Chapter 164

Lexi extracted herself from Tyler's embrace and paced away from him, stopping only when she reached the window and could go no farther. She was too hot, her clothes too tight, the room too small. She had to deal with this in an adult, mature way when all she really wanted to do was scream no, no, no like a sleepy toddler whose balloon had blown away.

“Calm down before you hyperventilate.”

She pressed her forehead against the glass and relished the clarity brought by the cool pane. Think. She had to think. “I’m fine.”

She wouldn’t be able to get in to see her doctor until Monday and she was hours away.  Pregnant? Saying it over and over again isn’t making it go away. But how could it be true? “We need another test.”

She nodded slowly, firmly. Why hadn’t she thought of that? She’d take another test and when it was false, she’d know the first one was a mistake. “They had a two-pack at the store but I thought—I’m going to go get one. Two out of three, you know?”

She crossed the room to get her purse, but Tyler snagged her arm. “Everything’s closed now.”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. Couldn’t let herself see the tenderness and worry and rock-steady strength she knew she’d find, because she’d wind up turning to him for comfort and that’s what had gotten them to this point. “There’s a twenty-four-hour pharmacy around. I’ll go there.”

Unbidden, her gaze shot to his face. His expression was one of solemn patience, tolerance, which spiked her blood pressure even more.

“Lexi, the test was positive. According to the box, they have a ninety-nine-point-eight-percent accuracy rate.”

The room shifted beneath her feet. She managed to stay upright, but only because Tyler held on to her. The instant she knew she wouldn’t fall on her face, however, she loosed her arm and turned back to the window. “How can you be so…calm?”

“You’re scared enough for both of us.”

“I’m fine.” Her lashes lifted to his reflection in the window. Tyler apparently thought she couldn’t see him as he ran both hands over his head and down his neck where he squeezed. He was trying to keep his cool for her, but she’d bet he wished now he’d sent her away that night she came to Olkfield. She certainly did.

“I’m sorry.” she said.

For coming to you, for needing you. For messing everything up. If I had just sucked things up and married Vic—.

“For what? Did you do this on purpose?”

She shook her head, her breath fogging the glass in front of her.

“Then don’t apologize. It’s okay.”

Her laugh lacked humor, low and derisive. Okay? How? Tyler's hands settled on his hips.

“Lexi, come on. It’s a shock but…it’s done. We’ve known each other practically for years that it feels like the whole of our lives. The next logical step isn’t such a drastic one if you think about it.”

Lexi scratched the top of her hand. She got the feeling her version of logical and his were two totally different things. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.”

Tyler stiffened, his dark head lifting. “Ahead of ourselves? You’re carrying my baby.”

“A baby who is an accident.” Her voice roughened, lowered, when she saw him flinch just slightly. Oh, Tyler. “I don’t mean to be cruel, but it's the truth.” Her voice cracked, but she didn’t pause. “I’m the one who told you not to worry about protection. This is my fault and I take full responsibility for what’s happened. There is no next step.”

Tyler paced across the room, back again, his long strides sharp and heavy on the tile floor. “We were both there. I could’ve ignored what you said and bought what we needed but I didn’t. We’re both responsible for this.” His jaw locked, Tyler quickly glanced at the clock on her wall and glowered.

“Does Lily know anything about this yet?”

“No, why?”

Swearing softly, he took a step toward her, his hands lifted, palms out. “Lexi, come with me.”

Shock flooded her. “What? Where?”

“Back to Olkfield,” he said, moving slowly until he stood before her. “We need to talk this out and make plans before other people get involved. You know we do. I’d stay here after the wedding but I can’t.”

“Then go.”

He stared at her, incredulous and angry and losing patience fast, but she didn’t care. Go with him? She was reeling as it was. How did he expect her to cope any better with him hounding her and talking about the next logical step? He lifted his hand and touched her hair, smoothed it away from her face.

“I can’t leave you like this.”.

Her chin lifted. “The world doesn’t stop spinning when these things happen.”

“I know it doesn’t stop, but we can make it slow down for a few days while we come to terms.” Tyler tilted his head to one side. “Lexi, be reasonable. If you come with me, you can hang out at my place, swim in the pool. Relax and sleep in. You said yourself that you wanted to stay in Olkfield,”

His eyes lowered to the hives on her neck and chest, and she fought the urge not to tug her collar higher, not to scratch. “That was different. A lot has changed since then,”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to take a few days to figure things out without having to deal with everyone here? Who saw you buy that test? Lily knows something is up… It won't be long till she figures it out. Especially if you stay here…” He edged closer, as if approaching an animal ready to bolt. “Lexi? Lexi?”

“What?”

“Stop scratching.”

The skin of her collarbone burned from the scrape of her nails. She’d given in and hadn’t even realized it. Lexi dropped her hand to her side.

“What can I say to convince you to come with me?”

“Nothing. I’m not going anywhere.” Running away wasn’t an option, no matter how appealing.

Tyler's dark eyebrows pulled low. “I know it’s a surprise to both of us, but the natural order of things is for us to—”

“Not do anything else we regret,” she stated before he could say something crazy. “Tyler, I can’t go with you. I have responsibilities and I just got back. What about my dad? He'd want to know where I was going.”

“So tell him.”