Page 132 of Red King

I’m really pregnant.

“Here goes nothing,” I mutter as I swipe to call Arctic.

The ringtone sounds.Crap!I’m making a mistake. I shouldn’t be calling him just yet. It’s too soon.

I have to or I might never pluck up the courage again in the future. I start to chicken out all over again.

I’m about to put down when he answers, “Paisley.”

His voice sends shivers up and down my spine.

“Who is that?” It’s Hannah. I recognize her voice instantly. She’s with him. They’re together.

Every bit of hope I was holding on to comes crashing down. I can barely breathe.

“Give me a minute.” He sounds gruff. “Hi! How are you? What’s going on?”

“Oh! No! Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“Why did you call?” he asks. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s…um…good—”

“It was an accident,” I lie through my teeth. “I dialed you when I was supposed to have dialed someone else. My friend Arlene. I’m so sorry. I’m such a klutz.”

“Oh!” He sounds disappointed. It’s probably just my imagination. “Are you okay? You sound… Where are you?”

“In Cedar Pines. I’m staying with my best friend Rebecca; we went to school together.” Why did I tell him all that? It’s nerves; I’m babbling. “But I won’t be for long. I think I might have a new job.”

“Oh, that sounds great.”

“Yeah, um, over in Australia. I’m waiting to hear if I have the position.” More lies. At this point, I think I might be pathological. I need actual help. “I’ve kept you long enough. I’m so sorry to have bothered you.”

“Paisley, I—”

I put the phone down.

Crap! Crap! Crap!

That was terrible. Worse than terrible.

I go out into the living room.

Rebecca is sitting at the dining room table, making a list. I take a seat next to her.

“And? What did he say? How did it go?” She looks up, putting the pen down.

“I didn’t tell him.”

“Why not?” She frowns.

“He was with another woman.” I burst into tears.

“Oh, Paisley.” She scoots her chair over and hugs me.

I cry like an idiot for a few long minutes, and then I tell her what happened and how I panicked and put the phone down.

“Here’s a thought: maybe he wasn’t with her like that. It might have been innocent.”

I can’t tell her about the program or how Arctic is expected to settle down. “My friend, Maggie, told me that they were dating.”

---