Chapter 36
When we finally left the office, the world outside felt too bright, too loud. I climbed into Hattie’s car in silence, staring out the window as the town blurred past.
Hattie didn’t speak until we pulled into the parking spaces behind my building. “Maisie,” she said softly, “do you want me to stay with you for a bit?”
I shook my head. “I just… need some time to think.”
She nodded, squeezing my hand again before I got out. “Call me if you need anything, okay? Anything.”
Inside, I sank onto the couch, my mind spinning. Two months.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, the reality slowly sinking in.
Pregnant.
And there were only two possibilities, Wes or Preston.
The next morning started quietly enough. I was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea instead of coffee—Dr. Lewis’s orders—when my phone started buzzing nonstop. Notifications, one after another, lighting up the screen.
At first, I thought it was bakery messages or maybe Hattie sending me another batch of photos. But when I opened my phone, my stomach dropped.
Hattie had posted the pictures.
The entire “Blind Date Photo Shoot” collection was up on both Facebook and Instagram—me and Wes, laughing in the golden light, his arm around me, our faces close enough to look like we were seconds from kissing. The caption read:
“When chemistry meets the camera. Our first ‘Blind Date’ photo shoot was pure magic. Thank you to Maisie and Wes for being the perfect pair! 💛 #PicturePerfectCOWBOY #LoveInFocus #HattieJamesPhotography”
The post already had dozens of likes and comments. People were gushing about how “adorable” we looked, how “real” the connection seemed. Someone even tagged the bakery’s page, saying they didn’t realize I was dating Wes.
I groaned, pressing my forehead to the table. “Oh, Hattie…”
Before I could even think about calling her, my phone buzzed again—this time with a text from Preston.
Preston: Can we talk?
My heart sank.
An hour later, I was at the bakery, even though it was supposed to be closed. Preston was already there, leaning against the counter, his expression unreadable. He looked tired, his jaw tight, his phone in his hand.
“Hey,” I said softly, setting my keys down.
“Hey,” he replied, his tone calm but clipped. “So… I saw the photos.”
I swallowed hard. “Yeah. Hattie posted them this morning. I didn’t know she was going to do it so soon.”
He nodded slowly, scrolling through his phone. “They’re… something. You and Wes look pretty close.”
“It’s not what it looks like,” I said quickly. “It was just a photo shoot. Hattie’s new project—she’s calling it the ‘Blind Date’ series. She wanted to test the concept before offering it to clients, so she asked me and Wes to help.”
Preston looked up, his eyes searching mine. “So there’s nothing going on between you two?”
I shook my head. “No. Nothing. It was just for Hattie. She needed real people to make it look natural, and we already knew each other, so it made sense.”
He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess I just wasn’t expecting to open my feed and see you looking like you were in love with someone else.”
The words stung, even though I knew he didn’t mean them to. “I get it,” I said quietly. “The photos look… real. But that’s what Hattie wanted—to show connection, emotion. It’s her art.”
Preston nodded, still frowning. “I know. I just—” He paused, his voice softening. “I like you, Maisie. And seeing those pictures… it threw me.”
I looked down at my hands, twisting the edge of my sleeve. “I didn’t mean for it to. I should’ve told you about the shoot before it went up.”
He sighed, leaning against the counter again. “It’s not your fault. I just needed to hear it from you.”
Silence settled between us for a moment, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator. I could feel the weight of everything pressing down—the photos, the secret I hadn’t told him yet, the uncertainty of what came next.
Finally, Preston straightened. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I believe you. Just… maybe give me a heads-up next time something like that happens?”
I nodded. “I will. Promise.”
He gave a small smile, the tension easing from his shoulders. “Good. Because those pictures? They’re going to be everywhere. Hattie’s post is blowing up.”
I groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
He chuckled softly. “Hey, at least you look great in them.”
That made me laugh, the sound breaking through the heaviness. “Thanks, I guess.”
He stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You sure you’re okay? You still look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” I said automatically, though the lie tasted bitter. “Just tired.”
He studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Get some rest, okay? I’ll call you later.”
When he left, the bakery felt too quiet. I sank onto one of the stools, staring at the phone still buzzing with notifications. The photos were beautiful—Hattie had captured something raw and real—but they also stirred up feelings I wasn’t ready to face.
Wes’s smile in those pictures wasn’t just for the camera. And deep down, I knew mine wasn’t either.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, the secret I hadn’t told anyone yet weighing heavy in my chest.
Two months pregnant.
And now, the whole town thought I was in love with Wes.
Maybe, in some complicated way, they weren’t entirely wrong.