“Uh-huh…”
“Riley, are you angry with me?” she whispers. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think?—”
“No, no, no, Story. It’s okay.” I lick my lips. “We weren’t going to hide it forever.”
We end the call quickly, and as I set my phone down, my stomach twists into knots.
“So…Story knows?” he asks.
I nod.
“And she figured it out by looking at pictures online.”
“It was a baseless guess, but I all but confirmed it when I asked how she knew instead of telling her she was wrong.” I sigh, shaking my head. “Looks like it’s time to face the music. What do you think?”
“I’m in.” He gives me a small smile.
Without returning the expression, I grab my mug and pad into the living room. Once he joins me on the couch, his own mug in hand, I FaceTime Piper.
“Hey, hey. I thought you’d be sleeping in. Better enjoy those lazy mornings now. It won’t be long before classes start up again, right?” she asks. At first, all I see is the ceiling. The phone jostles, and then she appears, smiling, her kitchen cupboards behind her. Her grin quickly drops when she notices Hayden beside me. “Hi, Hade.”
“Morning.” He lifts his mug in greeting. “Any chance Hunter can join you?”
Piper bites her bottom lip, her gaze dancing between us. She nods and disappears.
I lean back, letting out a groan. “It’s only eleven o’clock.” Then, I notice how close we’re sitting. Annoyed, I shift away. “You could’ve put a shirt on.”
“Why?”
My annoyance transforms into real irritation. “Because you look like you just rolled out of bed.”
“You’re in your PJs.” He flashes me an infuriating smirk.
I huff. “At least I’m decent.”
He chuckles, but it’s dry, like my frustration is getting to him. “Decent is overrated.”
“Says the guy who pushes people away when things get too real.”
His face falls, but before he can respond, Piper and Hunter appear on the screen.
Hunter arches a brow, looking from Hayden to me and back again. “What’s up?”
“We have something to tell you.” I count to five and blow out a breath. “I’m pregnant, and the baby is Hayden’s.”
He tenses beside me, but I don’t look at him. Piper’s reaction is so much more important to me.
Her full lips part, and her eyes go round as she stares at me.
Hunter clears his throat. “When did you find out?”
“A couple of days before I left your place, but…I wanted Hayden to know first.”
“Understandable.” Hunter nods, calm and collected. “Congratulations, you two.”
“Sorry I wasn’t up-front about it after the news leaked,” Hayden chimes in. “We needed a little time to figure things out. We were?—”
“I’m sorry,” Piper cuts him off. “You got my sister pregnant, and you didn’t have the balls to tell me? You are my fucking best friend, Hade. You know how much she means to me.”
