Page 52 of Secret Baby for My Brother's Best Friends

“I can’t believe it,” I say.

“I couldn’t either when I heard it.”

“I mean, pregnant? How the fuck is she pregnant?”

“Well, I didn’t pay much attention in biology class, but it usually happens when a sperm meets an egg–”

He trails off when I glare at him, then he shrugs. "Sorry, but stupid questions deserve stupid answers.”

“We were careful. We used condoms.”

“One of which broke.”

Fuck. I forgot about that. I shake my head. “You sure it’s ours?”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Not this bullshit again.”

“It’s a valid question to ask.”

“Yeah, because you’re so fucking sold on the idea that she has a boyfriend or some kind of fiancée somewhere that she cheated on and that’s the reason she doesn't want to talk to us.” He straightens. “I don’t think she has anyone.”’

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. If she did, she would have mentioned it when she was trying to brush us off."

“Or maybe she’s scared that you'll retaliate by telling the fiancé everything."

“Why are you so determined to think the worst of her?”

That has me rearing back in shock. “I don’t think the worst of her at all."

“Uh huh. You literally called her a cheater twice now without any evidence, and now you're suspecting that she's trying to pass off another man's baby as ours. Don't even deny it because I can see it clear as day in your eyes. And I know why. It's because you don't want us to like her."

"Nonsense," I deny, though his words ring with an uncomfortable thread of truth.

"It's not nonsense. You’re telling me that all this fiancé talk isn’t part of your sustained effort to prevent us from pursuing anything with her?”

“I think she’s already doing a bang-up job of that herself. How many times does she have to tell you she’s not interested for you guys to get the hint?”

"I guess she kissed you in our bathroom because she was uninterested, huh?” he says with a knowing smirk as my face heats up. “Oh, and that make-out session where she came all over Sam’s mouth…oh yeah, I could tell exactly how uninterested she was right then and there."

I hate him so much in that moment, because his words bring back vivid memories of watching her get out of the car, looking so deliciously rumpled, smelling of her ambrosia.

Even after she ran off, the air smelled like her, like her release. Jealousy filled my heart even as desire filled me, and it was all I could do not to just get in there and inhale it like a hungry beast. Which should tell you everything about my sanity level.

“She’s definitely interested,” he completes. “But she’s scared because of the baby.”

“And you’re sure–"

“Yes, I’m sure it’s one of ours,” he snaps. “I mean, she wouldn’t have even mentioned it if it wasn’t, and she seemed reluctant to even tell me that much. If it wasn’t ours, she would have told me that straight up, but she says that the timing works out.”

“Shit."

“Yeah. I believe her plan right now is to keep it, but she says that she doesn’t need anything from us in the meantime.”

“Bullshit.”

“That’s what I said. I don’t know about you, but there’s no way I’m just going to stand aside while my child is being raised without me. I'm not a deadbeat, and I don't plan to become one."