Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss (Pregnancy & Passion #3)(50)

Ashley shook her head. “I’m going to stay with Pippa for a bit until I figure out what my next step is. I need to find a better job. I have a child to consider now. Devon is right about one thing. It’s time to pull my head out of the clouds and grow up.”

How long could she possibly avoid him? Devon paced his office, though he hadn’t gotten any work done in the three days since Ashley had walked out on him. He hadn’t slept. He’d worn out his phone trying to call her. He’d called her friends, her parents, every family member he had a number for.

The reception had been understandably chilly.

He didn’t care. He had no pride where Ashley was concerned. He didn’t care if he came across as the most pathetic, lovesick guy who’d ever lived. He just wanted her back. He wanted her stuff strewn all over his apartment. He wanted to be able to smell her as soon as he walked into a room. He wanted her to be happy again. He wanted her to smile.

When he wasn’t at the office, he was at the apartment, waiting. She hadn’t returned. Not even to get her things. All her clothes were still neatly hung in the closet. Her shoes—and there were a ton of shoes—were stacked in boxes on the shelves in his closet. Ashley never went anywhere without her shoes and the fact that she still hadn’t returned to the apartment worried him.

If only she’d answer her damn phone. Or one of the hundreds of texts he’d sent her. He just wanted to know she was all right. Worry was eating a hole in his gut. She was pregnant. What if she had another one of her headaches? Who would take care of her?

Eric had said she had frequent headaches when she was unhappy. Devon had made her miserable. Her medication was also at the apartment but surely she couldn’t take it now that she was pregnant. He could at least hold her, rub her head, make sure it was cool and dark in the room.

If she would just talk to him. Just give him a chance to tell her how much he loved her. He hadn’t realized how much he missed the sunshine she brought into his life until it was gone. Snuffed out over careless, thoughtless words he’d thrown at her.

His cell rang and he scrambled for it, nearly dropping it in his haste to see if it was Ashley calling. Disappointment nearly flattened him when he saw it was Rafael. With a heavy sigh, he put the phone to his ear and muttered a low hello.

“It’s a girl!” Rafael said in a jubilant voice. “A beautiful six-pound, twelve-ounce baby girl. She was born an hour ago.”

Devon’s eyes closed and he swallowed back the bitter disappointment. He was so envious of his friend in this moment that it took everything he had not to throw the phone at the wall.

“Hey man, that’s great. How is Bryony doing?”

“Oh she’s wonderful. What a trooper. I’m so damn proud of her. She breezed right through labor. I think she was a hell of a lot stronger than I was. I was ready to fall over by the time the little one made her appearance. But boy, is she gorgeous. Looks just like her mama.”

Devon could practically hear Rafael beaming through the phone.

“Give her my love,” Devon said. “I’m happy for both of you.”

“Is everything okay, Dev? You sound like hell if you don’t mind me saying.”

Devon hesitated. He didn’t want to dump on Rafael on the day his daughter was born, but he was at the end of his rope and he could use any advice he could get.

“No,” he said bluntly. “Ashley’s pregnant and she left me.”

“Whoa. Back up a minute. Holy crap. I thought she was head over heels in love with you? What the hell happened? And damn, you move fast. How far along is she?”

“I have no idea,” Devon said in a weary voice. “I don’t know anything. She came to my office three days ago, told me she was pregnant and then announced she was leaving me.”

“Ouch. That blows, man. I’m sorry to hear it. Is there anything I can do?”

Devon sank into his chair and rotated around so he could watch the falling snow through the window. “Yeah, you can give me some advice. I have to get her back, Rafe.”

There was a prolonged silence. Then Rafael blew out his breath. “Okay, well the first question. Do you love her? Or is this more of a ‘you’re not leaving me because you’re pregnant and we should stay married’ type thing?”

Devon swore. “I love her. I screwed up but I love her. Not that she’ll ever believe me. I messed up so bad with her, Rafe. I make you and Ryan look like choirboys.”

“Oh boy. That’s bad. That’s really, really bad.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, I’ll tell you like a certain gentleman once told me when I was standing around with my thumb up my ass wondering how the hell I was going to get Bryony to forgive me. Either go big or go home.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means you need to pull out the big guns. Do something huge. Make a gesture she can’t possibly misunderstand. And then get on your knees and grovel. Trust me. The first time on your knees sucks, but if she takes you back, you’ll spend the rest of your life on them anyway so better get used to it now.”

“If she’ll take me back, I’ll gladly stay on them,” Devon muttered.

“It pains me that I can’t even give you hell about falling hard like the rest of us poor schmucks you liked to rag on. You’re too pathetic to pick on right now.”