Page 86 of Accepted Precedent
“Don’t get up. I can set up right there if you’d like.”
I sink deeper into the sofa to get comfortable. Jaclyn rises, and the tech takes her seat, placing the device on the table and retrieving a bottle from her purse. As she helps me lift my shirt, I tug down my leggings a few inches.
“Are you wanting to know the sex of the babies?” she asks carefully.
“Yes. Though I suppose it doesn’t matter, I’ll probably just paint the nursery green anyway,” I chuckle.
She smiles and turns on the machine, then grabs the bottle of gel. “All right, this is going to be a little cold,” she warns,squirting it on my belly. Pressing the ultrasound wand into it, she smears it around. “Okay, it looks like baby A is very active today. They’re measuring”—she taps and clicks the device with the screen—“twenty-six centimeters. A little larger than expected, but nothing to worry about. The heart and lungs are looking great. And… it’s a boy.”
There are gasps and coos from everyone. Mick leans in, kissing my temple, and murmurs, “We’re going to have our hands full.”
“And baby B… is a girl. She’s measuring twenty-four centimeters, and everything looks great for her too.” She snaps a few images, then wipes the gel from my belly. “I’ll email everything over to you. These little ones are big, but doing great.”
Jaclyn hands me a wet paper towel to remove the excess gel. While Mickey, Ileah, and Alex are grinning ear to ear, she isn’t. There’s sadness poorly masked in her expression, but I don’t want to call her out with everyone here.
Everyone… but Kristin and Andrew.
I tug down my shirt as I ask, “Where’s Andy?”
Ileah shrugs. “Not sure. Probably still talking to Kristin. Want me to look for him?”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’ll do it,” I rush out. There’s no telling what conversation she could walk in on, and the last thing I want is more people discovering Andy has feelings for my sister.
“No, I’ll do it, angel,” Mickey insists, getting up before I can protest.
The tech packs everything up, and Alex walks her out. The girls surround me, more excited than I am. But while Ileahstill beams, Jaclyn’s forced smiles have me wondering if she’s struggled with fertility. It could also be that she can’t risk pregnancy while the Gallaghers work their magic getting her to the White House. Either way, my heart aches seeing her like this. Hopefully she’ll share when she’s comfortable.
Mickey returns, jaw tight, without Andy or Kristin. “They’ll be out shortly.”
Oh, Andy… What did you do?
Chapter 37
Andrew
“Ineed your help.” I shut the door behind us.
Finn’s office is immaculate—just like Mickey’s—except for a stack of books in the corner. Most are fiction, and I’m pleasantly surprised he’s a reader like Evie. With nowhere to sit, I lean against his desk, wanting to be eye level with Kristin.
“Okay,” she says carefully. “What do you need help with?”
“I want to walk away, but I’ll need help convincing Mickey.”
“What you’re suggesting could ruin everything. We’d have to find the right candidate in Maryland to take your place. Even if we did, you’ll still need to pretend to be the father of Evelyn’s kids. There are no winners here.”
“Mickey deserves to raise his own kids.”
“I agree, but unfortunately, people would think Evie was cheating on you if any of this came out. I won’t have people dragging my sister’s name through the mud.”
I rake a hand through my hair. “I’ll tell the media that I was unfaithful. Unlike the assholes on the other side of the aisle whocheat on their wives like it’s a sport, I’ll be villainized, and asked to not seek reelection. I’ll claim them as mine, but the attention will be on the affair. Evie can divorce me and no one will question it. Problem solved.”
“Not an option. Jaclyn won in a landslide in the special election, but Ileah isn’t running unopposed this time. Everyone knows you’re friends with them—they’d be guilty by association. We need to stick to the plan.”
“Fuck the plan. I’m tired of pretending I’m in love with Evie when I’m in love with?—”
“Don’t you dare say me!” she grits out, just like I’m used to Mickey doing when he’s cross with me. “You don’t love me.”
I stand, giving me a solid six inches over Kristin, even if it does little to intimidate her. She keeps her eyes narrowed on me as I admit, “Yes… I do.”
