"Out of order," she muttered.
"Of course, it is." Tesah couldn't stop himself from sounding sarcastic and immediately regretted it when Kira stiffened. He had only made her more defensive than before. By the time they reached her apartment door, she was slightly out of breath.
"This isn't going to get any easier, you know," he said, trying to sound gentle.
"It's none of your concern," she snapped. Strands of hair had slipped from her small ponytail, and he noticed that the pink tips she once had were now a soft shade of Becky. A few of those Becky strands blended into her bangs.
She unlocked the door, and when she stepped aside for him to enter, he motioned for her to go first. As he followed her in, his eyes immediately landed on a tall, blond guy sitting at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereal.
Tesah's anger flared instantly. Had she been lying to him? Was this guy actually the father of her baby? Had she tricked him all along? He turned to confront her, ready to let her have it, but the annoyed—not guilty—look on her face made him pause.
"You're eating my Frostees!" Kira shouted.
Jake froze mid-bite, looking guilty. "It was just a little taste, I swear! You know I'd never eat too much of this stuff—it's packed with sugar. Well, hello," he added, his gaze shifting to Tesah.
Kira sighed. "Jake, this is Tesah Clover, my ex-boss. Tesah, meet my roommate, Jake ."
Jake stood up, sauntered over, and extended his hand. Tesah shook it firmly.
"You can call me Jake," her flirtatious roommate said with a grin. "Or better yet, just call me anytime."
"Jake!" she hissed. He rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Could you give us a little privacy? Mr. Clover and I need to talk."
Jake pouted, grabbed his denim jacket, and made his way to the door. "Be nice to my girl, Mr. C," he said on his way out. "I know five different martial arts styles, and I'm not afraid to use them."
Despite himself, Kira felt a burst of affection for Jake. He was a shameless flirt, but his loyalty was unwavering.
As the door shut behind Jake, silence filled the room. Kira glanced at Tesah, noticing the amused expression on his face. She smirked.
"You totally thought he was my baby's father," she teased.
Tesah shifted uncomfortably. "For a moment, I thought I had been..."
"Tricked?" she guessed, smirking when he frowned. She remembered he didn't like it when she finished his sentences.
"Deceived," he corrected.
"Same thing," she muttered. "And honestly, I'm offended you even went there—especially after you got the paternity test results today. You really don't think highly of me, do you?"
He kept his face unreadable.
"What? No apology?" she challenged. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing. She sighed. The sooner this conversation ended, the better.
"What was so urgent that it couldn't be handled through our lawyers?"
"I wanted to let you know that I'll cover your medical expenses," he said.
She shook her head before he even finished speaking. "No."
"You wouldn't need medical care if you weren't pregnant. And you wouldn't be pregnant if not for me. So, I should be the one paying for it."
"I don't want anything from you," she said, taking off her jacket and unzipping her gray hoodie.
"Why not?" he asked angrily. "Everyone else does. Why don't you?"
"Because I'm not like everyone else," she said quietly. In that moment, she felt a pang of sympathy for him. It must be awful, realizing that most people in your life only wanted something from you. She was starting to understand why he was so close to Lexington. Her cousin was one of the most down-to-earth people she knew. Sure, he wanted nice things like everyone else, but he worked for them—he didn't expect handouts.
"And by the way, you seem to know some really awful people," she added.
"Look," Tesah said, his tone more patient now. "I'll leave you alone if you just let me do this one thing for you. Let me cover your medical bills."
"If I have unexpected costs—extra procedures, a hospital stay, or any complications—then sure, I'll accept your help," she said.
"All of it, Kira," he insisted. "Give your doctor's details to my lawyer, and he'll take care of everything. I already added it to our agreement. If you don't cooperate, I'll estimate the costs and have my lawyer transfer the money into your account every month. Once it's there, you won't be able to return it. Do whatever you want with it."
She crossed her arms, which made Tesah glance at her chest, and she let out a deep sigh, giving in.
"Fine. Consider your conscience clear, and let's end this here."
