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“Love you too.”

I hung up, rushing to the door, unable to stop thinking that I would also be telling the person on the doorstep that I loved him.

I grabbed it and swung it open, the words I love you slipping out . . .

A bolt of nausea hit me in the gut as I registered Drew standing there, complete with smug smile.

“I figured as much,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. Why haven’t you been replying to my messages?”

I stared at him, trying to piece together what the hell he was doing on my doorstep. Various thoughts jostled in my brain, fighting over which should become my words.

“Anyway,” he continued, as my mind continued to race. “I needed to see you.” He had that look on his face, the one where he was pretending to be all sympathetic. “I had to see that you were okay, after the fire and that embarrassing display you put on at the lights switch-on.” His face darkened. “I assume that’s all over now, right?”

Why you little . ..

“I need to speak to you, Nisa. You were always so good at listening, and I . . .” He paused dramatically. “I feel like I’m having second thoughts about this baby.”

You piece of absolute shit.

I wasn’t sure why these thoughts were staying in my head when I felt as if I was yelling them.

He took a step closer. “I know you feel the same, Nisa. You just told me that you love me.”

What?! No! I love Kerr.

I opened my mouth to finally reply, and he slid his hand behind my head and pulled me in to kiss me. One shocked second later, I shoved him off, making him stumble back.

“Nisa! What the hell?”

I pointed a finger at him, She-​Hulk erupting in full force. I was sure that if I glanced down, my clothing would be hanging off my green, muscular flesh. “You piece of shit! How dare you!” My eyes flared. “You treated me like crap our whole marriage. Curbing my personality. Putting a damper on my spirit, making me think that I was unlovable for being myself. And I fucking believed it!” His mouth was hanging open as he stared at me, but I didn’t falter. “You were an insensitive arsehole, texting me to announce your new girlfriend’s pregnancy in a painfully flippant manner when you knew how much I’d wanted a baby with you, and you just kept pretending it was going to happen one day. And then you dumped me.”

“Nisa, sweetheart—”

“Shut up! And don’t call me sweetheart! You have not showed one iota of interest in my welfare until you saw that I was moving on with another man, who, by the way, is infinitely better than you in every way imaginable. And to top it all off”—​my eyes narrowed and my voice became a dangerous hiss—“I know what you did to Izzy.” Just then Izzy appeared in the hallway next to me, meowing loudly as if to join in my tirade against Drew.

His face fell and he opened his mouth, no doubt to lie his arse off about it. But I cut him off. “Don’t even try to give me any lies, Drew. Ethan Armstrong is back in town. He saw what you did that day, on his way to uni.”

Drew’s mouth clamped shut, and he darted his gaze around as if looking for an escape route.

“He told me everything. And as if that wasn’t enough, you’re here on my doorstep, telling me you’re not sure about your own baby, and the woman who’s carrying it for you. You absolute scumbag!” I took a breath, the rage peaking. “And P.S.: Do not ever kiss a woman without her consent, you disgusting pig.” I gave him another almighty shove, and he fell into the snow on the front lawn, spread-​eagle like a snow angel. “Now get off my lawn. I need to go to work.” I went to close the door, then thought of one more very important point and opened it again. “And by the way, if it wasn’t already obvious—​I want a fucking divorce!”

I slammed the door shut, still trembling with rage, taking a couple of deep breaths. Then I gave Izzy a quick pet, muttering, “We showed him, didn’t we, Iz?” Then I gathered my things together, shoving a couple of items violently into my bag. When I got back out the front door, he was gone, a snow angel (snow demon, more like) left on the lawn.

I cocked my head, because it looked as though someone had written a word in the snow, I assumed before Drew had fallen into it. It looked like you. Must have been one of the neighborhood kids up to high jinks.

I paused at my car, looking longingly at Kerr’s house. His car was still there, so he hadn’t left yet. Maybe I could go over and tell him everything I desperately wanted to. That I sent Drew packing and was so proud of myself, but most of all, that I loved him.

However, I was already late for work, so I hurried into Millicent, resigning myself to the fact that I would have to make do with seeing Kerr later on to tell him, because I wanted to do it in person, not over the phone.

*

I hurried into the break room and shut the door behind me, pulling out my phone. Only halfway through the morning and already I couldn’t wait any longer to speak to Kerr. I smiled to myself—​clearly I had it bad for this guy.

I figured I could tell him about the run-in with Drew and then do my best to keep from yelling “I love you” down the phone. Hopefully I could retain control and save that phrase for when we were face-to-face later on. I pulled up his number and dialed, but it went straight to voicemail. Deflated, I hung up without leaving a message. There mustn’t be any signal out on the farm.

The door opened and Claire stuck her head round it. “Nisa, we need you.”

“Of course,” I said, pocketing the phone and following her out of the break room. “What’s up?”