I stopped on the other side of the street and watched her. And it was at that moment that she paused what she was doing. I didn’t know if she had sensed me but she slowly turned in my direction. My breath caught in my throat, and I knew what I had seen but my brain refused to process it. My eyes roamed down her body until it rested on her very pregnant stomach. My heart stuttered in my chest. When I looked back up to her face, I saw the tears shimmering in her eyes. That snapped me out of my shocked trance and my protective instinct kicked in. I would help her. Now that I could see what was going on, I would do whatever I could to make it okay again.

I took a few long strides to cross the street, desperate to get to her. When I reached her there was no hesitation, she just collapsed into my arms and let me hold her while she wept.

“Shhh baby, I know. It’s okay Em. Everything is going to be okay now.” I knew at that moment I could never leave this girl again. She cried harder at my words, and I could do nothing but let her.

I’d worked for three hours and had been on my feet the whole time. I hadn’t been sleeping very well because I had to get up and pee every couple of hours. My growing belly—even though still relatively small—no longer allowed for me to lie on my stomach, which of course was my favorite and most comfortable way to sleep. I was almost five months along and I knew I was going to get bigger and would more than likely lose even more sleep. I couldn’t quit my job, but I also didn’t think I would be able to continue the same six hour days that I had been pulling. I knew I would have to talk to Rose after my shift and see about cutting my shift by an hour. I was sure she wouldn’t mind, but I really hated putting the added stress on her to find someone to cover my time.

I’d just rung up the last customer from our morning rush when I grabbed a rag and went outside to wipe down the tables. It was a gorgeous sunny day and I wanted to take a few minutes to soak up some rays. I always felt revitalized after a few minutes in the sunshine, and I was then able to make it through the rest of my shift. The music from inside was playing through our outdoor speakers. It was Simple Plan’s ‘Untitled’ and it made me feel melancholy. I decided I’d change the music as soon as I finished clearing outside. I definitely needed a more upbeat soundtrack. Picking up all the empty cups and throwing them away, I went over to a table closest to the road. I began to wipe down the table when I froze. The tingling sensation that had begun on the back of my neck moved its way down my arms and before I’d even turned around, I felt him. I’d always been able to feel him. I knew then that his eyes were on me, waiting for me to turn around.

I wouldn’t be able to hide this from him. I was wearing a light pink ribbed tank top that formed around my stomach. Instead of panicking, I felt deflated and tired. I was tired of hiding from everyone, especially Finn. Slowly turning towards the man I knew was stood behind me, I lifted my eyes to meet his. His face was unreadable as he looked me over. When his eyes landed on my belly, I lost it. Feeling weary, broken, and defeated tears pricked my eyes. He was here. Finn had come for me. He blinked once and his blue eyes were soft and understanding. He now knew why I had avoided him for so long. Unable to hold back my emotions, a tear rolled down my cheek and my shoulders started to shake. At this, his face changed and he strode towards me from across the street. I couldn’t fight him any longer. I wanted him to hold me. I needed him to tell me I was going to be okay, that I’d survive this.

When he got to me he wrapped his arms around me and I could no longer support my weight. He held me up, speaking gently to me. I heard him but all I could concentrate on was how it felt to be held in his arms again. Why had I pushed him away for so long? Was I really so full of pride that I couldn’t even accept Finn’s help? I knew the answer to that, the moment I started to pull away.

Wiping my eyes and sniffling, I wiggled lose of his arms. “I’m sorry about that Finn. I shouldn’t have fallen apart like that.”

“It’s okay Em. I think from the looks of things you needed someone to lean on.” He leaned on one leg, his hip resting against the table. His wide, muscular chest amplified by his crossed arms.

Clearing my throat, I asked “Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?” Jesus he was sexy. I may have been keeping him at arms length but I wasn’t blind. This man drew me to him.

“Kyler called me. He told me that I needed to be here, so here I am.”

“Bastard” I whispered under my breath. Finn chuckled.

“Name calling isn’t going to change the fact that you were clearly ignoring me for a reason, and Ky was just trying to help you. Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant Em?”

“Why would I? This isn’t your problem.” He winced and I knew my comment had hit him below the belt.

“I know this isn’t my problem, but it also doesn’t have to be your burden to carry alone. I’m your friend Emilyn. You know I would have been here from the moment you found out.”

I couldn’t have this conversation looking him in the eye, so I continued tidying up outside while he followed behind me. “That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you Finn. There’s nothing for you to do. I’m having a baby, and I’m in the middle of a divorce. Exactly what part of that could you have helped me with?” I was being a bitch to him and I knew it, but my need to push him away was far greater than my need to keep him around.

“Hmmm… speaking of divorces, does West know? About the baby I mean?”

“Of course he knows. I wouldn’t keep something like this from him!”

My anger was evident and he paused, holding his hands up in defeat. “I didn’t mean to insult you, I was just asking. Were you pregnant at the reunion?”

I shook my head no. “I was but I didn’t know it yet.”

“How did West take the news?”

I let out a short, bitter laugh, “He took it about as well as could be expected I guess.”

He was confused. “What does that mean?”

“It means he took it as well as any man who has been having an affair with his interior decorator for the past two years would. The same man who claimed he never loved me, and never wanted kids with me.”

Finn’s brow furrowed and his mouth had set in a straight line. “Is that what he said to you?”

“In not so many words, yes. He made it abundantly clear that this baby wasn’t wanted and he thought I’d got pregnant on purpose to get more money out of him.” I felt the need to explain further. “I was on the pill and I took it religiously. Apparently it’s not always effective.”

The weight of Finn’s eyes on me was too much. I shook myself from his stare and moved to go back inside the store. “Wait. When do you get off work? In fact, why are you even working? You’re still married to West and I’m certain there isn’t a judge alive that wouldn’t ensure that you have what you need to take care of yourself and the baby.”

My hand was on the handle of the door. “I have to work so I can support myself. Obviously I won’t be working here forever, but I need to stand on my own two feet. I can’t stomach the idea of using the money from the divorce settlement.”

“Why?” He asked.

I sighed. “Because that money was all a lie Finn. West never loved me, he was just using me. I was his trophy wife, someone he used to move up the corporate ladder. If he showed the partners at the firm that he was a family man, they had more incentive to hire him and make him junior partner. Do you get it now? My whole marriage was a sham! And now I’m having a kid that was created by that lie. To me, that money is bullshit and I don’t want it, at least not for me. I’ll put it away for the baby, for when he or she gets older. So you see… I’m trying to stand on my own. I need this job.”