But Caleb wasn’t walking away. He was still standing close, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, his shoulders tense but his expression surprisingly calm. He wasn’t shouting, wasn’t accusing.
“What are we gonna do?” he asked softly, his voice steady but tinged with something I couldn’t quite place—hope, maybe?
I couldn’t even look at him. My mind was spinning, my thoughts tangled up in a thousand different directions. I wasn’t sure how to answer him.
“You’re sure it’s mine?” he asked after a moment, his tone careful.
I froze. That was the question, wasn’t it? The one I had been dreading since the moment I saw those two little lines on the test. I didn’t know for sure, not yet, but how could I tell him that? He looked so... hopeful.
“Yes,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The lie slipped out before I could stop it, and my stomach churned with guilt.
You’re lying, Emma.
But Caleb didn’t seem to notice. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and a small, almost disbelieving smile tugged at his lips. “Emma...” He shook his head, letting out a quiet laugh. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I—” My throat tightened, and I had to force the words out. “I was scared.”
It wasn’t a complete lie, but it still felt wrong. My chest ached with the weight of the truth I was keeping from him, but what was I supposed to say? That I didn’t know if it was his? That it could be Logan’s? I couldn’t do that. Not here, not now.
Caleb took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch my arm. “You don’t have to be scared anymore,” he said quietly. “We’ll figure this out.”
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that everything could be that simple, that he could just step in and make everything okay. But the weight of my lies pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.
Seeing the panic in my eyes, he instinctively moved closer, his hand hovering near my arm. “Emma,” Caleb said. “Take it easy. Look at me...slow deep breaths.”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, but even as the words left my mouth, my stomach twisted violently.
“Emma,” he said again, his voice more urgent now.
Before I could answer, I felt it—the wave of nausea crashing over me like a tsunami. I turned away from him, stumbling a few steps before doubling over and throwing up in the corner of the alley.
“Jesus, Emma!” Caleb’s voice was filled with alarm as he rushed to my side. He placed a steadying hand on my back, his touch warm despite the chill in the air.
“I’m okay,” I croaked, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“No, you’re not,” he said firmly. “Come on. Let me take you out of here.”
I hesitated for a moment, but the concern in his eyes was too much to argue with. “Okay,” I said quietly. “Please.”
The drive to Caleb’s house was quiet. I leaned my head against the cool window, trying to calm the storm in my mind. Caleb didn’t say much, but I could feel him glancing at me every few seconds, like he was making sure I was still breathing.
When we got there, he opened the door for me and helped me inside, his hand on the small of my back as he guided me to the couch.
“Sit,” he said softly.
I sank into the cushions, my body feeling heavier than ever. Caleb disappeared into the kitchen for a moment and came back with a glass of water, handing it to me before sitting beside me.
“Emma,” he said, his voice quieter now. “You don’t have to do this alone, you know. I’m here. For you, for the baby... whatever you need.”
I nodded, but the words felt hollow. The guilt was clawing at me, eating away at the edges of my resolve.
Suddenly, my hand clutched my stomach, nausea rising.
“You're probably exhausted. Are you sure you're okay” Caleb asked, his brows furrowed in concern.
“Yeah,” I lied, forcing a small smile.
He reached out, his hand brushing lightly against my stomach. The gesture was tender, and for a moment, I almost believed that things could be okay. But then the weight of my lies came crashing down again, suffocating me.
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t keep pretending.
“Caleb,” I said hesitantly, my voice trembling.
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask you for something?”
“Of course,” he said immediately.
“Will you come with me to my next checkup?” I asked, my eyes searching his face. “It would mean a lot to me.”
His expression softened, and he nodded without hesitation. “Of course I will. Just tell me when and where.”
“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
What I didn’t tell him—what I couldn’t tell him—was that I had no intention of this being a normal appointment. I needed answers. I needed the truth.
Because as much as I wanted to believe in the perfect picture Caleb was painting, I couldn’t keep lying to him. He deserved to know the truth. Logan did too.
And I was running out of time. I needed that paternity test and I was prepared to hide that from Caleb.