CHAPTER FOURTEEN #2
Before I can answer, the door bursts open and Sebastian runs in. The second he sees Wynter, he dives on her, throwing himself into her arms.
“Wynter!”
She catches him but flinches slightly. It’s enough for me to notice. My eyes flick to Catherine, and she’s seen it too.
“It’s so good to see you,” Wynter whispers, pressing her face into his hair. “You smell like—”
“Apples,” Sebastian says proudly. They both laugh. A quiet, shared moment between them. “Are you staying?” he asks, his tone hopeful.
Wynter’s smile falters. “No, Seb. I’m going back to live with my Aunt Lucy.”
“But we miss you,” he says, clinging tighter.
“I miss you too,” she whispers. “But you’ll be fine here with—” She looks at me, like she needs help finishing that sentence.
“Dad,” Sebastian says quickly. “Uncle Ray is my dad now.”
Wynter blinks. “Right,” she says softly. “And Catherine and Uncle Dale and . . .”
Her gaze lands on Jessica.
“I’m Jessica,” she says, stepping forward. “Sebastian’s new nanny.”
They shake hands, and I see the relief in Wynter’s face. It’s partly my fault—I knew she assumed we were a thing yesterday and I didn’t correct her.
“Alga quit in the midst of everything,” I explain.
“I should go,” Wynter says suddenly.
She kisses Sebastian’s head and gently lowers him to the floor. As she stands, her hand dashes out, gripping my arm. Her other hand presses to her temple and her eyes squeeze shut.
I step closer instinctively. “Are you okay?”
“Just dizzy,” she whispers.
Dizzy. My frown deepens. “Are you eating?” I ask.
She gives me a sad, tired smile. “Thanks for the jewellery box,” she says instead. “I love it. I’ll take good care of it.”
She lets go of my arm, and I notice the loss of contact is instant.
Catherine walks her towards the door, with Sebastian clinging to her leg, refusing to let go.
I stand there. Watching. Knowing this is it. And not knowing how the hell I’m supposed to let her walk away again.
“She seems really nice,” Jessica says, pulling my attention back into the room.
I nod automatically. “She is.”
“Sebastian talks about her all the time.”
Catherine returns with Sebastian crying in her arms. She places him on his feet, and he automatically goes to Jessica.
Catherine’s gaze searches mine. “She didn’t look right,” she says thoughtfully. “There was something off about her.”
“Pregnancy can be different for everyone,” Jessica says, rocking Sebastian gently, completely unaware of the shift in the room. “If she’s in the first trimester, she’s probably struggling with sickness.”
Everything in me stills.
“And if her iron levels have dropped, she might be on supplements which can make the nausea worse.”
“Pregnancy?” I cut in sharply.
Jessica looks at me like it’s obvious. “Yes.”
“That’s it,” Catherine breathes, her eyes widening. “That’s what I was trying to place. She had that peaky look about her.”
“No,” I say immediately. “It’s a hangover. She said she’s been out drinking most nights.”
“Then that won’t be helping her condition,” Jessica mutters disapprovingly.
“She isn’t pregnant,” I snap, the words coming out harder than I intend.
Jessica doesn’t flinch. “Before I became a nanny, I was a midwife,” she says calmly. “And I know what I’m looking at.”
Silence crashes into the room. My mind replays it all in brutal flashes. The nausea. The way she looked. The weight loss. The dizziness.
“Fuck,” I breathe.
Catherine’s hand flies to her mouth. “Ray . . .”
I don’t wait. I grab my jacket and head straight for the door, my heart hammering so hard, it drowns everything else out.
“Ray,” Catherine calls after me.
I’m already pulling my phone out.
“Security,” I bark as soon as they answer. “Stop Wynter leaving. Now.”
I don’t wait for confirmation. I’m already running for the lift.
WYNTER
“What the hell is this about?” I snap, yanking against the grip on my arm. “I haven’t stolen this. Ray gave it to me,” I add, holding up the jewellery box.
The security guard doesn’t even look at me.
I spot Ray running towards us. He looks pale and shaken, and I wander what could have happened in the last ten seconds.
