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“No.”

“I didn’t know how to stay.”

That makes something shift in his expression, not soften exactly, but change.

I take one step closer. “I had the procedure two days later,” I say. “I didn’t know how to wake up beside you and explain that. I didn’t know how to say I had this arrangement, and Alester, and the clinic, and that I was about to try to get pregnant.”

His gaze drops for a second. Not to my body exactly. More like the thought makes him look away from my face. Then he looks back. “And now you are.”

My throat tightens. “Yes.”

His voice is low. “Is it his?”

My stomach turns over. “Don’t,” I whisper.

“Maggie.”

“No. Don’t do that. Don’t make this worse.”

“I asked a question.”

“You asked an impossible question.”

He takes a step toward me. “Is it?”

“I don’t know,” I snap, and then immediately lower my voice because we are standing outside Alester Chandler’s house and Petra could walk out at any second. “I don’t know, okay? That’s the whole problem.”

I wish I hadn’t said it.

I am also relieved I said it.

He looks at me like he’s seeing every part of the timeline rearrange itself.

“The hotel was two days before the procedure,” he says.

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t think I needed to know that?”

“I thought it would make everything worse.”

“It did.”

I flinch. He sees it.

Behind me, the front door opens. I turn. Petra stands in the doorway, coat on, tablet against her side. Her eyes move from me to Dalton. “Ms. Hanes,” she says. “Your car is here.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

She doesn’t move.

Dalton looks at her. “She said a minute.”

Petra’s expression barely changes, but I feel the temperature drop. “Of course, Dr. Price.” She steps back inside.

I turn to him. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“She was interrupting.”