Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Outside, I get into the car. It’s only then that I allow the facts to sink in.
I’m not infertile.
Anya is going to have my baby.
Christ.
I scrub a hand over my mouth, noticing how much it’s shaking.
A baby. With the woman I love.
My protective instinct goes into overdrive. Like when she was pregnant with Claire, a thousand fears assault me at once. I’m going to wrap her up in cotton wool and satisfy every one of her cravings. I’m going to make damn sure she gets the best care.
Pride hits me next, swelling my chest to the point of bursting. I never thought I’d have a child. And then Anya stumbled into my life with her beautiful, pregnant belly, and I saw a chance. I saw a chance and took it, but she became so much more than that. It was never only about her baby. It was always about her. I wanted everything, the whole package deal. And now she’s pregnant again, this time with my baby, and I hope to God she can find it in herself to believe a man who only lied to her from the start.
Chapter
Forty-Six
Anya
* * *
Hugging my knees to my chest, I sit on the floor of the nursery. Claire lies on her stomach on a play mat next to me. She slams buttons on an electronic toy that lights up with a sound, her small face serious as she studies every blinking shape.
My heart melts as I brush a hand over her soft baby hair, enjoying her reactions. I love every part of her learning curve. Nothing brings me greater joy than watching her grow and develop a little more each day.
As she gets absorbed in the buttons that play music, I allow my mind to wander. Saverio reacted as I expected him to. No, worse. Because he didn’t even stay to talk about it. He ran off like a man on the verge of committing murder.
Livy and I ate lunch in silence. She didn’t push me for information, so I let her believe I’m still getting over last night.
It’s a lot to take in. I’m pregnant and leaving my husband. What’s going on? Infertility doesn’t change. A man’s sperm doesn’t magically become fertile. That leaves two feasible explanations. The laboratory either got the tests wrong or they mixed up the results.
I took the remaining two pregnancy tests that were left in the box, and both were positive. To be sure, I scheduled an appointment with Nicole via her receptionist. I didn’t want to call her directly because knowing her, she would’ve insisted on coming straight over when she’s just been here this morning and she has a dinner planned with her in-laws. A blood test will have to wait until next week if she can squeeze me in.
I play a farm animal game with Claire until my nerves can’t take it anymore, and then I give in and call Saverio’s number. His phone goes straight to voicemail, making it clear that he doesn’t want to speak to me.
Damn.
I drop the phone next to me and thread my fingers through my hair.
Livy puts her head around the jamb. “How about my special paella for dinner? Do you think you can stomach it?” One look at my face, and her smile drops. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Livy.”
Worry creeps into her features. “What is it?”
“I think I’m pregnant. No, I know I’m pregnant.”
Her mouth drops open. She’s shocked to silence, only managing to ask after two beats, “Does Sav know?”
“I told him,” I say, sounding as miserable as I feel.
She comes closer and sits crossed-legged in front of me, arranging her floral skirt around her knees. “How did he take it? I would’ve thought he’d be ecstatic, but the look on your face says otherwise.”
“He didn’t say anything. He just left.” I add with a frown, “That was an hour ago.”
“This was unplanned,” she says gently.
“Very much,” I admit.
She dips her head to catch my gaze. “Didn’t you use protection?”
“Saverio wasn’t supposed to be able to have children. At least, that’s what the tests he had done said.”
Her eyes flare. “Oh.”
“He only married me because he wanted a baby, and I was already pregnant with Claire. Now that he can have his own children, he has even less of a reason to want to be with me. Maybe it’s all for the best.”
“Wait.” Livy frowns. “What are you saying? It almost sounds as if you’re breaking up.”
“He doesn’t love me. He warned me that he wouldn’t. Couldn’t. He reminded me repeatedly. It’s time I move on.”
“Poor Anya.” Her blue gaze is compassionate. “How can you be so blind? Haven’t you noticed how he looks at you?”
“Yes,” a deep voice says from the door. “Haven’t you noticed, tesoro?”
I jump.
Saverio stands on the threshold, looking ten different shades of disheveled. His hair is standing up in all directions and his tie is askew. One half of his shirttails hangs out.