Page 9 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

“Hi, Simon. Hi Joe,” I reply.

Joe has his arm around Katie. They’ve been dating for a long time now, and they make the cutest couple, Katie’s red mane and freckles contrasting with Joe’s dark hair and brown almond eyes. Simon isn’t bad looking either with his tanned skin and wavy brown hair. I have no doubt that we would make a cute couple, too, but Simon and I could never date. It’s more than about my arranged marriage. His entire family is involved in law enforcement. I doubt he’d want to hang around me if he knew what my family did for a living.

He sends me a shy smile, too polite to say what’s really on his mind. It’s for the best, anyway.

Katie speaks up. “Get us some drinks, would you, boys?” Obediently, Joe and Simon turn and make their way to one of the bars. She pulls me in excitedly when they’re out of earshot. Clearly whatever she has to say isn’t for them to hear.

“Who was that hunk you were talking with back there?” she probes.

“Where?”

“At the bar, silly. The hottie in the dark suit.”

“You saw him? Why didn’t you come back and get me?”

Katie shrugs. “I didn’t want to intrude. You looked like you were really into each other,” she says with a wink.

“We were not ‘into’ each other,” I reply, experiencing that flutter in my belly again. “And he was not a ‘hunk’ or a ‘hottie’. He was practically an old man, Kate.”

“Can’t be that old. Looked pretty hot to me, rocking a suit and that cool ponytail.”

“You didn’t see him up close,” I point out.

“So what? Older could be a good thing.” She nudges me with her elbow. “Since you’re about to get married off, you should experiment. Play the field, you know? Might have you a temporary sugar daddy there.”

A sugar daddy?Why on earth would I need a sugar daddy for? I’m appalled that Katie would even suggest the idea, but I suppose it’s her own way of making me smile. I shake my head. “I already have a father,” I say. “I don’t need another one, and I don’t need any sugar.”

Katie laughs. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

I wave off her attention. “Forget it. That dude was rude as hell, and I hope I never see him again.”

“Really? Why? What did he say to you? Did he come onto you or something?” she asks.

I wave her off. “It doesn’t matter.”

Joe and Simon soon return with a tray of beers and little shot glasses filled with reddish liquid, sparing me from Katie’s prodding.

“You know Nicki can’t drink those,” she says, pointing to the tray in his hands.

“That’s why we brought chasers,” Joe says, gesturing to the beers.

“You know what I mean, Joe,” Katie replies. “She’s underage. She can’t drink shots!”

“Yes, I can,” I interrupt, throwing her a haughty stare. “Besides, I’m turning 21 next year. What’s the difference between one more year? I can do whatever I want.”

I look over at the boys, their faces lighting up with encouraging grins. “And I want to get drunk.”

Joe laughs, raising his shot in a toast. “Alright, down the hatch then.”

The deep, amber-colored liquor is strong and spicy as a hot pepper. I don’t know what it is, so I swallow it quickly and immediately start to cough. Simon pats me on the back as I hack away. “Holy shit,” I croak as I regain my breath. “What is that stuff?”

“It’s called a Fireball,” Joe says, handing me a beer. “Now the chaser.”

I grab the beer and take a deep swig. The chilled brew quenches the burning sensation in my throat, and I chug down nearly half the bottle before I come up for air. I pull the bottle from my lips and take a deep breath. “I want another shot,” I say, the first one making me feel deliciously brave.

“Good thing you’re staying with me tonight,” Katie says with a snort.

“I propose a toast,” Simon says, passing me another shot glass and raising his own. Joe and Katie grab theirs and join in. “To having fun and not giving a fuck!” This time, we all clink glasses and down the contents in unison. Somehow, it tastes better the second time. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I don’t care. I’m in the moment, here with my dearest friends, and for at least a little while, free from the yoke of family obligations. I feel alive and strong and ready for anything.

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