First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

and the girls were already in bed. Robert had waited up. He gave Leah the biggest hug without saying a word.

As she headed off to bed, Leah felt pretty sure she would dream tonight. She just had no idea what to expect.

Chapter 41

Leah was in the hallway again. It was dark and all the doors were shut. She did not even try to open any of them. She was so sick of this dream. Sick of being shut out. Sick of holding onto the secret. Leah wanted things out in the open but she had no idea how to do it.

She had no one to blame but herself. And she did. She took full responsibility. The second she did not tell Cade she was pregnant, she had shut him out. She had created these locked doors.

Leah turned and went to the living room. She took the afghan and curled up on the couch. She closed her eyes hoping to wake or to go back to the nothingness. Neither happened. So she simply waited, alone in the darkness.

She was not sure how long it had been when she heard the click of a latch. Soft light spilled into the hallway. Leah heard soft footsteps. Liam, of course. She would send him back to bed. It hurt too much.

When the figure appeared, it was not Liam. Sky stood at the edge of the room. Hands on her hips. Hair a mess.

“Why are you here?”

“I . . .” Leah floundered.

“I wanna know,” she demanded.

Leah sighed and repositioned herself into a sitting position. Her feet stretched out in front of her on the couch.

Sky came over and took the opposite end of the couch. She flipped on a nearby lamp. They both blinked at each other, adjusting to the light.

“Tell me.”

“I should probably tell your father first, I owe him that much at least . . .”

“Listen, I don’t see him out here wanting to talk to you, do you?” Sky crossed her arms and leaned back, waiting. When Leah still did not speak, Sky added, “I’m not a kid. You seemed so nice, I trusted you. But you are married? Seriously?”

“I was. And you are right, you’re not a little kid, so I’ll share with you what I think is appropriate.”

When Sky nodded, Leah continued.

“I was married. Was, Sky. I’m not anymore. While I was with your dad, I was separated from my husband and planned on getting a divorce. I love your dad and you and your brother and wanted to make a new life with you.”

“We wanted that too. But you said no!” Sky raised her voice.

“I hope you are never in a position to have to choose between two things you love. Two things you want more than anything in the world. And I thought I had to choose between them. I made a terrible mistake in the process. I should have told your dad.”

“Told me what?” his accusing tone brought tears to Leah’s eyes. Of course he’d come in right now. She couldn’t look at him. She continued her conversation with Sky, knowing Cade would listen.

“I found out right before Christmas that I was pregnant,” Leah took a deep breath. “I thought . . . I thought it was my husband’s baby. I thought I was stuck with him. I thought that even if I did leave him, you all would never want me because of it.”

Sky stared at her, the teen seemed to be out of words.

“I asked you,” Cade’s tone was livid. “I said whatever it was, I’d help or wait. But you didn’t say a fucking word. Just kept shaking your head no.”

“I was in shock. I hadn’t told Eric yet. I hadn’t told anyone. I wasn’t thinking clearly.” She still couldn’t meet his eyes.

“And when you told him, what’d he say? Are you two living happily ever after now that you got what you wanted?” his words were full of scorn.

Leah knew this was it. She lifted her head and turned, facing him. His blue eyes were locked on her. She met them with equal intensity.

“You want to know what he got me for Christmas, Cade? Divorce papers. ’Cause he did not want to be with me any more than I wanted to be with him. And when I told him about the baby, he said it’s not his and he could prove it. He lied to me our whole marriage. I—”

“Wait, it’s not his? Then who—ooooh . . .” Sky looked back and forth between the adults, her eyes wide with understanding.

“Skyler, out,” Cade pointed down the hall. The teen actually looked a bit relieved as she fled the room.

“How?” he demanded.

“How what?” she was suddenly out of sorts. Her neck hurt from looking up at him. She wanted to argue back at him but all the fight went out of her. She deserved his anger and took it.

“How could he prove it,” he glared at her. “How?” he repeated.

“He had a vasectomy. Before he even married me. I never knew. I had no clue. He spent all that money on infertility tests and treatments for me. I thought the problem was me. I thought I was broken and inferior,” tears slipped out. It still hurt, that betrayal.

“So you were fucking both of us? What the hell, Leah!”

“No!” she said firmly. Leah held up one hand. “No,” she repeated. Leah wanted to be honest and clear. “Eric and I had sex one last time back at the end of September and the next day we separated. After that I was only with you, Cade. Only you.” She needed him to believe this truth.

Leah watched the struggle of emotions play across Cade’s face. She could tell he wanted to believe her. But the man had his pride and always held his anger close.

“Why didn’t you tell me. If that’s my kid, I have the right to know!”

“I wanted to tell you. But how was I supposed to? I broke our hearts, Cade.