Page 8 of There Are No Words

“Allie?” Perla finally asked, walking over to where I stood.

I had two options—turn and run out the front door or face the music. I went with the latter. “Fine!” I said, throwing my hands up in the air. “It’s mine. I’m pregnant—apparently,” I said, swallowing hard around the word. That was going to take a while to get used to saying aloud.

Wrapping me in a hug, Perla cried, “Allegra,” using my full name for the first time in forever. Supposedly, the situation warranted it.

Bianca and Maria didn’t move an inch. They also didn’t say anything.

Neither did Dom, for that matter.

“Tell us how this happened,” Perla insisted as she finally backed up, but stayed by my side. “It’s so exciting!”

Is it?I sighed and dropped my purse on Maria’s couch. It seemed I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. “Well, I suppose it happened because I had sex.”

“Smartass,” Bianca said and rolled her eyes.

Maria picked up Perla’s line of questioning and asked, “Whose is it?”

That was definitely a softball question. “Brady’s,” I answered without even a moment’s hesitation.

“Brady’s?” Bianca echoed, her voice hitting a new octave.

Perla took my hands in hers, holding them. “Does he know?”

Yeah, girl, I called him after I took the test, and he was so ecstatic he proposed on the spot. We’re getting married next month. I’m thinking of hiring a wedding planner.“No.” I shook my head. All the while my mind started to spin all over againas the corners of Bianca’s mouth turned up in her signature I-knew-it expression.

And then, there it was, right from Bianca’s mouth—“I knew it! Knox and I knew it.”Told you.“You two are so hot for each other. When you got in the car and came to Minnesota with us, we knew it.”

Ah, the impromptu road trip I’d taken (read: crashed) with Bianca and Knox, just to get away from Brady and his raw sexual magnetism. Too bad it hadn’t worked. When we’d returned home, nothing had changed. So I’d gone to his pub one night, and well, you knew the rest.

Before I could address Bianca’s statement or answer any more questions, Dom cleared his throat. “Well, I should be going.”

Same, Dom.

“Maria, I’ll come back for the window.”

“And?” Maria asked, a hand on her hip, her eyes narrowing at Dom as though waiting for something.

“Congrats, Allie,” he said and waved at me. “Really exciting. Don’t worry, either. I won’t say anything to Brady.”

I nodded. Okay, so remember how I’d chosen option number two—to face the music—well, let’s just say this: Worst. Mistake. Of. My. Life.

Correction: second worst mistake of my life.

“And?” Maria questioned again, her expression more serious.

Dom swallowed. “Sorry.”

“Mmhmm,” she acknowledged as he slipped out the way he came in.

And I knew the real interrogation was about to begin, but I needed a break. I couldn’t take any more questions. I was still processing myself. I took a deep fortifying breath and looked atmy sisters. “I know you all have questions, but I need a little time. So can we do this later, please?”

They all stared back at me, each having a look that took on a mix of sad and confused, like they didn’t get it. Which made sense. Because they didn’t. No one could. So yeah, they were sad and confused, but you know what, so was I. And I needed to put myself first for a minute.

“Please?” I pleaded when no one answered, hoping they’d give me this one.

One by one they nodded, and I ended up back at option one—turning and running out of Maria’s house.

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