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When we’re back in my room, Joel makes a sandwich as I sit on the couch with my arms wrapped around my knees. He’s talking or singing, I don’t know; either way, it’s not getting through to me as I stare out into space. I’m having a baby.A baby. With someone I despise. And no one even knows what he’s done to me. I have no fucking idea what to do, and—
“Lucy.”
Huh?
Tilting my head, I shoot Joel a blank stare, not really caring if he tells me what he wants or not.
“Wes messaged,” he says, eyeing me in question, waiting for my reaction. But when I simply shrug, he shakes his head and reads the message aloud, forcing me to focus.
Wes: Are you home yet? By the way, where is home?
“What do you want me to say?”
I feel sick as I run Wes’s words through my head. I’d been joking about not telling him I lived so close, with grand plans to surprise him, but now…
“Tell him I’m home safe and leave it at that,” I say, ignoring the second part of his text as Joel frowns, typing the response. And when he hands me back my phone, I throw it across the room, not even flinching when it breaks.
“Why’d you lie? Or more to the point…why’d you makemelie?”
“It’s complicated.”
Joel shakes his head, his expression difficult to read, but I’d say it’s a mix of concern and disappointment. “Don’t do that, Luce. Don’t push him away. I’ve been on the other end—”
Oh, god…”Delilah! Shit, I’m so selfish. I didn’t even think. I just knew calling Dylan was a bad idea, and you’re like a brother to me and—”
“Lucy, stop,” he says, cutting me off as he drops to the couch beside me.
Joel and his girlfriend, Delilah, have been through so much, and I shouldn’t have called him.God. How could I do that?
“It’s okay,” he continues. “I’m okay.Delilah’sokay. We’re both worried aboutyou. And you’re right, I think we need to work out a plan before we tell Dylan. He hates Greg. He’s not going to like the fact that he’s about to be in your life forever, even if it’s just as a baby daddy.”
My stomach churns as I think about Greg being in my life in any capacity.Oh, no, it’s…
“I’m going to throw up.”
I make it to the bathroom seconds before dispelling the contents of my stomach and find Joel right behind me, pulling the hair away from my face.
“How long has this been going on? Is this how you figured it out?” he asks, his tone soothing.
“Actually, that’s the first time. I’m kind of hoping it’s a one-off.”
Joel chuckles softly, and I manage a smile through my nausea. “Yeah, I guess that’s wishful thinking.”
It only takes a minute before my stomach settles, and we’ve just walked back to the living room when Joel’s phone starts to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket, cursing under his breath before silencing it. “Make sure I’m there when you tell Dylan. You’re going to need the support.”
He’s half joking, but if he knew everything, he’d be just as upset as my brother. One of the reasons it’s best to keep it to myself.
By late afternoon, I’m ready to go home, or at least check out of the resort. Joel helps carry my bags as I walk like a zombie to the front desk.
“Why don’t you follow me to my place? You can stay the night. Our couch is pretty comfy,” he says, his face twisted as though he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s lying. At least about the couch.
I try to smile, but it’s forced. Instead, I nod because what choice do I really have? I can’t go home with Greg’s threat hanging over me, and I have nowhere else.
Joel wraps his arm around my shoulder after I’ve dropped the room keys back and leads me to the parking lot.
When we’re a few feet from the car, he stops suddenly, a resigned sigh leaving his lips.
“What’s going on? Why’d—”
