Page 41 of Risk

The problem is that she’s married to my big brother, and his best friend is the guy who knocked me up.

FIFTEEN

“Thanks for coming into the city to see me,” I say to Cam when she slides into the booth seat opposite me after kissing me on the cheek.

I arrived first. I wanted to sit down and prepare myself for the conversation that I was about to have with her. I already feel bad because I’m going to ask her not to tell Zeus. I want to be the one to tell him, but I really need her advice. She’s the only person I know who has been in a similar situation to the one I’m now in.

“Are you kidding? A lunch date in the city with one of my favorite sisters-in-law? Babe, you are doing me a favor.” She picks up the menu and opens it. “Was Ari busy?”

Usually, when we get together for a girlie lunch, Ari comes with us.

“Oh, I, um…I didn’t ask her. I wanted to, uh…talk to you…alone.”

Her eyes lift from the menu to me, clear curiosity there. “Oh. Okay. Should we order now? Or do you want to talk right away?”

“Order first.”

“Okay.”

Her eyes go back to the menu, and I open mine up.

“So, are we having mimosas with lunch? I took the train in so I could treat myself to a liquid lunch.”

“Oh, um, you go ahead, but I…”

She drops her menu. “You’re pregnant.”

My face gets hot, and I glance around, making sure nobody heard her, but there’s no one nearby.

I start to pick at the edge of my menu, thinking how exactly to answer her question.

Yes, is probably a good start.

Her hand touches mine, and my eyes lift to hers. I’m embarrassed to say they fill with tears and my lip wobbles.

“Oh, honey, it’s okay.” She gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I feel someone approach the table. Shit, it’s the waiter. I turn my face away, blinking quickly, trying to clear my eyes of the tears.

“Can we just get a glass of still water and a mimosa for now? Thanks.”

“Of course.”

I hear footsteps retreating, and I brave turning my eyes back to Cam. What I see when I look at her only makes my eyes fill up again. Compassion and understanding are all that’s on her face.

I really do have the best family.

I pick up the napkin from the table and discreetly wipe the moisture from my eyes.

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Cam says gently. “But I have a feeling that’s why you asked me to lunch.”

“If I’d known I was going to start blubbering, then I’d have asked you to have lunch at my place.”

“Your hormones are all over the place at the moment, and I’m guessing this wasn’t a…planned pregnancy.”

“Nope.” My voice sounds watery.

“I figured, with you still being in school, and I know you’re not currently dating anyone—are you?”

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