Page 48 of Irreplaceable

I nodded, some of the tightness in my chest easing. “Yes. Good idea. Thanks.” I couldn’t see Enzo. Not right now. “I just want to get out of here.”

And now that I had a way to get in contact with him, I didn’t feel compelled to tell him about the baby. At least not right away. I needed time to regroup first.

“Of course.” She typed something on her phone before saying, “Whatever you need.” Her tone was light and breezy, much like I imagined her trying to calm an anxious bride on her wedding day. “We’re here for you. ’Kay?”

“Do you think I’m a coward?” I asked as she pushed open the door to the women’s restroom and peeked her head out.

“I think you’re doing what you need to protect yourself and my niece.”

I laughed. “What?”

“Well, you’re totally having a girl, right?”

“It’s too early to know.”

“But you’re still planning to find out, aren’t you?” I knew she was trying to distract me, and for once, I was okay with it. I didn’t want to talk to Enzo. Not now, and I wasn’t sure when.

“Yes.” I smoothed my hand over my stomach as I thought of the heart beating inside. “Though, I just want a healthy baby. I don’t care, otherwise.”

“That’s good. I don’t think Lauren can handle waiting again like we did with Alexis.”

“Not another monochromatic, gender-neutral nursery,” we said at the same time, laughing as we attempted to mimic her voice.

Lauren was a talented interior designer. She’d created a beautiful nursery for Alexis and Preston before they knew Blair was a girl. But I had to admit, the idea of a gender-neutral nursery didn’t appeal to me. I wanted fun and color and… “Oh my god. What if he tries to fight me for custody?”

Fear clutched my chest.

Juliana steered me through the halls of the hotel, and I hoped she was paying attention to where we were going because I sure as hell wasn’t. I was thinking about how my entire world had just shifted. I’d planned on doing this on my own. But in all my plans, I’d never anticipated this.

Enzo wasn’t just some guy. He was rich—that much I’d surmised in Bali. Powerful. A celebrity.

I hung my head as we entered the parking garage, and she handed the ticket to the valet. “I barely have the money to raise a kid, let alone to fight an expensive legal battle to keep the child I’ve dreamed of. A child he doesn’t even want.”

Diapers were expensive, but so was college. And a custody battle against someone like Enzo…well. The valet pulled up, and Juliana and I climbed in. I felt a tight band around my chest, and it wasn’t the seat belt.

“Wait.” She paused before pulling out of the garage, frowning. “I thought you didn’t tell him about the baby.”

“I didn’t.”

But based on our conversations in Bali, I knew he never intended to get married or have kids. That was why our fling had worked so well. We were both willing to suspend reality—to forgo what we’d want out of a relationship—to be together temporarily.

Now, reality was crashing back into me like waves on the shore. I was still trying to pay off the fertility treatments. And while pride had kept me from accepting Enzo’s offer to return the SD card, I was regretting it now. I could really use the income from the stock photos.

I needed to talk to Audrey. She was an attorney in Fall River, and as my friend, I knew she wouldn’t mind the late call. I also trusted her discretion.

“Okay. First off, take a deep breath.” Juliana placed her hand over mine, waiting until I’d inhaled slowly and let it out. “You have no idea how he’s going to react.”

Oh, I had a pretty good feeling he wouldn’t be happy. I sighed, glancing out the window at the passing scenery. “God, this is such a mess. I’m such a mess.”

All along, my plan had been to work as long as I could in my current job, while searching for other ones back home. Then, depending on the timing, I’d move home to the Alondra Valley. But Enzo’s appearance certainly threw all of that into question.

“You’re not a mess, and you will figure this out. You’re a smart, capable woman. If you can find a way to make a beach look like the setting of a zombie apocalyptic rampage and convince the reclusive owner of a seventeenth-century castle to let you film in his home, you can totally rock this.”

“Aww.” I turned to glance at her. “Thanks, babe.”

“Of course.” She smiled and then returned her attention to the road. During the drive, Juliana distracted me with questions about the baby. It was nice to talk about the pregnancy openly since I hadn’t told many people yet. Apart from my three best friends and their significant others, no one knew. Not my boss or coworkers, and certainly not my family.

“Are you going to tell your parents when you go home next weekend?” Juliana asked.