“Just give me a second. I need to grab a pen,” Mom says.
I wave for her to go into my office, not that she cares to have my permission.
“I don’t know what your song’s about, Zander, because you’re not sharing much information about it.” She gives him a look that says she would like to know. So nosy. “But I think the arch is so whimsical and romantic and will fit a music video perfectly.”
“Thank you, Darla,” Zander says, and my mom’s face lights up.
“I used to love watching music videos,” she says mindlessly, scribbling something on a piece of paper.
“You know, back in her day. The eighties,” I joke.
I’m waiting by the door for her to leave, and she doesn’t even realize it. I try to convey my apology to Zander that I have no idea what she’s doing.
Mom sticks out her tongue at me, and she and I laugh. My humor dies the minute her hand lands on the drawer with the test in it.
My spine straightens. “Why are you going in there?”
“You’re making me think there’s something in this office you’re hiding. What’s your dirty little secret, Romy?” She laughs, but I don’t.
“Nothing. Nothing. Just—Mom, god—just what do you need? I’ll get it for you.” I stand in the doorway, blocking Zander from coming in.
“I’m perfectly capable of finding tape. I know your office pretty well because, oh yeah, once upon a time it was my office.” She points at herself. I have her distracted now, but I’m not sure for how much longer.
My heart races. She cannot see that test before I have time to tell Zander. No, no, no, no.
“It’s not in there.”
She shifts to look into the drawer, and my stomach drops. My instincts take over, and I slam my office door shut, planting myself in front of it, leaving Zander and me in the hallway with my hand clamped around the knob.
Zander’s confused gaze flicks to mine, searching. It’s now or never. God, I can’t believe this is how it’s going to come out—that he’s going to find out he’s a father with my mom banging on the other side of a door. I should have told him sooner. He should’ve been the first to know, not the third if my mom just saw that test.
“Romy!” My mom pounds so hard the wood shakes. “What the hell are you doing? What is wrong with you? Open this door right now.” She’s using her mom voice. The one that used to make us all freeze as kids.
“Mom, just—just give me a second!” My voice cracks. My throat is closing, and my heart’s about to pop out of my chest.
Zander doesn’t move. He doesn’t even blink, just watches me. Doesn’t this chaos make him wonder what I could be hiding? Does he already know? Suddenly I’m spiraling—am I showing? Do I look different? Did I touch my stomach too much? Has he already guessed?
But he doesn’t say a word.
Another pound rattles the door. “Romy, let me out of here right now! I don’t—you know how I am in closed-off spaces.”
“Then you shouldn’t have gone into my office in the first place!” I snap, panic sharpening my words. “I told you I would’ve just gotten whatever you needed.”
When I turn back, Zander is still looking at me, and I feel dizzy. I can’t take the silence and pressure anymore. The words rip out of me before I can stop them.
“I’m pregnant.” My voice cracks. “I’m sorry I haven’t told you yet, but my mom is about to find something in that drawer, and yeah… I’m pregnant.”
For a beat, there’s nothing. No reaction at all. He stands there stone-faced.
Then his face drains of color. His mouth parts as though he can’t find enough air.
Nope. He had no idea.
Chapter Fifteen
Zander
Did she just say… pregnant?
