“My what?” I shake my head, glancing to Trixie for clues. I’m thoroughlyconfused.
Harley lands back in her seat in record time with a small steaming coffee in her hand. “What’d Imiss?”
Trix grunts, “Sunday has aboyfriend.”
“Seth?” Harley looks to Serena and Trixie as if it’s agiven.
Serena bubbles with a laugh. “Yes, Seth. Who else would it be? EliGates?”
My mouth opens as I try to process whether or not that was a dig. “What’s wrong with Seth? And why couldn’t I have Eli?” Little do they know I have totallyhadEli. And that sweet spot between my thighs begins to tremble because oh how I would love to have Eli for about a half hour more. I’ve got an itch that only a human male can scratch. I would love to have Seth scratch my itch, but I’m afraid I’ve already overstepped my bounds with that whole kiss me like you mean it thing. I’m sure he finds it strange that I’m demanding he put his tongue in my mouth. Heck, I find it strange—strangelydelicious.
“Why couldn’t I have Eli Gates?” I narrow my gaze at the girl who I grew up with as if she were my sister. “Is it because I’m not a bubbling redhead with some huge personality?” I can’t help but snarl at her for theslight.
“Hey”—her eyes grow wide as she leans back a moment—“I never said you couldn’t have Eli.” She looks to Harley, and they share a rumbling laugh on my behalf. “Just leave some Eli for me. That’s all I’msaying.”
I glance to Trixie and shake my head. “I had to put up with this for nineteenyears.”
Serena scoffs. “Is that why you’re giving me the cold shoulder? Because you’ve finally hadenough?”
“Maybe. Maybe it’s because I’m sick of seeing you hit on my boyfriend every chance youget.”
The three of them open their mouths my way. Crap. Why am I suddenly unable to control what comes out of my mouth? And boyfriend? Really? Is that what Seth has inadvertently become? If so, he’s the last to know. Although he shouldn’t feel too bad. I was the second last toknow.
“So it’s true?” Trixie claps like a trained seal. “Knew it.” She looks to Serena. “And don’t feel too bad. She’s been giving me the cold shoulder, too. I guess now we know she’s been too busy boning Baker to have anything to do withus.”
Harley chokes on her coffee. “Are you boningBaker?”
“Would you shush!” I bat the air as I do a quick scan of the vicinity. “I’m not boninganyone.”
“Ha!” Serena doesn’t miss a beat. “I could have told youthat.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” My blood pressure spikes right along with my adrenaline. “You think I’m not good enough—congenialenough to sleep my way around this campus? You think I’m too sweet and innocent to find a frat boy of my own and have my way with him? You think I couldn’t land some wayward playboy like Eli?” A fiery rage fills me, and all I see is red. “Well, I have, and I have the baby to prove it!” I suck in a sharp breath, and the three of them do the same. My hand slaps over my mouth as I desperately wish I could take back every ridiculousword.
“Oh my God.” Trixie presses my sweatshirt down over my stomach, and my newfound bulge stares back atthem.
Serena’s features crumble. “Oh, Sunday.” Her hands cover her face a moment. “This is why you’ve been sodistant.”
Harley blinks with hard clicks like that of a doll. “Does Sethknow?”
I place Trixie’s hand back on the table. “Yes, Seth knows.” I do a quick glance over my shoulder in the event one of my brothers decides to join the party. “But I don’t want anyone else to. If you don’t mind, I’d like to tell everyone on my own terms. And, apparently, some of those terms include shouting it in the middle of a publicestablishment.”
Serena snatches both my hands and pulls them to her. “I can’t believe you and Seth are about to have a baby. Is he upset? Areyouupset? No wonder you’ve been so sick. We’ve got to get you to adoctor!”
“I’m fine. I’ve been. And nobody is upset. Least of all Seth.” I shrink a little because what comes next almost doesn’t feel natural to say. “Why would he be? He’s not thefather.”
“Oh my God!” Serena shouts so loud you’d think I shother.
Harley slaps her hands over the table like she’s about to pounce. “Who is he? Do we know him? Is he some older interesting guy that you’ve been having a torrid love affair with? A banker? Abarista?”
The three of them look to thecounter.
“No.” I motion for them to keep itdown.
Trixie growls and rumbles in her seat as if she were readying to kill. “Serena? Harley? I’d like a word alone with the mother-to-be. Would youmind?”
Serena balks at the idea, “Yes, I mind. Who do you think you are, anyway? Sunday is as good as my sister—hell, she’s probably better. I don’t appreciate you treating me like a second-class citizen in her life.” She flits those venomous eyes to me. “I can’t believe you traded me in for someone who treats the rest of the world like dirt. Are you going to let her talk to me like that? Make her leave. I’m staying.” Serena has never been one to be told what to do. She’s strong-willed to a fault, and right now she’s hurt on top of it. “Wow, okay.” She gathers her purse and jumps to her feet. “I guess I know where I stand with you. The funny thing is, when I transferred to WB, I thought we’d grow closer, and here we’ve only grown apart. You traded me in before I even got here. Come on, Harley. Let’s go find that fabled study group so Sunday can fill Trixie in on all the important details of her life. I guess I’m just a stranger to hernow.”
“Serena, wait!” I shout, but they hit the door as quick as lightning. “Crap.” I slump back in my seat with a whimper. “How is it possible that everything in my life is unraveling all atonce?”
