Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss (Pregnancy & Passion #3)(46)

Ashley took a deep breath because until right now, at this very moment, she hadn’t known. Or maybe she had but had pushed it aside, unwilling to accept the decision that her heart had already made.

“I’m going to tell him I can’t do this,” she said softly.

“Good for you,” Pippa said fiercely.

“You’re leaving him?” Carly asked.

Ashley sighed again. “I can’t stay with him. I deserve better. I deserve a man who loves me and doesn’t want to change me. I’m tired of trying to be someone I’m not. I liked myself the way I was. I don’t like this person I’ve become.”

“That a girl,” Tabitha said. “And don’t you worry even for a minute about the baby. You have us. You know your parents will support you. We’ll be with you every step of the way. We’ll babysit. We’ll go to the doctor with you. We’ll even coach you in the delivery room.”

“Oh God, stop before you make me cry again,” Ashley choked out.

“Do you want one of us to go with you?” Carly asked anxiously. “I don’t want you to have to do this alone. Pippa would be awesome to take with you. She can be scary when people mess with someone she loves.”

Pippa grinned.

“No,” Ashley said, squaring her shoulders. “This is something I have to do on my own. It’s time I regained control over my own life and future. I haven’t had it since Devon walked into my life.”

“I’m so proud of you, Ash,” Tabitha said.

“We all are,” Pippa said firmly. “If you need a place to stay until you get everything sorted out, any one of us will be more than happy to let you stay as long as you need.”

Ashley looked at her three friends and some of the terrible ache in her chest dissolved at the love and loyalty she saw burning in their eyes. She really would be okay. Things would suck for a while, but she was going to be okay. She’d get through this. She had family and friends—the very best of friends—and now she had a child to focus on.

The moment the nurse had confirmed that she had a life growing inside her, Ashley’s entire world had changed. Her priorities had shifted and she’d instantly known that she had to do what was best for her and her child.

It had been a powerful moment of realization.

Calm settled over her. Oh, she was still terrified—and heartbroken. That wouldn’t change overnight. But now she knew what she had to do and she couldn’t escape the inevitability of the path that for once she had chosen instead of it choosing her.

Eighteen

Devon was having a hard time concentrating. He’d already blown three phone calls. He’d sent an email to the wrong recipient and replied to another thinking it was someone else. His focus was completely and utterly shot and he couldn’t even pinpoint exactly what had him so out of sorts.

He was concerned for Ashley, definitely. He hadn’t wanted to leave her that morning, but she’d insisted she was fine and that he should go into work. Still, he had a nagging sensation tugging at his chest that wouldn’t go away.

Something just wasn’t right.

He picked up his phone to call Ashley’s cell but was interrupted by his door opening. He looked up and frowned. His secretary hadn’t announced a visitor and he knew damn well he didn’t have an appointment now.

To his surprise, Eric Copeland strode into the room, his expression grim. He stopped in front of Devon’s desk and planted his palms down on the polished wood.

“What the hell have you done to my sister?”

Devon pushed back and shot up out of his chair. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m getting damn tired of people asking me what I’ve done to her. If you’re asking why we left the party last night, she had a headache and I didn’t want her to suffer needlessly. I took her home and put her to bed.”

Eric made a sound of disgust. “You may not know this about Ashley but the only time she gets these headaches with any frequency is when she’s stressed or unhappy. I find it pretty telling that she returned from her honeymoon after only two days because of a headache and that since then, she’s suffered them on a regular basis.”

It was a fist to Devon’s gut. He sank back into his chair as Eric stood seething over him.

“My sister looks desperately unhappy,” Eric continued. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I don’t like what I see. She’s changed and something tells me you have everything to do with that.”

“Maybe she’s finally growing up,” Devon said tightly. “Her family hasn’t done her any favors by coddling her and shielding her from the world around her.”

Eric gave him a look of pure disgust. The cold fury emanating from the younger man slapped Devon squarely in the face. It pricked at Devon and aroused an instinctive need to defend himself. The idea that his marriage was being picked apart by this outsider roused his ire even as a voice in the back of his mind whispered to him to listen.

“Her family loves her just like she is,” Eric bit out. “She is cherished and adored by us all. She is appreciated for the beautiful, warm, loving person she is and we’d damn well never try to change her. Anyone that would doesn’t deserve her.”

He spun around and stalked toward the door but then he stopped and turned back to Devon, his lips curled into a snarl. “I don’t know what the hell kind of deal you struck with my father but he was wrong. Dead wrong. You weren’t the right man for my sister. The right man would know and appreciate what a gift he’d been given. I’m putting you on notice right now. I’m watching you. If Ashley isn’t more herself in very short order, I’m coming after you with everything I’ve got. I hadn’t planned to take over the business for my father, but if the choices are having you as a part of the family and making my sister miserable or me sucking it up and taking over myself, I’ll do it.”