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I wasn’t sure how long we stood like that, but I do know my ice cream was a melted mess by the time I gathered up the box and test and stuffed them in my bag. I didn’t think shoving them at the bottom of the garbage would be enough to hide the evidence from my brother.
I might have to bring them to the next county.
Kinleigh crossed her arms over her middle as she slumped back into her chair. “So, you want to do a sleep over?”
“Chocolate and wine is off the menu. At least the wine.”
“I’ll drink all the wine for you.”
“You’re all heart.”
“I know.” Her smile was extra bright. “I’ll go find Pretty in Pink on iTunes.”
Things were extra dire if she was pulling out Molly Ringwald and Duckie.
But the movie did take my mind off things. Kinleigh fell asleep on the couch before the credits rolled. I couldn’t settle my brain.
Was Rory my Blane?
Or even worse, was he my Steff? The snarky, damaged guy who could never be the one I deserved even though he was infinitely more interesting than Blane.
And in the end, I should have found a Duckie. The safe guy who would always be by my side and would be thrilled to make a family and a very lovely life.
I struggled out of my favorite comfy chair and padded back into the kitchen for a drink. I stared at my purse and the other test in there. Maybe I was being crazy. Maybe I wasn’t really pregnant.
Maybe it was all a big joke.
All the things I’d ever wanted were in front of me. My ice cream was going to be sold at Macy’s, and if I had my way, it would be in that ice cream truck before the summer was over.
Some time ago, I’d gone to that meeting Vee had put together at Brewed Awakening with all the women who were willing to do the baby thing alone. Now here I was.
Maybe it was just fate. I was supposed to do this on my own. Perhaps everything was going the way it was supposed to go.
Then again, maybe I wasn’t really pregnant.
I grabbed the other test out of my bag and ran down the hall to the bathroom. I took the test and sat on the edge of the tub as the minutes ticked by. This one was a five-minute test and the stupid purple tester kept blurring.
I didn’t even know I was crying until my brother crouched in front of me. The Jack and Jill door to the bathroom was open from his side. Yet again, tears had taken over and decided they were coming out, whether I wanted them to or not.
“Auggie.”
“Oh, shit. You don’t call me that anymore.” Then he must have seen the box because his green gaze flew to mine. “Ah, Ivy Rose.” His voice was gentle even as his hands went to fists. “Who is he?”
I curled my fingers around his huge, calloused hand. I could feel the rage under the calm. My brother was good at that. As the eldest of us, he was always the most responsible. The most reliable.
Our rock.
“No one you know.”
“Are you all right?”
“I don’t know.”
He swore and sat down right on the tile floor. “Does he know?”
“No.”
“How the hell is he supposed to step up if he doesn’t know? Or…”
