Edgar’s green eyes are narrow and glinting with menace, and shivers run down my back. If he showed even a quarter of that at his lunch, Aaron isn’t going to do a thing. And I realize this is the most effective way to deal with my ex. Once a video is made, you can never unmake it. And I’ll never know how many backups he has—or where they might be—even if I were to have him delete it from his phone or computer. But a threat of eating out of dumpsters? Yeah, that’d make him behave. Enduring any sort of hardship is not his forte.
“So.” Edgar takes a sip of his drink. “The move.”
My stomach feels fluttery with nerves.
I’m reminded of how my brothers and I often had bets. Well, more like ridiculous dares. Like that time Rafael told me he’d climb the Golden Gate Bridge, and I told him if he did, I’d help him get a date with Bettie Hansen, the hottest girl in school. And the thing is that he never did it, and I forgot all about it.
And that wasn’t the only time. Pablo told me he’d help me get ready for my Algebra I final, but never did because we could never find a time. He was always busy with math club and other geeky activities. So I studied on my own and did okay. Certainly better than if I’d waited for him.
So when Edgar talked about taking care of Aaron and me moving in with him, I didn’t really expect he’d do it. Or if he did manage it, it would take months and months…even possibly after I had the baby.
How wrong I’ve been. One day. That’s how long it took him. One day.
And now what?
I’ve never lived with a boyfriend before. I always felt the need to maintain my own place—my own independence. It’s ingrained in me from having to put up with overbearing brothers and cousins. Otherwise, they run all over me. If they had it their way, I’d practically be a nun.
“Anyway, I’ll hire movers to help today,” Edgar says.
“What? Already? Don’t you have to close on the penthouse first?” I ask, desperate for any excuse to delay this. To give myself some time to really think about—
“That’s all taken care of,” he says. “We can move in today.”
“Whoa. How did you manage that?”
“Cheap. Fast. Best. You can only have two out of three.”
“And you chose fast and best.”
Edgar inclines his head and smiles, smug as the first person to snatch up the latest Louis Vuitton purse.
And why wouldn’t he be? I bet Rick bent over backward to make everything happen on Edgar’s schedule.
“So. The movers. What time?” he asks.
“Wait, just…hold on. That isn’t necessary.”
He regards me, obvious calculations taking place in his head. “I don’t think you can manage on your own. Don’t you have a lot of clothes? Not to mention shoes and bags and accessories.”
He isn’t wrong, but there’s gotta be a way to stop all this. Think!
“I need to tell you something,” I say to buy some time.
He waits patiently.
My mind seems to be frozen, so I finally just go for blunt. “I need to…um…think about it.”
“You do?”
“I didn’t think you’d actually follow through or that you’re this serious about living together. Do you always do this with women you slept with?”
“No, I’ve never moved in with anybody,” he says. “But you’re different.”
A small bit of hope stirs. Is he realizing he has some feelings for me? It’s a big deal for a guy to want to move in with a woman for the first time, ever, isn’t it? “How?”
“Jo. You’re carrying my child.”
I swallow a sigh. Of course. How could I have forgotten that critical point? “Okay, fine. But why do we have to get married? It’s the twenty-first century. Couples don’t have to be married to raise children successfully.”