Million-Dollar Consequences

Sixteen

Meghan led the way into the hotel lobby as Isaac rushed to keep up with her long-legged steps. She was on a mission, to do what he had no idea.

Outside, he was stopped by a group of five women he’d come to think of as his personal fan club. Their timing was horrible, but they didn’t know that.

“Ah, Meghan,” he started, but she picked up on what to do before he reminded her. She pasted on a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and stepped slightly behind him to give him room to talk.

He signed five matching bright pink T-shirts, with his screen-printed face and the words We’re not Dunn yet! encircling the photo. Then he stayed long enough for the women to snap selfies before excusing himself. Thankfully, no one followed as he and Meghan strode up the hill.

“How’s the park?” She sent a furtive look around, he guessed, checking for more of his fans.

“Yeah, that’s fine. Looks empty. You sure you’re okay?”

“Not really.”

His heart was lodged in his esophagus, his hand sweating in hers. Was she upset about him kissing Sarabeth? Had she decided to leave Dunn sooner than they’d discussed? Had something awful happened to one of their siblings?

That thought sent his stomach to his feet like an elevator car with the cables cut.

“Hey.” He stopped walking. “Is Max okay?”

Her eyebrows closed in over her cute nose. “Yes.”

She led him to a bench at the edge of the park. Their shoes crunched the leaves strewed on the ground. By the time they sat down, he was filled with dread and not sure why.

“What about Kendall? Your parents?” he asked.

“Everyone is fine.”

“Then what’s going on?”

She bit her bottom lip before meeting his eyes. “Remember how your cousin had to try multiple times to get pregnant?”

His face went cold. “Yes.”

“We didn’t. Once, apparently, was enough.”

Good thing he’d sat down. The strength had left his legs and probably wouldn’t return for a while.

“Are you...?” He couldn’t say it aloud. His brain was processing the news as slowly as possible.

“Pregnant,” she said for him. “Yes.”

For a few dramatic seconds, the whooshing of his heartbeat in his ears was the only sound he heard.

“You can’t be,” he said through numb lips. He’d planned his life out. He’d picked the perfect woman for a fake relationship, which had nothing to do with a baby on board, by the way. Desperately, he reminded her, “There is a box of feminine...thingies under my sink.”

He prayed she’d jump in and say something like, “Oh my gosh! I totally forgot! I’m not pregnant, after all.” Oh, how they’d laugh...

Instead, she stared at him.

“Did you take a...uh, did you buy a test?”

“Yes. I both bought and took a test.”

“Maybe you should buy another one?”

“Should I buy three? Because that’s how many I took.”

“And they were positive.”

“Yes, Isaac.” Her impatience was evident, but he was trying here. Trying to wrap his head around the fact that she was pr-pruh... Damn. He couldn’t even think it now. “I forgot the number one rule while having an affair. Looks like I’m going to live up to everyone’s low expectations of me after all.”

“I forgot, too, Squire,” he reminded her. He put his palm to his forehead, his brain spinning. He wasn’t sure what to address first. The fact that she worried about others thinking her irresponsible, or the fact she’d purchased three tests and learned she was pregnant... Ha! There. He was able to think the word after all.

His smile fell as another possibility entered the picture and gave him the finger.

Oh, shit.

“Where?” he asked.