‘I’m pregnant!’ she shouted. ‘Are you concerned about that, Josh? Enough to marry me?’
Josh felt his world shift off kilter. Christ. She was joking. She had to be. He swallowed back his pounding heart. She’d said she was taking contraception. He’d asked her. When things were at the point of no return, admittedly, but… It just wasn’t possible. Was it?
‘No, I thought not.’ Kim smiled bitterly as he stared at her uncomprehending. ‘So there we have it. I’m having your baby and you don’t want me. And you wonder why I would be upset.’
Shocked to the core, Josh had no idea what to say. What the hell to do. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked her. It was completely the wrong thing to say.
Her expression wounded, she looked at him with disappointment. ‘It’s not the kind of thing you make a mistake about, Josh. And before you insult me more than you already have, no, I haven’t slept with anyone else but you since my ex.’
‘I didn’t mean that. I…’ How had this happened? He felt his blood run cold. Because he’d been careless of women’s feelings. Jemma was right about him.
‘It’s because of who I am, I suppose,’ Kim said, her voice quavering as she wiped a tear from her cheek. ‘Common little Kim from the social housing estate. Oh, I did lie to you about that, I admit. About where I lived, my family. I thought that maybe if you thought I moved in the same social sphere as you, you would consider me suitable girlfriend material. Obviously you didn’t.’
His thoughts a bewildered jumble in his head, Josh searched hopelessly for the right thing to say. ‘I did. I do,’ he mumbled. ‘I just… You’re right, I wasn’t sure I was ready for a relationship, but I didn’t mean to use you, Kim. I like you. I…’
‘But clearly not enough.’ She smiled sadly.
‘That’s not true. I—’
‘You didn’t want me to meet your mother,’ she said.
Josh looked at her askance. He really had no idea now what she was talking about.
‘When we went to the Italian restaurant, you said you should go and see her,’ she reminded him. ‘I offered to come with you, and you just shrugged and said maybe. I got the message, Josh. Loud and clear.’
Josh shook his head, astounded. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it. She hadn’t been well. I told you. We’d argued and…’ He groped for a way to explain that might limit the damage. ‘Christ, I wasn’t sure I would be comfortable going to see her. There was no way I would have wanted to put you in that position, make you feel uncomfortable. It was nothing to do with you. It was to do with her.’
He was making his mother sound like an ogre, and now he felt shitty about that. ‘I wasn’t even sure when I would be going. If I would.’ He stopped, wondering if there was a way to win here. Whether he would ever come out on top in a conversation with a woman.
Kim considered him thoughtfully. ‘You know, it’s a pity you aren’t as caring of the women you have relationships with as your stepdad is,’ she said after a second. ‘You should really take a leaf out of his book. I doubt very much he would string someone along like you did.’
‘I’ll support you.’ Josh pulled himself to his feet as she got to hers. ‘Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you. I promise.’
Kim looked affronted at that, letting him know that he’d said the wrong thing again. ‘Thanks.’ She smiled shortly. ‘But no thanks. Call me old-fashioned, but it’s all or nothing, Josh. I do have my pride, unbelievable though it might seem. I won’t be second best in a man’s eyes. Sorry. Please don’t call me again unless you have something worth listening to.’