Free The Suspicious Proposal by Cherry Kay Page A

now. That's good. I think you two are good for each other, at least as friends, just for now."
     
    "I don't want anything more with him. I don't want anything more with anyone,” Brittany said quietly. "I just need to be by myself."
     
    "Well, you're going to be by yourself, but not for long. You're going to have a little one to take care of soon enough, but between now and then you can try to heal on your own. I'll be here though, of course,” Lena said comfortingly as she held her friend. "We'll make it through, together. We will. I promise you."

Chapter Five
     
    Another two days passed and Brittany returned to work, though she just told everyone she had a stomach bug and she refused to talk about it to anyone. A few people noticed that her ring was gone and she told them that it hadn't worked out, that she had moved too fast and she needed more time. They all said they understood.
     
    She went home one day after work and saw Darren sitting on her doorstep waiting for her.
     
    "What on earth are you doing sitting there?" she asked in amazed confusion.
     
    He shrugged. "Well, I talked to Lena and she told me that you and your guy broke up and I wanted to come give you some support and comfort." He chuckled a little and shook his head, showing her his empty hands.
     
    "I didn't bring chocolates this time, and I'm sorry I made you sick before. I was just trying to be thoughtful. This time I thought I would just come and try to make you feel better just by being a good friend. How are you doing? Did you want to break up with him?" Darren asked, obviously uncertain about how personal he should get with her.
     
    She sighed and sat beside him on the stair in front of her door, both of them looking at the street as the sun shone down on them.
     
    "I didn't want to break up with him. I wanted to keep him, I loved him. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him, but he was a liar and he wanted to use me and trick me. He wanted me for lousy reasons, and I am not letting any man use me or treat me poorly again. Ever." She looked at him meaningfully and her sentiment was not lost on him.
     
    "What if there was a mistake?" he asked her quietly.
     
    She shook her head. "There was no mistake. I overheard him talking to someone else about it. He was using me, and he wasn't done using me. I was a stupid fool to be with him and both you and Lena tried to tell me that, but I wasn't listening to either one of you, so I'm the one who was caught in the middle. I am the one who got hurt.
     
    “You were right the whole time. I never should have trusted him. I never should have believed anything he said. He was lying to me right from the beginning and when Lena and you tried to tell me, I just wouldn't listen. I was stubborn and I wanted to believe in the love I felt, but I was wrong, and I got hurt pretty bad."
     
    She patted his leg and stood up, looking at him. "It could have been worse, though. I could have found out after I married him."
     
    Darren shook his head. "See, that's what I was trying to warn you about, but now you know. Now you have yourself all straightened out and you're okay."
     
    She knew she was far from okay, but she wasn't about to share that information with him just yet. If they were still friends when she started showing and there was no way for her to hide her growing baby belly from him, then she would tell him, but not before. If he faded away before then, then she wouldn't have had to tell him and she could save a small amount of her dignity.
     
    Darren looked up at her. "So, now that you are done being with him, and you and I are a little closer, do you think that you might consider giving me a chance to win you back? I've changed and I'm not at all like I used to be. I can be a good partner for you now, Brittany. I know you just broke up, so you probably aren't looking for anyone to fill up that space yet, but I want you to think about it carefully and give me some fair thought,