“I don’t want to go back to how things were.”
His brow arched. “You don’t? But didn’t you just say…?”
She shook her head. “I thought that was what I wanted, but I want more.”
Eyes narrowed, Blake worked his throat, gulped. “More?”
So much had happened in the past few hours that it probably wasn’t wise to make grand life decisions, but Darby did. In her heart she knew she was making the right choice.
“I want to sell my half of the clinic to you, Blake. I’m going home.”
“No.” Steely determination shone in his eyes.
Darby frowned. “What do you mean, no? No, you don’t want to buy my half of the clinic?” She shrugged. “Fine. I’ll find another doctor to buy my half out. Our business contract reads that we have to offer each other first option, so that’s what I was doing.”
“I’m not buying your half of the clinic because you aren’t selling.” His tone brooked no argument.
Not quite believing his reaction, Darby stared at him, more determined than ever that she was making the right choice for her and the baby. “Actually, I am. I’m going home.”
“Knoxville is your home.”
“No,” she sighed. “It’s not. I belong in Armadillo Lake. They need a doctor.”
“You don’t belong there. You blackmailed me into going to your high school reunion so you wouldn’t have to go there alone.”
“I was an immature young girl who held on to her hurt way too long and let those hurts influence life decisions in ways I shouldn’t have.”
“What about me?”
He’d been the main reason she’d stayed in Knoxville. She’d wanted
to be near him. Still, there was more to think about than her or Blake. She had to consider what was right for their baby.
“What about you?”
Good question. One Blake didn’t have an answer to. He didn’t have answers to anything. Just knew that he didn’t want Darby to leave Knoxville.
Didn’t want her to leave him.
She might not feel she belonged here, but Blake did. For the first time in his life he belonged somewhere, truly felt at home.
Darby couldn’t just rip that feeling all to pieces.
He wouldn’t let her.
“I have rights, too, you know.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Rights?”
“Regarding your pregnancy. Moving doesn’t just affect you. Where you live affects me and my relationship with our child.”
Darby’s mouth dropped. “I wouldn’t stop you from seeing our baby. You should know that, Blake.”
“Should I?” Pain at the thought of his world being ripped apart clouded his judgement and he lashed out. “How do I know you aren’t moving home to pick things up with Nix? That you aren’t hoping he’ll step in and play house with you and my baby? Is that what you’ve been doing in Alabama while I’ve covered your patients? Did you see him?”
Darby blinked. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”