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Not giving himself time to think about it further, he answered the call. “Lea, how are you?”
“Xander, finally. I’ve been trying to reach you for a while now. I was beginning to think that you were avoiding my calls—”
“Whoa. Slow down.” Something really had her worked up. “I just got home a few minutes ago. What’s wrong?”
“I... I don’t know if you’d say it’s wrong or not.”
“Just tell me what it is and we’ll go from there.”
There was an extended pause. He could imagine her worrying her bottom lip, like she did when she was unsure of something. While he’d been on Infinity Island, he’d picked up on her mannerisms. He found her quite captivating. It was one of the reasons he’d avoided calling her. He knew if she asked him to return to the island, it would be too great a temptation.
As the silence dragged on, Xander said, “Lea, I can’t help until you tell me what’s the matter.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Xander stumbled back as though her words had physically slugged him in the chest. The back of his knees hit the edge of the bed. He slumped down onto the mattress. Maybe he’d heard her incorrectly.
“Could you say that again?”
“Xander, I’m pregnant. And you’re the father.”
That was what he thought she’d said.
But this can’t be true. Could it?
Xander knew all too well that it was quite possible. They’d spent that not-so-long-ago weekend in bed...and there was the time on the floor...in the living room—
He halted his rambling memories. He didn’t normally let loose like that. In fact, he’d never had a weekend like that one. It was unforgettable. And apparently in more than one way.
But he had to be absolutely sure of what he heard. “Could you say that again?”
“I’m pregnant.”
His heart pounded so loud that it echoed in his ears. As though all the energy had been drained from his body, he fell back on the bed. His fingers combed through his hair as his palm rubbed against his forehead, where a throbbing headache was starting.
The silence grew heavy. He should say something. Anything. But what? He’d never been in this position before.
He needed time to think because right now all that was going around in his mind was that he was going to be a father. He wondered if this was what shock felt like.
“I... I need a little time to absorb this,” he said. “We’ll talk soon.”
He wasn’t even sure if he said goodbye before disconnecting the call. He had no idea how long he lay there staring into space before the buzz of an incoming text jarred him back to reality.
I’m going to be a father.
The profound words echoed in his mind.
How could this be? Well, of course he knew how it happened. It was a weekend that he would never forget, much as he had tried. Lea’s stunning image was imprinted upon his mind.
Still, he’d never thought he’d hear that he was going to be a father.
A father.
Those two little words sent his heart racing as his palms grew damp. His mind slipped back to the time he’d spent on Infinity Island. He’d never expected it to change his life. But it had. And now he had to figure out a plan. He was known for thinking on his toes, but this was different. This was a baby. His baby.
And he had to do whatever was best for the child.
But what was that?
CHAPTER TWO
HAD HE BEEN STUNNED?
Was that why he’d ended the phone call so quickly?
Maybe he’d been in shock. He had said that they’d talk soon. What exactly did soon mean?
The next day Lea was still playing over her conversation with Xander. It had ended so abruptly that it startled her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been for him to become so quiet. Perhaps she’d been waiting for him to lob questions and accusations but none of that had come.
Did he outright not believe her? She knew that was always a possibility, but she just wanted to believe that Xander was more of a man than to shirk his responsibilities. Granted she didn’t know him that well, but she sensed he was a good guy—a man who cared for those closest to him—even if to the world he portrayed himself as a ruthless businessman. In private, he was a very different man. That much she was certain about.
