Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(76)

I collapse onto her, sweaty and satiated. “Holy shit, Nic.”

She giggles, bouncing me on top of her. “You can say that again.”

Moving to her side, I lie next to her and caress her flat stomach. “Are you sure you’re up for flying to Detroit today?”

“After two orgasms, I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in weeks. I’ll probably sleep the whole way.”

“You’re not nervous?”

“About the meeting? No.” She puts a hand over mine, and they rest over her belly button. “All my worry is tied up in this one. I don’t think I have the capacity to be anxious about anything else.”

The urge to ask her not to go is strong. For weeks, we’ve danced around the subject of her job.

Her leaving. The baby. Hell, we’ve danced around every subject. It’s obvious neither of us can think about the future. We still have almost three weeks to go before her next ultrasound. And even then, Dr.

Peterman said we might not know anything concrete.

I prop up on an elbow. “You love me, don’t you?”

She touches me on my chest, right over my heart. “I never stopped.”

“Why haven’t you said it?”

“I didn’t know we were there yet.”

“But I said I love you.”

“Yeah, the day we found out I was pregnant. I didn’t know if you only said it bec—”

I pull her close. “Nicky, I’ve loved you since I was thirteen. I loved you even when I thought you cheated on me.” Guilt squeezes me like a vise. “I loved you when I cheated on you. I loved you the second I saw you on television and every moment since. And I’m going to love you until the day I fucking die, just like I promised on our wedding day.”

Her tears wet the pillow. “I’m going to love you until the day I die, too.”



~



It’s hard not to think of Nic all day. How is her meeting going? Would she take the job without discussing it with me? What if they make her an offer she can’t refuse?

At lunch, Eric bursts through the door of the teachers’ lounge. “Is it true?”

Fuck. Looks like it’s time to pay the piper. I get up and move out of earshot of everyone and into the small kitchenette. He follows.

“You don’t know how bad I feel about this. I swear to God it happened before Nicky came back.

Before you guys got together.”

“I get that. But you should have given me a heads-up, man. We’re friends for Christ’s sake.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“No. I overheard some kids talking after third period.” He shakes his head, clearly frustrated.

“Fucking students knew before I did.”

I narrow my eyes. “You haven’t even talked to her? Why aren’t you questioning if the baby is yours?”

“Because I know it’s not. I’m infertile. It’s why my ex divorced me.”

“Ah, man. I’m really sorry.” And apparently I’m the most fertile fucking guy on the planet.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Jaxon?”

I back against the wall. “Because this is going to be a real shit show.”

“She’s not the only woman to accidentally get knocked up around here.”

“You don’t know the half of it, man.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I just wish the two of you were together. It would make things easier.”

“I wish we were too.”

I raise a brow, happy that he’s confirmed my suspicions. “You’d still be with her? Even now?”

“Maybe especially now. Wait, exactly when did you find out she was pregnant?”

“Shortly before she broke up with you.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I couldn’t say anything. We wanted to keep it quiet for obvious reasons, but she also begged me not to.”

“Is she trying to get back with you? Or did she think I wouldn’t want her anymore?”

“I’m fairly sure it’s the latter. She even said something the other day about not wanting to go through another heartbreak. I honestly think her breaking up with you was a preemptive strike.”

“But that doesn’t make sense. I heard she bought the house next door to you.”

“For convenience. I don’t want her. She doesn’t want me. But living next door will be what’s best for the kid even if the downside is that it’s easier for Calista to disrupt my life by asking for me to fix every little thing that goes wrong in her house.”

He grips my shoulder. “I’ve been telling you all along what a good man you are.”

I shrug him off. Because I know I’m not. But I am working on it.

“Damn, I get what you mean about the shit show. People are going to salivate over this. What does Nicky have to say? She’s got to be torn up.”

You have no idea. “She is. We both are. But there’s nothing we can do to change it. I’m going to support the baby, and I hope Calista and I can remain friends, but that’ll be the extent of our relationship.”

The door to the lounge opens, and Calista walks in. All eyes turn to her. I guess Eric and I weren’t as quiet as I’d hoped. Or news traveled faster than expected. A group of women swarms her.