The doctor in L.A. said that the bleeding was likely to continue until I had a chance to implement her orders for strict bed rest. I’m so tired, but my heart is beating a mile a minute. I have to calm down. I push myself up, holding on to the doorknob as my bare legs scrape against the cold tile. I should have on something warmer, not just Eric’s shirt, but I can’t think about that now. Instead, I get down on my knees and pray with all of my heart for God to save this baby. I’ll do whatever it takes. Stay in bed for five months. Not have sex with Eric until after the birth. Forget about the screenplay, even if it ruins us. Nothing is more important than this baby—nothing.

I can’t believe I almost lost it. One minute I’m teasing Will about flirting with the hostess, and the next I’m crumpled on the ground, writhing in pain. I’m so mad at myself for letting Lauren get to me like that. I was exhausted from the trip, anxious about being in a strange city, uncomfortable being around Will and his L.A. lifestyle, nervous about meeting Warren and Dave. It was probably way too much stress for a woman in my condition, but having Lauren show up out of the blue to crush our plans was the icing on the cake.

My body couldn’t handle the shock, and it revolted. Lauren was relentless, drilling away, exploiting every weakness. I should’ve gotten up from the table when I felt the first twinge. I never should have stayed and listened to it all. Will could’ve filled me in later. But even after all this time, Lauren’s still able to render me powerless. It’s like she’s my kryptonite, zapping the life right out of me.

But I can’t let her do that to our baby. It deserves a fighting chance, and I put it in jeopardy because I was too much of a coward to walk away. I knew better, but I still did nothing. I needed to protect the child growing within me. Instead I froze, allowing her barrage of threatening ultimatums and sickening revelations to distract me from what I needed to do. There’s no shame in backing down against a bully, especially when the odds of coming out on top are so astronomical.

I give in to my tears, letting them wash over me. I gasp for air, my shoulders heaving. Strands of hair are plastered to my face and I don’t even bother to push them away. I’m such a wreck.

“Ivy…” Eric calls, lightly tapping on the door. “Can I come in?”

“It’s open,” I say, my voice unsteady as I crawl into the corner. There’s no way I can keep him out. I need him to hold me.

“Baby, you shouldn’t be sitting on the floor,” he moans, bending down to bury his face in my hair. I still can’t look at him, but he doesn’t make me. I shudder as he cradles me in his arms, lifting me onto his lap. I let him rock me as he strokes my head. The comfort he’s bestowing upon me only makes me cry harder. “Shhh, I’ve got you. Everything’s going to be okay.” I feel the warmth of his breath trail along my scalp before he kisses my forehead.

“And what if it’s not?” I can’t help but ask. I choke out the words, finally meeting his eyes as tears stream down my face. “What if I lose this baby?”

“You’re not,” he says, placing his hands on both sides of my face so I can’t look away.

“You don’t know that,” I sniffle stubbornly. “I’m so afraid it’s going to be all my fault.” I break into a fresh round of sobs as he gazes at me, grief-stricken.

“You’re talking like it’s already happened. Sure, we had a scare, but our baby is still growing inside of you,” he states, his voice never wavering as he uses his thumbs to wipe away my tears. “You need to rest. You’re overtired and not thinking straight. Things will look a whole lot better in the morning once you’ve had a good night’s sleep.”

“But Lauren’s not going to let up and—” I stop midstream when he places his fingers over my lips.

“Let’s not think about Lauren for the rest of the night, okay?” He stares into my eyes as he tilts up my chin. “We’re going to take this one day at a time. That’s all we can do. You have me on your side, and I swear I won’t let her harm you again.”

I close my eyes and swallow hard. This would be the perfect opportunity to tell him what Lauren plans to reveal about Cassidy, but I can’t. I’ll have to carry this burden a little while longer. He’s so worried about me and the baby that I can’t shatter his world by revealing Cassidy might have been cheating on him before she died. The repercussions of such a revelation would destroy him. He may think he can protect me from Lauren, but what if I’m not able to return the favor? I’m going to have to look into Lauren’s accusations before I approach him with them. She could be lying for all I know, trying to stir up trouble where it doesn’t exist.

I certainly can’t ask Cassidy for the truth. Her secrets are buried with her. I’m going to have to find out who Lauren believes the other guy is and proceed from there. If she wants me to write this tawdry script, she’s going to have to reveal some clues as to his identity. Was he one of Cassidy’s classmates in college? Does he live in town? My heart skips a beat. Does Eric know him?

