Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“That’s not necessary.”
“It is,” she whispered. “That’s what you care about most so I’ll make sure you get it.” Without another word she turned her back to me and tugged up the hospital sheet.
Conversation over.
For now. I vowed to give Toni a day or two to think about us and what we could be. During that time, I would do the thing that brought us to this moment in the first place.
Open up.
Chapter 32
Toni
The moment I’m released from the hospital, I hitched a cab to the now, almost-empty fairgrounds to retrieve my car. The rain made the grounds muddy but it took me about fifteen minutes to make my way through the expansive parking lot to my car. It was dusty but there was no damage and I slipped behind the wheel, letting out a long, slow breath before I jammed the key in the ignition and turned.
The next scheduled stop on my list was Brady’s mansion. In the three days I’d been in the hospital getting my vitamins readjusted I had sent a check to his lawyer, put my condo on the market and started looking for a small, single family home that would be perfect for me and the baby. The only thing left to do was move out of the nanny suite and get on with my life.
It was easier than it sounded.
I took my time on the long drive up to the mansion and when the door came into view, I sat for a long time and just watched the door, wondering what, if anything, was going on the other side. This is it. I have to do this. It’s time.
I stepped from my car and took in the details of the mansion one last time before making my way to the front door, step by hesitant step. I sent a word of hope up to the universe that Brady wasn’t home before I shoved my key into the door and twisted the knob.
The house was quiet, which was unusual but today it was a relief. I didn’t have the energy—mental or emotional—to deal with Brady again. He knew the truth about the pregnancy but how he felt about it was a mystery to me. It didn’t matter. He knew and he didn’t seem happy about it, which made leaving this placement a good thing.
A damn good thing.
Part of me was tempted to stop in the kitchen first, to see Brady and Layla enjoying breakfast one last time but the new and improved me was determined to avoid temptation at all costs. Instead I went straight up the stairs but before I made it to my suite, I was stopped by a tall, hot, broody nerd with a gentle smile on his face. “Toni.”
His anger was gone, which was a relief but it was also disappointing. I didn’t expect him to fight for me but I maybe, sort of hoped that he would fight for our baby. “I’m not here to cause any trouble or fight with you Brady. I just came to get my things.”
“Can we talk first? Please.” Brady pressed his palms together, begging for a moment of my time.
Every nerve in my body urged me to say no, to tell him that we had nothing else to talk about. But the pleading look in his eyes stopped me. I weighed my options. Did I really want to hear whatever he had to say or would it simply prolong the inevitable end? The inevitable goodbye. “Sure. Fine. What would you like to talk about, Brady?
He nodded, a sad look in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Toni. I owe you an apology, several actually. I haven’t done much right when it comes to you and for that I am truly sorry. I let the fear of my feelings for you get in the way, thinking that if I ignored them, they would go away. I thought I could put you in the same box as every other woman and when I couldn’t, I acted out.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that so I kept my gaze focused on his gorgeous face, unwavering yet uncertain about what came next.
“I thought you would just accept it, but you didn’t. You kept pushing to get to know me and as much as it thrilled me, it also made me incredibly suspicious.”
“That’s pretty fucked up.” I laughed nervously and Brady laughed in response.
“Yeah, it is.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, his smile sheepish and brilliant. “It was unsettling, your desire to get to know me. If I had told you about me, then you’d know more and have more to use against me. If I didn’t share, I risked losing you. There was no way to win.”
I nodded at his words even as my blood boiled. “I didn’t know this was a game. I just wanted to get to know you.”