Yours Truly(56)

Weight settled around his shoulders and the happy light left his beautiful blue eyes. He sighed and stood up straight.

“Congratulations on the project. I’m proud of you,” he said, kissing her cheek gently. “Maybe we can have dinner tomorrow? I’m unfortunately stuck here tonight.”

“Dinner tomorrow would be great,” Kat replied before she could think better of it. She pulled him into another hug. “It’ll be okay.”

She wasn’t sure if she was telling him or herself.





26





Kat



Equal parts guilt and nausea waged inside Kat as she pulled up to the front door of AJ’s home. She thanked the driver and stepped out into the warm sunshine. She was just glad she didn’t have to drive herself. The morning sickness was getting worse and doing anything other than praying to the porcelain god was difficult.

But, she wanted to see AJ. Needed to see AJ. Even though she knew she couldn’t tell him why she was feeling so miserable, at least not just yet, she knew he would do everything in his power to make her feel better. Just being around him made her feel better.

The late July sunshine was disgustingly hot. It was dinner time, yet she felt she might melt under the sun’s rays. It made her feel even more woozy and weak, and she wished she had something more than a few sips of water keeping her up and moving for the day.

“Are you okay?” AJ asked, opening the door. He quickly ushered her inside. The air conditioning felt so much better after the heat.

“I’m fine.” The lie was an easy one. It was one all women say.

“You don’t look fine.” AJ frowned, his eyes going over her from head to toe. “Come have something to drink.”

Kat nodded weakly. She felt miserable. She had thought she was going to be okay in the car, but the sudden heat walking in had sapped what little energy she had. AJ took her arm and gently guided her into the house.

“Are you still not feeling better?” AJ asked, leading her carefully to the kitchen. “Maybe we should take you to a doctor.”

“I’m fine,” she repeated. Maybe if she said it enough times it would be true.

The kitchen tile clicked under her shoes. It was hard to focus on anything, but she did see an open bottle of wine chilling in a bucket. She knew she wouldn’t be able to drink it.

She needed to tell him.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she blurted out. Her brain was skipping around and the room felt like it was melting. It was much hotter in the kitchen, even though AJ didn’t seem affected by the change in temperature at all. Maybe it was just her.

“Okay.” AJ reached for a glass and filled it with water from the sink.

“I don’t want to tell you, but it’s important,” Kat said, determined to get this out. Her heart was pounding and her knees felt weak. “I don’t want to lie to you.”

“Kat, you really don’t look well,” AJ said, putting his hand to her forehead. Concern filled his chiseled features.

“It’s important,” Kat insisted, brushing his hand away.

“Is there someone else?” AJ asked quietly. His jaw twitched as he waited for her answer.

Kind of, she thought. Just not the way you’re thinking.

“No, no,” she assured him, trying her best to smile. “You’re it. You’re the only one. It’s only you.”

Relief found his smile. “Then you don’t have to tell me right now. Let’s just get you sitting and comfortable.”

“It’s important,” Kat replied stubbornly. Why was the room so hot? And spinning. Everything was blurring together and fading to black at the edges. Her knees no longer belonged to her body, and she watched more than felt them buckle.

She couldn’t stop from falling as everything went to a pinpoint of light. She heard AJ’s voice as the world faded into black, but she couldn’t make out his words.





27





AJ



AJ watched in horror as Kat’s eyes rolled up into her head and she crumpled to the floor. He barely managed to catch her before her head hit the tile floor. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

“Kat? KAT!” He shook her shoulders, but her head just flopped to the side. Panic welled up in his chest as visions of loosing her flooded his mind. Her skin was cold and clammy. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get her to wake up.

AJ pulled out his phone and hit the panic button. His security team would get to him far faster than 911, would be more discrete, and would have similar medical training.

“We have a medical emergency in the kitchen,” he yelled into the phone before tossing it to the side and focusing back on Kat. Her pulse was thready and her breathing shallow. He didn’t have much training other than CPR, but he knew that she needed to get to a doctor as soon as possible.