“Are you sure?” he asked again, his tone harder than before.
This was it. This was fully giving yourself to someone, only to have them turn around and crush you. She’d forgotten how painful that was, but now she remembered it all too well. This was why she’d become a hermit and closed herself off to the world. Because of this.
“Yes, I’m sure. I think I would remember having sex with another man besides you, don’t you? Unless you think you’re that interchangeable that I wouldn’t notice?” she snapped, clutching the anger that washed over her because it was a heck of a lot safer than the pain still lurking beneath its surface, waiting to take over again.
He rubbed his jaw, not meeting her eyes. “It’s just, lots of guys on my team got pegged as the father of someone’s baby, and after years of paying child support, they find out it was all a lie to get money—”
“Are you accusing me of getting pregnant for money?” she spat, anger surging through her and chasing away the pain. Good. Anger was safer. More familiar.
“No. I’m just saying—”
She laughed, trembling for another reason now. “Get out.”
“Kass—” he started, worry creasing his forehead.
“No.” She walked to the front door and opened it. “Leave. Now.”
He didn’t move. “It’s a reasonable question to ask you.”
“You’re right—if I were asking for monetary support, it would be a reasonable question to ask. It would also be a reasonable request of a girl you don’t know like you do me.” She tightened her grip on the knob. “But I’m not asking for money, and you do know me.”
“Do I?” he asked, flexing his jaw. “It’s only been a month.”
“You’re right.” She lifted her chin, fighting back the urge to cry. She refused to succumb to tears in front of him. He’d probably just think she was trying to manipulate him into staying. Apparently, when push came to shove, he thought she was that type of girl. “Come to think of it, maybe you don’t know me at all. And I don’t know you. Please leave.”
He shook his head. “No. We’re not done here.”
“Oh, we’re done.”
He continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “I’m just saying, realistically, it’s not like we’re married, or even a long-term couple, like most expectant parents. This isn’t an ideal situation to bring a baby into.”
Again. It hurt. His callous rejection of what they were.
But, really, had she expected anything less?
He’d been clear, all along, that he was a loner. She’d accepted that. That wouldn’t change now. If he cooled off and realized later on that he wanted to be in his child’s life, then so be it. But if he didn’t, then that was okay, too.
Either way, she’d be fine.
Or so she kept telling herself.
“Ah, but I had a feeling you wouldn’t want to stick around after I told you about the baby, so I guess I paid more attention than you, huh?” she said sadly, gripping the door as hard as she could. It was the only thing keeping her upright.
He came closer, stopping a few feet short of her. Just a few minutes ago, he wouldn’t have stopped until she was in his arms, and that difference was as painful as it was clear. He was already distancing himself from her. “Tell me the truth. Why do you want to keep this baby?”
“Because it’s my baby.”
“It’s my baby, too,” he said hoarsely.
She lifted a shoulder. “If you want it to be.”
“If you say that one more time…” He made an angry sound. “I never wanted kids—”
“Then get out. Get out and don’t come back. Forget this ever happened. Forget me. I promise you’ll never hear from us again.” She gestured out the open door. “Despite what you threw at me earlier, I am still not asking you for anything you’re not willing to give me. No one is making you stay, or even asking you to. So go.”
He didn’t move.
She lifted her chin, barely holding herself together at this point. “Don’t make me ask you again.”