“Sure.” He prayed she was going to tell him she was ready to give their relationship another chance. “Why don’t I bring some dinner from High Rollers? How about your favorite seafood pasta?”

  “That sounds nice.” Her voice was soft when she added, “I’m looking forward to it.”

  She wasn’t the only one.

  ***

  Sabrina was nervous about meeting with Dylan. She had no idea how he would respond to her news. She guessed he wouldn’t be happy. He may even be as scared and uncertain as she was, but she hoped he would be the voice of reason that could help ease the tension she’d been battling all day.

  When he arrived on her doorstep a little after seven with a take-out bag from High Rollers, she had to resist the urge to kiss him. He smelled so good, so familiar, and looked even better with the top few buttons of his shirt open to reveal a hint of his tanned chest. Her mouth was suddenly watering, and it had nothing to do with the food.

  “Hey, beautiful.” He gave her a crooked smile. “I’m glad you called. I’ve missed you.”

  Sabrina should set the tone right away for a friendly dinner, but it wasn’t easy with his eyes sweeping over her as though he’d gladly skip dinner and consume her as the main course. She forced herself to step back and break the lingering eye contact. “Come in. Thank you for coming.” God, that sounded so stiff and formal. She didn’t want him to know how uneasy she was. “It’s good to see you too. How’ve you been?”

  “Can’t complain.” He winked. “Well, I can, but I’m trying not to.”

  She knew he was talking about the status of their relationship, but she hadn’t asked him over to talk about that. They settled at the table she’d already set, and he took the containers out of the bag and served up the food.

  “It smells delicious,” she said. “I just had a light lunch, so I’m famished.”

  He frowned. “I hope you’re taking time to eat. It’s important for you and the baby to—”

  “I am. Kiara makes sure of it.” She smiled. “Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without that girl.”

  “I’m glad you have her.” Dylan sat across from Sabrina. “I wish I were the one taking care of you, but since I can’t be, it makes me feel better knowing Kiara’s looking out for you and making sure you take care of yourself.”

  His comment tugged at her heartstrings. While she’d told her father just yesterday that she could take care of herself, she liked knowing Dylan wanted to take care of her. Especially now, when she feared she may very well need him to get through the next six months. Sabrina dug into the food, needing time to process her thoughts before she explained why she’d asked him to come over.

  “I heard you decided to go public about the pregnancy,” he said.

  “Yeah, I did.” She reached for her water glass and took a sip. She could tell by the tense set of his jaw that he wasn’t pleased. “I’m going to start showing soon, and I didn’t want there to be any speculation about who the baby’s father is.”

  “But you didn’t tell the press who the baby’s father is,” he said, clenching his fork as his eyes met hers. “You just said it wasn’t Bell. Why?”

  “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you,” she explained. “I wanted to find out how you wanted to handle that.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  She hadn’t expected him to be so harsh. The last thing she wanted was for this to escalate into an argument, so she tried to maintain her composure. She wanted to believe they could communicate openly, and tonight was about testing that. She hated to think they’d already failed their test. “I thought you’d want to talk to your publicist, perhaps release your own statement?” She focused on her food, trying to pretend she wasn’t invested in his response.

  “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Because you’re a high-profile person,” she said, wondering if he was being ornery just to get a rise out of her. “We don’t want this to turn into a media circus, right?”

  “I think it’s a little late for that, don’t you?”

  She couldn’t deny that barb stung. “I thought you wanted me to go public about what Bell did to me?”

  He set his utensils down before leaning back and closing his eyes briefly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Of course I wanted you to go to the police. I guess I’m just having a hard time understanding why you’d go public about the pregnancy without telling people I’m the father.”

  “I wanted to give you the option to decide when and if we tell people that.”

  “When and if?” He sounded incredulous. “This baby is mine. The whole goddamn world will know that if I have anything to say about it.”

  “Fine.” She took a deep breath, trying to summon her patience. “I wasn’t sure if you’d even had a chance to tell your family and friends yet. I didn’t want the news to come as a shock to them, and I thought you should be the one to tell them.”

  His voice softened as he reached for her hand. “Thank you for that. You’re right—I would like to tell my parents and my sister before we talk to the press. My partners already know. I told them.”

  “How did they react?” Sabrina said, unable to hide her curiosity.

  “They were happy for us.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “Obviously they’d be happier if we were still a couple, but they know how psyched I am to be a father.”

  Deciding she couldn’t stand to put it off any longer, she said, “Dylan, there’s something I have to tell you about the pregnancy.” Her stomach was tied in knots, and the look of fear on his face only intensified it. “I went to the doctor today, and he’s a bit concerned.”

  “Concerned about what?” he asked, pushing away his plate. When she remained quiet, he said, “Damn it, just tell me what he said.”

