Mistaken Identity (Identity 1)

“Of course you didn’t.” He shook his head. “Is that what you’re worried about? I’ll think this is some kind of trap? You just got promoted to your dream position at work. Why would you throw all of that down the shitter?”

“This could kill your career, Jett. I won’t let that happen!”

“You don’t need to worry about that. All you have to do is lay back, relax, and let these IVs do their thing.”

“How are you so calm!”

“Because I’m not that upset about it. Sure, it’s not how I wanted it to be, but we’ll get hitched right away, and no one will be the wiser, or at least they won’t say it out loud.” He grinned, happy with his solution.

“Who said I want to get married!”

“You don’t want to marry me?” His face crumpled like a house of cards in the wind.

“No! Yes! Aaah!” She tossed her hands up in the air, and hissed when the IV jerked. “I never thought I’d get married. A baby shouldn’t be the catalyst that changes that. Trust me, I know firsthand a child does not hold a family together.”

“My baby in your belly changes everything. If you think I’m about to let my kid run around being labeled a bastard while we shuffle him back and forth because you have a hang up you’re out of your mind.”

“Now you wait just—”

“No, you wait! This isn’t two people who can’t stand each other or won’t make the long haul together winding up pregnant. This is us. You know what we have is once in a lifetime. I knew I wanted to be with you forever almost the day after we met! I’ve been waiting on you to realize it and get on board.”

“You over-handed jackass.”

“Call me whatever you want, but plan on a wedding date because it’s going to happen. I’m not letting you go, Kansas. I never was.”

“You can’t force me.”

“I won’t have to, darling. When you work it all out in the fabulous brain of yours you’ll come to the same conclusion. I love you, Kansas. I want forever with you.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“Only because you won’t let me.”

The thought of her child growing up in a broken home like she had made her sick to her stomach. “What if we don’t last?”

“I don’t think that’ll happen, but for the sake of argument, then we’ll at least have tried. What-ifs are no way to exist.”

“I don’t know if I can be the wife you deserve, Jett. I’m damaged goods.”

“Aren’t we all in some way? Hell, I bundled you up and toted you off to the E.R. thinking you had anorexia, not a normal response to someone fainting. Come on, Sas, be damaged with me.”

His flippancy made her snicker. “Damn you, Jett.”

He grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. “At least give me the two weeks to make up your mind one way or the other.” The offer took the immediate pressure off. She was going to do everything in her power to “how-to-lose-a-guy-in-ten-days” him.

“Done.”

“Cant’ say I like the wicked glint in your eyes, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

“Nope.” She popped the P in the word with puckered lips as she dreamed up all the ways she’d send him running for the hill

s. By the time she was done he’d be happy to hightail it out of town. A stab of guilt sliced through her. It’s what’s best. He’s too kind hearted to see what’s best for him, so I’ll do it for us both. I can’t be the killer of someone’s dreams. The resentment he’d harbor over it would poison them both from the inside out, and she’d become the one person she despised most, her mother.

Chapter Five

His head reeled as he rested in the waiting room for her to be dismissed. A dad? The concept was still foreign. Talk about be careful what you wish were. A month ago he was praying he’d be a husband and a father, and today it was within his grasp. If I can convince Kansas we’ll work. Her mother had done a real number on her, and without knowing the full story he had no clue how to proceed. His parents always gave good advice when it came to relationships, but he didn’t dare bring this to their step until it was neatly packaged and wrapped in a bow. You didn’t have babies out of wedlock where they came from, and it’d be worse for her as a woman.

You put me into this predicament, God. I’m counting on you to help me find the words to smooth out the kinks. There were a million different questions. Where would they live? How would it affect his career? What would their families say? He didn’t know too much about her father, Reginald. He owned a successful dentist practice in town. From a wealthy, founding family, he’d carved out his own standing and identity by going to into dentistry. He wondered how someone that strong willed could be snowed and manipulated by the same woman over and over.