"I’ll tell them, but I was wondering if you’d come with me. I know I should’ve been here to tell Max with you, and I swear, I would have been, but . . . ."
"I know," I whispered as I took his hand. "And I wish you could’ve been here when I did."
"So you know what I’m feeling right now, the anxiety of telling my parents."
I nodded. "Jack and Sarah are so supportive. They’ll be here for you."
"They’ll be here for you too. Will you come with me?"
"Yeah." I smiled. "It seems right for us to be together when you tell them."
"Thanks." He squeezed my hand, and I sensed his trepidation over the coming conversation. "I don’t think they’re going to be very pleased with me tonight."
"I think they’ll surprise you." Jack and Sarah were such good, loving parents, and once they got over the shock, I was certain they’d take the news as well as Max did.
"I hope you’re right," he whispered.
"Let’s go." I stood and headed for the door.
"Wait!" He grabbed my hand. "Your coat?"
"I . . . I-I’m okay," I stuttered.
"No, it’s cold outside."
"You don’t have one."
"I left the house in a hurry, and I’m not pregnant, so get a jacket."
"Alex, I don’t have—" I stopped, too embarrassed to tell him I didn’t have one. "I get overheated. I’ll be fine."
"Well, if you get cold, I can turn the heat up in the car."
We didn’t say much on the way to his house, but it was hardly a comfortable silence. Occasionally, he would glance down at my stomach, and I wanted so badly to know what he was thinking. I knew better than anyone how overwhelming and life-altering this was. I had to keep telling myself not to expect too much from him.
Once we pulled up in front of his house, he got out, went around, and opened the door for me, but I hesitated when I saw Julia's car.
Why does she have to be here?
"What?" he asked. "My parents aren’t going to be mad at you."
"Julia is here?"
He turned around and saw her car.
"Oh. No," he said. "Ry took Julia, Brenna, and Evan to get something to eat. Only my parents are home now. We were all here earlier, but as soon as I found out about you, I took off."
"Okay," I whispered and climbed out.
He shut the door and leaned me up against the car, placing his hands on my shoulders.
"When they came to visit me," he said, "Julia and I went to dinner, just the two of us, because Brenna and Ryan had tickets for a show in the city."
"Alex, please." I shook my head. Why was he so determined to tell me something I didn't want to hear?
"No, I want to tell you."
"Fine." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, frightened beyond reason he'd admit to having feelings for Julia. But even if he did, I'd have no one to blame but myself.
