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Brandon wasn’t any of those.His business partner guy, Bert, is a different story, though.
Being young meant putting trust in the wrong people, and clearly, Brandon and I had both done that. I couldn’t be angry anymore at him for signing the paper when I did the exact thing with Mason that he did with Bert.
“What if it’s PMS?” Tearing me from my thoughts, Brandon’s grumble echoed inside my skull for a long moment before I really processed it. Jerking up, a cold sweat broke out on my entire body and horror nearly stopped my heart.
“Oh, no..." My throat closed, and my rasp barely squeezed out as I pulled my knees to my chin and buried my fingers in my hair. Tugging to get my brain working, I tried to think of the last time I’d gotten my period but thinking so far back was difficult. Shuttering my eyelids tightly, I pictured a calendar, and Brandon’s gaze dug ruts into my profile as I counted.
I hadn’t gotten my period when we were out on the ocean.
I hadn’t gotten my period before or after Brandon’s proposal.
I hadn’t gotten my period since right before we went horseback riding.
“Oh, no, no, no.”That was almost two months ago.“Oh,fuck. Brandon, I haven’t... I haven’t had my period in two months.”
Brandon jerked back so hard he fell off the bed completely, but tears welled in my eyes to obstruct my view. His eyebrows nearly flew off his face, and he stumbled around a little before grabbing my shoulders. Pale cheeks, trembling lips, and wide eyes came so close to me that I couldn’t make it out, and my heart stuttered dangerously.
“Wait, wait, wait. You could bepregnant—like, pregnant, pregnant—really? But how?”
My hand flew for Brandon’s chest at his blubbering question, and I ground my teeth hard when he didn’t even flinch. “Dummy! We never used protection. I didn’t even think about that. I just... I never... this is your fault!”
My words hit him harder than my palm, and he leaned back with shock frozen on his features.
Pointing at him shakily, I swiped my tears away harshly with my free hand and sniffled hard. “You’re the guy. You’re supposed to remember to put a condom on—”
“Myfault? Why are you saying it like this is a bad thing, Katie?”
Ice lodged in my chest at the combative lilt in Brandon’s tone, and I tore my eyes off him to bury my face in my knees.
“Hey, hey, no, no. Katie, don’t cry.”
“It’s too late for t–that!” Breaking down right then and there, deep, racking sobs ripped through my entire body and goosebumps washed my frigid skin. Snot dribbled from my nose, but I didn’t care as I wrestled with a much more important problem.
I was most likely pregnant.
Shuffling onto the bed behind me, Brandon locked his arms and legs around me to hold me so tight, I couldn’t breathe. Even so, my cries only grew more hysterical, and he kissed the back of my neck fervently.
“It’s okay, okay? Ah... we–we’ll figure this out, Katie, right? Just let it out, and..."
Beyond the blood pounding in my ears and my hoarse shrieks bouncing off the walls and back onto us, I could hear that Brandon was trying his best to hide his happiness. His best effort, his fear and shock, couldn’t stop the bright ray from shining through, and I clenched my fists tightly.
“I’m so sorry. You’re right. I should’ve known better. I—”
“Shut up, okay? Just don’t... don’t say anything. I just... I need to freak out, and you’re not helping, Brandon.” Croaking the demand, I didn’t feel the least bit bad as Brandon pursed his lips against my neck, but he did as I wanted. My mind whirred at a mile a minute, and I curled my fists into my hair once again to feel them shake.
Brandon and I were married, and I genuinely loved him, and I knew he genuinely loved me. He wanted children, a whole lot of kids, and I was totally onboard for that.But not so soon... not now. Not so early.
“W–we barely hadustime... and, and now, now, I... but what about my acting? I can’t! I can’t act pregnant! I can’t support my mom. How am I gonna pay her bills?”
“Katie, Katie, stop. Don’t worry about your mom. She’s my mom, now, too, and I’ll handle that. Okay? Listen to me, Katie.”
Hiccupping harshly, my desperation quelled at Brandon’s strong, rough tone skittering across my skin, and he rubbed my arms and legs with familiar warm palms.
“You don’t have to worry about money anymore. I know you don’t like the idea of it, but we’re married now. I will gladly support your mother. Hell, I bet she and my mom might’ve even talked about moving in together. You know how much they need each other, and it’s only logical that they be around each other to keep them in a good place. Okay? Right?”
“And your acting... we can just pick it up again. You’re so talented, and youcanact while pregnant. You just can’t be doing crazy stuff like swinging around an ax and galloping across a fjord.”
Choking out a strangled, humorless laugh, I jerked my head in a nod as Brandon convinced himself as much as me.
