The tablet packet in my drawer on the nightstand, however, tells me otherwise. There’s an extra one on the pack. As in there’s one there that shouldn’t be there. I should have taken it.
In panic I leave the house late in the night and drive to the drugstore to pick up a pregnancy test. Then I drove back home like a maniac to do the test.
It’s one of those early indication tests that pick up results straight away. as the line turns pink my heart squeezes and my breath hitches in my chest.
I’m looking at the stick in my hand and I don’t know what to think past what it’s telling me.
I’m three weeks pregnant.
Chapter Sixteen
Dante
“I got to say I’m excited Dante,” Salvatore says sitting back in his chair. He smiles then takes a draw on his cigar.
We’re up in his lounge again at The Dark Odyssey and I just signed my contract for my new job as his new marketing and advertising director.
“Me too. This will be the biggest project I’ve ever worked on, and the greatest job potential I’ve ever had.” I like that I can be real with him. He’s not an asshole who will hold anything over my head or treat me like shit because he’s my boss. He’s a friend so he’ll treat me as an equal.
“That’s your own fault you know that right? You could have been rolling in it with dollar bills falling out of your ass.” He grins.
“Yeah, I know.”
“Shows what kind of guy you are. I don’t knock you for it Dante. Not one bit. I’m happy to have you work for me and my brothers are thrilled too.”
I dip my head almost reverently. He’s talking about powerful men who own a fortune. I’m looking to be that way too.
“Thank you, and thanks for keeping the offer on the table. I guess what I needed was time.”
He nods. “I understand and you’re welcome. How’s Peter? He must be so devastated to hear you’re leaving.” Salvatore laughs with mock sarcasm. “I don’t know how you manage to stay friends with that guy Dante. He can be such a prick sometimes.”
I won’t bother to tell him that that sometimes is most of the time.
“I don’t know, I think we’ve just known each other for so long that he grew on me. As for telling him, I haven’t done that yet.”
The fundraiser is tomorrow night. If things don’t go south like I think it will with my confession then I’ll stay at Bradleys for the rest of the month. If they do go south, I plan to leave straight away. I’ll go in to the office Saturday morning and clean up. Clean out more like.
Things have been tense between Peter and I lately so I already predict that it’s not going to go anything other than south when I tell him I’m with his daughter.
“You walk a thin line, friend,” Salvatore states with raised brows.
“Yeah, maybe. I guess I am. There’s something more I have to tell him first before I tell him that.”
Salvatore laughs. “Does it have to do with little Rachel?”
I pull in a deep breath. “Yes… It does.”
This week was the first week that I didn’t get to see her every day because she’s been sick. Other than that I’ve been seeing her all the time since we got together and it’s been unreal.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow and I hope she feels better so we can be at the event together. I have an idea of how I want things to play out in my mind. What I want is her at my side.
“Well thank fuck you see she’s a woman now. Peter’s opinion counts for shit if you guys are happy together. I won’t lie and say it won’t be awkward, but people move past that shit and get on with their lives. I’m nearly ten
years older than my wife and there were times in our lives when I thought I couldn’t go there because of that. Then I realized I didn’t care who had an opinion on us. We’re very happy together. Me and my babygirl.”
I smile at that. It’s nice to hear him talk like that. He’s happy and I want that too. I think I deserve it.
“Thanks for the advice.”