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“Why are you even in this aisle?”
Amusement played over his face as he held up the small box of condoms with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes. “Gross.” I shooed him away with my fingers as nerves buzzed through me. “Go away. I have other things to look for, and it’s none of your business.”
He chuckled again and shook his head. “Will I see you tonight? MJ said you two were coming up to the festival.”
I nodded and swallowed hard. I had no idea how much or how little my life was about to shift in the next ten to fifteen minutes.
Royal smiled, and affection for my older brother rolled through me. “I’ll buy you a beer when you get down there. See you tonight.”
My brother turned and headed toward the register. Still holding the box of tampons, I scanned the array of pregnancy tests. I had never needed to use one, so I had no idea what to get. In my indecision, Ms. Tiny entered the same aisle. Heat prickled at my hairline, and I moved to scan a different section.
I definitely should have gone to the drug store outside of town, where everyone minded their own fucking business. When I thought she wasn’t looking, I grabbed the first pregnancy test box I could and held it behind the box of tampons. As I moved past Ms. Tiny, I gave her a nod and hurried toward the register.
The store was busy, but thank god for self-checkout. I hid the boxes in the crook of my arm as I waited in line. My hand tapped against the outside of my thigh as I mentally berated the slow customers in front of me. Nausea swirled in my stomach.
Oh my god, is that a symptom?
I blew a slow, steady breath through my lips. When it was my turn, I quickly scanned my items and prayed I would actually need the tampons in a day or two.
By the time I had gotten back to my house, my stomach ache hadn’t gotten any better. Thankfully, MJ was still working, and Bug was at the library. The cold, large house was eerily quiet.
As I ran up the stairs and locked myself into the bathroom, I tossed the bag and box of tampons into the sink and sat on the toilet seat, holding the box with the pregnancy test.
I tore it open and pulled out the pamphlet. I was pretty sure it was idiotproof—that you just peed on the stick—but I read and reread the instructions twice just to be sure. Before I took the test, I pressed my hand against my lower belly and breathed in deep. Beside the gnawing pit in my stomach, the early pregnancy symptoms I had googled earlier weren’t there. I wasn’t dizzy, my boobs felt fine, and other than a late period and worry rattling through me, there were no other obvious signs that I could be pregnant. I was exhausted, but I didn’tthinkthat was new.
I closed my eyes and tried to feel something. My mind flashed to a fictional scenario of my belly plumping, rounded with pregnancy. I saw Duke smiling down at me as he rubbed my swollen belly. My mind flashed forward to a child with his smile and my eyes, riding gleefully on top of his broad shoulders. A low hum buzzed through me as my eyes flew open.
Oh fuck. Do I want to be pregnant?
I exhaled and opened my eyes.
That was a fantasy world, a world in which the King–Sullivan rivalry didn’t exist. A time and place where I felt free to make my own decisions about my life without judgments from everyone around me. It was also a giant leap, assuming Duke would want anything to do with this baby. Deep down, I knew he was a good man, and I hoped he would stand by any decision I made.
But what if I didn’t even know what decision to make?
Steeling my nerves, I lifted the toilet seat and followed the instructions to take the pregnancy test. I set the test face down on the sink and set up a timer on my phone. My foot tapped as my brain flooded with possibilities—some funny, some scary, some downright confusing.
I jolted when the timer went off.
After a quick inhale, I flipped the test over, and my heart stopped.
Two pink lines.
When the fourthtext from MJ asking me where I was rolled in, I knew I couldn’t hide any longer before she sent out a search party. Not knowing what else to do, I did my hair and makeup and slipped on a flannel shirt to ward off the mid-September chill—and because it was the Fireside Flannel Festival, after all. A flannel shirt was practically required.
Heading over now.
MJ
The boys are setting up the bonfire and Abel is working the beer tent. Meet me there and we can convince him to let us drink for free.
Okay.
I didn’t need to tell my sister over text that there would definitely be no drinking for me tonight.
When I rolled into town, I opted to park in the back parking lot of the Sugar Bowl rather than fight the traffic for a spot near the beach. Music floated above the din of the festival and the crashing waves as the crowd grew thicker with people enjoying the evening.
