Page 88 of Biker Orc Baby Daddy
"What was I supposed to say?" My voice rises. "Hey, stranger I met at a party, I think you're the father of my child because of a genetic dimple? You want to run a paternity test based on ahunch?"
"Yes!"
"That's easy foryouto say. You're not the one who—" I stop. Breathe. "You don't know what it's like."
"Whatwhat'slike?"
"Being the woman who got knocked up by a one-night stand and has to explain that to everyone. To customers. To mylandlord. To every person who looks at Orry and does the math and decides I'm irresponsible or careless or—" My throat closes. "I protected myself. And I protected him."
"By keeping me in the dark."
"By not humiliating myself chasing down a man who worefake tattoosand lied about his name!"
Silence.
Gunther stops pacing. Stares at me.
"That's not fair," he says quietly.
"Isn't it?"
"I didn't lie. I just. I didn't correct you when you assumed?—"
"Same thing."
"It's not."
"You let me think you were someone you weren't."
"So did you!" His voice cracks again. "You called yourselfSis. You never told me your real name either. You snuck out before I woke up and I spentmonthswondering if I'd imagined the whole thing because I didn't even know how to find you!"
"I left because I wasembarrassed."
"So was I!"
We glare at each other. Both breathing hard. The clinic walls feel too close. The hum of the fish tank too loud.
"I looked for you," I say finally. Quieter. "After I found out I was pregnant. I went back to the bar. Asked around. Nobody knew Ridge. Nobody knewyou. It was like you didn't exist."
"Because I didn't. Not really. Ridge was. He was a costume. A bad idea. A stupid, reckless—" He exhales. "I'm not that guy, Cecie. I'm not cool or dangerous or. Or any of the things I pretended to be that night."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Yeah. I know exactly who you are. You're the guy who color-codes parenting spreadsheets and panics over fevers and can't lie to save his life." I stand. "You're Gunther. Not Ridge. And honestly? Gunther's better."
His face does something complicated. "You mean that."
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't."
He sits back down. Heavily. Like his legs gave out. "I should have recognized you."
"How? I didn't recognizeyou."
"I should have. Your voice. Your. Something. I should haveknown."
"Gunther—"
