He Played Husband for Her Dare, So I Left Carrying His Baby novel · Chapter 17 of 24
Chapter 17: What He Said
I woke at six to gulls and the smell of coffee I could not drink.
Hank stood at the little stove with his back to me, in jeans and nothing else.
He was making toast.
He made it badly, the way he made everything in a kitchen, and I lay on the blue quilt and watched him.
My body felt warm and loose, and it was mine.
Then the rest of the day came back.
"Good morning," he said, without turning around.
"How did you know I was awake?"
"You stopped pretending to sleep."
I sat up with the quilt around me.
"Hank, I need to ask you something, and you can't be kind about it."
He turned the burner off.
"All right."
"Last night. Is this because you feel guilty?"
His face did not change, but his hand closed on the counter.
"Say that again."
"You knew for four years. You watched me apologize to a man who was lying. Now you carry my boxes and make me tea and give me a flat with the door that sticks." I made myself keep going. "Maybe that's what this is. You owe me, and you're paying it off."
"Libby."
"Because everyone who stays does it out of duty or pity. Owen did, in public."
"Libby."
"I'm the one who failed, so someone is always being good to me."
"You didn't fail."
"I know that now. I knew it last night. It doesn't make the habit go away."
He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, not touching me.
"Listen to me. I'm not going to be kind. You asked me not to."
"Good."
"I started liking you at your wedding."
I stared at him.
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