Page 45 of Bad Business

I throw my bag in the trunk and start toward the drier side. I look up to see Frankie standing close to my car, looking determined.

“Frankie, what are you doing?” I ask, exasperated.

“Please don’t do this, Griffyn. Give me five minutes.”

I want to pull her into my arms, but I know if I do, I won’t leave. I do the only thing I can think to push her away. “Go back to your dorm because right now I don’t care about,”—I wave my hand around in the air—“whatever this is. You can call Justin, my TA, and he can help you with class.”

Tears well in her eyes. “This isn’t about class.”

Sighing, I lean toward her and mutter the words I know will seal my fate with her, “Frankie… what we had was a fling—nothing more. A fling that could get us both in trouble, anyway. My family needs me, and you’re keeping me from them. Now, please move.”

Frankie steps back, her hands dropping to her sides, and I see the raw pain my words have caused. Tears storm down her face, each one a testament to the hurt I’ve inflicted. As I get in my car, her devastated expression sears into my mind. I want to grab her and tell her I’m sorry, but I can’t—not when my family needs me.

Just before I close the door, her voice, trembling and desperate, cuts through the air.

"I'm pregnant."

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