Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
It didn’t work at all, and it’s definitely not going to work now.
“Pack your things,” I rasp. “You and the baby are coming home with me.”
The beautiful brunette stares at me, her jaw on the floor.
“No, John. We don’t belong to you. We live with my brother.”
I fly into a rage then, practically shouting.
“The fuck you belong to your brother! You belong to ME! Pack your shit. We’re getting out of here.”
But Britney won’t budge, and Brynna begins to cry in my arms. The curvy girl takes the baby from me, cuddling her close like a mama bear with her cub.
“No. We haven’t spoken in a year and this isn’t your daughter. This is my daughter, and we’re not going anywhere.”
I literally let out a roar, making the baby sob even harder.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Britney? Are you still living in that shabby trailer? Do you even have a job?”
She shoots daggers at me, cradling the baby close.
“I won’t let you insult me. What the hell? But for your information John, in case you’ve forgotten, you’re the one who ghosted me. You skipped my graduation, and not only that, but I must have called you a hundred times to tell you about my pregnancy. Why didn’t you pick up?”
I stand stock still, unable to move for a moment. The air burns in my lungs as I struggle to find words.
“Your brother,” I say flatly.
Britney shoots me a disgusted look.
“Oh really. It’s all Joey’s fault.”
I shake my head with frustration, dying to touch her but afraid to move a muscle for fear of scaring her away.
“The morning of your graduation, your brother came to see me at ShopMore. He said he knew about us.”
Britney shakes her head.
“I never told him a thing.”
I nod curtly.
“Yes, but he said he knew. He told me all about your situation, Britney.”
“And what was that?” she shoots.
I take a deep breath.
“How you and he were going hungry. How the cupboards were empty at your trailer. How he was waiting in line at the food bank for hours sometimes, only to come home with a loaf of bread and some moldy oranges. He said you only fell in love with me because I’m the head of a grocery chain. It wasn’t about me; it was about the food I could provide.”
Britney looks shocked.
“That’s not true,” she says quickly. “Joey was out of line.”
I give her a searching look.
“But is it really not true, Britney? I heard how your stomach growled during our first interview.”
She flushes, cradling Brynna even tighter in her arms.
“Yes, I was hungry,” she says in a low voice. “But that doesn’t mean that what I felt for you was fake. I fell for you because you’re giving, generous and kind. You made me feel taken care of, and in more ways than just food. I envisioned a future together because I love you for you, and not just because you happen to own a grocery store.”
Regret chokes me so hard that I can barely breathe.
“You love me?” I ask in a raspy voice. Then, the tears start coming in torrents, and Britney wipes at her cheeks in an angry gesture.
“Yes!” she cries, her voice breaking. “I loved you John! I loved you so much I felt like my world was falling apart when you wouldn’t return my calls. I even went to ShopMore to confront you, but it was clear that you were just fine without me. I even saw you with another woman,” she says, openly sobbing now. The baby in her arm wails and screams, and Britney cries harder while patting Brynna on the back, trying to soothe her.
My heart breaks. I’ve completely fucked up, and this is all my fault.
“Why didn’t you contact me, John? Why did you skip my graduation? I tried to call you, and you never answered. Why? I need answers.”
My face falls and I hate myself more than anything.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I believed your brother’s swill and after he came to see me that morning, I fell for it. I figured a clean break was best, so I didn’t tell you. I just cut off all communication.”
“I know!” she almost shrieks, her expression a mask of sorrow and rage. “I almost died because of what you did!”
But I can’t let this go on anymore. I pull the luscious woman and the baby to my chest, enveloping them in my strong arms.
“I’m so sorry,” I rush, tears streaming down my cheeks now as well. “I love you more than anything, Britney. I never wanted to let you go, but your brother said it was the pandemic driving you crazy, and maybe I was going a little crazy as well. I’ve never felt like this for a woman before, and if I’d known you were having my baby, I never would have walked away. I’m so sorry. I would do anything to change what happened,” I say, my voice breaking.