After All - Romancing Manhattan

“I know. Nora, you’re completely right. I’m a colossal dick, and I was so thrown, I just reacted without thinking.”

“I would never do that to you,” she whispers. “Not just because I think cheaters are horrible, but because I know what that feels like. I know how much that hurts. I would never make you feel like that.”

“I know.” It’s all I can say.

“And in return, you made me feel like a whore.”

“Christ.” I pace away from her, and then back again. “I never meant that, Nora. You mean too much to me to ever intentionally hurt you like that.”

“The words came out of your mouth.” She angrily swipes away a tear.

“I wish I could take them back. With all my heart, I wish I could go back and do it all differently. Starting with last night.”

“Me, too.”

“I can’t do that.” I hold my hands out at my sides. “I can only apologize, with everything I am, for ever making you feel like I don’t care. And for hurting you so deeply.”

“The trust is cracked a bit here, Carter. I’ve never seen this kind of behavior from you, and it scared me.”

“I’ll earn it all back,” I promise as I walk to her. She doesn’t push away this time as I pull her into my arms and hug her closely. “I know it’ll take some time, but I’ll make it up to you.”

“So you’re not freaked out about the baby?”

“Oh, I’m a little freaked out.” I kiss her head and take a deep breath, pulling the scent of her in. “First, I was confused. I did have the vasectomy, like I told you. But I called the office, and I never made it to the follow-up appointment, where they make sure the procedure was a success.”

Her head whips up. “Why ever not?”

“Because Darcy died the day of that appointment, and I missed it. It just slipped my mind, with everything happening.”

“Of course,” she whispers. “Well, I guess it makes sense then.”

“Yeah.” I brush my hand down her hair. “How do you feel?”

“Tired.”

“Is that from me being a jerk, or the baby?”

“Maybe both,” she admits with a smile.

“Mary came to my office,” I say and watch as the smile slides from her face. “She said you quit.”

“Yeah. I might have also cornered her in the elevator and told her to fuck off.”

“You’ve had a busy day of telling people to fuck off, darling.”

“If my memory serves, I told you to go fuck yourself.”

I kiss her forehead. “So you did. Charming.”

“You deserved it.”

“And more.”

“What did Mary say?”

“Just that you’d quit, and she found me a temp. I told her to let me take care of things regarding you, and she could go ahead and leave. I fired her.”

She looks up in surprise again. “You fired her?”

“She’s made enough waves in the office. We don’t need a troublemaker at Cavanaugh Cavanaugh and Shaw.”

“I don’t like her,” Nora admits.

“Well, she’s gone. Now, I’m so glad we’ve started to mend things here, because we’re about to be very busy.”

“What are you talking about?”

I take the ring out of my pocket and place it on her ring finger.

“We have a wedding to plan.”

“Like hell we do.”

Chapter Nineteen

~Nora~

I yank the ring off my finger, shove it into Carter’s chest, and pull away from him.

“What are you doing?” He’s scowling at me, confusion written all over his face. “Of course we’re getting married.”

“Of course we’re getting married.” I look up to the ceiling, begging for strength from any god that’s listening. Actually, no. It’s patience I need. Because if God gives me strength, I’ll strangle him.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard,” I begin as I pace my living room. “But it’s 2020. Not 1972. I am perfectly capable of being a single parent. There’s no law that states we have to get married. I’m not an attorney, and even I know that.”

He’s blinking fast. The ring is still gripped in his fingers.

“Do you think I’m proposing because you’re pregnant?”

“Aren’t you?” I challenge and prop my hands on my hips.

“Well, it’s part of it, but no. Of course not.”

“Why are you then?” I lift my chin and promise myself I won’t cry. I will not cry. “I won’t get married out of obligation or convenience ever again, Carter. I’ve been there, done that, and it won’t happen again. Not for me.”

“Jesus, Nora, that’s not what this is.”

I just stare at him, until he shoves the ring back in his pocket and stomps away, rubbing his hand over his mouth in agitation.

“Why are women so damn frustrating, that’s what I want to know,” he mutters. “I don’t know what it is you want me to say. What do you want from me?”

“I want you to love me, you moron!” My hands fist. I might clock him one after all. “You’ve never said you love me. And that’s the only reason to get married.”