Page 123 of Need You To Choose Me

He’s leaving?

My pulse speeds up as I just stare at him, his mouth is moving, but I can’t hear a word he says from the buzzing in my ears. There is only the loud echo of my frantic heartbeat in my eardrums.

Where?

Thump-thump-thump.

When?

Thump-thump-thump.

He couldn’t be leaving.

Thump-thump-thump.

He said he’ll be here for me and the baby.

He promised.

People lie.

“Blondie.” Calloused palms cradle my face, snapping me out of my thoughts. Blake tilts my head back, his serious eyes fixing on mine. “What’s going through that pretty head of yours?”

“Nothing.” I look away, or at least I try to, but Blake’s not budging. “It’s fine. You can go. I was determined to do this on my own any?—”

“On your own?” His brows pull together. “What are you talking about?”

What amItalking about?

“You leaving. It’s fine.” I nod decisively, pressing my lips together. I willnotbreak. Not yet, anyway. So what if he was nice this whole time? Trying to convince me that we’d find a way tomake this work, and I started to believe him. I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. You can leave.”

“I hope so, but if something happens, I want you to call me. I’ve been pushing this trip off, but they’ve been riding my ass trying to get me to come. I don’t like the idea of leaving you after the hospital scare from last week, but it’s just a couple of days, and I’ll be barely two hours away, so if something is wrong,call me.”

“Two hours—” I blink, my cheeks flaming hot in mortification as his words settle in. “Oh.”

He was leaving.

To Austin.

Because of work.

Can the earth open up just about now and swallow me whole?

“Blondie?” Blake’s eyes narrow. “What did you think I was saying?”

“Nothing,” I mutter, trying to pull back, but Blake’s hold on me tightens.

I can see the realization slowly dawn on him. His lips press into a tight line, a muscle in his jaw ticking. He’s clearly unhappy, and there is no escaping the twinge of guilt inside my stomach.

I was the one responsible for putting that expression on his face, and I didn’t like it. The last few weeks he’s been trying so hard to make this thing between us work, to help me overcome my fears, and reassure me he is here for me and our baby. And what did I do the first chance I got? Let my past take over and jump to the conclusion.

Tears burn my eyes, so I bite the corner of my mouth.

Blake’s calloused fingertips slide over my cheek, snapping me out of my thoughts. His expression turns gentler. “I’m here for good, but I have to do this.”

“Of course. You didn’t have to push it back on my part. I’m fi?—”

“Hell, yes, I did,” Blake grits, some of that temper rising to the surface. “Dammit, Savannah. You’re more important to me than work, don’t you see that? I’m falling for you.”

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