“That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t saying ‘no,’ don’t have the baby. I was saying don’t treat me like I’m not this kid’s father.”
I sighed and looked over my shoulder, meeting the warm, milk chocolate eyes that had gotten me into this situation. “Look, I have to go. If my brother shows up, we are both in deep shit.”
Bennett gave an unamused hum. “Trust me, I get it. He’s gonna kill me. But you’re not leaving like this.”
“You can’t keep me here.” I gripped the door handle, my fatigue making me feel an unhinged note of panic.
“Relax.” He rubbed my hand. “I’m coming with you. Let’s go someplace and talk.”
“Can it be my apartment? I’m so tired.”
“Yeah. I’ll drive your car there and catch a ride later.”
I nodded, my body weakening with relief. I’d told him. I’d been dreading this conversation, and he’d taken the news very well.
He was the only person other than my doctor who knew. It felt good to have someone to talk to, even if I hardly knew him. Even if he was Liam’s teammate.
My gaze darted all over the small player housing parking lot as Bennett led me out to my car. If Liam saw us . . .
I couldn’t even think about it. My older brother was very protective of me. If he even found out Bennett had touched me, he’d blow his top. Finding out he’d gotten me pregnant would probably result in criminal charges.
He couldn’t know. Bennett and I would have to make sure of it. I was already at the end of a frayed emotional rope, and I couldn’t take any more stress right now.
Maybe we’d be able to tell him later. Like much later, when our kid was in high school.
Our kid. I looked over at Bennett and resisted the urge to laugh like a maniac. I still couldn’t even believe this was happening. I was having a baby with a man whose last name I didn’t even know.
Bennett
Charlotte radiated exhaustion on the drive to her place. She was slumped against the passenger side window, looking like she could fall asleep any second.
“What’s your last name?” she murmured.
“Morse. Bennett Christopher Morse.”
“I’m Charlotte Elizabeth Holloway,” she said softly.
I cringed at the sound of her last name. Liam’s younger sister. How had I been so stupid? He’d probably still been in Cosmos that night when I met Charlotte but hadn’t looked over and seen us. If he had, everything would be different now.
I’d had a pregnancy scare with a girlfriend in college, and waiting to see if she’d get her period had felt like the longest two days of my life. I was terrified every minute of losing my hockey scholarship if I had to quit school to get a job and support my child. Thank God it had been a false alarm and I was able to finish school.
And now, at age twenty-six, I didn’t feel much more ready. At least I’d finished school, but I didn’t make much money as a minor-league player.
“I’m so tired,” Charlotte said. “Work wears me out right now.”
“Just rest. We’ll find time to talk when you’re feeling up to it.”
I couldn’t provide much in the way of financial help right now. A major-league player would tell his girl she could quit her job and he’d take care of everything. All I could do at this moment was give Charlotte the shoulder she needed to lean on. I’d make sure she didn’t have even more stress from knowing how freaked out I was right now.
By the end of the fifteen-minute drive to her place, Charlotte was asleep. I opened her door slowly, reaching an arm in to support her.
“Bennett?” She gave me a confused look.
“We’re back at your place. Want me to carry you in?”
She rubbed her eyes and got out of the car. “No, I’m okay. We can talk.”
We went up the sidewalk and into her building. The carpet in the building’s small lobby, already stained in several places, had a pile of vomit in one corner.