Page 25 of Tangled Desires

My stomach flips. What the? I definitely wasn’t expecting that. Oh God, I should tell him. I should say something. But my words get stuck in my throat, a thick knot of panic tightening with every second that passes. What am I supposed to say back to that? I take a breath, forcing the words out. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

His eyes narrow, and I can already see the confusion creeping in. “What?”

Fuck it.

I reach into my bag, pulling out the pregnancy test. I don’t even know why I have it with me—some weird, twisted souvenir? It’s been cleaned, that’s for sure, but why the hell is it still in my bag? I hold it out to him, watching his eyes widen. He takes a step back, like I’ve handed him a grenade.

“What is that?”

“What does it look like?”

“Is that... is that a pregnancy test?”

I nod, swallowing hard.

He frowns, shaking his head. “But... what?”

“I’m pregnant, Harrison.”

His frown deepens as he sinks into a chair. “Holy shit. This is not where I thought this conversation was going.”

“Yeah, well, you and me both.”

He leans forward, rubbing a hand over his face. “How?”

I glare at him. “Do I really need to explain? Let’s not relive the details.”

He huffs out a short laugh, but his eyes are darting around, the wheels turning. “Wait… what about that pill you mentioned? Oh shit, did it not work?”

“Apparently not.”

He looks at me, his mouth opening like he’s about to say something, but nothing comes out. Instead, he leans back in the chair, exhaling slowly.

“Okay. Okay,” he mutters, mostly to himself, his hand rubbing at the back of his neck. I can’t tell if he’s freaking out or trying not to. Probably both. I sure as hell am. “When did you find out?”

“Last week. I had a scan over the weekend.”

His head snaps up. “A week? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I needed time, okay? To figure out how the hell to even process this.”

He stares at me, jaw tight. “But you were going to tell me?”

“Yes, Harrison, I was going to tell you,” I snap. “Congrats on the impeccable timing.”

God, how the tables have turned.

I’m torn, frustrated, and honestly, my back feels like it’s been run over by a truck, and all I want is for him to leave so I can lie down.

He straightens suddenly. “Wait—you had a scan? Is… everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” I mutter, waving him off, but my stomach churns, and I know this conversation is far from over. “I did a blood test to confirm the pregnancy, and an ultrasound to date it.” His jaw tightens and his eyes dart nervously. Nervous, Harrison? That’s a first.

“Oh, okay,” he finally mutters.

“I’ve got the scan upstairs,” I mumble before I can stop myself. “Do you… wanna see it?” God, why am I even asking? I need him to leave.

“Y-yeah,” he says, way too fast, then tries to play it cool, clearing his throat. “Sure. If you’ve got it.”

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