Page 76 of Hat Trick Daddies

“It’s nothing,” I say quickly, avoiding his gaze as my heart starts to race. “Just…a check-up.”

Brooks isn’t buying it. His sharp eyes stay locked on mine, and I feel the weight of his concern. “Ally,” he says, his tone soft but firm. “What’s going on?”

I force a smile, trying to brush it off. “It’s really nothing. I’m fine.”

“Then why are you acting so weird?” he presses. “Come on, you can talk to me. What’s going on?”

My breath catches, and I look down at my hands, twisting them nervously in my lap. My mind scrambles for a way out, but there’s none. Brooks is watching me with such genuine concern that it breaks me.

“Ally,” he says again, his voice lower this time. “Whatever it is, just tell me.”

Tears prick my eyes, and I can’t hold it in anymore. The truth tumbles out in a rush. “I’m pregnant,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Brooks blinks, his face going still. “You’re…pregnant?”

I nod, tears streaming down my face as I bury my face in my hands. “I don’t know whose it is,” I choke out. “That’s why I’ve been avoiding you all. I didn’t know how to tell you.”

He’s silent for a long moment, and the stillness in the room feels suffocating. I peek up at him through my fingers, and his expression is unreadable.

“I was so scared,” I continue, my voice trembling. “I thought…I thought you’d all hate me. Or reject me. Or…I don’t know. I just feel so stupid for getting into this situation.”

Brooks finally moves, leaning forward slightly despite the brace on his leg. His hand finds mine, his touch strong and steady. “Ally,” he says, his voice calm. “You’re not stupid.”

“I feel stupid,” I whisper, my tears falling faster. “I feel like I’ve ruined everything.”

He shakes his head slowly. “You haven’t ruined anything. You’re just…in a tough spot.”

His words are kind, but I can’t stop the wave of guilt washing over me. “I don’t know what to do,” I admit, my voice breaking.

Brooks stays quiet, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “We’ll figure it out,” he says simply. And for the first time in days, I feel a glimmer of hope. He squeezes my hand, his eyessearching mine with an intensity that makes my stomach twist. “What do you want to do, Ally?” he asks softly.

The question knocks the wind out of me. I try to answer, but the words catch in my throat. “I don’t…I don’t even know,” I stammer, my voice trembling. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

His brows knit together, the crease in his forehead deepening. “You don’t know?” he echoes, and though his tone isn’t judgmental, I can hear the surprise behind it.

Tears spill over again, hot and relentless. “I’ve barely had time to process this,” I admit, my voice cracking. “Everything feels…so overwhelming.”

Brooks leans back in the hospital bed, his hand still clutching mine. “Okay,” he says after a long pause, his tone even. “That’s fair. But you don’t have to do this alone, Ally. Whatever you decide, you’ve got support.”

His understanding is almost too much to bear, and it doesn’t calm the storm of anxiety churning inside me. I wipe at my tears, nodding weakly, though the knot in my chest only tightens.

“I…I should go,” I say, standing abruptly. The hospital room feels suffocating, the walls closing in with every second I stay.

Brooks’ hand falls away from mine, and he watches me rise, his expression unreadable. “Ally,” he starts, but I shake my head.

“I need time,” I murmur, barely able to meet his eyes. “I have to figure this out before I can talk about it more.”

He nods slowly, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Okay. But…can I tell the twins?”

I hesitate, my hands fidgeting at my sides. Part of me wants to say no, to keep this to myself a little longer, but the logical part of me knows that’s impossible. “Yeah,” I say finally. “You can tell them.”

The air between us feels heavy, filled with everything unsaid. Brooks looks like he wants to reach out, to stop me, but he doesn’t. “Take care of yourself, Ally,” he says quietly.

“Bye, Brooks,” I whisper, turning on my heel before the lump in my throat grows unbearable. I walk out the door, my steps heavy, each one pulling me farther from the men who I know care for me, even if everything now feels impossibly tangled.

“Ally?” Tyler asks as I hurry by them.

“What…where are you going?” Nick shouts after me.

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