  “My blood pressure was a bit high, so he did a urinalysis and found traces of protein.” She looked down, unable to meet his gaze. She didn’t want to see his fear. That would only intensify her own. “It’s unusual in the first trimester, but it does happen on rare occasions.”

  “What happens? What are you talking about?”

  “Preeclampsia,” she said, her voice low.

  “What the hell is that?” He sounded on edge, as if he was battling fear and dread.

  “It’s a condition that affects some women during pregnancy. It’s more common in women who suffer from hypertension before they get pregnant. Since I haven’t had an examination in a couple of years, I can’t say whether my blood pressure was normal or not.”

  Dylan’s chair scraped across the tile floor as he swept a hand over his head. “Damn it, you have to take better care of yourself! I know you think your career is the most important thing in your life, but it’s not. Nothing is more important than your health, especially now.”

  “I know that.” She felt guilty about the possibility that she could have contributed to her problem and her baby might have to pay for her negligence. “I can’t undo the damage I’ve done, but I’ll do everything in my power to take care of myself now so that our baby will be born healthy.”

  Dylan’s eyes softened as he reached for her hand. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to imply this was your fault. I’m just…” He sighed. “Scared. What does this mean, for you and the baby?”

  She was terrified to tell him about the risks, but she had no right to keep the truth from him. She had preached to him about being honest and keeping the lines of communication open. She had to be willing to do the same. She stood and walked to the cast-iron antique letter holder she kept on her kitchen counter for mail. She grabbed a pamphlet she’d taken from the doctor’s office and handed it to him. “Maybe it would be better if you just read this. It explains everything.”

  He read it in record time. “My God, it says here you could experience seizures.”

  “I know.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping to offer some support. “There’s also the risk the baby will be underweight when he or she is born.” She gestured toward the sheet. “Obviously if the condition gets severe, the potential symptoms worsen.”

  “Yeah.” He read off the sheet. “‘Headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, shortness of breath...’” He took a deep breath. “Jesus, Sabrina.”

  She knelt in front of him, resting her hand on his knee. “The high blood pressure could be a result of the stress I’ve been under because of my interactions with the press and the police. But there are things I can do to make it better.” She gestured toward the sheet in his trembling hand. “Look, I can rest on my left side to take the baby’s weight off major blood vessels, see the doctor more often for checkups, consume less salt, drink plenty of water, eat more protein.” She stroked his face, hoping to make his anxiety fade. “I’ll do all of those things. I promise. Taking care of myself and this baby is my top priority now.”

  “And mine.”

  She knew he would feel that way, which only made her love and respect him more. “So the doctor wants me to meet him at the hospital in the morning. He’d like to do an ultrasound and blood test, just to be sure what we’re dealing with.”

  “I want to be there.”

  “Of course.” She squeezed his hand. “It’ll be fine, D. Try not to worry.”

  He kissed her hand. “I should be trying to put your mind at ease, not the other way around.”

  “There’s one more thing I need to tell you.” She didn’t know how he’d take this news. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about it. “As I said, preeclampsia during the first trimester is pretty rare, but one thing the doctor said could cause it is, um, carrying multiple babies.”

  “What?”

  “He suspects I might be having twins.” She couldn’t bear to look at him. “Since this is my first ultrasound, we should know for sure tomorrow.”

  “Oh my God,” he said, sounding breathless.

  “Yeah, I know… it’s pretty wild, right?”

  He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “Pretty amazing is more like it. God, could you imagine? Twins?”

  She laughed, though tears gathered in her eyes. “I was just getting used to the idea of having one baby, and now I may be having two. Good thing he didn’t take my blood pressure right after he imparted that bit of news. I’m sure it would have been through the roof.”

  “It’s gonna be okay,” he said, settling her head in the crook of his neck as he stroked her hair. “I promise, baby. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what happens, we’re going to get through it together.”

  She knew it was time to tell him her last bit of news, especially since he seemed more relaxed. “I got word a couple of months ago that I won an award for Entrepreneur of the Year from this national organization that recognizes women who achieve excellence in business. It’s a pretty big deal.” She pinched her lips together, knowing the worst was yet to come.

  “That’s awesome, sweetheart.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thanks. The ceremony is tomorrow night in San Francisco. I have to fly out right after my doctor’s appointment.”

  “Are you sure you can travel, given your condition?”

  “I spoke to the doctor about it today. He said it should be fine.”

  “Should be fine?” He frowned. “I’m not sure I’m okay with those odds.”

  She thought it was cute that he was so overprotective, but she knew when he learned about her date, his reaction would be anything but cute. “I’ve asked an old friend to accompany me to the gala. He lives in San Francisco, and I haven’t seen him in a while. I thought it would give us a chance to catch up.”

  Dylan looked stunned. “You’re going to this thing with another man?”

  She knew he wouldn’t be happy, but since they weren’t a couple, he had no right to argue. “He’s just a friend. I used to represent him before he retired.”

  “He’s a former athlete?”

