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She crossed her own arms, mimicking his annoyance and his posture.
When she held his gaze, he gave in a little. “I’ve just got some stuff on my mind. Things I need to work out on my own.”
“Like what?”
“What part of on my own confused you?”
Yvonne narrowed her eyes. “Acting like an asshole won’t budge me because I know you’re not a jerk. So I’ll repeat the part that clearly confused you. I’m not getting out of this truck until you tell me what’s wrong with you.”
“You’ll miss the party.” It was a lame last-ditch attempt. He was running out of ammo.
“I don’t care. It’s not like I graduated. I still have to endure another year of high school hell.” She didn’t really mean that. Truth was, she enjoyed most parts of high school, though she didn’t think she’d like it as much next year without Leo and Lochlan there. She was going to have to find a new group to eat lunch with, and that sucked.
“Seriously, Yvonne. I made a mess of something, and I have to figure out how to fix it on my own. This isn’t something you can—”
As he spoke, something in the center console caught her eye. “What’s that?” she interrupted, pointing to a small ring box.
Leo quickly picked up the box and put it in his pocket. He clearly hadn’t meant for her to see it. “Nothing.”
“Is that an engagement ring?”
There was no way Leo would propose to Denise. For one thing, they were way too young. And for another, Yvonne had gotten the impression the couple was on the verge of breaking up. Something she and Lochlan had mused was probably what was bothering Leo.
He and Denise had dated ever since the Homecoming dance their sophomore year. They’d been called the “perfect” couple by everyone at school—except her, though she’d given up her crush on him at the beginning of this year when it was obvious Leo still only had eyes for Denise. Yvonne had gone out with a few guys since then and was currently dating Ricky Bernard.
“Deo”—the ridiculous couple name Lochlan had given Denise and Leo—were even crowned king and queen at this year’s junior/senior prom.
“Are you insane?” Yvonne asked, when it became apparent that was indeed what was in the box. “You can’t propose to Denise.”
“I already did.” Leo turned away from her, looking toward the school.
“What? Why would you do that? Tell her it was a mistake. You’re only eighteen, Leo. What would possess you to—”
“She’s pregnant.”
Yvonne fell silent, her stomach clenching in panic. No wonder he’d been so quiet lately, so worried. “What are you going to do?”
“I’d planned to take responsibility for my actions. I was going to make things right.”
“That’s not still the plan?”
“She turned me down. Said she wouldn’t marry me.”
Yvonne frowned. “Why would she do that?”
“She said two wrongs don’t make a right. That she wasn’t going to make this whole situation worse by marrying me.”
“But…” Yvonne was flabbergasted. “You two have been a couple for nearly three years. Why would she have stayed with you that long if she didn’t love you?” Yvonne had never thought Denise’s feelings toward Leo were as strong as his were for her, but she wouldn’t tell him that. She didn’t kick a dog when it was down, and this dog was way down.
“I have no idea. She told me she was pregnant a few weeks ago.”
“You didn’t use protection?”
Leo was one of the brightest boys in the school, and he didn’t seem like the type who’d lose his head in the heat of the moment.
He grimaced. “Of course we did. I always wore a condom, and she was on the Pill. But she got bronchitis a month or so ago and went on antibiotics. That makes the Pill stop working, which we didn’t know. And then,” he looked away from her again, “the condom broke one night.”
“Is she keeping the baby?”
