Page 34 of Love You Too

I feel like we’re in a rom-com. It’s exactly the right time in the story for her to throw a wrench into what I thought was a sweet little second-chance romance. It’s weird that my mind goes there instead of staying in reality, but lately, nothing about reality makes any sense, including our hockey season.

Meanwhile, the woman sitting next to me is looking at me expectantly. She deserves my focus—this woman who I’ve beenhung up on for years, so damn beautiful and sweet. But what, exactly, is she telling me?

We had sex exactly one time, and we used protection. My stomach roils at the idea that she’s carrying someone else’s baby, tempered by heartbreak.

No.

Even if I’m just getting to know Trix again, I know her. The baby is mine. My eyes drift to her stomach and back to her tear-filled gaze. It knocks me sideways, this feeling of disbelief, nervousness, and a measure of joy. My mouth opens and closes again without a word as I absorb what she’s just told me.

“We’re pregnant?” I ask.

I notice her face relax into a small smile before a wave of dizziness overtakes me. I put a hand out to steady myself, but it’s no use.

I fall off my chair.

CHAPTER 12

Ren

“Ren! Are you okay?”Trix stands over me, fanning my face with her hat. “Did you faint? Oh my God.”

“Um…”

I didn’t faint. My head started to spin a little when I heard a set of words that sent the blood whooshing to my ears, such that it blocked out the rest of the world. Maybe I wobbled a little bit, and maybe these lounge chairs are old and a little rickety. So…I tipped over.

I didnotfucking faint.

Okay, maybe I fainted.

Trix continues fanning me until I push myself up with one arm and flop back onto the lounge chair. Then I raise a hand to indicate I’m fine. She waits for a moment, maybe making sure I’m steady, before going back to her chair.

I have thoughts, lots of thoughts—all overlapping and spinning around in my head. Then the thoughts disappear, and I’mleft with only words. Or, well, syllables. Specifically,Wha…um, how…are you…I…

Then, I produce a blank stare.

Trix meets my stare with her own, forehead creased with concern. I can do nothing to alleviate it for her because I only have more nonsensical syllables, if that. “I just…what…?” For the first time, I see a glimmer of the woman I’ve been obsessing over for the past several weeks. Her pale blue eyes flash with amusement, and her lips edge up into a smile. Then she starts laughing, quietly at first, with her hand covering her mouth. The only indication I have that it’s laughter is that her body starts trembling.

She removes her hand and begins laughing more in earnest.

“Are you…is this a joke? You’re kidding?” I clear my throat and try to get on board with her weird humor, but my heart’s still pounding from what she said moments earlier.

“No.” She shakes her head, the laughter receding. “I’m sorry. I’m not joking, and I shouldn’t be laughing. It happens when I get stressed, and this has been…let’s just say it’s been kinda stressful finding out about this, let alone thinking about telling you.”

“But we used a condom.”

“I know, but I told you it was old, if you recall.” I do recall. Mostly, I recall the sweet taste of her skin and how good it felt to slide inside her. To hell with a condom that may not have been up to the challenge. And now I want to kick myself for giving reason a recess.

“How old?”

“What?” She looks bewildered even though she’s the one who said it.

“The condom. How old?”

She grimaces. “Um, I dunno. A few years, maybe?”

“A fewyears?! So you’re…this is…” I still can’t form full sentences.

“I am. This is. It’s true, and you’re the dad.” Thank God shecan understand my gibberish because I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do better with the English language.

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