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“Damn, Mom. Dig it deeper,” Heather says. My family is hilarious, but I love them.
“Not me. I’m not most men, either, Mom. I didn’t do anything; I swear I didn’t. I couldn’t do anything to her. I love her. I will always love her. I still don’t know why she did this to us.” I love that girl more than my next breath.
“You’re sure you didn’t do anything? Anything at all?” Mom asks.
“I’m sure.”
“Maybe she just needed some space. I have faith that everything will work out. It has to.”
“I do, too. I won’t accept anything less.”
“That’s my boy,” she says, grabbing her briefcase. “I’m late for work.” She’s a lawyer, a damn good one at that.
I see her all day long at school. At the lockers. In the cafeteria. In the parking lot. It was pure torture. At the end of the day, I walk out of my last class and immediately spot her in the hallway. Her back is to her locker. She’s talking to Kyle Harrison, and I see fucking red. I’m about to storm over to her when Ryder grabs my arm. Kyle fucking Harrison is why she wanted to be free? You have got to be fucking kidding me.
“Don’t, man. You don’t want to open that can of worms.”
“I do. I really fucking do.”
He drags me out of the hallway and out into the parking lot.
“Get in your truck and go to work, Hunter. Don’t make me kick your ass.”
“What?” The thought of my best friend kicking my ass is laughable; not that he couldn’t do it, he just wouldn’t do it.
“I’ll kick your ass if I have to. Don’t do anything you’ll regret. He’s her lab partner. You know he’s going with Kitty Jensen.”
If I could form two coherent thoughts, I’d have remembered that. I take a deep breath and get into my truck. “Thanks, man.”
“You’re welcome.”
I have got to get my shit together. I drive to the house my crew and I are almost done with. I work until well past dark installing plumbing fixtures, crossing another thing off my checklist. I drive across town and climb up my tree to see my girl. I can’t sleep until I do. The light is on in her room, but she’s not in it. So, I wait.
Eventually, her bathroom door opens, and she comes into view. She steps in front of the mirror and drops her robe. She starts rubbing lotion on her naked body. I should feel bad for spying on her like this, but I’ve seen her naked so many times I know every freckle she has. Then she smoothes lotion over her belly and I almost swallow my tongue. Her belly is newly rounded, and her boobs are bigger. I’d chalk it up to post-break-up weight gain, but then she lovingly strokes her belly. And sobs. I can clearly hear her sobs through the window. She’s fucking pregnant, and she didn’t tell me. She’s crying and pregnant. She didn’t tell me. She ended things with me. Why? Why wouldn’t she want me to know about this? I don’t know what she could have possibly been thinking. I have to physically restrain myself from busting into her bedroom and pulling her into my arms. I want to comfort her. I want her to stop crying. They are killing me. My heart is breaking in two. How dare she keep something like this from me? There is no excuse. I want all the things she’s been denying us for the last two months.
Despite my anger at the moment, she’s carrying my child. There’s no way in hell I’ll ever let her go now.
chapter five
Gwendolyn
The Next Day
I slept like shit. Partially because I tossed and turned all night, still filled with a desire I don’t think I am ever going to release, and the other thing is I am a stomach sleeper, and well, that is not happening anytime soon. I pull myself out of bed and look through my closet. Even though I am sick of overalls, what else do I have? Then my eye catches on this romper I picked up last week. It’s cuter but a bit longer than I would have gotten, say, four months ago.
Smiling, I put it on because it is the first time in a while I don’t feel completely awful. I braid my hair to the side, but I still don’t bother with makeup. I slide into my sandals that I haven't worn in months, but they just so happen to go with the outfit. Grabbing my book bag and phone, I walk down the stairs, and immediately, my mood takes a nose dive.
“Well, don’t you look pretty this morning,” Mom says, sliding me a plate of eggs and toast. Admittedly hungry, I devour both of them and start toward the door when she ruins the peace. “Darling, I know your break-up is fresh and all, but seriously, the guy I want you to go with is perfect for you. Even if it is just for prom.” God, she is making me want to stay in my room until prom is over. I hold my finger to my nose and keep my back turned.
“I am going to be late, Mom. We can talk about this later.” What is her deal? I think to myself, driving down the street. I mean, I get it, sort of. If this is a girl, I would want to have all these moments with her, but not to the point of obsession.
Pulling up, I am grateful Hunter is already inside because his truck is outside, but he is not. I walk into the school, smiling at those who wave at me, hurriedly trying to get to my locker. The less time people have to look at me, the better my chances of not being noticed.
“Hello, Gwen.” I am stopped dead in my tracks by Hunter’s sister, Heather.
“Hi Heather, how are you?” I ask, trying to smile. She and I used to be so close. Lately, I have been avoiding her like I have her brother, and it makes me feel like shit.
“I am just wondering what is going on. Everyone here knows you are perfect for one another, so why did you break up with him?” I see she’s going straight to the point. Trying to handle it delicately, I answer her.
