The Virgin Next Door (Stud Ranch 3)

He jerked upright and for a second, Calla had the strangest feeling Mack was about to get in the truck and slam the door right in her face. But then he paused and leaned back over, lifting the coupler off the ball hitch. He kept his face averted. Why couldn’t he look at her?

“What?” Calla asked in alarm. “What’s happened? Is Liam okay?”

“That snob will always be just fine.” Mack’s voice was full of acrimony as he dropped the trailer hitch.

“Did you two have another fight?” She followed on his heels as he walked around to the driver’s side and got up in the cab. She wedged herself in the open door. He would not be going anywhere until she got some answers.

Mack just shook his head. “Look, it doesn’t matter.” He looked forward through the windshield, jaw working. “It’s time for me to move on, that’s all.”

Move on? Like…

“You’re leaving?” She could barely get the words past her suddenly dry throat.

Mack looked down and then away. “I always said I would.” He tossed the wrench he’d been using on the hitch into the passenger side floorboards. “It was time I was hitting the road.”

Calla could only stare on in confusion. “But Torpedo. You have to show him today. This doesn’t make any sense. Where are you even—”

“Back East. Got some things I got to take care of. They can’t wait.” He still didn’t look toward her.

“And then what?” she asked incredulously. “Will you come back?”

He shook his head. “Told you. I’m movin’ on.”

This time Calla took several steps back. How could he…? She felt like she’d just been slammed in the chest by a semi.

“I don’t understand.”

“What don’t you understand?” Mack turned her way angrily. “This was always my plan. I gave it to you straight from the beginning. You said you were okay with it.”

Calla’s jaw set. “Things changed. You know they did. What we’ve shared,” she glared at him. “I didn’t imagine that.”

Mack just shook his head stubbornly. “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. I got a path I’m meant to walk. And it ain’t with you.”

“I’m pregnant.” The words fell out of her mouth without her thinking them through. Mack’s head jerked in her direction.

And it just kept spewing out. “I don’t know if you or Liam is the father. With the timeframe the doctor gave me, it could be either of yours. I didn’t think I could— I’ve always been irregular and—” She stopped and looked down. “Anyway, I’m not sure if I should keep it. What my dad has, it’s genetic. I could have it too, and so could the baby. I don’t know what to do.”

Finally letting it go felt like having a hundred pounds lifted off her shoulders. But God, what now? Would he be furious at her for keeping it a secret all this time?

But when Mack climbed down out of the cab, he took her face gently in her hands. “You’ll be a wonderful mother.” His voice was so soft it was barely a whisper. His eyebrows drew together. “But believe me, you don’t want me. You and Liam will raise that baby and be able to give them everything. The life they deserve.”

He was breaking her heart. Couldn’t he see that? “But—”

His eyebrows suddenly furrowed. “Should you still be doing the mustang competition?”

Oh so he cared about the baby in the abstract, as long as he didn’t have to ever see it?

She pulled away from him. “I changed my routine. I’m only doing one galloping pass and the rest is low impact stuff. A lot of experienced, professional women riders keep riding when they’re pregnant.”

She didn’t know why she was bothering to defend her choices to him. He didn’t want her. She wasn’t worth staying for.

“I’m sorry, Calla,” he repeat

ed. “This just isn’t my path.”

She turned around and ran back toward the arena before his words could pierce her any deeper.

She heard a roar go up from the crowd beyond.