Page 52 of Line Change

“Surprise,” Hunter announces when we make our way into the living room.

“Are you crashing ladies’ night?” Becca asks with mock outrage, crossing her arms and glaring at us, but I notice the way her lip is twitching, like she’s holding back a smile.

The guys beeline for their woman as I search the room for Sutton.

“She’s upstairs,” Madison says, gesturing for me to follow her.

“Is she okay?” I ask as we climb the stairs.

“I think so.” She peers at me over her shoulder. “She’s a little overwhelmed. I’m sure it’s just pregnancy.” She knocks on one of the doors at the end of the hallway before pushing it open. “Look who I found.”

My heart squeezes when I see Sutton reclining on the bed, her eyes red rimmed.

“I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” Madison says.

I close the door behind me and walk over to the bed.

“You alright, love?” I ask.

She runs a hand over her face. “This is embarrassing.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. What can I do?” Does she need a drink? Something to eat? To go home?

“N-nothing,” she mutters.

“Come here.” I open my arms, and she gets off the bed and lets me hold her. “What’s going on? What can I do?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Of course it’s something. You’re upset.” I run a hand down her back and notice the deep breath she takes, as if she can finally breathe properly again now that I’m here. Which is ridiculous. It’s just a coincidence.

She shakes her head, and I wrap my arms tighter around her. Not sure what else I can do. I love that she lets me hold her like this, comfort her. I want to do this and so much more for her. If only she’d let me.

“Holly found out I was pregnant tonight. She and her fiancé have been trying to have a baby for a while, and they haven’t been able to.”

Oh. I hate that for them, and I hate that Sutton’s this upset about her friend finding out she’s pregnant.

“I’m sorry for them. That’s gotta be tough.”

She nods against me. “And here I am, pregnant when I wasn’t even trying. Hell, I was actively trying not to get pregnant, and what happened? I got pregnant. From a random night of sex. I feel so guilty.”

I rub small circles on her back. “There’s nothing to feel guilty about. It’s not an either or situation.”

She looks up at me. “What do you mean?”

“It’s not a you or Holly gets pregnant thing, as in it’s not like the reason Holly can’t get pregnant is because you are.”

“I know, but I feel bad. You should have seen how she looked when she found out.” She shakes her head. “Life’s so unfair.”

“I know, love. I know.” I pull her back against my chest.

“I am such a bad friend. I feel like an idiot. It just slipped out, and I …”

“You’re not a bad friend. You can’t control how she feels. You might have to accept that she needs space or that your friendship is a little strained for a while. Because it might be hard for her to see you pregnant. But you couldn’t have hidden the entire pregnancy from her. She’d have found out eventually.”

“I know. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Give her time and space if that’s what she needs to process her feelings.”