I MARRIED HER

Dazzle had barely slept the night before, after his discussion with Kim. His mind was too tangled up in the consequences of the decision he had made. The decision to marry Kimberly.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as if he could wipe away the exhaustion that clung to him like a second skin.

He had told himself that marrying Kimberly was the right thing to do—for the baby, for the stability they both needed. But now that the reality had set in, he wasn’t so sure. His heart felt heavy, weighed down by a commitment he wasn’t ready for, to a woman he didn’t truly love.

As he sat there, lost in thought, he didn’t notice Leah approach until she was standing right beside his desk, a teasing smile on her lips.

“Hey, Daz, what’s with the long face?” she asked, leaning against the edge of his desk. “You look like someone stole your lunch money.”

Dazzle glanced up at her, trying to muster a smile, but it felt like too much effort. “I’m just tired, Leah,” he said, his voice flat.

Leah ra