Page 61 of One Timer With A Wingman

“We need all of you to have a seat,” Aaron says.

“What is going on?” Annie asks again. She looks confused and maybe hurt. She’s confided in me about Cade. I haven’t done the same.

“Briar and I hooked up in Punta Cana,” Aaron blurts.

“He’s the guy you hooked up with?” Ruby asks, confused.

I nod. “I thought it would be complicated to say it was him, with Charlie dating Finn and Ruby with Macklin, and Cade and Annie doing whatever they are doing,” I mutter.

“So that’s what this meeting is about?” Luc asks, looking between us. “You guys are together now?”

“No,” I counter too fast. “I’m pregnant. Eleven weeks to be exact. Aaron and I are having a baby.”

We watch as our friends faces morph into some version of being stunned. No one says a word.

“We were shocked by the news too, and yes, we used protection,” Aaron states. “Briar and I aren’t together now, but we’re a team and we’re having this baby together.”

I note Aaron really likes the word team, maybe because he probably spent most of his life on a team playing hockey.

“I guess congratulations are in order,” Annie says and she walks over to us and hugs us. Everyone else follows suit.

“There’s one more thing. I kind of want to keep my pregnancy a secret for as long as possible. You know how gossip can travel around campus and I don’t want to be the center of it. That’s why Aaron and I are kind of behaving like we don’t really know each other.”

“That’s understandable,” Charlie says. “The gossip at school can be a little much.” She would know since things got out of hand when people found out she was dating Finn in secret.

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us,” Macklin assures.

“All of us,” Ruby confirms.

“Thanks, guys,” I say.

Aaron looks at me and smiles.

“If you need help or support or anything, we’re here for you,” Annie says.

“We all are,” Ruby adds.

I start to tear and the doorbell rings. “Shit,” I shout.

Aaron looks wide-eyed.

“Guys, I need you all to get lost. That’s Briar’s mom. She didn’t have a private place to meet her so I told her to bring her here. Whatever you hear, mum’s the word. Seriously.” Aaron points an accusatory finger at everyone in the room.

The bell goes again.

Everyone runs away. Some to the kitchen and some back upstairs.

Aaron runs to open the door. “Mrs. Halle, nice to meet you.”

“It’s Mrs. Strom now, but not for much longer,” Mom says. She shakes Aaron’s hand. “Nice place you have here.” Mom’s eyes are all over the house, checking it out. “This place is much nicer than the shithole my daughter lives in. Last time I was there, a mouse ran across the family room.”

Aaron frowns.

“Come in, Mom.”

“Thanks.” She walks into the house and looks me up and down.

“Would you like to have a seat?” Aaron asks her, pointing to the couch.

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