“Natalie’s phone,” Jules answers.
“No, sorry Luke, she’s in the bathroom.
Want me to have her call you back? Uh huh. Oh, okay, I’ll tell her. Bye.”
“Well?” I ask when she hangs up.
“He’s going into another meeting but he’ll call you later.”
“Good.” I let my head fall against the bed. “Oh, God, what am I going to do?”
“What are you talking about? You and Luke are going to be parents.” Jules takes my hand again. “Nat, you’ll be awesome parents.”
“It’s too soon,” I whisper and put both hands over my face and weep.
Chapter Thirty-Two
My crying jag subsides and I take a deep breath as Nurse Mo returns to change my I.V. bag.
How am I going to tell Luke that I’m pregnant? I know he wants kids, and so do I, but not yet. We’re not even married yet. I couldn’t bear it if he thought I was trying to trap him into something he doesn’t want.
Jules turns on the TV and flips through channels, pausing when she finds a nightly entertainment gossip show.
“We spotted Luke Williams out today.”
Holy shit!
“He was having a romantic lunch with Vanessa Horn, one of his former co-stars from the Nightwalker movies. Has Luke finally come out of hiding to rekindle his romance with the lovely Vanessa? They were engaged to be married for over a year before their split early last year.
We smell love in the air! We will be sure to keep you updated on Luke and Vanessa as we get more details.” There is a series of photos rolling across the screen, taken today. I recognize the black t-shirt and jeans he wore on the plane. He and the beautiful blond Vanessa are indeed leaving a restaurant, his arm is around her shoulders and he’s smiling down at her, his nose pressed against her ear. Then there’s a photo of him wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her in for a kiss.
The camera is angled badly, so I can’t actually see the lip lock, but it’s obvious that’s what they’re doing. In the next photo, she’s getting into a car and he’s holding the door for her. In the last photo, he’s getting into the driver’s side of that same car.
“Holy fuck, he’s cheating on me.”
“We don’t know that.”
“I just saw it with my own eyes!”
“Nat, it’s the fucking paparazzi. They make everything up.”
“Pictures don’t lie. I know that better than anyone. You saw the way he was touching her and looking at her. He kissed her.”
The jealousy running through me is primal. My heart is hammering, I’m breathing hard, and I feel my face heat.
If I didn’t have anti-nausea meds on board I’d be hurling again.
“Natalie,” Jules murmurs and takes my hand. “I’m sure it’s not what you think.”
I shake my head and give in to the tears. “It’s over.”
“No, Natalie. No. Talk to him about it tomorrow.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I shake my head again, unable to believe what I just saw. “I can’t trust him. I can’t live this celebrity life with him.”
“You’re being silly.”
“Shut up! You’re supposed to be on my side! You’re my goddamn friend, not his. He’s fucking around on me! I just saw proof, so show some fucking loyalty, Jules.”
“I’m sorry.” She starts to cry too, and I feel like a shit.
“Come here.” I scoot over and she crawls up onto the bed with me, holding me to her as we weep. “What am I going to do?”
“Take some time. You’ve just found out you’re pregnant after being violently ill. You’re not thinking straight. Take some time.” She’s stroking my hair and I am so thankful for her.
“Okay.”
My phone pings, and it’s a text from Luke.
Almost done with today’s meetings, baby. Will call you tonight. Love you.
“Fucker.” I throw the phone down and don’t bother to answer, but the floodgates open to more tears. About five minutes later there’s another text.
I haven’t heard from you all day. I miss you. You okay?
“Nat, you have to talk to him.”
“No.” I turn the phone off and throw it in my handbag.
A few minutes later Dr. Anderson returns with my prescriptions and discharge instructions. “You’re free to go, Natalie. Good luck.”
I’m going to need it.
Jules drives us to the pharmacy and then home. I’m loaded down with medication and vitamins.
When we get home I go up to my room and crawl onto the bed, curl into a ball and weep like I haven’t since my parents died. I feel like my world is literally falling apart, and essentially, it is. I can’t be with Luke. He’ll make up excuses for what I saw today, but he can’t change it. He had his hands on that woman, in an intimate way. He used to be engaged to her, and he lied to me when he told me he never spoke to his former fiancé.
I press my hand to my belly. Oh, God, and what am I supposed to do about the baby? Be a single parent? I guess I can do that, I don’t see a choice. But the thought of it tears my heart out.
I fall asleep in the middle of my bed, sobbing and
mourning
the
best
relationship I’ve ever had, the loss of the one person I saw myself spending the rest of my life with.
***
“Wake up, Nat.” I startle awake at Luke’s voice.
“What are you doing here?” His eyes are worried and he’s leaning over me, his face pale.
“I couldn’t reach you all day and I was worried so I came home. Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?”
“Who told you I’m sick?” I sit up and scoot back out of his grasp and he frowns, confused.
“Jules said you’d been sick today and she took you to the E.R. Baby, you don’t look very good.”
“Yeah, I’m probably contagious. You should go home.” I wrap my arms around myself and I just can’t look him in the face.
“Natalie, what’s wrong?”
“I just don’t feel good.”
“Bullshit, look at me. Where’s your ring?” His eyes are on my left hand.