“Me, too!” Claire sighed. “I’m also terrified, but in a good way. I’m filled with possibilities and anticipation.”
“What are you going to do about your career?”
“I don’t know.” While thoughts of Wyatt being unhappy didn’t affect her mood, a sharp longing to play again seemed to shave off a couple of layers of happiness.
“I miss it,” Claire admitted. “More and more. Can I do both?”
“Why not? Aren’t you rich? Can’t you hire help if you need it.”
“Sure.”
“Honey, then I say go for it.”
Claire laughed again. “I will.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CLAIRE CALLED AHEAD to make sure Wyatt was at his office, then drove over before he could head out to a job site. She spent the thirty-minute trip alternating between total happiness and a gnawing worry about what he was going to say.
In a perfect world he would be as excited about the baby as she was. She wasn’t going to hold her breath for that, though. She figured the best she could hope for was neutrality.
She walked into the building and was directed back to his private office. Wyatt hung up the phone as she entered, smiled and moved toward her.
“An unexpected pleasure,” he told her, pulling her close and kissing her. “The best kind.”
His mouth was warm on hers, making her tummy clench in anticipation. Blood moved faster and the instant desire made her want to throw herself at him.
She pulled back, laughing. “How do you do that? Turn me on with just a kiss?”
“I’m gifted.”
He was more than that. He was everything she’d ever wanted. Strong, yet gentle. Caring, determined, even stubborn. She loved so much about him, including how much
He put his hand on her waist and kissed her again. “If you’re here for something quick on my desk, I can tell you that I’m open to the possibility. In the name of making all your fantasies come true.”
She touched his face. “You’re so generous.”
“I know.”
“While I appreciate the offer, I stopped by to tell you some happy news.”
Wyatt stiffened. “Okay.”
“What?”
“Your happy may not be my happy. Are you leaving?”
She hadn’t expected him to say that. “Leaving for New York?”
“You will eventually. Your work is there. You can’t give up the piano forever.”
A fierce longing gripped her. She was less surprised by it this time-it seemed to happen more and more lately. The need to create, to be one with the music. To let it fill her up and spill out of her.
“I’m not leaving,” she told him. Not yet, a voice whispered. She ignored it and looked at Wyatt. “I’m pregnant.”
Everything about him seemed to freeze in place. Then he was moving, putting space between them.
“You’re sure?”
His words sounded so cold and distant. She held in a shiver.
“Yes. Very sure.”
He nodded once, then swore. The bubble of hope she’d barely allowed herself to admit was there burst.
“Wyatt,” she began, “This doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
His expression turned angry. She could see him visibly trying to get control. “It is for me. I never wanted any part of this. Not a baby. I can’t believe it’s happening again.”
She knew the “it” was his sense of being trapped. Of being forced into a relationship, a marriage, a responsibility he didn’t want.
He glared at her. “I know you didn’t do this on purpose, but it sure as hell feels that way to me.”
“That’s not fair and you know it.”
“You’re right. Just like I know you’re going to expect me to marry you, then you’ll go back to your fancy life, leaving me with another kid to raise.”
Even though they weren’t a shock, his words still hurt her.
“I’m not trapping you,” she said, wishing he could have been at least a tiny bit happy, if not for himself, then for her.
“So you say.”
He didn’t believe her? “You don’t know me at all, if that’s what you think.”
“I know enough. I know you’re used to getting what you want.”
What? “Since when?”
“When have you not?”
It wasn’t a fair question. She thought of all the things in her life she hadn’t wanted. But he wasn’t in the mood to listen. “I thought…”
“That I would be happy?” he asked, interrupting. “Why? I should have used protection. I shouldn’t have assumed. Not that I was thinking that day. Look, it’s fine. We’ll deal. Somehow.”
He sounded resigned, as well as angry. He was being magnanimous enough not to blame her totally, but he still expected to get screwed.
It hurt, she thought sadly. It hurt to have him so disconnected from the joy. They’d made a baby. Didn’t that matter to him at all? They’d created life. They should be celebrating. But he didn’t see it that way and she wouldn’t see it any other.
“You don’t have to be any part of this,” she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “I thought you might want to be a father to our child, but if you don’t, that’s perfectly fine. I can be a single mother.”
He didn’t look convinced. “You mean you’ll hire staff. Isn’t that what you said you’d do? Hire a nanny?”
She’d known there was a chance he wouldn’t be excited. More than a chance. But she’d never thought he would be deliberately mean. She squared her shoulders and raised her chin.
“I can see this is a bad time for us to discuss anything,” she said, determined to keep her voice calm. She didn’t want him to know how deeply he’d cut her. “We’ll talk later. For the record, I don’t want anything from you. I also don’t expect you to believe that. I’m sorry you’re not happy but I can’t ever be sorry there’s a baby.”
She turned then, and left without saying anything else. She had to hurry to get to her car before she started to cry.
CLAIRE BIT DOWN on the Kidd Valley onion ring and waited for the yummy flavor to brighten her mood.
“You want to talk about what’s wrong or do you just want to eat and sulk?” Jesse asked from across the table.
Claire smiled. “I’m not sulking. Not seriously, anyway. I’m just…” She sighed. “I’m pregnant.”
Jesse dropped her hamburger back on the paper. “You’re what? Are you sure?”
“I’m triple sure.”
“Who’s the guy? Some musician back in New York? A married conductor?”
“You’re the one who seems to favor married men,” Claire said.
Jesse took a bite of her hamburger. “Sure,” she mumbled. “That’s what you all think.”
Claire waited until her sister had swallowed, then said, “Wyatt.”
Jesse’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? You slept with Wyatt? Does Nicole know?”
“Yes to both. She knows about him and she knows about the baby. She’s not the problem. He is.”
Claire gave a brief rundown of her last conversation with him. “He’s so distant and cold. I would almost wish he
