The Sweetest Revenge

“You’re not stupid, and lots of women forget to take their birth control at the same time every day. It’s an easy mistake to make, and god knows, I’ve done it myself multiple times. Besides Dakota, I know you and Jack have only been dating a few months, but have you ever talked about the future? Things like kids and a family and all that?”

I shake my head miserably.

“No. I mean, he’s great, but we haven’t even said ‘I love you’ yet, and he might not even feel that way. I mean, he’s twenty years older than me. This might just be a fun fling to him.”

Libby scrunches her brows.

“Do you really think that’s all this is for Jack? It seems like you guys are more serious than that.”

“I don’t know,” I mutter. But my best friend won’t let me off the hook so easily.

“Really? Because the man you’ve been telling me about, the one who treats you like a queen and always puts your needs first, doesn’t sound like the man you’re describing right now.” She winks at me and I blush. “He doesn’t sound like a man who’s just using you because you’re young and he wants an ego boost. Besides, I’ve seen Jack Straithmore around town, and a man as fine as that doesn’t need a young girl on his arm to make him look good.”

I smile. “He is gorgeous, isn’t he?”

“Exactly.”

“And he does treat me better than I ever hoped for.”

Libs nods.

“A man like that doesn’t have to play games to get a woman. If he’s even half as amazing as you say, then I think he really cares about you. I bet his reaction to the pregnancy is different from what you’re expecting, but you know that there’s only one way to find out. You have to ask.”

Sighing, I hang my head, dejected. “I know you’re right, Libs, but it doesn’t make telling him any easier. He’s going to ask how I got pregnant when we always used contraceptives and --”

My friend stops me.

“It was an accident, honey. These things happen all the time. Don’t you know that half of all pregnancies in the United States are unexpected? But yes, your relationship is going to be put to the test: when you tell Jack Straithmore, what will he do? Will he become a crying baby and scream and yell, or will he handle it like an adult male? I think you’re about to see whether the man you’ve got is really a man.”

I bite my lip and nod.

“You’re right,” I whisper.

“It’s scary,” Libby adds, “but everything you’ve told me about Jack Straithmore so far makes me think that things are going to turn out better than you think. Besides, if he does prove me wrong and acts like an ass, I’ll be the first one to kick his ass. Just say the word.”

We both start laughing. “You’re the best,” I tell her.

“I know. Now, how about we get Mr. Wonderful on the phone and schedule a date for you to see him?”

I release a deep breath. “Okay.”

But despite my smile, my heart’s racing inside. What will Jack say? Will he want me and the child, or will he cast us aside, ready to continue his life as a bachelor about town?

10

Dakota

* * *

Sitting up in bed, I grab my phone from the nightstand to call Jack, but my hands won’t stop shaking. Libby reaches over and cups her palms over mine, and when I look up at her, she smiles.

“Here,” she says. “Let me dial his number for you.”

I nod because the lump in my throat won’t allow me to speak right now. Libby does her thing, and then the sound of the phone ringing is like the haunting music you hear in a movie right before the heroine loses everything she’s ever loved.

“Dakota,” Jack growls. “I’m glad you called. I’ve missed you, sweetheart.”

His words make me smile. No matter how often we see each other, he always says he misses me when we meet again, and I feel it too. That need to be around him, see him, or even just hear his voice all the time. But then fear grips me as I place my hand on my stomach. After I tell him I’m pregnant, will he still miss me? Or will everything change?

Libby nudges me again and her eyes say it all. I have to tell him because this is not a secret I can keep, not even for a little while.

“Hey Jack.” My voice is scratchy from crying so I clear my throat. “Um, hi.”

“Baby, is everything okay?” he asks immediately, concern tingeing his voice. Immediately, my heart breaks a bit.

“Yes, I’m fine, I was just hoping I could come see you? Do you have some free time today?”

“I can always make time for you, sweetheart. I was just on my way home, actually. We finished a job earlier than planned today, and I should be there in about fifteen minutes. Meet me there?”