And what did it say about her that she almost wished he’d been a criminal. Somehow that would have been easier to handle than this.
Anything would be easier than this.
But why was she surprised? When had life ever been as smooth and easy as the last six months with Jack—Sean!—had been?
The doorman offered her his hand and she climbed down, almost slipping on the icy pavement. And as she felt herself slipping, she put her hand on her stomach. The baby. Her baby with—Not now. She couldn’t. Paisley steadied herself, felt Sean’s hand on her back and deliberately stepped away from him and inside the lobby of the restaurant. She scanned it until she saw the women’s bathroom and made a beeline for it, dropping the fur muff he’d given to her on the floor as she went.
She wanted nothing from him. Not ever again, she thought as tears started to burn in her eyes and her breaths came too fast. She stopped immediately inside the ladies’ room as the door shut behind her. Then, leaning against the tiled wall, she closed her eyes and began doing some breathing techniques that her therapist had taught her, during her parents’ divorce.
Breathe in and count of four. Hold it.
But how could she hold it when the man who had fathered her baby was an imposter. He wasn’t anything like the man—
Stop. Just breathe.
She fumbled in the pocket of her cloak for her phone and pulled it out, then placed a video call to Delaney and Olive. She needed her friends. They’d ground her and make this all okay. They’d give her some sage advice or maybe even make her laugh.
Olive answered first and a moment later Delaney did as well.
“What’s wrong?” Olive immediately asked.
“OMG. You look horrible! What happened?” Delaney cried. “Do you need us? Lyle just got back.”
“I can’t... Jack isn’t who he said he was. He’s really the actor Sean O’Neill.”
“Bastard,” Delaney hissed.
“Uh, Pais, are you sure about this?” Olive asked. “Sean O’Neill is known for his piercing blue eyes... Jack has brown ones.”
“He wore color contacts and dyed his hair. He was totally lying to me the entire time,” Paisley said, feeling real panic set in.
“F—I’m googling the details,” Olive said.
“I’m on my way,” Delaney added.
“Can you pick me up, Dellie?” Olive asked.
“Yes. On my way.”
“Pais, what do you need?”
“I don’t know. I thought... Girls, I’m pregnant. I was going to tell him tonight but now, how can I? I don’t know this man. Everything he’s ever said is a lie. I’m mortified that I didn’t realize.”
“Pregnant? Okay,” Olive said. “Are we happy about it?”
“I was. I don’t know,” Paisley choked out.
“Fuck him,” Delaney said. “You’re going to be a wonderful mom. Don’t let him steal this from you.”
“Thanks, girls.”
“Of course,” they both said at once.
The emotions were overwhelming her and she was starting to cry. She couldn’t believe she’d been sostupidabout him. About this entire thing. She wanted to get out of here and never see him again.
But how?
The paparazzi were probably still out there. He might be too. She had to make a plan.