Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
I gape, shocked. My heart’s racing and my brain feels dizzy.
“Well, no, we haven’t had a talk. At least, not in so many words. But he’s practically moved me in with him, and we spend all of our free time together. We’re definitely in a real relationship.” My voice trails off. “I swear.”
My nana merely looks very tired suddenly.
“I think you should have a frank talk with Peter to make sure that you’re both on the same page. If he met you when he was looking for an escort, he might not be looking for a real long-term relationship. I don’t mean to rain on your parade, sweetheart, but he sounds very much like a man of the world. Someone who has everything at his fingertips, with people kowtowing left and right, and I don’t want you to be hurt, honey. How old did you say he was again?”
My face feels frozen.
“I didn’t, but Peter’s forty.”
“And you’re only twenty-five, sweetheart. He’s quite a bit older than you, and has seen more of the world. Until you have that talk with him, I think it’s very possible that he still thinks of you as an escort.”
My chest feels tight, and I suddenly have a terrible headache. May can’t be right. Can she? No. It can’t be because I would feel it if it were. “No.” I shake my head firmly. “Our relationship is real, and I know Peter cares about me. He shows me his feelings all the time, and he treats me like I’m one of the most important people in the world. I mean, he went to work late today just because he didn’t want to leave me. This is real. It has to be,” I say in a stubborn tone.
My grandmother puts her withered hand over mine once more.
“I know you’re right, honey,” she says in a soft voice. “I just want you to be sure, that’s all. A man who uses escorts is not usually the same guy looking for a long-term relationship. They’re diametric opposites, actually, and I don’t want you to be hurt.”
I nod, but I don’t feel good all of a sudden. I look down at my half-eaten chicken and my stomach churns. Suddenly, nausea strikes and clamping my hands over my mouth, I jump up and dart to the bathroom. I barely make it to the toilet before my lunch comes back up in a sickly mix of brown and green liquid.
When I’m done being ill, I stand there, panting before the sink. My forehead is sweaty and my hair hangs in limp curls. Even worse, my skin looks pale and clammy, as if there’s no circulation. Quickly, I wash out my mouth and wet a cool rag to put on the back of my neck. What the heck is going on? Suddenly, a thought strikes and my eyes shoot up to the mirror and I stare at myself. “No. It can’t be.”
When was my last period? I start doing the math in my head. Crap! I’m two weeks late. How did I not realize until now? My mind starts whirling, and I sink against the wall until I’m sitting on the cold bathroom tile. I could be pregnant with Peter Wilshire’s child, but as my grandmother just pointed out, I may be nothing to him but a convenient lay. How did things become so confusing, not to mention messed up? Tears prickle my eyes as I cross both arms over my tummy. My son or daughter is inside, and now, I need to talk to their dad.
9
Angie
Generally, I don’t bother my man when he’s at work because Peter’s the CEO of a hotel chain and has a million and one things to get done. Whatever I need to say can wait until he gets home. But unfortunately, this issue is too pressing, and I can’t delay any longer. I look down at my abdomen and press a hand to my lower stomach. I might have a baby growing inside me now, and this child will be loved.
“I hope your daddy isn’t scared off when I tell him my suspicions about you,” I whisper to my tummy.
Actually, if my grandmother is right it might not even take a baby to scare him off. If she’s right, just making him aware I want a real relationship might be the nail in the coffin.
Oh god. My stomach churns and nausea makes me dizzy once more. Have I been completely misguided these past three months? After all, if we aren’t in a real relationship then I need to know immediately so I can move on and figure out how I want to handle things. Honestly, I’m almost definitely expecting because although Peter and I use protection, there were a few times when the moment got too hot too fast, and he came hard in me. Yet, if that’s true, then this baby was conceived in love, and tears spring to my eyes. I want this child, but what will his or her father say?