Page 134 of Even Exchange

“We need to talk,” she says, and I stop mid-twist.

“That sounds serious,” I say, and she bites her cheek, all the color draining from her face. “Char?”

I set the water bottle on the counter, heart rate skyrocketing.

“I’m not sure how to start,” she says, hopping up on the countertop, and I walk over, standing directly before her.

“Just start.”

“Okay.” Her eyes dart around the room, landing on everything but me. “Here it goes.” She swallows hard, and I’m certain I’ll stop breathing if she doesn’t spit it out soon. “Noah…” Her caramel eyes meet mine. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell you this. Or what it all means, or what to do?—”

“You know you can tell me anything,” I say, brushing her hair behind her ear.

“Noah.” She releases a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

27

NOAH

“You’re pregnant?” My heart is in my throat, hand resting on Charlotte’s cheek.

Her hesitant eyes bore into my soul, and she nods. “I am.”

“But we?—”

“Used the very ineffective pull-out method because we were stupid and horny? Yeah.”

We were so reckless.

I haven’t even figured out how to be a boyfriend and play football. How am I going to be a dad and put in the work to succeed as a pro player? I thought it would be years before I had the chance. Definitely after I settled into the NFL.

“You don’t…” She trails off. “You don’t have to…” She clears her throat, eyes dropping to her hands as she picks at her fingernails. “I mean, if you don’t want to, you don’t.”

My hand falls to hers. “What?”

“You don’t have to be involved,” she murmurs, and my chest tightens.

She thinks I’m going to abandon her in this?

Sure, I may be having the biggest inner freak-out of my life, but I can save that for later.

“Charlotte.” I take her face in my hands, and her gaze meets mine. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She gnaws on her lower lip. “But what about your five-year plan?”

“We already agreed to fucking it up months ago. Remember?”

“The clink of plastic spoons and a forcedfakerelationship shouldn’t ruin your life.”

My muscles tighten, every nerve ending in my body igniting. “Fake?” I grit out, and her eyes widen briefly. “That’s bullshit, and you know it.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“You’repregnantwithmy baby, and you’re going to look me in the eyes and tell me you still believe we’re faking it?” I place my hands on her thighs, and she sucks in a breath as I slide them up to rest on her waist under the hem of her T-shirt. “Does this feel fake to you?” I tug her against me.

“Noah.” She gasps, her center pressed to my stomach. “What are you doing?”

Cupping the back of her neck, I brush my mouth over hers. “I said, does this feelfaketo you,soffione?”

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