Womanizer

Megan didn't sleep. At all. She didn't know what was going to happen now. She had poured out her heart and soul to Brian. The ball was in his court. Either he felt the same, or he didn't.

He doesn't, a nagging voice in the back of her head stated with certainty. If he wanted you, he would have chased you. He never would have let you get in your car and drive away.

Despite the fact that this made perfect sense, Megan didn't want to believe it. She told herself that Brian hadn't come after her because he'd been in a state of shock. She'd hit him with a torrent of honesty. He needed time to think over all the newly revealed truths and figure out if they aligned with his own emotions.

The sky was just beginning to lighten when Megan heard Aiden fussing softly in the nursery. If left to his own devices, the quiet whimpers would soon become full-blown wails.

Megan slipped out of her bedroom and into the nursery. "Shh," she murmured soothingly, lifting Aiden's wriggling body from the crib. His tiny face was reddening as he prepared himself for a tantrum.

Megan hurriedly crept downstairs. She had to get him away from Zacky and Janine's bedroom before he blew.

"What's wrong, little baby Potter?" she asked. She'd always teased Zacky for sharing the hair- and eye-color of the fictional character, so now she'd bestowed the nickname "little baby Potter" on his son.

Aiden didn't need his diaper changed, which meant that he was more than likely hungry. Janine alternated between breast and bottle feeding. She'd been having some trouble with her milk production.

Megan bounced him, talking to him and attempting to keep his attention off of the tantrum he was itching to throw, while she prepared a bottle. Zacky ambled in just as she settled herself at the kitchen table with Aiden, who was happily attached to his bottle.

"You're an angel, Megan," Zacky mumbled through a yawn, heading straight for the coffeemaker.

"I do what I can."

Zacky peered at her from where he was leaning against the cabinets. "Have you slept?"

Megan shook her head. "I couldn't."

"Why?" His eyes narrowed. "Did Brian do something last night?"

"No. I've just...had a lot on my mind. The move and, you know, stuff."

Zacky frowned. "I'm going to make us some breakfast, then I want you to go upstairs and take a nap."

Megan didn't say anything. She wasn't going to argue. She knew she wouldn't sleep, but she could go back to her room and pretend if it would make Zacky feel better.

Aiden abandoned his bottle. He waved his fists and kicked his feet. However, there was a smile on his face. Crisis averted.

"I'm gonna put him down," Megan said, getting to her feet. "Maybe he'll crash and Jani can have a couple more hours of peace."

By the time Megan returned to the kitchen, Zacky was ladling pancake batter into a hot skillet. Pancakes were basically the only thing he could cook without burning.

"What time is Brian's flight?" she questioned casually, getting the carton of milk out of the fridge.

"Eight a.m."

Megan glanced at the clock on the stove. It was 6:37 a.m. Brian's flight would be leaving in less than an hour and a half.

Sighing, she retrieved a glass from the cupboard and filled it with milk. She stuck the carton back in the fridge and slumped back into her chair at the table.

Janine arrived in the middle of Zacky and Megan working through a stack of pancakes. She smiled at the sight of them. "You two are on top of things today, aren't you?"

"Megan fed Aiden and I fed Megan," Zacky responded. "Yep. We got this."

Janine fixed herself a cup of coffee, then came to the table, greeting Zacky with a kiss. Megan felt a pang of jealousy. What she wouldn't give to be able to wake up and share a morning kiss with Brian.

"I'm, um, gonna take that nap now," she mumbled.

Zacky nodded.

Janine looked at her worriedly. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah. I didn't sleep well. That's all."

Megan walked briskly up the stairs and to her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. She stretched out on her bed, certain that she would be laying here for hours, staring at the ceiling...

She awoke with a start at the sound of someone knocking on her door. She didn't immediately react. Her eyes found the alarm clock on her bedside table. It was only 7:28 a.m. She hadn't even been asleep for an hour. She felt worse now than if she'd stayed up.

The knock came again. Megan dragged herself out of bed and trudged over to open the door. Zacky was in the hallway. There was the slightest furrow to his brow and his green eyes held an odd mix of confusion and satisfaction. "Here." He thrust a folded sheet of paper at her.

"What's this?"

"Dunno. Brian said to give it to you." He turned and walked away.

Megan's heart was suddenly racing and she was wide awake. With shaking hands, she straightened the sheet of paper. On it were nine words.

"I can't give you what you want. I'm sorry."