A Pregnancy Scandal by Kat Cantrell

she had a feeling the subject of marriage was about to come up again.
    Alex and Phillip were not getting married under any circumstances. Marriage was for other people, foolish people who believed love could last forever. Who believed in happily-ever-after. There was nothing he could say to convince her. Besides, marriage didn’t make any sense.
    â€œMaybe we should drive around. This car is about as private as it gets.” Flashing her a distracted smile, Phillip hit the intercom to speak to the driver. “Randy, would you mind stopping at the next Starbucks and purchasing Ms. Meer a cup of hot tea?”
    Something squished in her chest. The man never missed a trick. Alex found herself returning his smile even though his wasn’t the genuine one she preferred. How was it possible that pregnancy could drive such a wedge between them? They were still the same people as the night of the party. They’d shared jokes and laughed, and he’d looked at her like she was the only person in the room he cared about.
    Since that type of attention had got her in this situation, maybe it was better that he wasn’t flirting with her. She missed it, though.
    Phillip’s driver whipped into a parking lot, and with the efficiency she’d come to expect from Phillip’s staff, he handed her a white to-go cup before she’d barely registered that he’d stopped. She nodded her thanks.
    Hot tea in hand, she stared out the window at the bustling city her baby’s father called home for much of the year. Might as well jump right into it. “Before you start talking about marriage again, just know that I can’t even consider it. Marriage doesn’t work under the best of circumstances, let alone the worst.”
    He contemplated her as he pulled a water bottle from a hidden compartment on his left side. Did the lavishness at Phillip’s disposal ever end? Alex made a healthy salary, but she rarely spent money on more than necessities. Phillip came from old oil money and his wealth far eclipsed hers. The imbalance had never seemed all that important before, but in the face of making decisions about things like custody, lifestyles, nannies and public schools versus private, the gulf between them widened.
    â€œAs long as we’re sharing philosophies,” Phillip said, “let me tell you something about mine.”
    He wasn’t looking at the traffic. His focus was solely on her and it tripped her pulse.
    â€œSure.”
    â€œI can’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware that my family had something unique about it. Adults in my world discussed important issues at the dinner table. We went to rallies and talked to farmers, industrial workers, bankers and moms during cross-country trips. I was fascinated by the activity. I learned more about the daily life and burdens of the average American before the age of ten than most people are probably ever aware of.”
    â€œYou were born into a political dynasty, Phillip,” she interjected in the pause. “I get that.”
    He nodded. “You met my father, the congressman. My grandfather was a senator and so was my uncle. It’s in our blood to care about making things better for our country.”
    Oddly enough, the more Phillip talked about his job, the more quickly his Senator Mask faded. It was a little breathtaking to watch him morph back into the man who had so charmed her from their first meeting and nearly every second since then.
    She didn’t dare interrupt. This was the Phillip she’d dreamed about. The one she’d gladly donned makeup and a dress to get closer to. Her pregnancy didn’t erase his magnetic appeal in the slightest.
    â€œSo now I’m going to have a son or daughter,” he continued. “I always envisioned my kids having a similar childhood to the one that solidified my path.”
    That implied he planned to have more kids. That sounded nice—for him —but