low. Guttural and deep.
“I know what you told me to do.”
“What specifically did I tell you?” he repeats.
“To stay away from your mom. To stop looking for her!” I exclaim.
“But you didn’t. You refused to listen to me!”
“I thought I was helping.”
He spins away from me. His hands are up in the air in surrender. He doesn’t even want to look at me anymore.
“That’s it. I’m done. You clearly don’t see it, do you?”
“Reed, I do. I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry your mother went to see you. I didn’t tell her to. I wanted you to be ready in your own time.”
I move towards him, but he’s already walking to the door.
“I don’t know what I was thinking when I thought we were perfect for each other.”
My heart sinks. My hands move to my stomach. I want to feel the baby, but it’s too little. I feel nothing there. Reed doesn’t even clock the motion. He doesn’t see the way I’m holding myself.
I want to beg him to stay, so we can talk. We need to discuss this. I want to apologize. Properly apologize.
“Reed…” It’s all I manage to say, but he opens the door.
“I just wanted to come over here and tell you that it’s best if you stay away from me. From the rest of my family too. Or whatever it is you want to call it.”
He stands at the door with his broad shoulders rising and falling. Hot tears threaten to roll down my cheeks.
Don’t cry, Ella. Just don’t cry in front of him.
“I am sorry, Reed. I didn’t want to hurt you,” I whisper.
I don’t know if he’s heard me, but he turns and walks away. I stand at the door, staring as he takes the stairs down two at a time. Should I chase after him?
Can I cry now?
He’s gone. I’m standing at the door in silence for a long time. At a complete loss for what to do.
Then I hear honking outside. I think it’s Reed. I truly believe it’s him. He’s changed his