Page 154 of Even Exchange

“Because no one is allowed to get up and walk away until either the Lego build is finished or the conversation is.”

She smiles softly. “That’s actually kind of beautiful.”

“And highly effective,” I say, continuing to sort the pieces.

“Where should we start?” Charlotte asks, joining me timidly.

I swallow hard. “Do you want this baby?”

“Would it hurt you if I said yes?”

“Hurt me?” I repeat, holding her gaze. “Why would it hurt me?”

“Because it’s Jonathan’s.”

“I don’t care about that. I care about you and what you want.”

I definitely do care.

“He might want to be involved,” she reminds me.

“Doyouwant that?”

“I don’t know,” she says, placing a hand on her stomach. “I feel like I have to at least tell him. Give him the choice, you know?”I’m trying hard to understand, but involving him will only cause her pain.She sighs. “It’s weird. I spent a large part of my life dreaming about having his children, and now that it’s happening, all I want to do is make it go away.”

A sickening feeling creeps up my throat at her mention of her former planned future. Her current future.

“Is that what you want?” I ask, my chest constricting. “To make it go away?”

“No,” she says quickly. “I meant—I didn’t?—”

“You don’t have to filter yourself with me,” I say, connecting two more blocks. “We have to be open and honest, or this conversation is pointless.”

A few minutes pass as we put pieces together, pausing to check directions, and she finally says, “I don’t want an abortion.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“The second I saw that screen”—she smiles softly—“I had this overwhelming sense of joy. Like there was so much of it, it may come bursting out of me.” She glances away and huffs out a laugh. “Well, I suppose it will come bursting out at some point.”

I scrunch my nose. “Yeah, I’m going to have to do some reading up on that part.”

She releases a heavy breath. “You really don’t have to do this.”

Abandoning the little brick, I place my hand on hers and stare into her caramel eyes. “I want to.”

“I appreciate all this,” she says, waving at the house. “Truly. But you just made the NFL. You have everything in life you’ve ever wanted. Why not let me handle this and forego all the inevitable drama?”

“Because I wouldn’t have you,” I say, rubbing circles on her palm, and her eyes drop to our hands.

“I’m not that special,” she says, shaking her head.

“Yes.” I tip her chin up, and our eyes connect. “You are.”

“Noah,” she says, her gaze not leaving mine.

“Yes,soffione?”

“Mi fai impazzire tu anche.”

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