could’ve seen it. “No one told him he was having a little boy.”
“Shit,” I hissed, my eyes closing briefly.
Adela hummed, tapping the glass globe.
I groaned, scrubbing my hands over my cheeks. “What the hell am I supposed to do here?”
“You mean, who are you supposed to pick?”
“I can’t do that,” I blurted without thinking. “I’ve been just fine on my own anyway.”
Adela set the snow globe down beside the framed photo of me and her. “Let’s face it, Stevie. Yes, you’re not with either of them because it’s what you need right now. But it’s also because you know…” Her brow arched. “You know if you give one of them another chance, this is it. You kiss goodbye to one love for another.”
My stomach dipped and tears burned. “Why do you need to be so right for?”
Her laughter was soft and lacking humor as she left me with everything I’d been trying to ignore.
“Where’s your boyfriend?”
I looked over at the doorway, capping my highlighter. “How’d you get in?”
“Answer my question, and I might answer yours.”
I scowled, and leaning against the doorframe, Everett flashed a small glimpse of his teeth.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
His tongue crept over his upper lip, eyes narrowing. “We’ve danced this dance before.”
I contained a snort, bookmarked my page, and shut the textbook. “Except this time, I’ll be dancing on my own.” I gave my eyes to his. “Answer my question.”
“Adela told me where you keep the spare key.”
“Traitor,” I spat.
“You’re carrying my son; I need to know I can get to you in case of an emergency.”
“The only emergency you need to worry about is my inability to hold liquids in my body for longer than twenty minutes.” I cringed, swinging my legs over the bed. “So kindly get lost while I take care of business.”
He was in front of me in an instant, an arm around my back, and his other sweeping under my knees, lifting me into the air. “Holy shit, put me down.”
He didn’t. He carried me to the bathroom, where he set me down carefully, then backed out.
After shaking off the shock, I did my business, washed my hands, and returned to find the room empty.
He was in the nursery. “You didn’t tell me we’re having a boy.”
“Correction, I hadn’t gotten around to it, and then you found out yourself by sneaking in.”
He was eyeing the crib. “Do you like it?”
I sighed, leaning into the doorframe. “I love it, but you didn’t need to—”
“You should sit down.” His gaze assessed me. “God damn, how on earth did I get so lucky?” I didn’t think he’d meant to say the muttered words aloud.
Damn him and those green eyes that conveyed such stark sincerity, speaking clearer than words ever could. I sniffed, doing my best to ignore how he affected me. “You got lucky a few times, but now your luck has run out.” I tried not to waddle as I moved over to the rocking chair and failed.
“If you say so.” His eyes were glued to my stomach, longing, adoration, and something else making my tired heart want to leap into his hands.
Annoyance surged. The way he could still make me feel like I’d fallen for the first time every time he looked at me—like he was at that moment—wasn’t fair.
“What do you want from me, Everett? Because every time I think I’ve figured it out and that you’ll be happy, that maybe you’ll stay this time, I turn around and you’re gone again.”
A dry laugh filled the small room. “I don’t think you’re ready for this conversation right now.”
“What, because I’m pregnant?” I scoffed. “I’ve survived everything else you’ve put me through; I can handle a few measly words.”
“Fine.” With his jaw clenching, he slammed a fist on his chest, shocking me. “What I want is for you to fight for me the same way I’ve fought with everything I have for you. I want you to believe in me the same way you used to when we were kids. But more than that, I just want you to acknowledge that I’m trying. Every. Fucking. Day. I’m trying to be the best version of me that I can. Not just for you. Not just for our baby. But for me.”
My feet, that’d been gently rocking me in the chair, stopped as his declaration—the pain and desperation that leeched from it—electrified every part of me.
He sighed, a hand plunging into his hair as defeat weighed heavy from his limbs. “I’ve gotta go.”