Page 90 of Leave Before I Love You
“What do you mean?” June’s confusion deepens. “Then where did you go?”
Before I can answer, a wave of nausea rolls through me like a freight train. “Excuse me,” I mutter, bolting toward the bathroom. I barely make it to the toilet before I’m heaving.
“Avery?” June’s voice is behind me, soft with concern. She’s there, gently patting my back as I retch. Addy’s little voice comes from the doorway.
“Auntie Avie sick?”
“Auntie’s just feeling a little under the weather, Addy,” June says, standing up to lead Addy away. “Go watch your show, sweetie. Mommy will be right there.”
By the time June comes back, I’m sitting on the bathroom floor, clutching a hand towel and dabbing at my sweat-dampened face. She crouches down beside me, her eyes filled with worry.
“Avery, what’s going on?” she asks softly.
And just like that, the dam breaks. It’s an overload of information, and I start spilling it, haphazardly as it may be. “I was a virgin,” I blurt out, my voice cracking.
June’s eyes go wide. “Excuse me?”
“I was a virgin,” I repeat, more firmly this time. “Before theisland. Before Henry. I know you probably thought I was banging all those dudes, but I was a virgin until the island.”
June sits back on her heels, her jaw practically on the floor. “Wait. You mean…”
“I had sex with Henry,” I say, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I seduced him. And ever since we got back, we’ve been secretly fucking all over the city.”
I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction to the news I’ve dropped so far. Clearly, I haven’t droppedallthe bombs, saving the most earth-shattering for last, but I honestly don’t know how my best friend is going to react to me keeping shit from her.
June’s eyes somehow get even wider. Her lips part, but no words come out. Then, finally, she grins. “Oh my God.”
I blink. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because!” she says, laughing now. “I had a feeling something was going on between you two. Honestly, I’ve been wondering for a while. Even before the island.”
“What? Why?”
She shrugs. “Because you guys have always had a little…something-something. Some kind of undeniable chemistry.”
“Oh, we have undeniable chemistry, all right,” I mutter. “It’s literally growing inside me right now.”
June freezes, her gaze dropping to where my hand is resting on my belly. “You’re pregnant?” she whispers, her voice full of awe.
“Yes, I’m pregnant,” I snap. “With Henry’s baby. And he doesn’t know. But that shouldn’t be a surprise, because he doesn’t know I’m in love with him either.”
“Oh my God, Avery!” June exclaims, pulling me into a tight hug. “You’re pregnant!”
“Yes, June,” I say, exasperated. “I’m pregnant. This is going to change my life forever. I don’t know how to be a teen mom!”
“Teen mom?” June repeats, laughing. “Avery, you’re twenty-seven. Like me.”
“Don’t make this about you!” I wail.
“You’re pregnant,” June whispers again, tears in her eyes. “Avery, there’s a little baby growing inside your belly.” She hugs me again. “And you and I, we’re pregnant together. Our babies are going to be the same age.” She leans back, brushing my hair out of my face. “I know this is a lot to process, Avery, but this is a good thing. This is a great thing. This is the best thing, actually.”
“The best thing?” I repeat, incredulous. “June, I didn’t get Louboutins for half off. I’m pregnant. With child.”
“Yeah,” June says, smiling even bigger. “You are.”
I search her face, and she hugs me again. “It’s going to be okay, Avery. I promise. I think you just need to talk to Henry.”
Oh, Henry.Just the thought of telling him makes my stomach churn all over again.
