NYLON ~ CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ~ I STILL LOVE YOU

Hanna wrapped her cashmere sweater tightly around herself tying it at the waist with the thin black ribbon. She adjusted the pillows on her living room couch and did her get it into tip top shape. At the last minute she sprayed the room with a vanilla scent and then sat down at the kitchen counter nursing a mug of hot water. A few minutes later the doorbell rang snapping her back to reality. She stood up and opened the door to see Caleb standing in the hallway.

"Hey," she smiled letting him in.

"I knew you'd call," he smirked wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

"That's not really why you're here," she said pushing him away.

"Oh," he laughed embarrassed, "I forgot Spencer's renovating your new place. If you wanted to tech up the place, we could have just met at my office."

"Why don't you sit down," she told him gesturing toward the couch where she sat facing him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked concerned.

"Um, yeah," Hanna paused. "I just…there's something I have to tell you."

"Hanna, you're really scaring me," he told her.

"I'm pregnant," she finally blurted out.

"That's great," he forced a smile. "He's a really lucky guy."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," Hanna retorted, "because 'he' is you."

"Oh," he breathed. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm fucking sure!" Hanna spat at him. "Look, I told you because I thought you should know but I'm not asking you to stick around. If you're going to act like this, you can just get out."

"Just give me a minute," he pleaded. Caleb took a second to collect his thoughts and then looked up at her. Hanna had been so cold and set on keeping things casual that he hadn't tried to get close to her knowing she would hurt him in the end. Hanna was too absorbed in her own life to realize that Caleb was still pining after her. "I know we aren't officially together but if you're having this baby I want to be there for you. I want us to do this together."

"Well, I'm not sure if I want you around," Hanna replied, "if you're going to be fucking around with other women. I don't need that in my life when I'm trying to raise a child."

"Hanna, what are you talking about?" he was confused. "I haven't slept with anyone else."

"Oh cut the bullshit," she retorted. "You're just looking for a quick lay. I mean, you sneak out in the middle of the night and you act like a horny frat guy whenever you see me."

"I thought that was what you wanted," he told her. "You made it perfectly clear you weren't looking for anything serious and as much as I wanted to be with you, I was scared to push you away."

"So you…" she didn't even know how to formulate words. She'd spent the last few months silently berating Caleb when in reality he was just trying to spare her feelings but for the first time she realized she'd been projecting her insecurities onto him. Hanna tried to piece together what was going on but before she could understand, Caleb's lips came crashing down on hers.

"I would give anything," he said pressing his forehead to hers, "to be close to you because, Hanna, I still love you."

"Shut up," she said pressing her fingers to his face and pulling his lips toward hers.

"I could get used to this," Caleb smirked. He slowly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as a smile crossed her face.

"I like having you around," she told him. Then his hand came to rest across her stomach.

"So," he smiled, "there's a little baby in here?"

"Yeah," Hanna smiled placing her hand over his.

"I'm serious," Caleb told her. "I want to be a permanent part of your life and the baby's life."

"I just don't want to force you into a relationship," she explained. "We went into this without any expectations and I don't want the baby to make you feel like you need to make a commitment. I mean, we've barely even spoken in ten years. Things are different now."

"Can you at least let me try?" Caleb asked. "I think I could be a really good father if you'll let me."

"Tell you what," Hanna said turning to the side. "I've got an appointment next week with my doctor. Would you want to come with me?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I'd love that."

"Okay," Hanna smiled at him. "So we're going to take it slow? No commitments."

"Let's get one thing straight," Caleb said sitting up. "I am this baby's father and I have a duty and a responsibility to help raise this child. Yeah, we don't know where our relationship stands, but that doesn't mean I'll ever leave you because I will help you raise this child for the next eighteen or thirty or fifty years and that's a commitment I am willing to make right now. You and me, we might not work out, and that's fine, but I am going to be in your life forever."

"Do you mean that?" Hanna asked.

"Yeah," Caleb told her. "I never even knew my dad and I would never forgive myself if I did the same thing to my own child. Nobody deserves that."

"I think," Hanna said wiping tears from her eyes, "that may have been the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

"I love you Hanna," he said in between kisses, "and I always will."

"I love you too," she replied. "I always have."

Here it is! I know it's been a long wait so I hope you are satisfied with how Caleb found out. I know he kind of seemed like he was being a dick in the last few chapters but as you can see, he was just trying to spare Hanna's feelings and his own. I promise it's all uphill from here. No more Wren...or should he come back?