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“Now.”
I’d made myself vulnerable with him. I’d felt safe enough to actually have sex with him. I hadn’t had sex with anyone since my college boyfriend.
Every time I thought about it, which was far more often than I wished, a sense of shame and embarrassment rolled through me. It took a lot for me to let my guard down. I’d gone and done it, and now Paul was nowhere to be found and I was pregnant.
I didn’t want to see him again. At all. I’d actually been relieved when I heard he left town for a commercial fishing job. My stomach roiled at the reality that I was pregnant. I knew I needed to make a decision. On the list of things I hadn’t really thought about when I moved to Alaska was the state of reproductive rights. I hadn’t thought it would be something I needed to worry about. A quick Internet search revealed Alaska protected abortion in their constitution and had even before the recent national upheaval.
Although I didn’t know what to do, it was a relief to know I had a choice. I was startled to discover I didn’t know if I wanted to have an abortion. I most definitely didn’t want to try to parent with Paul. I couldn’t trust him at all and couldn’t even imagine rebuilding trust.
My gut already seemed to know what my brain wasn’t quite ready to accept. I wanted to have this baby even though the situation felt like a little bomb dropped in the middle of my life. It would most definitely blow my life up.
I was still trying to figure out what to do about work. Rhys had graciously agreed to let me work remotely while I handled my “family matter”. He was a good boss. I felt betwixt and between about what to do about Griffin. Rhys had no idea how I had met Griffin. He certainly had no idea that we had kissed, and I intended to keep it that way.
Chapter Twelve
Tish
I read Rhys’s email for the third time. He wanted me to write up a job description for HR. My eyes scanned over the salary figure. Rhys paid me well as his executive assistant, but this position paid substantially higher since it was a management position. I wanted it. The job would take me out of Fireweed Harbor and it would give me the income bump I needed.
My fingertips hovered over the keyboard. Making a change like this would take me way out of my comfort zone, but I wanted this chance. Before I could overthink it, I reached for my phone. Rhys answered on the second ring.
“Tish, please tell me you’re ready to come back to the office.” I could hear the smile in his voice.
I hesitated for a beat before forging ahead. “Actually, I was hoping I could come in and meet with you, so I could explain what’s going on.”
Although it was late in the afternoon, I knew Rhys would still be at the office. He was better about managing his schedule since he had fallen head over heels in love with Haven and they had a baby. Yet, he still worked a solid hour past when the office closed.
“Of course. I’d love an update. I hope everything’s okay.”
“It is,” I assured him.
A short while later, Rhys eyed me from across his desk. He steepled his hands, tapping his fingertips together as he studied me. I knew he was surprised by my request about the job. “Of course, I support that. Obviously, I’ll be really disappointed to lose you as my assistant, but I want what’s best for you.”
“I hope it is. I appreciate your faith in me,” I said.
“Rather than draft the job description for that position, how about you write one for your current job?”
I smiled over at him, a rush of emotion tightening my chest. I really liked working for Rhys, and I genuinely appreciated his support.
“Happy to. If you’d like, I’ll help screen applicants for my position. The one thing I wasn’t clear about is the time frame for this management position.”
“Whatever works for you. It’s a new position in Willow Brook, so it’s not as if we’re dealing with a vacancy. I assume you’ll need time to get moved, and we should talk about your plans for taking leave,” he replied.
I’d decided I needed to tell Rhys about my pregnancy. I needed to make plans, so I felt like it was best to share that sooner rather than later. I’d left out the shitty way it came about. Paul was nowhere to be found. With a few casual questions around Fireweed Harbor, I’d learned he planned to move back to California after his commercial fishing stint ended. I’d sent him a text, letting him know that I was pregnant and planning to have the baby. I had no idea if he had even read it. I didn’t intend to file for child support and didn’t want him involved.
“How do you feel about all of this?” Rhys asked.
I pondered his question. “Afraid, nervous, excited, so many things.”
“You can handle it, Tish. Are you telling anyone else about your plans?”
“Just my parents so far.”
He nodded. “You know our leave policy. You can have six months of paid leave. If you’d prefer to take it all at once, just let me know. I’ll put you in touch with my brother Chase and my cousin Archer. They both live in Willow Brook and work for us. They can give you some leads on housing. I would imagine with their help you can have a place lined up within the month. You can do your work remotely while you handle the transition. With a baby on the way, I think it’s best if you get moved sooner rather than later.”
“I don’t have to take leave—” I began.
Rhys narrowed his eyes, his hands dropping to his desk. He shook his head forcefully. “If there’s one thing Fireweed Industries tries to do right, it’s taking care of our employees. Since it’s a new position, I think it’ll be less disruptive for you to take leave. You will need it and your baby will need it too.”
