Meant for Me by Faith Sullivan Page A

better think long and hard if you’re going to continue to keep silent or if you have the guts to tell the truth.” He seems disappointed in me for not doing the right thing, but he’s giving me a second chance to make amends.
    I just don’t know if I’m ready to take him up on it.

Chapter Six Eric
    It’s after midnight and I still haven’t heard from Ivy.
    I pace back and forth in front of the crackling fireplace, my phone clipped to my belt. I’ve left three messages, and she hasn’t called me back. Ben stopped by around quitting time to let me know that she’d made it to the terminal okay, but that’s about all I know. I don’t have Will’s number, so instead I booted up my laptop. Luckily, I was able to log into her email account since the computer remembered her password settings. I sent Will a quick line asking him to let me know that Ivy arrived safe and sound, but so far he hasn’t bothered to reply.
    The woman I love is pregnant, traveling alone, and going to a place she’s never been. Of course I’m freaking out. Where the hell can Ivy be? She promised to call the moment her plane touched down in L.A. which should’ve been hours ago. Maybe I’ll look up the number of the airline and see if they can confirm that her flight arrived. It’s making me nervous not knowing where she is.
    What if something happened to the plane? What if something’s wrong with the baby and she got rushed to the hospital? What if Will got into a car accident after picking her up?
    Shep whines as I slam my fist against the mantle. Where is she? I slump to my knees, burying my head in my hands, when my phone rings.
    Please let it be her.
    “Where are you?” I growl into the receiver.
    “I know you’re upset. Don’t worry. I’m okay. Everything’s fine.” The warmth in Ivy’s voice flows through me. It’s what I needed to hear. I can relax now. “I was in the restroom on the plane and I was shuffling through my purse when my phone fell in the toilet. The stewardess kept knocking on the door, telling me I had to get back to my seat because the captain had turned on the ‘fasten seatbelts’ sign. But you know how I have to pee all the time. I just couldn’t hold it. I was trying to hurry, but it was so cramped in there. Ugh, leave it to me to do something like that.”
    “Why didn’t Will just let you use his phone when you landed?” I get to my feet and brace myself against the mantle lined with pictures of Ivy and me.
    She doesn’t respond right away, and I don’t like it.
    “Ivy?” I press her when she remains silent.
    “Because he wasn’t waiting for me when I got off the plane,” she says, pissed to have to admit it.
    “What?” I roar on the other end.
    “He was about two hours late,” she says quietly, no doubt anticipating my reaction.
    “Where the hell was he?” I’m furious. How can Will be such a jerk? I’m kicking myself inside. I never should have let her travel alone, leaving her in the hands of that self-absorbed prick.
    “He claimed he was stuck in traffic, but I don’t think he bothered to confirm my arrival time. He seemed very preoccupied when he dropped me off at the hotel. Eric, the news he gave me isn’t the greatest,” she reveals, trying to stifle a yawn. I shouldn’t be keeping her up this late. She needs to rest. Even though there’s a three-hour time difference, she must be exhausted.
    “Do you want to tell me now or wait until tomorrow?” I don’t want to push her if she’s tired.
    “We might as well talk about it now while I’m all worked up. But don’t get mad if I fall asleep on you. I don’t know how long this spurt of energy is going to last,” she chuckles softly in my ear, making me want to kiss her so bad. I run my fingers over the glass of one of the photo frames, wishing she was here with me now, stretched out in front of the fire. It’s only been a few hours, but I miss her so much it hurts.
    “I could never get mad at you,” I whisper,