Page 45 of Finding Fate

“Sorry,” he apologized.

“Was I asleep?”

“Only a few minutes.” He came over and crawled up behind her, tucking her into his body. “I wanted to let you rest. You looked pretty green downstairs.”

She nodded, nibbling slowly on a cracker to see if it would help. “I know. This cold just isn’t letting up. My mom’s going to want to take me in if she finds out.”

Tucker sighed, figuring that was a pretty good idea. He just wanted her to feel better already. He ran his fingers through her hair as she nibbled, trying in some way to help her, until he heard her soft, even breaths as she fell asleep. Removing the half-eaten cracker from her hand, he settled in beside her to listen for when one of his parents came home, not daring enough to be caught in bed with his girlfriend, even for a good reason.

* * *

Several days passed before Isabel stared at her stricken reflection in the bathroom mirror, her heart racing as her gaze flicked back to the unopened pink box stashed under the counter. She pressed a shaky hand to her flat stomach, just above her bikini bottoms, and turned for a side view of her reflection. She looked the same. “But do you feel the same?” Her mind forced the question. She shook her head. She was only seventeen. She was being ridiculous. “Am I though?” she still questioned. “Could I be?”

Dread filled her at the idea of telling Tucker. Would this be what made him leave? She was being crazy. “There’s just no way!” she insisted, slamming the cabinet closed to meet her friends at the beach, doubt still flickering dangerously at the edge of her mind.

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