Page 94 of A Good Book

“Areyoudoing okay in your classes? If you ever need help”—I smirked—“don’t ask me.”

Matt barked a laugh. “Thanks. That’s good to know.” He sat on the edge of my bed. “Have you heard from Ben?”

“Nope. Have you heard from Julianne?”

“Actually, yes. She called to let me know she made it safely to California. And we’ve talked every week since. It’s …” He twisted his lips. “Nice.”

Yes. I imagined it was nice to have the person you loved communicate with you.

“What are you doing for spring break?”

“Uh …” I fiddled with my hoodie strings.

“Going home?”

My gaze caught on my pillow just inches from his hand. It was the ultrasound picture. I stared at it every day.

As if I wasn’t already nauseous, the idea of Matt finding out made me feel faint as well. Before I could answer, his gaze followed mine. My jaw unhinged to speak, to distract him, anything to bring his attention back to me.

But it was too late.

He took the picture and stared at it through squinted eyes. “Who’s pregnant?” he murmured.

It felt like an honest, innocent question, as if he assumed there was no way it could be me.

I had a tiny window to make up anything and deliver it with confidence.

Olivia’s pregnant. Big surprise, huh?

I found it in the hallway. I don’t know who it belongs to, but I’m going to ask around.

Eve’s pregnant. She sent me a picture.

Sarah’s pregnant, didn’t you know?

But I waited too long. My silence screamed the answer. And when he glanced up at me, the tears filling my eyes confirmed it.

“Jesus, are you serious?”

I wiped my face and nodded.

“Is it?—”

“It’s yours,” I said through a laugh and a sob.

Matt eyed me with a weird expression for a moment as if he questioned my sincerity, as if he needed to recall if he’d been drunk another night and accidentally had sex with me.

I grabbed a tissue from the box on my desk and wiped my eyes and nose. “Sorry. That was a bad joke.”

“Does he know?”

I nodded, then I shook my head. “I wrote him a letter, but either he’s not reading them or he doesn’t care.”

“Who else knows?”

I shrugged. “My doctor. And God. I told him first.”

Indecision warred on Matt’s face as if he wasn’t sure if it was a laughing matter.

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