“She goes for the dad. He’s older and vulnerable, a widower himself,” I mutter. It tracks. Sheila did everything she could to keep her lavish lifestyle.
Jamie nods in agreement, then gives me another worried glance. “Cole would’ve been a steppingstone, at most. He turned her away. And given the hell Sheila gave you before and after your broken engagement with Terrence, honestly, I can’t blame the guy for not wanting to tell you about his past with her. She’s the devil.”
“But here’s the thing. I don’t think less of him because of her.”
“You just need to let it go. You’re in love with him, with all three of them. That much is obvious.” He pauses and guides me back to the sofa. “What’s also obvious is that you’re in no condition to be standing up right now. I’ll handle breakfast.”
“Okay, but… I don’t think I’m hungry.”
He takes a pregnancy test out of the coffee table drawer and drops it into my lap. “I don’t think it’s a hunger issue.”
I stare at it. Jamie’s back by the stove, flipping pancakes in the most awkward silence ever.
“It can’t be,” I mutter after a few minutes, but my mind is already doing the math.
“When was your last period?” he asks.
My cheeks turn red. “Oh, God, it’s late.”
“Ergo, you might wanna pee on that stick and see what it says.”
Half an hour later,we’re both on the sofa, staring at the plus sign on the pregnancy test. A plate loaded with pancakes that smell like wintry heaven is on the table, along with a bowl of fresh fruits just waiting to be devoured, but my stomach is furled into a tight little ball.
“No way,” I exhale sharply.
“What are you going to do about it?” Jamie asks. “The guys keep texting me. They’re worried about you. They care, Will, they really do.”
“I… I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t even know which one of them is the father. Oh, God…”
“Hey, you’re not alone in this.”
I shake my head slowly. “It’s not that. It’s everything. We weren’t careful. We didn’t give a damn about the possibility of this,” I point at the plus sign again. “I didn’t consider it. Everything was so intense, so out of control and so wonderful at the same time.”
“Are you going to tell them?”
“I’m not sure. I’m not even sure what’s left of this relationship, if I can even call it that. I need some time to think things through, to process it.”
Jamie’s phone pings. He checks it, and I notice the frown darkeninghis face.
“What is it?” I ask, almost in a panic. “Not another event cancellation, I hope.”
“No, no, it’s Asher.”
“What does he want?”
“He just wanted to check up on you, actually. He’s letting me know that he and his brothers might not be able to answer any calls and texts for the next few hours. They’re at the hospital. Their dad had a heart attack. It’s bad.”
My throat tightens. I don’t have to imagine what they’re going through because I know.
“You lost your parents when you were just a kid, didn’t you?” Jamie asks, his voice low and soft as he gives me a concerned look.
“Then my aunt, yes.”
“Maybe now is a good time to put the whole Sheila nonsense to rest, at least for a while and?—”
“Go there, yes,” I reply, already up and headed for the bathroom.
20
