Page 81 of You're All I Need

“Wait, where are you going?”

She spins around and gives me a small grin. “To the pharmacy. If you need a pregnancy test, I’m going to get you one.”

“But what if that stirs up rumors? You can’t walk out of there with a pregnancy test! Everyone will assume it’s for you,” I bellow.

Stevie shrugs her shoulders and grabs her keys. “So. Let them talk. No one matters but the people important to us, right?”

I nod slowly, still not convinced. What if it gets back to Jack that she was buying a test at the pharmacy?

She steps forward, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m not worried about people talking, Adrienne. I’m doing this for a friend, and if Jack somehow hears, I’ll tell him exactly that.”

I sniffle, overwhelmed by her love and support. I don’t know how I got so lucky as to find a friend like her, but I’ll be forever grateful. “I don’t want you to have to keep a secret from him.”

“I won’t. I’ll tell him it’s for a friend and leave it at that.”

I snort. “A friend. He’ll know.”

She shakes her head. “I do have more than one friend, you know.”

“I know, I’m just—”

“Stop it, I’m teasing. It’s going to be okay, Adrienne. Stay here, and I’ll be right back. If it comes back positive, we’ll figure out the next step. Together.”

I nod because that’s all I can do. I’m so overwhelmed I can’t seem to respond.

“Hang tight. Be back in a jiffy.” And then she’s gone, closing the door with a little extra force and heading to the pharmacy.

To buy me a pregnancy test.

I close my eyes and try to breathe slowly. In through my nose, out through my mouth. I do that a few more times until I feel my heart rate start to slow to a normal rhythm. Ever since I got home on Sunday, I’ve been anxious. First, there was that awkward ride home, in which Caden seemed to put as much space between us, figuratively, as possible. It got to the point it was easier to just turn up the music and enjoy the tunes than itwas to try to force conversation out of him when he clearly didn’t want to talk.

At some point during that last game, things just…changed. I felt the distance, as he talked to his sister and nephew and even took my hand. Then, of course, the world’s most uncomfortable car ride possible. At first, I thought he picked up my own uneasiness, thanks to discovering something was up with my birth control pills, but I’m not sure that was it. He seemed fine right up until I went to the restroom that last time before the end of the game.

Then something changed.

It was confirmed on Monday when I went to the shop to work. Caden and Jack were both there, but as soon as I arrived, Caden grabbed his coffee and took off, barely muttering a quick good morning before exiting the building. Jack just shook his head and made an excuse for his friend and partner, claiming he didn’t get much sleep the night before. I didn’t see him the rest of the day either. He didn’t arrive back at the shop before I left, nor did he come to the bar and have dinner. I half expected him to, since he’s gotten into a habit of doing just that on nights I work. But Monday night was crickets.

So far, it’s the same on Tuesday. Granted, I know it’s not even noon, but I wouldn’t put it past him to fire off a flirty or naughty text at some point during the day. Yet, it’s been nothing but crickets from him, and while it’s only been a little more than twenty-four hours since I last saw him at work—not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things—this time feels different. The separation greater.

Grand Canyon sized.

It takes about twenty minutes before Stevie is back, plastic pharmacy bag in hand. “I got a few different ones.”

I blink at her before taking in the contents of the bag she drops on the table. “Umm, do I need four tests?”

“Well, they come two to a box, and I figured you’d want to take two for sure. You know, in case you get a false positive. Or a false negative,” she reasons. “And then a third one is for confirmation either way. You know, two out of three?”

I nod, because honestly, that makes sense. I’ve never taken a pregnancy test. I have no clue how accurate they’re supposed to be. Plus, what if I do it wrong? I mean, I don’t think I can pee on a stick wrong, but I’m sure it’s happened before.

“Which one should I do first?”

She glances down at the different tests, two different brands. “Does it matter?”

“Probably not,” I mutter, grabbing the closest one to me.

“Here,” she blurts out, running to the fridge and grabbing my already opened bottle of water. “You’re probably going to need the fluids.”

Normally, I’d crack a smile at her comment, but I can’t seem to muster one up right now. With wobbly legs, I walk across the kitchen to my half bath and slip inside. Once the door is closed behind me, I sit on the closed toilet seat and shut my eyes. There’s no going back if this test is positive. The course of my life will change instantly.

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