“Exactly how is that possible?” The tone in his voice scares me. The foolish girl in me thought this would be easy, and I’m unprepared for his anger.
“I’m sure you know how it happens, Cooper.”
“I know how babies are made, Ainsley. I’m asking how exactly this is my baby, since the one time we had unprotected sex you assured me you were on the pill?”
I swallow the fear that’s building in my chest and bite down on my quivering lip in hopes of warding off my impending tears. The last thing I want is for him to see me cry, especially over him.
“We had sex multiple times without a condom, and I was on the pill, but I was also under a lot of stress with my mother, and I don’t know…accidents happen.”
Cooper doesn’t say anything; he just glares at me, so I continue. “Look, I’m not here asking for money or anything like that. I’m here to let you know that I’m pregnant and you’re the father. I don’t want my child growing up the way I did, not knowing who his or her father is, and I can at least say you knew.”
He looks out the window at the passing cars. There are people on the sidewalks dressed in Renegades clothes and a few of them are wearing his number. He has a fan base now. It’s easy to remember the day that I wore his shirt and the night that transpired after it, but that was another time in our lives.
“Please say something.”
He shrugs. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Ainsley. The last time I saw you, you were telling me to get the hell out of your life, so I did, and now you’re telling me you’re pregnant? It’s a little hard to process right now.”
“I understand.”
“What do you want from me?”
I shake my head. “I just wanted you to know.”
“Why now? Why today, and not months ago?”
Sighing heavily, I lean forward with my elbows on the table. “That last night we had sex, I was looking at myself in the mirror, questioning my actions. I had never had unprotected sex before, so I couldn’t fathom why I would with you, especially after only knowing you for a week or two, and as I’m standing there running through my emotions, I heard a thud. My mom had fallen down the stairs, and I blamed myself because I was so preoccupied thinking about you, that I didn’t know she was trying to get downstairs. We ended up in the emergency room. She had a broken ankle, but her CAT scan showed that the cancer was taking over. They gave her a month to live, and she lasted almost three. It took me a month to clean out her room, and by chance, Stella asked for a tampon because it was her time of the month, and that’s how I found out I was pregnant,” I ramble on.
“How could you not know you were pregnant? Aren’t there signs women are supposed to know?”
“Yes, there are, but I was under a lot of stress. My mother, the only parent I’ve ever known, was dying, and I thought her being in the hospital was karma coming back to kick me in the ass because I started dating you against her wishes.” I roughly wipe away my tears with the back of my hands.
Cooper runs his hands over his hat and face while groaning.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what, exactly? Are you sorry that you ever agreed to go out with me, or the fact that you’re pregnant?”
I don’t like the way he phrases his questions because I’m not sorry for either situation. “I’m sorry that this is happening.”
“Right,” he says softly. “I gotta go. I’ll call you later. When do you leave town?”
“Next week.”
He nods and gets up without saying anything else. And for the second time in my life, I’m watching Cooper Bailey’s backside as he leaves my life.
Chapter 29
Cooper
I have been in some tough spots in my life, but none of them could ever compare to this. Give me an ace pitcher with my team down by three runs and the bases loaded with a full count, put the game on my shoulders, but don’t make me face the stark reality that the woman I thought I could love is pregnant with my child, because I don’t know how to handle it.
I guess the saying “it only takes once” is true. I was so stupid to trust the situation, but I wanted her, and when she offered herself to me like that I couldn’t resist. And now I’m going to be a father. I don’t even question that the child is mine. I know in my heart that this is one thing Ainsley wouldn’t lie about.
“What has your schlong jockey in a bunch?” Kidd pushes my shoulder, and I fall into my locker. I shake my head, clearing away my thoughts. They should be focused on the game and not the news I was just given, but I can’t get the image of Ainsley and her bulging belly out of my mind.
“Just thinking.”
“Well, it better be thoughts of the White Sox.”