Page 49 of All in with the Maverick Montana

“And what if the baby grows up and wants to know who their father is? Then I’ll have to do all this in ten years anyway. And by then my child could resent me.”

Faith shrugged. “Maybe you’ll feel more prepared to handle Tru in ten years.”

“But then I’ll still have to explain to this kid why I lied. Why I kept their father a secret.” Lying to her child right out of the womb didn’t feel like something she wanted to do. She sighed heavily. No, she was going to have to call Tru. She was going to have to be brave and do the adult thing and tell her ex-fling that she was carrying his child. Amy’s stomach flip-flopped uncomfortably.

There was a knock on the door and Faith stood to answer it.

She breezed out of the kitchen and back in so quickly Amy blinked in surprise. Faith’s teeth were clenched.

“What?”

“It’s Josh,” Faith said. “I peeked out the curtains.”

“Oh, crap! He’s probably coming to check up on me.” Her pulse raced more than it had at the thought of calling Tru. She wasn’t ready to face Josh yet. “What do I even say to him?”

“Nothing,” Faith said. “You don’t have to tell him anything yet.”

Amy ran her hands through her hair. He’d stopped by on his lunch break to check on her. And though the sweetness of the gesture made warmth flood through her momentarily, it was quickly replaced by cold dread. Would he hate her? Would he stop talking to her once he found out she was carrying another man’s child? Tears welled in the corners of her eyes. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“I can tell him you’re not up to seeing anyone,” Faith offered. “I’ll tell him you’re in bed and that should buy you some more time to figure out how you want to do this.”

Faith’s suggestion was enticing. She wanted nothing more than to put off this conversation, but telling him she was in bed wouldn’t keep Josh away.

“No,” Amy said after a beat. “He’ll just worry more and stop by again later.” It would be better to get this over with now. Let him see that she was fine. Then he would leave and she could figure out what the hell she was going to do.

“You’re sure?”

Amy nodded, though truthfully, she wasn’t sure of anything. Hiding under a pile of blankets was sounding better and better by the second.

Faith left her side and a moment later returned with Josh trailing behind her. His face relaxed the moment he saw her, and the only thing Amy wanted to do was sink into his arms and forget about everything else. At least for a little while. Faith gave her a little nod and slipped out of the kitchen, giving them some privacy.

“Hey,” he said as he crossed the kitchen. She stood to meet him. “You look better than you did this morning.” He reached for her, his hands gentle as he stroked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Faith said you still aren’t feeling great?”

Amy tried to mask her anguish as he enveloped her. His words were too soft and his body too warm, and she couldn’t hold it together. A sob broke free and her shoulders shook. God, she was losing it.

“What’s happened?” he asked, holding her tighter. “Is it something bad? Amy, tell me what’s going on.” He pushed her away enough to see her face. Amy couldn’t stop the traitorous tears from leaking down her cheeks. “Whatever it is, it’ll be okay, I promise.”

And then she couldn’t stop herself. She hadn’t intended to tell him, not before she knew what she wanted to do, but she couldn’t help herself at his tenderness. The words just tumbled out. “I’m pregnant,” she said, almost choking as she did. “I’m…going to have a baby.”

Josh blinked down at her and she could tell he was processing. Probably thinking the words a baby over and over again in his mind the same way she was.

“I had no idea,” she continued, feeling like she needed to explain, like she needed him to understand that she hadn’t meant to string him along or trap him in any way. “The last time I… God. I used protection. I’m not walking around sleeping with every guy I meet if that’s what you’re thinking.”

She went to turn away but he caught her by the arms. “That’s not what I was thinking.”

“I swear I didn’t know. I would have been up-front with you if I did. I never meant to keep this sort of thing from you.”

She could see the questions in the pinch of his brow. He probably had so many. So did she. But he only asked her one: “Do you love him?”

Amy hadn’t been expecting that. Of all the things she expected Josh to want to know, she never expected that to be the first question he asked her. Did she love Tru McCoy? She laughed, startling them both. “No! Gosh, no. I don’t. I’ve come to realize that our grand relationship was nothing but an illusion,” she muttered. “A part he played like in one of his movies.” At this, Amy clamped her hand across her mouth. She hadn’t intended to out her baby’s father like that. She was screwing up everything.

Josh frowned. “I don’t… His movies? I’m not sure I quite get that reference.”

“Maybe for the best,” she said.

“Amy.” Josh’s tone was pleading. “Talk to me. Please.”

She sighed. She’d been truthful with him so far. What was the point in lying now? She looked up at him through watery eyes. “Have you ever heard of Tru McCoy?”