“Honestly, it would be worth it.”
All four of us burst out laughing, and we spend the next hour coming up with more and more ridiculous names until Ciara has a long list on her phone to share with Ronan.
I feel bad for the guy, but we have to entertain ourselves somehow.
Ciara chuckles, setting down her phone. “I’ll forward these to you to use on Kieran.”
I flinch as Mila looks between the two of us, a deep frown etched between her dark brows.
“Why would Riley need a list of fake baby names?”
I guess there’s no point denying the truth, considering that both Ciara and Lucy know the secret I’ve been carrying around for the past few weeks.
“I’m…pregnant.”
“Seriously?”
I can’t tell if Mila’s expression is one of surprise or horror at the idea of me carrying Kieran’s child.
“Seriously.”
She leans back in her chair. “These Sullivan men are obnoxiously fertile. I take it that this wasn’t planned?”
“Definitely not. It was a mistake on my part. I doubled up on my pill and thought I was safe. Clearly, I wasn’t.”
“But it’s amazing news, nonetheless.” Ciara reaches across to squeeze my hand.
I offer her a smile in return, but it doesn’t reach my eyes.
Lucy is never one to dance around a subject. “Have you told Kieran yet?”
The fruity mocktail turns sour on my tongue as I take a sip, wondering whether it’s worth lying. But then I consider the fallout if Kieran ends up finding out the truth from Ronan and Ciara by accident.
I wipe the condensation off the side of my glass. “Not yet. And I would appreciate it if it stayed that way. At least for a little longer.”
Ciara frowns. “Why?”
I bite my lip, debating whether to hold onto the truth. But then the words tumble out before I have a chance to stop them.
“Because I overheard him talking to Ronan. He said he’s not sure he ever wants kids.”
Mila scoffs. “It’s a little late for that.”
“He also said that if he does have kids, he’s terrified he’ll screw them up.”
Lucy and Ciara exchange a look.
Lucy shrugs. “He’s a man. They panic. It’s what they do. It doesn’t mean he won’t be happy when he finds out you’re pregnant.”
Ciara nods. “Exactly. Ronan was a mess when I first told him I was pregnant. He masked it, of course, because he’s Ronan. But I could tell that he was freaking out. Having a baby is scary. It changes everything about your life and your relationship, and it can take some people a little longer to come to terms with that.”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. What if he looks at me and all he sees is a trap? What if I lose him?”
Mila sets her empty glass down beside her. “I don’t know you very well, so excuse my bluntness, but your relationship with Kieran sort of started out as a trap.”
“Mila,” Ciara warns, but I hold up a hand.
“It’s okay. Go ahead.”
