Page 32 of Christmas in Watch Hill
“Don’t be. But . . . we have a decision to make.”
She blanched. “Decision?”
“Of course we do. You’re pregnant. And since you said it’s mine,ifit’s mine, we have a decision. More than one, actually.”
“What are you talking about?” Jessica pushed away from the table. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying . . .”
“No.” I leaned forward, boring my eyes into hers. “I’m not. I’m just saying—”
“I’m keeping the baby. That’s final.”
The heaviness of her words slammed into my gut, the third punch of the night. “Maybe we should talk about this some more. We hardly know each other, Jessica.”
“I don’t care. I know what I’m doing.”
Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t.
“This is a big deal,” I tried. “And I don’t recommend making any rash decisions when you’re keyed up.”
“I’m not keyed up.” She sighed. “You know what? I’m not very hungry anymore.” Jessica took her clutch from the chair next to her. “I’m . . . I’m sorry. I have to go.”
“Wait. Don’t leave.”
She stood, the legs of the chair scraping against the shiny wood floor. “I hope I didn’t ruin your holiday, but I had to tell you. You needed to know.”
“Jessica—”
“Goodnight, Ian. I’ll find my own way home.”
I protested one more time, but she walked away from the table, and everything about her body language told me not to follow her out of the restaurant. So I didn’t. Instead I sat there like a dumbfounded jerk as I tried to process what she’d told me and the implication of it all. A woman I hardly knew was pregnant with my child after a one-night stand.What a mess.
Soon the waiter arrived with our long forgotten meals. “Dinner is served.” He stopped short when he saw the empty chair across from me and the absence of a dinner guest. “Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know,” I replied. “I really don’t.”
NINE