This could get really ugly. I think the majority of people around here would want to remember Cassidy the way she was and not have their memories of her ruined. She was such a beacon of local pride, the selfless young woman who sacrificed her life for her unborn child, the girl next door who battled cancer with everything she had and lost. No one’s going to want to hear that she really wasn’t so sweet and innocent after all.

Lauren’s crazy to even consider putting this version of events out there for public consumption. Sure, it might have a limited audience of those who enjoy a good scandal, but most are going to be disgusted by it, thinking we’re all trying to make a quick buck off of yesterday’s news. And Eric’s the one who’s going to be vilified for going along with it because of his involvement with me. On a national level, the public isn’t going to care who Lauren is. They’re going to be too caught up in pointing fingers at Eric to pay any attention to her. Plus, if word gets out about his financial troubles, he’s going to look like the desperate ex-boyfriend trying to get rich by smearing Cassidy’s good name. Eric’s word is his bond, and it will kill him to be cast in such an unflattering light. Will he be able to bounce back from something like that? Is it even possible?

And it will be a sort of double betrayal. He’s going to be hurt when he learns of Cassidy’s infidelity and he’s going to hate me for being the one to tell him. He’ll never forgive me for keeping something like this from him, but the circumstances surrounding how he ended up in L.A. just wouldn’t allow it. I was sedated and lying in a hospital bed after nearly suffering a miscarriage. The first words out of my mouth very well couldn’t be, “Lauren thinks Cassidy cheated on you.” It wasn’t the time or the place, but now that we’re home, things are different. I can’t keep it from him much longer and expect him to understand my reasoning for not bringing it up sooner. I know if our roles were reversed I’d want him to tell me. There’s no excuse for continuing to remain silent. Like he said, we’re in this together. I have to be up front with him about everything, not just when it’s convenient for me.

“Ivy, you’re shivering,” Eric murmurs, holding me even closer to his body. “C’mon, let’s get you to bed.”

In one fluid motion, he gets to his feet with me in his arms, reminding me of his sheer physicality. He’s such a fine specimen of a man, both inside and out.

He walks by Shep, who’s thumping his tail just outside the door, and carries me over to the bed now covered in fresh linens. He tucks me in, bundling the array of quilts and blankets up to my chin before turning out the light and slipping in beside me. He doesn’t stay on his side of the bed for long. I feel him nestle against my body, his hand on my stomach and one of his legs covering both of mine. I stare at the moon through the skylight as his breathing falls into a steady rhythm and it’s not long before he’s snoring. I allow my fingers to lightly trace his sideburns as he sleeps peacefully, unaware of the jumbled thoughts racing through my mind. I glance at the clock. It’s after midnight. I better shut my eyes and at least try to get some rest. Eric shifts in his sleep, turning over onto his back, and I already miss the warmth of his body pressed against mine.

In L.A., I got a taste of what it would be like to have to sleep alone, and it shook me to the core. I can’t go back to the way I lived before, content to lie in a dorm room all by myself. Those days are over now. No matter what kind of ideas Lauren tries to plant in my mind about going back to college, it’s not what I want. Not anymore. I run my hand across Eric’s chest while patting my stomach. I have everything I need right here.

If only I can hang on to it.

Chapter Fourteen

Lauren

So the little skank ended up in the hospital. Oops.

I should feel guilty, but I don’t. Ivy shouldn’t have gotten pregnant in the first place. It’s like she just wanted to land a guy to support her sorry ass for the rest of her life. Ryan even told me she grew up on welfare for pity’s sake. Just because her drunk mother was too lazy to work for a living doesn’t mean she has the right to sit at home and do nothing. Talk about an unjust sense of entitlement.

Everything about Ivy Thompson just infuriates me.

* * *

I’ve worked my entire life to get where I am. True, I might have worked my connections, but who hasn’t? My stepdad is a wealthy man. He helped me land this job at the Gazette, but it’s not like he’s here burning the midnight oil while I’m kicking back, painting my nails. I devote my entire life to the paper. I’m the first one there in the morning and the last to leave at night. I log sixty to eighty hours a week and that doesn’t even count holidays and weekends. I don’t take any time off when I have menstrual cramps or a headache that won’t quit. No, I’m here all day, every day.