Page 36 of Passion

“Spit it out, kid. We have a few shots left and then we can get our payday.” He offered me a stick of gum, but I declined, holding a hand out in polite refusal.

“Well, I’m pregnant.” I held my breath, waiting for his response. I expected him to be angry, but he stared at me with furrowed brows as he smacked his gum loudly. He said nothing for a moment, just searched my face. When he did speak, I was appalled at what he said.

“You’re getting rid of it, right?” The deadpan he gave me infuriated me, but I controlled my temper.

“No, I’m not. I might not be in the best position to have a child right now, but I believe that if fate determined that I got pregnant, then I am supposed to care for this life. Life is sacred, Mr. Fink.” I pressed my hand to my bare stomach, suddenly acutely aware that I was half-naked in front of a man who was not Lucas.

Mr. Fink stared at my breasts for a moment, then looked at my stomach and back up to my face. “Makes sense.”

“What?” I shook my head. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, it makes sense. You’ve been eating like twice as much as normal. Your tits are bigger than a few weeks ago. You keep touching your stomach, and you were sick so much I thought you had bulimia or something, throwing up all the time.” He clicked his tongue. “Had my share of models who had that, and let me tell you, the lawsuits aren’t fun to mitigate.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my back on him. “I just thought you should know.”

“Well, I’ll see what I can do.” He maneuvered so that he was standing in front of me.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, that rich dude you have watching out for you probably won’t take kindly to my cutting you loose, so we have to figure out how to make this work. Just don’t get fat.”

I could have smacked him. My fingers curled into fists as he walked away. Men could be so irritating sometimes. It wasn’t like I planned to get pregnant on purpose right after having lost everything. He had no idea what it was like to discover this life-altering news and having to deal with it on my own. I barely made it through the rest of the shots without flying off the handle at him.

As I slunk away to change and head home, I heard my phone ringing in my dressing room. I wasn’t in a rush to answer it, so I stripped out of the lingerie and found my sweats and T-shirt and got dressed. But my phone rang several more times without my hearing the sound of the voicemail indicator. Someone must have really wanted to get ahold of me, which meant it was likely just my mother, calling to lecture me.

I continued to ignore the call as I put my shoes on and used a makeup remover wipe to try to remove some of the caked-on foundation that was clogging my pores. I used at least five wipes before I found my bare skin, and the dark circles beneath my eyes too. The phone continued to buzz, and after having to keep myself calm for the past thirty minutes following Mr. Fink’s rude comments, I was about to snap. I riffled through the bag and found my phone, only to be shocked to see Daven’s face on my caller ID screen.

I swiped right and answered. “What?” I picked up the soiled wipes and tossed them, then collected the rest of my things, slinging the bag over my shoulder as I walked toward the exit and the car. Hector would be waiting by now.

“You’re pregnant?” His accusing tone laced with vitriol just pushed the wrong button.

“Why the fuck did you call me?” I let my anger loose, a lion attacking its prey. “You have no right to butt into my life now.”

“You’re pregnant with my kid. What do you mean I have no right? Did you even intend to tell me?”

I laughed, an angry and callous laugh. “You’re ridiculous, you know?” I strolled past the photographer who was packing his lighting equipment up. I scowled, but not at him directly, and continued on toward the exit. I could see through the front door that Hector stood next to the car with his hands clasped in front of himself.

“How is it ridiculous to demand answers?” Daven had no clue what he was talking about. He knew as well as I did how careful we were. We had used protection every single time. I had no interest in having that man’s baby.

“It’s not yours. I’m with someone else, and you know we always used protection. How the fuck did you even find out? I haven’t even told anyone but?—”

“Midge,” he scoffed. “And don’t give me that load of crap. It doesn’t line up. If you’re pregnant enough to be telling people, you’re pregnant enough for it to be mine.”

“Look, loser. I met someone on the island and we’ve been together ever since, three days after your trashy ass dumped me for my best friend. It’s not your kid, and I don’t ever want you to call me again. Lose my number.” I hung up on him and stepped out the front door to the smile Hector shot me.

“Buenos tardes,” Hector said, opening the door. I tried to force a smile, but there was no point. This day had gone from bad to worse. I just wanted to get home and curl up on Lucas’s lap and let him hold me. Telling Fink about the baby had been hard enough. I had no clue how I was going to tell Lucas, but I knew I had to do it soon. I had to find a doctor and get vitamins. My body was going to start changing so fast, I would have no excuse for what was happening.

The entire way home, I stewed over how to tell him without him thinking that I was a gold-digging slut who was out for his money. The angrier I got about what happened with Mr. Fink and Daven, the more I wanted to punch someone—or cry. I did neither. By the time Hector pulled the car into the driveway, I had calmed a little. Just thinking about Lucas’s forehead kisses helped me relax.

I climbed out of the car before Hector got around to open the door and lugged my bag into the house. I dropped it by the door and called out, “Luke?” I glanced toward the kitchen, but it was empty. He wasn’t in the living room, either. I headed for the stairs, but Ella was descending. “Is Mr. Smith up there?”

Ella smiled politely. “No, he out back. He have company.” She gestured. “You go, sit with him.”

“Thanks, Ella.” I nodded at her and headed toward the patio. I was frustrated that I would not be receiving those cuddles I so desperately longed for right away, but at least I could sit with him, even if he was entertaining company.

Curiosity got the better of me, and instead of just heading right out to the patio, I stood where he couldn’t see me and peeked out the back window. I expected to see a business colleague or maybe his friend Henry. What I saw took me by surprise.

On one of the wicker patio chairs, facing Lucas, sat my mother.

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