Page 16 of Falling for You

“Taylor Evans is gorgeous,” Avery says nonchalantly, not realizing the dilemma I’m currently going through as Taylor runs his fingers through his wet hair.

The TV changes to a news anchor, the video of his talking vanishing, and the bald news anchor speaks, “It wasn’t just the cup Taylor Evans won last night; seems he also won the heart of his girl,” and my stomach sinks as a picture of Taylor in a blackbutton-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up showing his tattoos and a leggy blonde clinging to him as she looks up at him like he holds the moon while he smirks at the camera.

“That girl seems more like Harry’s type than Taylor Evans,” my sister sneers, pure hate for her husband lacing her tone and I can’t even roll my eyes at her stupidity because she knew his reputation. Instead, my eyes tear up as picture after picture shows up on the screen of them together at not just the public event this evening but also a casual walk this morning around Central Park as the man talks about how happy and in love they are looking and how they’ve apparently been dating for a while on the down low but ‘Sonia’ let the cat out of the bag at the bar I met him at by kissing him in front of everyone, the same bar he apparently frequents after a game before my sister shuts the TV off with a sigh then slumps back on my couch.

Saliva fills my mouth and I know my word vomit cannot stay in.

“That’s the guy I slept with at your bachelorette party,” I admit in shock. Avery spins to look at me, but my eyes are on the blank screen as I whisper in pain, “I gave him my virginity.”

Oh god, oh god….

“Holy, you slept with Taylor Evans!” she screeches after a few moments of silence, and she stands up in shock and shouts,“You gave him your virginity? I thought you gave that away years ago!”

I lock eyes with my sister, who looks at me like I betrayed her by keeping her in the dark which is very hypocritical considering she’s been sleeping with her abusive husband and some other guy, something I only know because I overheard her talking to someone this morning and she opened up when I confronted her.

A sob releases from me as I admit, “I’ve just taken two pregnancy tests, he has a girlfriend while I beat myself up everyday for not leaving him my number or at least waiting until he woke up before leaving.”

Uncontrollable tears fall as Avery looks at me in shocked silence, and I finish, “I don’t even know how to get in contact with him because I can’t remember how to get to his place,” then fall to the floor with uncontrollable sobs.

Breathing becomes difficult as my regret and fear take over. I feel arms wrap around me, squeezing me tightly, and my sister whispers, “It’s okay; everything is going to be okay.”

“H-how,” I croak, my body trembling, “I-I, oh God….”

Sobs wreck my body, Avery holds me tighter.

“We can return to the bar; we’ll find his agent’s number. We will get a hold of him,” she promises.

“B-But what-what about his-his girlfriend,” I sob, not willing to push myself into his life if he’s found someone that he wants to spend his life with, even if it means hurting me.

Avery pulls back and cups my cheeks, her eyes are serious as she states, “What about her? You slept together what six weeks ago?” I nod because it was roughly that long. She nods back and continues, “Then it can’t be serious,” she wipes my cheeks with her thumbs, “You have spent weeks, weeks, Pen, regretting not staying with him. You told me about the connection, I’m sure he felt it too, and if he didn’t, then yes, it is his loss, but he deserves to know that he is about to become a dad.”

I blink, trying to take steady breaths as I keep eye contact with my sister. I allow her words to wash over me until I feel like I can breathe again, and I nod once.

She gives me a small smile and says, “Okay, then let’s do some digging. While we’re at it, we need to contact your OBGYN to get confirmation.”

I sniffle but nod again, she stands before helping me up and dragging me over to the couch before pushing me down. Shegrabs my laptop and sits next to me, opening the lid before she grabs my phone from the coffee table and passes it to me.

“Right, first things first, contact your OB while I do some digging,” she demands. I swallow hard but listen like she isn’t my little sister and find the number I need.

An hour is how long it takes for Avery to get his agent's number.

I called my OB and booked an appointment for next week to confirm the pregnancy. Based on my last period, I’m just over six weeks pregnant, Avery has gone in circles calling the ice rink, the assistant coach who was no help to basically online stalking him to find his agents number and had even found out the little girl I looked after last month, Kaylah Evans, is his niece meaning the number I was given was Taylors.

I wasn’t going to use it. I was flattered, but I knew I couldn’t try with someone else when I wanted Taylor, not realizing it was his number, but it did make sense why her uncle looked so familiar with the eyes.

Dark blue like Taylors.

“Okay, her name is Elena, she is actually half of the team’s agent,” Avery says, and I nod, hating that the number Kaylah gave me was wrong.

I think she got one of the numbers wrong; I just don’t know which one.

I take the phone from her, put it on the loudspeaker, and listen to it ring several times. Just when I think it’ll go to voicemail, someone picks up.

“This is Elena Thompson,” a snotty woman answers, I narrow my eyes, making my sister bite back her smile.

She sounds like Zane-holes mother.

I clear my throat, “I, this is Penelope Vine. Uh, I’m calling because I’m trying to reach one of your clients.”

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