Page 272 of Mountain Men Heroes
“Gabriella? Are you home?”
God, God. I dropped my face into my hands as my heart cracked wide open inside my chest. Leaving was the right choice. But knowing this was the last time I’d hear Mac walk through the front door and call out to me that way almost broke my resolve.
His feet pounded up the stairs. “Gabriella, Trinity said you weren’t feeling well. Are you okay?”
I did the best I could to clean my face with my hands and looked up just as Mac burst into the bedroom.
He moved toward me. “Are you alright? What…?”
I stopped breathing the moment his gaze landed on my suitcase.
“What’s that doing out?”
I stood up and faced him. “I need to go, Mac. This just isn’t going to work.”
“Go where? What’s going on, Gabriella? When I left you at the office, everything was fine. What happened?”
“My happy little bubble burst today,” I said inanely.
“Come again? Your what?” He shook his head and closed the distance between us, curling his hands gently around my shoulders. “You know what. I don’t care. Whatever’s going on in your head, get it out of there. You’re not going anywhere.”
I shook my head. “Mac, I can’t stay here. I’ve figured some things out over the last week, and I realized that I can’t do this to you.”
“Do what to me, beautiful?” His voice was so gentle and soft it caused tears to sting my eyes.
“Damn it. Don’t be nice to me. I won’t be able to get through this without crying if you’re nice to me.”
He smiled. “Then don’t get through this. Tell me what’s bothering you, we’ll fix it, and then I’ll help you unpack before dinner.”
“I have to go, Mac. This isn’t just one of my crazy pregnancy hormone things.”
“Is it a crazy-had-a-throw-down-in-the-ladies’-room kind of thing?”
My mouth dropped open and then my eyes narrowed. “Trinity ratted on me.”
He laughed and pulled me into a hug. “Trinity was worried about you. She told Sawyer what happened and he told me.”
He rocked me in his arms and I couldn’t help myself, I hugged him back and let him rock me some more. I told myself I was just taking comfort one last time.
He pressed a kiss into the top of my head. “Now why don’t you tell me what they said to you that made you run home and pack your bags?”
I pushed back from him. “That’s just it. This isn’t my home. This is your home. It’s the place you built to bring the woman you love when you found her.”
“Uh, yeah. That’s why you’re here.”
I shook my head. “Not me, Mac. Your soulmate. I know you’re dedicated to this baby and you’re going to be a great father. And I won’t take that away from you, I promise.”
As I said the words, a plan solidified in my mind. I needed to make sure Mac and his family were around to give my baby a real family. That meant I needed to stay in Hardwood.
I sighed and bowed my head. Staying here, seeing Mac all the time, would suck. But if it meant keeping my promise to Slugger then I’d stay.
“I’m not going to leave Hardwood,” I said softly. “I’ll find an apartment in town and keep my job. We’ll be able to work something out where you’re a big part of the baby’s life.”
I sank my teeth into my bottom lip as I worried that maybe Mac would push to have the baby live here with him. Would he fight me for custody?
“Yeah, I know I’ll be a big part of our baby’s life. He’ll be sleeping across the hall from me every night. Just like you’ll be sleeping by my side…” Mac dipped his knees so his face was level with mine, “…every fucking night I’m on this earth. You’re not going where.”
“But what about when you meet the woman you are supposed to love? Not the woman you’re forced to be with? You need to take me to a hotel in town for the night. Tomorrow I’ll sort out an apartment, and we can figure out the rest as we go along.”