Page 20 of Mercy Lake

I aggressively rubbed my temples, a wicked migraine rapidly taking over. It was like she was trying to convince herself.Love?She didn’t know the meaning of the word.

“Everly,” I said, my voice strained and tired. Fuck, I was just so tired. “I don’t know what fantasy you’ve conjured up in your head, but I only see you as the person who destroyed my life, and now my child’s mother.” I nearly cackled at the absurdity of it all. “Look, I know it won’t do for one parent to hate the other, and I don’t want my kid growing up in a hostile environment, so I’m not going to be cruel to you. But you can’t keep on spouting this bullshit narrative.”

She began to cry then, earnest tears running down her cheeks, unchecked. If only I cared.

“You will learn to love me, Owen. I’m going to be the best mother to this baby, and for better or for worse, you will be in my life for the next eighteen years at least.” She sniffled, then repeated with conviction, “You will learn to love me.”

Something broke inside me. I knew it didn't matter what I said. Everly was so entirely selfish that the only voice she heard was her own.

I was calm. Too calm. I felt like I was on autopilot as I slowly rose to my feet and turned for the door. As I went to pass her, I paused mid-step.

I didn’t yell or curse. I simply gave her the truth as I knew it.

“No, I won’t. I want to be clear on this. We willneverhave a romantic connection. I willneverfall in love with you. Don’t wait around hoping that will happen because you will only be left disappointed.”

“But, Owen, I… I love yo—”

Her bullshit declaration was severed as my raging eyes cut to her teary ones. “You think those words mean something comingout of your mouth? You think your confession carries any weight after the damage you have dealt—not only to me but also to your so-called friend, Alexis?”

I leaned closer, my lips barely an inch away from her face as I gave her the words I had once received and subsequently wrecked me forevermore. “Your touch feels like poison. Your words are laced with venom. And anylovethat you ever give will only rot someone to their very core. Now, why would I want any part of that?”

Finally, my sincerity seemed to penetrate through her obnoxiousness as understanding engraved her expression.

I stepped back and launched for the exit.

“I’m sorry,” I heard her sputter from behind me.

I didn’t even turn my head as I set her straight. “I will never forgive you. Never.”

Over those next four weeks, we hardly conversed after I practically told her I would hate her forever, but we also had to be civil for the baby.

My life had turned into a comedic timeline of errors. Stress continued to chip away at me as I constantly ruminated on all the ways I had messed up. But no matter how I replayed my previous encounters with Everly, I couldn’t pinpoint where it all went wrong. Where she even got the notion that I was remotely interested in her in that way. I almost found it bizarre, my instincts blaring at me to take note.

I rubbed at my lagging eyes as I drove home from another double shift, spontaneously pulling into a group of shops. I hadn’t noticed that I’d missed dinner again—an omission that was becoming all too frequent.

My mum had been on my back about eating more, and since I was still living in their house, she had direct proof to see if I was following through.

As I went to jump out of the car, my intuition urged me to take in my surroundings. Slightly hidden behind a concrete beam was Everly, eight months pregnant, with a good-looking man sporting a military uniform. I’d never seen him before.

She appeared angry, seething even as she continued to berate him. Unfortunately, they were speaking low enough that their voices didn’t carry.

He seemed to take it, though, his features etched in a forlorn expression.

I didn’t get the feeling that she required any type of protection. Instead, I felt like an interloper. Something about the exchange seemed intimate.

Then, old memories began to stir and click into place—highlighted snapshots of passing comments or errant mentions of gossip, mainly from Alexis.

Everly had been in a turbulent relationship with a military man for years.

When that revelation hit, so did reality as Everly’s water’s broke… four weeks early.

Chapter 12

OWEN

I rushed over to Everly, ignoring all my reservations in favour of getting her safely to the hospital. The military man staggered backwards as I guided Everly to my car. Once she was situated inside, he managed to splutter that he’d meet us there.

“Why would he come to the hospital? Who is he?” I asked. Not gently either.

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