Page 33 of Seven of Hearts

Leah left the door open as she headed deeper into her lair and set the hammer on the kitchen island. “What are you doing here? I didn’t even know you were in town. Kylie didn’t?—”

“Ky doesn’t know I’m here,” I said as I rubbed the back of my neck.This was stupid. This was so fucking stupid. I was so stupid.

Leah looked suspicious, like she didn’t trust my intentions. “Then what are you doing here?”

I lifted the grocery bag. “You said you were sick...I figured you might need something.”

Those untrusting eyes widened in surprise. “You...You flew all the way here from Chicago to bring me crackers and ginger ale?”

“And some instant potatoes and electrolytes.” I shrugged. “I had some time to read on the plane. Sorry if it’s not what you can stomach.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her lip started to quiver. “Can I have a hug?” She dried her tear-stained cheeks with the sleeve of her oversized pajama shirt. “Sorry. I don’t know why I said that. I know you’re not touchy-feely. I haven’t slept well all week, and I’m super hormonal right now.”

“Come here,” I said as I set the grocery bag on the kitchen counter and opened my arms. Leah was hesitant at first, then slid into my chest like a key slipping into a lock.

Tension leached from my body as I held her close, cradling her head against my chest with one hand and softly rubbing her back with the other. “Better?”

She nodded, burrowing deeper in my arms.

We stood there in the dim light of her kitchen, breathing each other in. When her tears had faded and her muscles relaxed, I pulled away.

“Why were you awake and swearing?”

She let out a caustic laugh and looked at a bedside table that only had three of the four legs. “I figured if I couldn’t sleep, I’d tackle a project rather than stare at the ceiling all night.”

“Why couldn’t you sleep?”

Leah picked at one of her cuticles. “Anxiety, I guess.”

She was anxious? About what? Was the baby okay? Was she okay? Did she have a doctor’s appointment and get bad news?We hadn’t talked about whether she was comfortable telling me what was going on with her pregnancy.

“About what?” I pressed gently.

She let out a deep breath. “I’m going to tell my parents tomorrow night. I know they’re not going to take it well.”

“Because the baby’s mine,” I said.

Her tongue prodded the inside of her cheek as she tried to figure out a way to wrap the ugly truth in a pretty package.

“Don’t lie to me, Leah.”

“That...is a factor. Yes. But it’s not just you. They’re not happy with me at the moment either.”

Her parents hated me. Hated my family. I had known that since I was a teenager. It also meant I had nothing left to lose with them. “Do you want me to go with you?”

Leah blinked. She started to nod and say yes, then froze. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s probably a conversation I should tackle on my own. We’re not together, so it would only raise more questions.”

“I’m sorry.”

She just shook her head. “Stop saying you’re sorry. We both did this. We both have to live with different consequences.” A sad smile painted her rosy lips. “I guess if that was the last hookup I had before I became a mom, what a way to go out.”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that broke free. “I had a really good time talking to you that night. You know—before we got shitfaced.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” I cupped her cheek and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I guess...it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to talk to someone like that.”

Leah cocked her head curiously. “You don’t have a lot of friends, do you?”

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