Page 103 of Good For Me

“Maybe just where you’re concerned,” I say softly, and immediately regret it. I keep telling myself not to push too far or too fast with this girl, but I can’t seem to help it.

She winces. “I really am sorry. I wish I would have just talked to you, instead.” She chews on her bottom lip, looking contemplative. “I changed my mind, you know. The next day.”

“Changed your mind?”

“About it being a one-night thing. I went down to the bar on Sunday to see if you might want to go out again.”

I lift my head from the pillow to stare at her, shocked. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

She nods, not meeting my eyes. “I guess I just needed some time to wrap my head around it.”

“But I was gone,” I mutter, stomach dropping. “Fuck.” Out of all my screw-ups, all the times I acted like an irresponsible asshole, nothing will top this. I had the chance to be with this woman months ago. I could have been there for her when she found out about the baby. Everything would have been different.

If I hadn’t acted like such a spoiled brat.

I rub a hand roughly over my face. “Damn it, Jas.”

“Hey,” she says, tugging my hand away. “Don’t beat yourself up. How were you supposed to know? I was pretty cold the night before.”

I shake my head. “Still.” I should have fought for her. Isn’t that what it comes down to? I should never have walked away, not from her. I knew even then she was what I wanted. But I didn’t have the balls to stick around and work for it.

Never again,I promise myself.Never giving up on her ever fucking again.

“Anyhow,” she says, brushing her hand across my cheek. “It probably wouldn’t have worked out anyhow. I was just coming out of a two-year relationship. You deserve better than being some screwed up chick’s rebound.”

Rebound.

Something cold and unpleasant slithers into my chest. I haven’t thought about her asshole accountant ex in months. But what if…

It had never once occurred to me to question Jas when she said I was the father. She wouldn’t lie about something like that. I didn’t ask for any kind of proof—and I have no intention of ever asking, something I’m sure I’m going to be hearing about from my uncles.

But I’d never stopped to consider the fact that she’d only just broken up with her long-term boyfriend the same day we were together. Fuck, his asshole behavior is the main reason she was willing to spend time with me that night, a fact that makes me feel sick to my stomach.

I trust with everything in me that Jas believes I’m the father.

But is there any chance she’s wrong?

She must see something in my face because her eyes go wide, hands coming up to cup my cheeks. “I wasn’t with him,” she says quickly, almost panicked. “I swear, River. Not for months before we…our relationship was over long before I caught him cheating. There’s zero chance it was him. I promise.”

Everything settles into place in my chest again, the black hole that had started to open inside me at the thought I might not be the father closing back up. Belatedly I remember that we talked about this that night—how completely shocked I had been to realize that her dumbass ex hadn’t touched her in so long. What a fucking idiot that guy was, to have someone like Jas and take her for granted.

“I believe you,” I tell her, promising myself I’ll never be dumb enough to repeat that fucker’s mistakes.

Jas studies me for a long moment, dropping her hands from my face. “You never even questioned me,” she says slowly.

I shrug. “I didn’t need to.”

“You have money, River,” she says slowly. “Or your family does. It wouldn’t be completely out of the realm of possibility that a woman might try to take advantage of that.”

I shrug. “Maybe not. Butyouwouldn’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know you.”

She stares back, wide-eyed. “You looked scared,” she whispers. “When I brought up Kurt. I could see it in your face. You were considering the possibility that he could be the father.”

I grimace at her even voicing that idea.