“Thank god,” I breathe. “Can you tell this idiot I didn’t steal it?”
Ray barely glances at the guard. “I told him to stop you,” he says.
My stomach drops. “What?”
“I need to ask you something.”
Before I can argue, he takes my arm and pulls me away from the security staff, and out onto the street where the noise of traffic fills the silence between us.
Then he stops and turns to me, his eyes dropping to the jewellery box. He gently takes it from my hands, then continues to stare at my stomach.
I step back. “Okay, you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?”
“Are you pregnant?” he asks.
I blink, then follow his gaze down my body. “What?”
“Jessica said you are,” he presses. “Are you?”
A laugh escapes me. I snatch the box back from him. “Wow. That’s rude. Maybe teach your new girlfriend some manners.”
“She’s not—” He cuts himself off, dragging a hand through his hair. “She used to be a midwife. She’s certain.”
“I think I’d know if I was pregnant, Ray,” I say, my tone tightening.
“Jesus, I’ve had a few nights out and I’m tired.
” My voice wobbles. I steady it. “I know you breezed through our break-up, but I didn’t.
” There it is. The truth, slipping out where I didn’t want it.
I take a breath, forcing myself to pull it back together.
“I’m not pregnant,” I say more quietly. “See you around, Ray.”
I turn before he can say anything else, forcing my legs to move.
I don’t look back.
Because if I do . . .
I might not leave at all.
The train journey home feels endless. Every mile drags and every stop feels like it takes too long.
By the time I step off and haul my suitcase down the familiar street, my arms ache and my head pounds, but none of it compares to the weight sitting heavy in my chest.
I stop outside the house.
Home.
The door swings open before I even reach for the handle.
“Thank the Lord,” Aunt Lucy cries, rushing out and pulling me into her arms so tightly I almost lose my breath. “I’ve been out of my mind with worry. If your housemate hadn’t called me, I swear I’d have rung the police.”
“I’m fine,” I whisper into her shoulder. The words taste like the lie that they are.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmurs, pulling back just enough to cup my face, her thumb brushing under my eye. “You’re anything but fine.”
I blink rapidly, forcing the tears back. I’m so tired of crying.
“Your dad’s out,” she says gently. “Come on. We’ll have some tea and you can tell me everything. Or whatever you want to tell me.”
I sit at the kitchen table, my hands wrapped around a mug of tea, letting the warmth seep into my fingers.
Lucy watches me carefully.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” she says softly. “We’ve missed you.”
“Me too,” I admit. My voice sounds small.
“So, the job didn’t work out?” she asks. I shake my head. “That’s a shame,” she says. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
I stare down into my tea. “I was caring for someone,” I begin slowly. “She was only a few years older than me.” My throat tightens. “She died.”
The words break something open inside me, and the tears come before I can stop them. Lucy is beside me instantly, wrapping her arms around me as I fold into her.
“Wynter,” she whispers, holding me tight. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was ashamed,” I sob. “I had all these plans going to London and I just . . . I failed.”
“You silly girl,” she murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair. “You didn’t fail. You went after something you wanted. That takes courage.”
“But I didn’t make it,” I cry. “I didn’t achieve anything. I just got my heart broken again and ended up right back where I started.”
She pulls back slightly, searching my face. “You met someone?”
I let out a weak, humourless laugh. “Yeah. That surprised me too.”
Her brows lift slightly.
“But don’t worry,” I add quickly. “I learnt pretty fast there was only ever one man for me. No one else even comes close.”
Her expression softens. “Wynter, losing Josh was devastating,” she says gently. “Especially after your mum. But you can’t shut yourself off forever. You still have your whole life ahead of you.”
A hollow feeling settles in my chest. I shake my head. “I don’t,” I whisper.
She frowns, reaching for my hands. “What do you mean?”
I pull my hands free, pressing them to my face like I can hide behind them. “I’ve ruined that too.”
“Wynter,” she says softly, concern creeping into her voice as she gently lowers my hands. “What are you talking about?”
I look at her, and the words just fall out.
“I’m pregnant.”