“Yes, but Rick,whyare you interested in me? I mean, look at me,” I say, gesturing to my bulging belly. “I’m a single mom who’s barely getting by on her babysitting salary, whereas you’re a powerful businessman. So why would you be interested? You could get any woman in the world. Heck, they’d probably give their right arms to go out on a date with you.”
But the gorgeous man merely throws his dark head back to laugh with amusement, revealing even white teeth.
“Honey, not everything is about one’s station in life, or how much money you have.Icertainly don’t care about any of that stuff, and it doesn’t seem like you do either, which I appreciate about you. No, I want you because you’re gorgeous, Tracy, with that pregnant tummy, and I love knowing that you’re ripe and fertile, with a baby already inside of you.”
I raise one hand to pause for a moment. My mind’s whirling because things are happening so fast, but it’s important to establish ground rules in a new relationship, and to be totally honest about who I am and what I expect.
“Yes, but I need to tell you something, Rick.”
He nods, that handsome face inviting.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
I take a deep breath.
“This is going to surprise you, but I actually don’t know who the father of my child is.”
He starts, those blue eyes stunned.
“You don’t?”
I nod.
“I don’t because my ex and I had a really bad break-up. We’d been dating seven years, and I thought it was only a matter of time before we’d be walking down the aisle together. But then he broke my heart, and I was hurt. Really, really devastated, so I went on a rampage of sorts. I slept with a bunch of different guys to get over my ex, and I got pregnant in the process. Not only that, but I’m not sure who the father is because some of those men were one-night stands whom I don’t have the contact info for anymore. So yes, not everything about me is traditional or even presentable, so to say.”
Rick taps his fingers on the white tablecloth, his expression thoughtful.
“I see,” he hums.
Tears spring to my eyes, and I shake my head angrily over the fact that I’m even crying.
“So as you can see, I’m not exactly the kind of girl you take home to Mom. In fact, I’m very much a hook-up kind of girl, which is why I’ve been sleeping with several of the men in the single dads group. What do I have to lose at this point? I’ve already been labeled a slut by so many people, and it’s not like I can get pregnant twice.”
But Rick isn’t one to judge. The older man nods, and his eyes are kind and his expression forgiving.
“No, it’s fine, baby girl. Everyone goes through different experiences, and while I can’t say that I’ve done exactly what you’ve done, I’ve certainly slept with a lot of women,” he says in a rueful tone. “Hell, if I could take some of that back, I would. Maybe even all of it.”
I laugh softly.
“I think we’ve all had that experience,” is my gentle reply. “But I just don’t want to lie to you about how I got pregnant, or how I was conducting myself before we met,” is my statement. “There are going to be a lot of people out there whispering behind our backs, and I wouldn’t say that it’s deserved, but I wouldn’t say that it’snotdeserved either.”
Rick shrugs, unbothered.
“Yeah, I see what you mean, but let them talk, honey. There will always be gossips looking to spread shit around, and it’s better just to let them do their thing. They’re fuckers, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not going to let it touch you, or us for that matter.”
I nod, a bloom of warmth spreading through my chest.
“Thank you, I’m so glad you understand,” I say in a soft voice while squeezing his hand. “And I’m grateful to you, Rick, for not doing the knee-jerk thing and judging me. That means a lot to me.”
He merely leans forward to kiss me, his mobile mouth caressing my lips.
“It’s no problem honey. Besides, I have some skeletons of my own in the closet,” he jokes. But then we’re interrupted.
“Hey, you were kissing my daddy!” Amelia exclaims indignantly, looking up from her coloring. “Daddy, I get a kiss too!”
Rick chuckles and bestows a smooch on his daughter’s blonde head, amused by her antics.
“Of course, honey. You’re my number one girl.”