  “And close friend,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “Who is he?”

  That was the question she was dreading. “Calvin Black.”

  “The basketball player you dated a few years ago?” He eased her off his lap before he stood. “Godammit, Sabrina, he’s not just a friend—he’s your ex-boyfriend!”

  “He’s just a friend now.” She took a few deep breaths. She shouldn’t get so agitated, but when Dylan tried to dictate what she could and couldn’t do, it got her all riled up. “He knows about the baby and about us. He has no intention of making any moves.”

  “You’re right,” he said, planting his hands on his hips. “He won’t have a chance, ‘cause he’s not taking you to this thing. I am.”

  “I don’t recall asking you.” She would have asked him if she hadn’t invited Calvin months ago, after she and Dylan had broken up. “I asked Calvin, and he said yes. End of story.”

  “No, it’s not.” He leaned closer, gripping the back of the chair between them. “You are not going on a date with your ex-boyfriend.” His eyes closed before he bit his lip. “Can’t you see this is killing me? I love you. I want to be with you.”

  “Dylan, I—”

  “Just listen to me.” He waited for her to nod before he said, “I’ve tried to give you some space. I’ve tried to play by your rules. But every day we’re apart, I’m more miserable.”

  “I don’t want to make you miserable.”

  “Look at me.” When she looked up, he whispered, “You can’t tell me you’re happy with the way things are. We belong together. You know that, so when are you going to stop fighting it?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  The last thing Dylan wanted was to upset Sabrina, but he couldn’t go on pretending he was fine with their estrangement when nothing could be further from the truth. She needed him, more now than ever, and he was tired of letting her pretend she didn’t.

  “I thought we had this conversation,” she said. “You agreed that we aren’t in a good place to pursue a relationship right now, that we have to focus on being good parents and doing what’s best for the baby.”

  “Or babies.” He smirked when she covered her face with one hand.

  “Yeah, thanks for reminding me.”

  He chuckled and reached for her hand. Pulling her to her feet, he guided her into the living room, and they sat on the sofa facing each other. “I know you’re concerned about whether we’ve built a solid enough foundation for this to work, and I’ve been thinking about that. A lot.”

  “So have I,” she said, reaching for his hand. “In fact, I had a nice talk with my dad about it yesterday.”

  Dylan was happy she’d mended the rift with her parents. “I think a solid foundation is built day by day, through trial and error.” He’d thought a lot about how he intended to state his case, and he prayed that she would see things his way. “We’ve made a lot of mistakes, and I’m sure we’ll make a lot more. But we have a lot more going for us than most couples.”

  “How so?” she asked, running her free hand through her hair.

  “We love each other.” He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to argue. When she didn’t, he said, “We respect each other. We understand what makes the other person tick.” He could go on and on, telling her all the reasons she was perfect for him, but decided to stick to the main points. “The sex is great.” He laughed when she pushed against his chest.

  “Figures you’d mention that,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “You can’t pretend being sexually compatible isn’t important.”

  “No, it is. Of course, it is.” She inched closer, drawing circles on his leg with her fingertip. “Go on.”

  “We support each other no matter what. I know I can count on you, and I hope you feel the same way.”

  “You know I do.” Her cheeks glowed as she licked her lips. “I miss everything about us, D.”

  He cradled her face, dying to kiss her, but they needed to cover more ground before he took that liberty. “So do I. So what the hell are we doing here? We love each other. We’re about to have a baby together—”

  “Or babies,” she said, tongue in cheek.

  “Right.” He grinned and brushed his thumb against her cheek. “Nothing would make me happier.”

  “I’m glad to hear you say that, ‘cause I’m scared to death.” She laughed. “No way could I do this with anyone else…” Her voice was soft when she said, “Or without you. I mean that. I couldn’t do this without you. What’s more, I don’t want to.”

  He inched closer, feeling an unexpected release of all the tension he’d been carrying. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  “I want you in my life.” She blinked, visibly shaken. “I’m not sure what that means, so don’t ask. I just know that I want you to be a part of this baby’s life and mine. I want to see you every day, to share every moment of this experience with you.”

  “Okay.” It wasn’t exactly what he’d been hoping for, but it was more than he’d been expecting when he’d shown up that night, so he’d take it. He pulled her into his arms, settling her head on his shoulder. “You didn’t eat much. You said you were starving. Should I bring a plate over here?”

  “I’ll eat later.” She pulled the throw up to cover her legs as she settled back against his chest. “Right now, I’m kind of exhausted. I’ve been stressed all day, wondering how our talk would go, but I feel better now.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I’m glad you feel better, baby.”

  “I’m beginning to realize that.” She linked her hand with his. “I know that I’m to blame for a lot of the troubles we’ve had. I haven’t been as forthcoming as I should have been because, well, I’ve been scared. I’ve never been in love like this before, and I was afraid of losing you, afraid of needing you so much… just afraid.”