Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
I burst into tears, all the emotions I’ve held in to be strong for Reese overcoming me. “Oh honey,” Lauren says, rushing forward and wrapping me in her arms. “It’s going to be okay.”
“I never cry.”
“Or throw up,” she says, leaning back to look at me. “Welcome to pregnancy. This is a lot to deal with when your hormones are all out of whack.”
I cry for a good two minutes before I swipe at my eyes and ease away from her, “I don’t like this part of pregnancy.”
“It’ll get better once you get past the first few months.”
“Months? How many months?”
“After I get rid of Debbie for you, I’m sure it will be better.”
“How many months?” I ask again.
She purses her lips, reluctantly admitting, “I was bad for about three months which is another reason you need to tell Reese. He needs to understand why you aren’t yourself.”
“I want to tell him on his birthday. I’ll wrap the journal and have him open it that morning. I want to do it that way. It will be special and perfect, but I need Debbie gone by then.”
“We have three weeks. We can do it but can you wait that long to tell Reese?”
“It’s the perfect time. He’ll be well into the trial. He’ll have a grip on what is happening. It’ll be a special birthday gift. Debbie will be gone. I love the idea of doing it then.”
“I think it sounds special,” she says. “I’ll handle Debbie. I promise. You know he didn’t do this, right?”
“Of course I know. I don’t doubt him. I don’t even doubt him one little bit. We’re too in love. Our sex life is amazing. We’re amazing which is why our baby will be amazing. But that’s why the way I tell him has to be amazing, and without Debbie.”
The doors open and Reese appears, his handsome face etched in worry, his eyes dark, troubled. “I need to see my wife.”
“Of course,” Lauren says as he steps outside.
She’s walking past him when he says, “Thank you, Lauren.”
“I’m with you both. Anything you need.”
He nods and she disappears, shutting the doors behind her. Reese crosses to stand in front of me, backing me against the railing, his hands coming down on the steel, his legs caging mine. His eyes probing. “You’ve been crying.”
“Reese—”
“Cat. Talk to me.”
“I had a small meltdown.”
“You don’t meltdown. You’re afraid it’s true. I told Royce I want a DNA test no matter what it costs me.”
“No,” I say. “No. That isn’t the problem and if you think that, then it will affect us as much as if I really distrusted you. You aren’t even thinking about your case. You have to be in court in the morning. Make everyone leave. We have to talk. You and me.”
“Cat—”
“Make them leave. We need to talk now.”
Chapter fifty-eight
Cat
“Reese, send them away,” I say, and try to push away from the balcony railing and step around him.
He holds me steady. “We need to finish working out the details of what comes next, Cat.”
“A DNA test is not what we need. We need it over and that delays this and she’s not giving it to you if she’s lying.”
“If? Now it’s if.”
“No,” I breathe out. “That’s not what I meant.” I press my hand to my face and then drag it through my hair. “I don’t need the test.”
“I need it for us.”
“You can’t end this while asking for the test. Walk away now if we can walk away now. The plan to get her arrested is a good one and if they do arrest her, they’ll take her baby. She’s crazy. They need to take her baby. I think. God, I don’t know what is right. I’m emotional.”
“And you’re never emotional.”
My hands come down on his shoulders. “Make them go away and get ready for court tomorrow.”
“No,” he says. “We’re planning a way to end this and get the DNA test. Royce is waiting for me. I came after you because my gut said you needed me and I was right.”
“What did Royce say about the DNA test?”
“It could complicate things, but if it were him, he’d do it, too. He’d want Lauren to know—”
“I know, Reese. Focus on your trial.”
“You don’t know, Cat. I know you. I know you like I know myself. You’re not yourself.”
“You said that before the Debbie thing happened. Remember?” I flatten my hand on his chest. “I have a very special gift for you on your birthday. I have it all planned out and the special project I’m working on isn’t a book. It’s something for you. I’m so freaked out because it’s special and I don’t want this to be hanging over our heads when I give it to you. So I beg of you. End this, Reese. To the best of our ability, let’s end this.”