Page 64 of Nanny For My Brother's Best Friend

“What do I do if it’s positive?”

I hate saying the words out loud. Positive means Miles and I will be parents on some level, and everyone will know the truth. He wouldn’t lie to his family about a baby he fathered, nor would I ask him to. I also am not exactly out there dating anyone. Andrew will lose his shit and I don’t know how the families will act.

When there’s enough pressure on my bladder, we get the tests ready to go in the bathroom and I close the door. I love Alli, but I need to pee in private. It’s bad enough Lola wants to follow me in and often does.

I am careful with each one, setting it on the counter when I’m done. I am trying to be clean since this isn’t my place. We determined ten minutes would be a good time to check all of them to tell me my future.

I don’t want to look. I’ve never been a person who doesn’t face life head-on, but now that is just what I want to do. This isn’t a college class or a job. This is forever because I don’t think I have it in me to give a part of myself to another family, not to mention it’s Miles’s baby, too.

It would be if I were pregnant, which I am not.

I walk into the living room with Alli staring at me.

“They’re all processing. Is that what you call it?”

“Why not? Ten minutes.”

“The longest ten minutes of my fucking life. This was supposed to be a future me that’s married and so excited about a family, not this version.”

“It’ll be okay.”

Alli wraps her arms around me as we sit in silence for the next few minutes, while I panic. When enough time has passed, she takes my hand, and we walk into the bathroom to face the truth.

Pregnant across the board.

CHAPTER 25

REELING

MILES

Iarrive home two days later and find Lola and Delilah in the living room. It’s evening and they’ve probably eaten already,but I smell something delicious in the air.

“Hey.”

“You’re home. Long flight?”

Delilah smiles in my direction, but she doesn’t meet my eyes and I wonder what is going on here. Lola makes up for it by grinning at me as she bounds across the room into my arms.

“Daddy home!”

“I’m home, sweet girl. How are you?”

I hug her tightly, breathing in the sweet fruity scent of her shampoo as she babbles about life. I gather there’s been a lot of playing and there’s even a snippet about my sister in there, but I’m looking at Delilah the entire time while she’s still not making eye contact with me.

“Did you go out with Auntie Brynn? What did you do with her?”

That means that Delilah might have needed some time alone since I know how busy my sister is with school. Brynn adores Lola but she can’t find a lot of time to spend time with her, as much as she’d like. They’re going to be best friends when Lola is older, and I love the idea.

I figure out they went to the movies and for ice cream and Lola spent the night over there. That left Delilah alone and I wonder if she had plans or maybe a date.

We’re sleeping together regularly, so she wouldn’t need to go on dates unless she really wants more. When would she even have the time or energy? I’m still tired from our late-night text conversations.

That’s it. She’s just tired and giving me some space with my daughter and we’ll have our private time later, after Lola is in bed. I enjoy every moment of her bath and getting ready for bed, reading Lola three books as she cuddles against me. It’s the best feeling aside from having Delilah in my arms, and I kiss her hair before tucking her in.

When I close the door softly and leave Lola with soft music playing in her room, I look around. My body needs Delilah and I walk into the living room to see her folding laundry on the couch with something playing on the TV.

I hurry towards her, and Delilah looks up at me with wide eyes when she hears my footsteps.

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