“Neither do I, Trip. And I hope you know, my feelings for you have nothing to do with your money or how you can make my life easier.”
“I know.” Not only hadn’t Kelsey known about his wealth until five minutes ago, she also still hadn’t asked him how much he had, which proved she had no plans to take him to the cleaners. “Let’s drop the whole thing, except for the fact that now you can relax about whether or not you end up with that big commission.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Not really. It’s great that you’re willing to draw from your trust for our child, but it’s your money. You throw yourself off cliffs for a living, so what if something happens to you? My career—and deals like Wade’s—are still important to me, and I’m going to fight you on this one until the bitter end. I have to be able to provide for myself and this baby because, bottom line, you and I aren’t married.”
The melancholy tone of her voice at the end of her diatribe sank in his gut like an anchor, making him ache. Married. It was what she’d most wanted. What, originally, he’d promised to help her achieve. And what he could not give her now.
Maybe not ever.
If only he could convince her that marriage wasn’t a panacea. That they could be great together without a piece of paper forcing them to be a couple. That, even if their relationship didn’t last forever, he’d make sure she was always taken care of.
“If something happens to me, then my trust funds will go directly to any and all of my children.” He squeezed her hand, unable to make more than a promise he knew he could keep. “I promise you, you’ll never have to worry about needing money to raise our child, okay?”
She barely looked at him as she forced a lame grin on her face. “Okay.”
Without saying more, she lifted the menu and hid her face. This time he didn’t make her put it down, because he couldn’t bear to see her so dejected.
“Do you know why Avery wanted us to all meet at my office before work?” Kelsey asked Emma while handing her a cup of coffee.
“Nope.” She shook her head. “But she sounded excited.”
Kelsey slid into her chair and sipped her decaffeinated drink, missing the high-octane version. To her right sat a copy of the blasted impact study that threatened her sale. She hated the possibility of losing the battle, but had worked all night to convince herself that being with Trip and having this baby were ultimately the more important prize. She was so close to having the life she’d dreamed about for so long. If only he’d put a ring on her finger and promise to love her forever.
“I hope, at eight weeks into this pregnancy, you’re not still experiencing morning sickness for too much longer.” Emma leaned forward, apparently interested in discussing the baby situation.
“At least it goes away by midday.” Kelsey rubbed her temple. “Lately it’s these headaches that are killing me. I think it must be caffeine withdrawal.”
“Maybe you should check with your doctor,” Emma suggested, then bit her lip before speaking again, her voice somewhat tentative. “Is Trip being helpful?”
Sure, if you don’t count him screwing up my career goals.
“He’s been surprisingly cute about everything. Making sure I’m eating right, helping do things around my house so I don’t have to stress or strain, buying all kinds of pregnancy stuff, acting excited about ‘junior’ instead of terrified or resentful, like I first expected.”
“So you’re happy?” Emma edged forward, her eyes wide with hope. “I mean, I know you’ve always wanted to be a mom, but I also know how much you really want to be a wife.”
“I’m not overthinking that part, at least not yet.” Kelsey took a long sip of coffee and avoided Emma’s gaze. Her friends knew her too well. Being a wife had been a lifelong priority, so of course she wanted to marry Trip, especially now that they were having a baby.
First, however, he’d actually have to declare his love for her—a milestone they hadn’t yet reached. And considering the way he was attacking the Copeland deal, maybe he didn’t care quite as much as she’d hoped. Maybe she’d never be able to read any man’s intentions right, not even Trip’s. Was she foolish to believe a freewheeler like Trip could commit? Maybe she shouldn’t go borrowing trouble. “I think all Trip needs is more time to adjust to all the changes.”
At that moment, Avery swept into the office wearing a smile as broad as the Grand Canyon. Without a word, she held her left hand up in the air and wiggled her ring finger.