Page 38 of Puck Prince

I put my shades on, without dropping shit everywhere this time, and head out. I need to just lay low and hope no one noticed anything. Maybe it’ll just blow over.

14

CALLIE

Or maybe not.

“God, Callie. Your face is everywhere!” Kennedy sits cross-legged on the couch, scrolling through her phone. I am in the kitchen making a sandwich.

Because I’m hungry. All the time.

Except when I’m nauseous, which is also, somehow, all the time.

Because I’m pregnant. The blood test said what the three stick tests had already told me:

I am very much pregnant and my life is very much over.

“It’s like you became an overnight celebrity,” she goes on. “Callie Coleman, Instant A-List. Just add, well, Owen Sharpe.”

She’s laughing, but I’m not. I just take a bite of my sandwich and count down in my head from ten so I don’t vomit it right back up.

“Look at this, though.” She shows me her phone. Sure enough, it is everywhere. From social media to actual news stations.Taglines range from “Owen Sharpe Has A New Love Interest” to “O’s New Hoe?!”

“I mean, most of it is about him,” I mumble in my own defense, cheeks red. “I’m just the girl he tackled outside of the apartment complex.”

Still, I wish I wasn’t in the photos. I am trying to lay low, too, for more reasons than I want or need anyone knowing about.

“He’s been single for a long time. Attacking a cute girl outside of his home is bound to be big news.”

“Okay, first of all, he’s not single.”

Kennedy lights up. “So, you twoareinvolved? You bad girl!”

“What? No! I’ve seen him with another girl.”

She sets her phone down and squints at me. “As in, like, flirting with girls at work or bringing someone home or…?”

“Bringing someone home. Or, she just shows up. I don’t know who she is.”

“I’ve never seen anyone come around, and I’ve lived here for a while, Cal. Are you sure it’s not just?—?”

“Yes. I’ve seen her. The night I—” I lower my voice to a whisper for no good reason at all. “—hooked up with him, she was getting there just as I left. Like it was timed. Or like he was trying not to get caught.”

Kennedy just stares at me, eyes still narrowed. “I’ve literally never seen a girl go in and out of there. Which, now that I say it, is odd as fuck. That man could get any girl he wants.”

“I ran into her again after that. In the parking lot. He was walking her to her car when I pulled up. And she was there the day these pictures were taken.”

“Wait, wait, wait. She was there?”

“Yes! She was headed in as he was headed out.”

“And what were you doing?”

“I had a… a doctor’s appointment. Bottom line is, I don’t think he’s single.”

She flips through her phone again. “I don’t see anything about a girlfriend. Like nowhere. Not one picture. The only thing I see when I look him up… is you.” She cackles, then looks at me. “Sorry. Okay, but for real: How do you know it’s not just a friend with benefits thing? Boy’s gotta be frustrated. Maybe he likes to keep it consistent. Someone he knows won’t go broadcasting that she bagged Owen Sharpe.”

“She has a baby,” I blurt out.

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