Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 156145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Without the baby in the picture, no doubt she’d do exactly that again.
There would be no more shared meals. No more nights spent wrapped up in each other. No more of her lively presence brightening up his home and his life.
He’d lose her—for good this time.
Aaron drove them back to his building and cupped her elbow as they took the elevator up. But as soon as he shut the front door behind him, he couldn’t keep the words inside any longer. “Marry me.”
Becka spun around and would have tripped if he hadn’t caught her. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I thought you just said ‘marry me,’ but there’s no way you actually said that, because that would be crazy.”
“As crazy as moving you in here and realizing we’d actually be good together.” The brakes that had kept him quiet up to this point were long gone, and the sheer horror on her face only spurred him to keep talking. He’d only get one chance to convince her of this. Aaron clasped her shoulders. “Becka, I love you. I think if you weren’t so scared, you could admit that you love me, too. And today more than proved that we both already love this baby. We’re not your parents. We’re not going to make those same mistakes, no matter what you think. Trust me.”
“Trust you.” A laugh burst from her that edged toward hysterical. “How can I trust you when you just turned around and did everything you promised you wouldn’t? You promised to give me time.”
Frustration ignited into fury. “I have given you time. I’ve respected your childish desire to hide under the covers and ignore what’s happening instead of planning accordingly and facing it. I’ve sat back and watched you play pretend for six fucking weeks, Becka. That ends now.”
“I see.” She nodded and stepped back, out of his reach. “I wasn’t the only one playing pretend, though, was I? You had this idea of what the future was supposed to look like, and you’ve systematically ignored any piece of evidence that doesn’t line up with that plan. I’m not some perfect little wifey who’s going to fall into line just because you will it to happen. I’m only me, Aaron. I’ve only ever been me. And you’ve been asking too much from the very beginning.”
The floor seemed to tilt beneath his feet, but he was too angry to care. This was the truth he hadn’t wanted to face, the thread running through her that he didn’t have the words to combat. Even if he had, Becka possessed a singular ability to tune out anything that didn’t fit with her worldview. Just like she was doing right goddamn now.
He crossed his arms over his chest and strove to keep his tone even and not yell at her. If he could just get her to listen, they could talk their way through this. “I’d rather shoot for the stars than be content to live in the dirt just because I’m too afraid of repeating my parents’ mistake. The last month has more than proven that you’re not like them—like her. Why can everyone see that but you?”
Her blue eyes flashed. “Really? I’m the one who’s letting my parents’ lives get in the way of reality? Because your happy home that you grew up in has given you a wicked case of rose-tinted glasses. Wake up. Life isn’t like that for most people. More than half the people who get married turn around and get divorced again within seven years. That is a fact you can hang your hat on—not this fantasy future you’ve created in your head. You and I?” She motioned between them. “We would never work. Not outside this fucked-up situation, and sure as hell not in a marriage.” Becka shook her head. “I should leave.”
He’d fought so fucking hard to make her see, and he might as well have been yelling into a hurricane. Both actions accomplished a grand total of jack shit. She had her reality, and she fought tooth and nail to stay there. Aaron knew a thing or two about fear, but he’d always faced that emotion down until he conquered it. It was the only way forward. Her flat-out refusal to even try...
It’s over.
“No need for you to leave. I will.” He turned for the door but paused. “It doesn’t have to be like this, Becka. All you have to do is take a leap with me and trust in us.” Aaron found himself holding his breath as he waited for her answer.
But she only shook her head again, her eyes shining. “We won’t fly, Aaron. The free fall might feel like it for a little while, but the landing will ruin us both.”
He searched for something more to say, but in the end it wouldn’t change anything. “I’ll be at the next appointment.”