But the truth was that he had been trying to give me the very thing I had wanted.
And in my pain, I had never stopped to ask who the girl actually was.
I pressed my fingers against my mouth.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Julia before you took her shopping?” I asked.
Mark’s expression became serious again.
“I should have. I know that. I was planning to tell you this weekend, before your birthday. I wanted to sit down with you and explain everything about Julia before asking you to marry me.”
He paused.
“But I was afraid. I didn’t know how you’d feel about suddenly having a teenage daughter in our lives. I knew we’d have to make decisions together, and I wanted to be certain I could explain everything properly.”
“So you kept it from me,” I said.
“Yes.”
He didn’t make excuses this time.
“I thought I was protecting the surprise and giving myself time to understand what was happening. Instead, I hurt you. I’m sorry.”
