Page 22 of Just Between Us

He took my hand in his and pulled me across the kitchen. “Soon.”

He smirked over his shoulder, and without another word between us, we climbed the stairs together. Rich went into his room, and I went into Annie’s, finding her passed out cold, exactly where I had left her, unaware of anything.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

LUCY

It had been almostsix months since I started seeing Rich. Things were fast becoming more and more settled, and the time was approaching to tell Annie, but for now, she was still completely unaware of what was happening between her best friend and her dad.

I didn’t know if it was the stress of everything, but lately, I’d been feeling sick and not sleeping.

Annie stared at me.

“What?” I sighed.

“Luce, are you sure you’re okay? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like shit.”

“Thanks.” I rolled my eyes at her. “I’ve just been feeling more and more sick recently.”

She eyed me suspiciously, and I knew what she was thinking. “Have you and the boy toy been sensible?” She smirked.

It couldn’t possibly be that; Rich had had a vasectomy. “I’m absolutely sure that’s not what’s going on here.”

Annie shrugged. “Nothing is one hundred percent effective you know. Maybe it’s worth taking a test just to make sure.”

I shook my head again. Vasectomies were a complete solution, weren’t they? I couldn’t possibly be pregnant.

A sense of panic grabbed me, and I suddenly felt the need to be sick. I raced to the bathroom and retched, the contents of my stomach splashing against the white porcelain.

Fuck.

I sat on the floor, hugging the toilet, trying to remember when I’d had my last period. Annie stood in the doorway, and I got the most pity-filled look from her. “I can’t be,” I insisted. Again, my stomach flipped, and I heaved.

“Look, you stay there. I’m going to the chemist on the corner to get you a test. I’ll only be about five minutes.”

I gave her a thumbs up as I retched again. Bile rose in my throat, and I was sick.

By the timeAnnie made it back, I’d managed to stop vomiting. I’d cleaned myself up and was sitting on her bed.

“You look as white as a sheet.” She handed me the small paper bag with the test inside it.

I had no words for her. I took the bag out of her hand and walked into the bathroom with it, locking the door behind me.

I opened the pack, read the instructions, peed on the white stick, and waited.

Three minutes later, I unlocked the door and handed the stick to Annie without a word. She looked at it as I flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

“Shit, Lucy.”

“I know.”

“It’s positive.”

“I know.”

“You’re pregnant.”

I snapped up from where I was lying and let my eyes bore holes in her head. “Iknow.”

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