Once we’re in another cab, Christopher sighs. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. I was not expecting this.”
“I know. But are you okay?”
“I guess. I mean, it’ll all work out, right? Carter’s a great dad, and the Cavanaugh family is amazing. We’ll have support from them. Gabby’ll be a great big sister.”
“That’s all true,” he says and pats my knee. “After he gets over the initial shock, Carter will be happy.”
“Well, I hope so. Obviously he didn’t plan to have more children, but babies are a wonderful thing.”
“Totally,” Christopher agrees. The cab pulls up to my office building. “This is your stop. If you need me later, just call. I have the rest of the day free.”
“Thank you.” I lean in and kiss his cheek. “You’re the best friend a girl could have.”
“You’re making me blush. Good luck, sugar.”
I climb out of the cab and make my way inside. The closer I get to my desk, the more nervous I get. I want Carter to be happy. Excited, even.
Frankly, I don’t see why he wouldn’t be.
I press my hand to my stomach in the elevator and grin. I’m going to have a baby.
When I return to my desk, I see that Carter’s in a meeting. I’ve never been patient. Waiting around, especially with news like this, is painful.
But finally, after about thirty minutes, Carter walks out of the elevator toward his office. He doesn’t even glance my way. His face is completely blank as he walks past my desk.
We’re about to have a conversation about him being a dick. I told him before, the silent treatment pisses me off.
Without being invited, I follow him into the office and shut the door smartly behind me, getting his attention.
“Would you like to hear how my appointment went?”
He raises a brow expectantly, but when I wait for him to respond to my question, he simply says, “If you’d like to share, please go ahead.”
I walk toward him and cock my head to the side. “Well, I see where Gabby gets her shitty attitude. This is not unlike what I got from your daughter just a few days ago.”
Carter blows out a breath and rubs his hand down his face. “I apologize. You’re right. Please tell me what the doctor said.”
“I don’t have cancer.”
Every muscle in his body slumps with the news. He covers his eyes and sighs in relief. “Thank God.”
He was scared. The coldness, the distance, was out of fear.
“I was terrified,” he admits now.
“I know. Me, too. But it’s definitely not cancer.” I sit across from him. “She said that as we age, the texture of the tissue can change, particularly when a woman is pregnant.”
His eyes, his entire face, goes blank once again.
He says nothing for ten long seconds.
“Carter? Did you hear me?”
“I heard.”
“I mean, I know this was not planned, but—”
“Whose is it?”
The words echo in the space between us, and my eyes narrow on him—this man I’ve fallen in love with and trusted with my heart.
He raises his brows again, expecting an answer. I’m shaking in rage as I slowly stand from my chair, brace my hands on the desk as I lean over, and say in no uncertain terms, “You can go fuck yourself.”
With that, I walk out of his office, slamming the door behind me. Childish? Sure, but it felt damn good. I’m doing my best to keep tears at bay as I gather my things and hurry to the elevator.
I need to get the hell out of here.
“Hey, Nora.” Sienna joins me at the elevator, and when she sees my face, she frowns. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. I just need to be alone. I need to get the hell out of here and be alone. I’m about to break apart, and I refuse to do it here.
“Nora, talk to me,” she tries again and lays her hand on my shoulder. “You’re scaring me. Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
The elevator arrives, and as the doors open, I shake my head and say, “If you want answers, go ask Carter. I have to go.”
I step in and when the doors close, I breathe a sigh of relief.
But I’m not in here alone. No, that would be too easy.
So I keep breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Don’t think about the fact that the man you love just called you a whore. Hold it together.
“Hello, Nora.”
Motherfucker.
“Mary” is all I say and I watch the numbers ping as we pass each floor.
“Gee, you look upset. Are you okay? Did Carter break up with you?” She clicks her tongue. “That’s why no-frat policies exist, you know. So things like this don’t happen. So someone doesn’t march through the place with a red, blotchy face, making a fool of herself.”
Enough.
I round on her and trap her in the corner of the elevator.