Page 13 of Worth the Risk

“I guess there’s nothing else to say, then.”

Two positive pregnancy tests flashed in my mind, and I knew what I said wasn’t true at all. There was plenty more to talk about, but not tonight. I couldn’t.

I needed to get the hell out of here before I had a complete breakdown and begged him not to do this.

Ford had broken my heart, but I was determined to hold onto my pride with both hands. Turning away from him, I walked back to the front door. With every step, I silently wished that he’d stop me. If he’d just take it all back and explain why he did this before I left, I knew I’d forgive him. We could work through whatever made him choose to end us and come out stronger on the other side.

But he didn’t say a word.

And I didn’t look back. Even as I got into my car and drove away, I didn’t check to see if he was still at the living room window.

I couldn’t believe what had just happened. After months of accepting a secret relationship and hoping for more one day, this was what I got. He didn’t even try to work things out or come up with a solution. And I still couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t completely honest with me. Whether that was because of Delilah or something else, I figured it didn’t really matter.

It was over. Done.

As I drove off into the night, swiping tears from my cheeks, I promised myself to never settle for less ever again.

Chapter Five: Zoey

Ilifted the shade over the plane window, looking out at the endless blue waves below. The pilot just announced that Sirona Isle was visible from the left side of the plane, and I could see it in the distance.

I’d looked at pictures online when I heard where Ryan’s wedding would be taking place, but nothing on a computer screen could compare to the beauty of the place in real life. A cloudless sky stretched over a constantly moving ocean in shades of blue ranging from navy to turquoise. White sand circled the edge of the teardrop-shaped island on all sides, and the land itself was largely covered by a rainforest. There was also an extinct volcano on the southern tip of the island.

“Whoa. That’s so beautiful. I can’t believe that your dad is paying for all of us to spend a whole week here,” Angela, one of the bridesmaids, said from the seat beside me.

It was Monday afternoon, and I was flying to the island with most of the wedding party. The bride and groom had taken an earlier flight with some of the family members that would be joining us for the week, including Jake. Ford also flew down with them, and I was glad.

It had been a week since Ford broke up with me, and I was a mess. I missed him all the way down to my soul, and I’d soaked my pillow with tears more than once.

But the worst part of it all was that I still had to work with him. There was no avoiding it. The ER was a busy place, and we all had to take patients as they came. I couldn’t choose which patients I saw or which doctors I was alongside.

So, I quickly became good at keeping my face blank and not looking directly at him. When we spoke, I focused on a spot just beyond his left ear and never talked about anything other than the job.

It was easy, because Ford didn’t try to talk to me about anything personal either. We both seemed to agree that it was better to just stay as professional as possible and get through our shifts at the hospital.

I hoped more than ever that Ford would get the promotion he wanted so badly. Then, he’d be in a cushy office two floors above the ER, and I’d rarely have to see him at all.

Until the baby was born.

My hand started to move toward my stomach, but I stopped myself at the last second. No one but Ruby knew about the pregnancy, and I wanted it to stay that way for now. This week was about celebrating Ryan and Leanne, and I didn’t want to take away from that by revealing my pregnancy.

Besides, despite everything, I knew that Ford should be the first to know, and I just wasn’t ready to tell him.

I would, eventually. When the idea of talking to him didn’t hurt so much. When I thought I could handle discussing how we were going to co-parent without breaking down in tears.

I just needed some time.

It was too bad that Ford was in the wedding party because a week away from him would have been much better for healing my broken heart. Instead, I was going to have to act like everything was fine so that my brothers didn’t find out about us.

“Zoey? You okay?”

I blinked and looked at Angela again. “Sorry, I spaced out for a second. I guess I really need this vacation.”

Angela laughed. She was a friend of the bride, and I didn’t know her well, but she’d been open and friendly for the entire four-hour flight.

“I hear that,” she said, glancing out the window again. “I need some sunshine and saltwater to get to my happy place. My sister is like that too. Heather was just going to come on Saturday for the wedding, but Leanne said she’s more than welcome to join us on the island a few days early. So, she’ll be here tomorrow.”

“You’re twins, right? Identical or fraternal?”