Page 37 of Return to Cheshire Bay
Cedar stalked behind Eric and up the stairsto me, where she put her hand on mine.
Eric glanced up at me, confusion twitchingacross his face.
“Whatever you want, Babe. I’m at your mercy.I need you. The Bald Avenger–”
I threw up in my mouth.
“We need you.”
For a heartbeat, I took in Eric’s face. Hewas the one I wanted, not Parker. In all honesty, and as awful asit was, Parker wasn’t that serious of a boyfriend for me. We’d onlybeen together less than a year, and he wasn’t the one I saw afuture with. He never had been. He’d been a placeholder at best.That’s why I never officially let him move in, and he only had adrawer.
“I want you to go home, clear your thingsfrom my apartment, and return the key to the super. After that, Inever want to see you again.” I squared my shoulders and tipped upmy chin.
Cedar rubbed my arm for moral support.
“Babe…” His voice nearly cracked, but hepuffed it out in front of the three men staring down at him. “Wecan fix…”
“No, we can’t. There’s nothing to fix. Youneed to leave. Now.”
Eric stepped forward. “Your time is up,Parker.”
My ex’s face cracked and for a breath, Iworried he’d snapped. “For the rest of your life, you’ll be tied tome. That baby connects us, and you can’t keep me from him. Mom,Dad, and I’ll see you in court.” He pointed a finger in mydirection.
“Parker,” I called out and inhaled sharply.“That’s where you’re absolutely wrong. This baby isn’t yours.”
A collective hush fell over the area and alleyes stared in my direction. My life was more fubar than theyrealized.
ChapterFifteen
Parker’s jaw dropped. “You’re such a liar. Iwas there. The condom was destroyed.”
It was like he didn’t even care there wereothers around.
Heat singed my cheeks as I did care. Thesepeople all standing around me were my friends, and it bothered me Iwas about to air more of my dirty laundry in front of them.
Breathing in some ocean-cooled courage, Ipaused and looked at each them, stopping on Parker briefly, beforetaking in the clenched features on Eric’s face.
“The baby isn’t yours, Parker. When thathappened, I was already pregnant.” Newly pregnant, to be honest.The positive test was still in the trash.
“What?” He backed up and rubbed his legs,almost as if he were encouraging blood flow into them to run likehell. Which is probably what he should’ve done months ago.
“On my twenty-ninth birthday, well,actually, it was before that when I’d made up my mind…” I waved myhand through the air as if that would erase the messed-up wordsfalling out of my mouth. “A while back,” I said with more clarity,“I decided I wanted a baby, but not necessarily a man. Men tend tolove me and leave me. Point in case.”
I tipped my head to the side. Parker was aprime example.
I avoided all eye contact as I scanned thebeach. Standing on my porch, the weight of their stares reduced mein size, and I felt as if I were trapped in the Jerry Springer showor something.
“I just wanted someone to love me asunconditionally as I would love it.” Instinctively, my hand rubbedthe top of my bump.
A sigh rolled out of Eric. At least Ithought it was him.
“And a baby was the answer. I was more thanprepared to raise it on my own. I am financially secure and had anexcellent job, at least I did, and a fantastic home to live in. So…I did what any reasonable person without a steady man in her lifewould do.”
“You bought sperm?” The disgust was strongin his tone and it sounded horrible when said like that.
“Yes, in a way. I selected a candidate,based on intelligence and some other figures that would probablymake you all think even less of me than you do already. I’d madethe motherhood decision long before you entered the picture.”
Cedar’s hand squeezed my shoulder. “I thinkit’s great. I think you’re amazing.”