Page 54 of Rhett Redeemed

Just going in.

I test the words on my tongue. “I am pregnant.”

Three words. I can say them.

How hard can it be?

I open the door. “I’m—”

I falter looking into his ocean eyes. Okay, pretty damn hard.

He waits patiently for me to speak, but when I say nothing he asks, “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Yes, of course. Come in.”

“I’m sorry that I had to leave last night,” he says as he gives me a kiss and then makes himself at home, sitting on the couch. “The club needed me. Although I just drove all the way back here to see you, so I hope that gets me some brownie points.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

I laugh, unable to control it despite the news I’m sitting on. He’s a charmer. I sit down on the arm of my couch. “Yes, I figured.”

“What did you want to talk about? It sounded important,” he asks, studying me.

Well, here is the moment that I’ve been waiting for.

I shift nervously and tug on the hem of my T-shirt when I blurt out, “I’m pregnant. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, and each time something happened, and...yeah. I’m pregnant.”

There. I said it. I was honest with him. And now the ball is in his court.

Blue eyes widen, and he freezes. “You’re...pregnant?”

I nod.

“And it’s mine?” he asks, brow furrowing.

“I haven’t been with anyone else, Rhett. Yes, it’s yours. My contraception must not have worked, I don’t know. I am as shocked as you are.” I wring my hands, unsure what is going to happen next.

I study him, and watch every emotion pass on his expression. Surprise. Shock. Confusion. And then lastly, fear.

He looks down at my stomach, and then back up to my face. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m going to need a minute. I’m sorry.”

He walks out, and I sigh and close my eyes. I didn’t know what reaction I was hoping for from him, but his wasn’t the best. I mean, I suppose it wasn’t the worst either, considering the situation. We aren’t even together, we’re just friends, and now we are bringing a baby into the world.

From here on out, what I want doesn’t matter anymore. I have to make every decision with my unborn child’s best interest at heart. I don’t want to hurt Cara, but I can no longer put her feelings before mine. If Rhett wants to be a part of this child’s life, then we’ll be tied together, even if it isn’t romantically.

Rhett comes back about a half an hour later, and I’m still frozen in the same spot.

He cups my nape, his palm gently dragging up to my cheek. “I’m sorry, I just needed to be alone to think. I... This is definitely a situation I didn’t expect right now.”

“Situation?” I repeat. My child is not a situation. “This situation can manage itself if you don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t need anything from you, Rhett.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“I know this pregnancy is a huge surprise and you might not love the idea—”

“Con—”

“But this baby is coming, so while you’re only getting your head around it, I need to protect it.”

He sits down on the coffee table in front of me so we can see each other’s faces properly.