Page 15 of Masked Indulgence
ThanksgivingDay
The next afternoon Dad and I sat in the backyard, watching all the kids play. He opened the Yeti ice chest I’d bought him just that morning when we went shopping. He’d filled it up with beer and took a couple out, tossing one tome.
I popped the top on it and took a nice long drink. The cold brew felt good going down my parched throat. Although it was the end of November, the temperature hovered around ninety that day—pretty hot for Thanksgiving. I didn’t miss the South Texas heat one tinybit.
“So, how’s it going out west, son?” Dad asked me, then took a drink of hisbeer.
“Great.” I put the bottle of beer between my legs to hold it steady as a football sailed in my direction. Catching it, I tossed it back to my oldestnephew.
“Any girls you like out there?” Dad askedme.
“One,” I found myself saying. “But she’s playing hard toget.”
“You’re not used to that, are you, son?” He winked atme.
“Not at all. But I’ve got a plan now.” I smiled then took anotherdrink.
Tomorrow I’d start that little plan, and soon I’d have that sexy vixen right where I wantedher.
Chapter10
Katana
ThanksgivingDay
I had never felt worse than I did on Thanksgiving as I waited for my turkey pot pie to cook in the oven. Normally I’d just nuke the thing, but it being a holiday that was celebrated with turkey, I gave it a bit more love and put it in theoven.
An acrid taste had plagued my mouth for over an hour, so I gave up trying to use water to get rid of it and went to brush my teeth again. While in the restroom, I noticed the unopened box of birth control pills that were sitting on the vanity. I hadn’t taken any in weeks, since my stomach had been giving me fits. But something compelled me to pick up the box and look atit.
When I opened it, I began to count how many I’d taken out of it. There’d been fourteen pills I knew I hadn’t taken. And those were there. There were three missing, but before those three there was a week’s worth that I hadn’ttaken.
My heart stopped. I’d forgotten to take my pills during that crazy week. The week right before I was withNix.
I dropped to my knees, which had suddenly gone weak, and looked up. “Lord, please don’t let this be what I think itis.”
Shaking, I got up and went into my bedroom to grab my purse and car keys. The smell of the turkey pot pie had me going to turn the oven off before leaving the pie behind and going to go to thestore.
As I drove around town, I found most places were closed for the holiday, but I did manage to find a convenience store and was lucky enough to find a pregnancytest.
When I took it to the checkout, the clerk scanned it then asked, “Congratulations?”
A shake of my head told her that was not the case. Not at all. I couldn’t speak—I thought I might just burst into tears if I tried. I quickly grabbed my purchase and went backhome.
There were two sticks in the package, and I took one and headed to the bathroom. Once all set and ready to go, I found I couldn’t. I was dry as abone.
Back I went to the kitchen to drink copious amounts of water. My stomach felt like it was floating in deep water, yet I still couldn’t pee. I guess my nerves had shut thingsdown.
Digging through my purse, I found the business card Nixon had given me. I just stared at it for the longest time. “I’m so sorry, Nix. I didn’t do this onpurpose.”
If I am pregnant, should I tell him aboutit?
Did he have to know? He’d made sure to ask me about birth control before we ever did a thing and I had told him I’d taken care of it. I hadn’t meant to lie about it—I thought I had been telling thetruth.
That damn busy as hell week was to blame forthis!
I sat at the kitchen table, my head in my hands as I stared at the card on the table, his name staring a hole in me. Nixon Slaughter, my baby’s father’sname.
I shook my head back and forth—I had to stop thinking like that. I couldn’t hold him accountable for this. I couldn’t do that to the man. He didn’t deservethat.