"You'll accept the money?" His eyes showed satisfaction when she nodded. "Good. Now, what on earth are you wearing?"
"What?" Kira looked down at herself and realized that with her hoodie unzipped, he could see the top of her apron. "Oh. It's an apron."
"Apron? For cooking?"
"Baking."
"That makes sense," he muttered under his breath, and she tilted her head, curious.
"Makes sense how?"
"Nothing. Forget it. What kind of baking?"
She hesitated, debating whether to continue the conversation.
"Cakes, pastries… mostly desserts."
"Really?" He sounded so surprised that she felt a little offended.
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know… with your personality, I thought you'd be into something more trendy or experimental. Baking is…"
"Traditional?" she cut in, sounding defensive.
"That's not what I was going to say."
"Ordinary?"
"For heaven's sake, Kira!" It was the first time he had said her name so naturally, and she blinked in surprise. He didn't seem to notice and continued glaring at her. "I told you not to do that. I meant baking is structured—it has specific rules and measurements. It just doesn't match your personality."
"You don't know me, Mr. Clover," she reminded him again.
"I know enough," he countered, his tone unexpectedly gentle.
"Your time is up."
"Yes, it is." He walked toward the door, and she watched him from the middle of the room. When he reached the door, he turned to face her.
"I was wondering about week fourteen," he admitted, his voice so low she barely heard it. His eyes were downcast, as if he was embarrassed.
"Week fourteen?" she repeated, stalling, unsure if she should answer.
"What happens after the hands and eyelids form?" He sounded like a curious child eager to hear the end of a story, and she couldn't ignore that vulnerability.
"This week, the baby starts urinating," she said, wrinkling her nose. "It's a little weird to imagine that happening inside me. Oh, and the baby has fingerprints now. And this week, they start making little facial expressions."
She smiled at the thought.
"Squinting, frowning," she chuckled. "Probably practicing the perfect frown, considering who their father is." The words made her pause. Her baby wouldn't know their father. She lowered her eyes, trying to push away the sadness. She had grown up without a father and had always wanted something different for her child.
"Anyway, it's all an estimate. We could be off by a week. I'll know for sure on Wednesday when I go for an ultrasound. They'll be able to give me a more accurate timeline of when the baby was conceived and the due date."
"Will they be able to tell you the gender?" he asked.
"I don't think so. Some sources say you can find out as early as twelve weeks, but most say sixteen weeks is more reliable. Either way, I don't think I want to know."
"I suppose Lexington will be going with you?"
"Lex and Becky are working," she replied without thinking. His eyes narrowed.
"Jake, then?"
"Sure. Jake will come," she said nonchalantly, noticing how suspicious he looked. "Anyway… I have things to do. So I'll say goodbye now. I'm sure Mike Lawson has my lawyer's number."
She held out her hand, and he took it, shaking it firmly. But after one quick up-and-down motion, he didn't let go.
"Good luck with your hotel in Medina. I'm sure it'll turn out great." She didn't know what else to say and wished he would release her hand, but he didn't seem in any hurry to do so.
"Does Lexington know who the baby's father is?" he suddenly asked.
"No. And I'd rather he didn't."
"Why not?"
"Because he values your friendship. And even though I don't understand what he sees in you, he doesn't have many friends. I wouldn't want to take one away from him."
"You used to find me interesting," he reminded her in a low voice.
"What are you doing, Tesah?" she asked, her voice small and unsure. He looked just as confused as she felt. She had never seen him look this vulnerable before.
"I don't know," he admitted softly. "I really don't know."
He stepped closer and pulled her toward him until her chest was pressed against his. He finally let go of her hand, only to cup her face gently, as if she were the most precious thing he had ever seen.
"Maybe just a goodbye," he whispered. "Can I say goodbye?"
"No." The word carried no weight. It was barely a whisper. But before it could truly settle between them, he caught it on her lips in a soft kiss. It was gentle and surprisingly full of
emotion.
Kira was stunned.
This was wrong. She shouldn't allow it.
But she didn't pull away.