The Italian's Fake Fiancée

59

"Oh, my baby." Naomi spread her arms, and Paige rushed into it, sobbing.

"Naomi, what am I going to do?"

Her friend was gentle with her. "What do you mean? You tell the man, of course."

Paige drew away from her friend's shoulder, wiping her eyes. "I can't do that."

"Why not? Aren't you in love with him?"

Paige refused to speak.

"Paige?"

"I'm, but if he finds out am with child, he is going to insist on marrying me."

"Why do I get the feeling you don't want that?" Naomi's eyes narrowed.

Paige gave a humorless laugh. Trust her friend to read her emotions correctly. "Yes, I don't want that," Paige said, wiping her eyes fiercely. Like a woman whose determination had suddenly been born.

"Don't you see it? He feels obligated to marry me. We had one reckless night of passion and I got pregnant. Like the gentleman he is, he feels obligated to take responsibility by offering marriage. I don't begrudge him for wanting to take responsibility, but I don't think I can marry a man who wants me only because I am pregnant with his child."

Naomi sighed. "Paige, I understand where you are coming from. And I, for one, know how you feel about this matter. Also, you have managed to explain why you don't want to get married to him, but not why you won't tell him he is going to be a father. Don't you think he deserves a right to know?"

"I didn't say i wasn't going to tell." Paige bit her lips. "Just not yet."

Naomi raised her brows, and Paige continued in a small voice.

"If I tell him am pregnant with his child. He will try to reason with me. And persuade me to marry him. And tell me why it is the most rational decision to make. And let me tell you the truth, Naomi, I will succumb," Paige's voice became thick with emotion.

"I don't trust myself to be able to withstand for long. I'm not sure I can withstand it for long. That is why I want to wait a little longer till am sure I can withstand his powers of his persuasion before I tell him am pregnant."

No one spoke for a while as the two friends sat on a cushion and stared at one another. "Just how long is long?" Naomi said at last. "One week? Two weeks? Or one month."

Paige kept silent. Obviously, she didn't know. Seeing that, Naomi sighed and buried Paige in her warm embrace, hugging her tightly. "I just hope you know what you are doing. I hope you don't come to regret your decision later on."

\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*
The next day, Paige called in sick and went to see a doctor who confirmed she was six weeks pregnant.

There and then, the new life within her began to seem more real. She was going to be a mother. A mother to Leonardo's child. It was an idea that warmed her heart and made her stomach flutter.

No sooner had she returned to her quiet apartment that she heard a solid knock at the door. Paige went to check who it was and was surprised to find Finn standing there.

"What are you doing here?" The words came forth from her lips immediately. She wasn't expecting company. Least of all Finn.

A grin plastered on his face. "Don't be like that, Paige." Finn cooed. "I came to check up on you. You fainted before me yesterday."

"I did not faint." Paige gritted out.

"Though it seems you are a little better now." Finn remarked ignoring her earlier statement.

"Now you have seen i'm alright, can you go?" Paige said and started to close the door. After the night she and Leo had talked on the phone, and she had sensed his jealousy for Finn. Paige didn't want Finn anywhere near her, because she feared Leo might appear at any moment if she was with Finn. It was madness because she was dating Leo and he didn't have any hold on her, but at the same time, she didn't want him to misinterpret.

"Wait wait wait," Finn called and put his hand between the door. Paige stopped.
"Is that it?" There was a haunted look on his face that begged for pity. "Are you just going to throw me out like that? We haven't even had our only date after which you asked me not to come to find you again, but you are already casting me out."

He removed his hand from the door and ran it through his hair. "Look, Paige, I came here because I was worried about you. Can you at least let me in?"

When put like that, Paige didn't know what to do. He had a valid point. She was the one who made the rule in the first place, yet she had been anything but civil.

Finn had only been concerned about her well-being, that's why he came.
Sighing, Paige stepped back from the door, and Finn entered into her apartment.

As soon as the door closed,

"Look, about what happened there," Paige pointed at the door. "I'm sorry. Don't know what came over me."

Oh, she knew what came over her. It was Leo and the fact he could see the two of them together and further misinterpret the situation.

Finn smiled at her. Genuinely. "It's alright. You don't have to fret over the matter anymore." and went to sit on a cushion in the living room.

Paige followed closely behind him. Feeling tense. Having Finn in her apartment just doesn't feel right anymore. But she can't draw the line now until she had completed her promise and allowed him that one date. "Didn't you have any classes at the university?" She hoped he would find someone who was meant for him one day, not her. She was meant for someone else.

"I had three classes in the morning," Finn replied. "But am done now and free for the rest of the day. How do you feel?" His gaze rested on her face, briefly at first, before it moved down to rest on her mouth.

Paige swallowed. Was this what Naomi meant by he would never leave her alone. Oh God, she had been so stupid to have agreed on his proposal of four dates.

"Well, why are you standing there for? Come and have a sit?" Finn patted the space beside him.

"Hehe," Paige gave a nervous laugh. "I think I prefer standing. I just..." Just then, the doorbell rang and Paige dashed off towards it at a speed of a light grateful for the interruption.

There had been a look in Finn's eyes that scared her. It spoke of a passion well leashed but was ready to set forth at any moment. If she hadn't been careful, Finn might have tried to kiss her.

As a result of frustration, from the futile longing of her. It's been almost a year now, after all.

On getting to the door, Paige pulled it open and froze. Leo was standing there with a bunch of flowers in his hands.